Newport Harbor hanging tough

Steve Virgen

In his second year, Newport Harbor High boys track and field coach

Nowell Kay continues to build the Sailors back to the competitive and

talented squad it once was in the Sea View League.

The Newport Harbor boys won or shared the Sea View League

championship three years in a row, 2001, ’02 and ’03. But, last year,

there was a transition stage and the team finished fourth. The

Sailors expect to move up at least one spot this year and they have

youth that shows promise for the future.

“We have such a young team,” said Kay, whose team is 2-1 in the

Sea View League. “We have 70 kids in the program and 52 of them are

freshmen and sophomores.”

Kay said the Sailors’ strength this season is on the track,

particularly in the sprints. Senior Joel Walker and sophomore Keith

Eldridge are the team’s top sprinters.

Walker, who scored 35 goals and led the Newport boys soccer team

to a CIF Southern Section Division II quarterfinal appearance,

competes in the 400 meters. Walker and Eldridge also run on the relay

teams.

“Keith is a legit sprinter,” Kay said. “If he works hard at it, he

has a chance for the school record, which is 10.87 set by Trevor

Jones in 2000.”

Kay said he has been impressed with Walker and Eldridge and has

admired Walker’s commitment to the team, as he continues to play club

soccer, yet still competes for the Sailors.

The Newport distance runners are led by Nick Miller, a senior who

has been battling nagging injuries this season. Junior Nick St.

Andre, another distance runner, has been diligent in developing,

since having run cross country in the fall, Kay said.

“He’s probably in the best shape of all our guys,” Kay said of St.

Andre. “He put in the work.”

Kay also said he has been proud of junior Kurt Kalanz and

sophomore Beau Taylor. The two throwers remained disciplined despite

not having a position coach before the season started.

The Sailors recently brought on Marin Ciarelli to tutor the

throwers. She is the daughter of Tony Ciarelli, an assistant coach

for the Newport football team.