Easy does it for St. Geme

Steve Virgen

The questions kept coming at Bill Sumner.

“Why didn’t you have Anne St. Geme run faster?”

Sumner, the Corona del Mar High girls track and field coach,

responded with: “I just wanted her to win.”

And, win she did.

St. Geme, the Corona del Mar sophomore sensation, did not complete

personal records, but won the 800 meters (2 minutes, 15.26 seconds)

and 1,600 (5:01.01) in the Orange County championships at Trabuco

Hills High Saturday. She was also named Distance Runner of the Meet.

Perhaps, the big picture was of greater importance for Sumner, as

St. Geme is poised to reach the CIF State meet. St. Geme was eager to

make her presence felt Saturday, but she listened to her coach.

“I wish I could have ran a faster time [in the 1,600], but I went

for the win,” St. Geme said. “I did what [Sumner] told me to do.”

St. Geme has the top times in the county in the 800 (2:27) and

1,600 (4:52.93). Her 1,600 time set at the Arcadia Invitational is

the second-best in the state.

“I was very happy with the results,” said Sumner, whose team

finished seventh. “I never thought about winning the title. Annie won

her two races. We weren’t going for any times or any records.”

There was an exception to Sumner’s statement, as freshman Hilary

May recorded personal-best times in the 800 (2:19.46) and 1,600 (5:04.79), finishing sixth and third, respectively. In the 1,600, May

was disappointed, yet motivated she came in just behind Aliso Niguel

freshman Brittany Bertuzzi, who finished second in 5:04.37 and became

the fastest freshman in the state.

Bertuzzi improved more than 14 seconds than her previous best.

“I’m mad,” May said. “I’m ready to get her back. [Bertuzzi] said

to me, ‘I want to race you again.’ I said, ‘Don’t worry, there’s four

more years. I’ll be there to get you.’ ”

St. Geme also competed for the CdM girls 1,600 relay team that

finished fourth in 4:02.85. For the second straight year, Santa

Margarita won the Orange County championships. Newport Harbor

finished 18th, tied with host Trabuco.

Seniors Lauren Paul and Elizabeth Clayton led the Sailors.

Clayton, bound for Brigham Young University, finished fourth in the

triple jump (34 feet, 11 1/2 inches) and 14th in the 100 hurdles

(16.65). Sage Hill School junior Laura Gordon was 10th in the triple

jump (33-1) and Newport’s Jackie Belida came in 12th (32-10 1/2).

Paul finished fifth in the 3,200 in a personal-best 11:35.15.

Costa Mesa sophomore Kyla Flores followed in 16th (12:11.36), while teammates Christine Bjelland (12:32.80) and Emily Cotton (12:33.87)

were in 24th and 25th, respectively.

Costa Mesa sophomore standout Jasmin Day did not compete Saturday,

instead playing in a club soccer tournament in Lancaster, her father

and Mustangs assistant coach, Eugene Day, said.

Newport Harbor sophomore Whitney Blue finished second in the

frosh-soph 1,600 (5:13). Blue usually competes in varsity and will do

so when the Sailors face Woodbridge in an important Sea View League

meet Wednesday at Orange Coast College.

Estancia did not compete in the Orange County championships.