St. Geme, May shine for CdM

Steve Virgen

The Corona del Mar High girls track and field team started on a high

note and ended with a bang Saturday at Gahr High.

The Sea Kings achieved noteworthy performances in the girls 1,600

meters and the 1,600 relay at the CIF Southern Section Division III

preliminaries, where Costa Mesa and Estancia boys and girls also

competed.

In addition, sophomore Anne St. Geme qualified for the CIF

Division III finals in three events (1,600, 800 and 1,600 relay),

including a personal record in the 800 in 2:13.95, the top time in

Orange County this season.

In the 1,600, freshman Hilary May was boxed in just before the

final 400 meters. But she overcame her plight and still completed a

personal record, 5:03.66, finishing second in her heat and qualifying

fourth for the CIF Division III finals May 22 at Cerritos College.

The top nine finishers in each event advanced to the CIF finals.

May passed defending champion Jenna Kingma of San Luis Obispo over

the final 300 meters, just after May shifted and maneuvered to escape

from the pack.

“That definitely boosted my confidence,” said May, who now has the

top time for a freshman in the state. “It let me know that I had a

kick.”

May, whose goal is to compete in the state meet, finished first in

her heat and qualified second in the 800 in 2:18.61, also a personal

record.

The CdM 1,600 relay team of Sara Claster, St. Geme, Melissa

Swigert and Kelly Morgan recorded a season-best 4:01.57 and finished

first in its heat. The quartet had the fifth-best time of the day.

Morgan, the anchor, passed Gahr’s TreAna Hudley over the final 200

meters to add excitement for the Sea Kings.

Morgan also qualified fourth in the 400 in 58.77. She finished

first in her heat. Swigert was fourth in her heat and 18th overall in

1:00.59, while Costa Mesa sophomore Tracy Bjelland was sixth in her

heat and finished 24th in 1:02.44, a personal record.

The Sea Kings 400 relay team finished second its heat and

qualified sixth in 49.23. In the 1,600, St. Geme qualified first and

finished first in her heat in 5:06.85. Freshman Tiffany Liu qualified

ninth in the long jump (15 feet, 8 inches).

As a team, CdM is expected to compete for a place in the top five

in next week’s CIF finals.

Kevin Artz, who qualified in the 800 (1:59.12) and 1,600 with

personal records, led the CdM boys. He qualified ninth in the 1,600,

just making the cut to move on to next week’s finals. He finished

fourth in his heat in 4:25.89. He grabbed the final spot to qualify

just ahead of Diamond Ranch’s Michael Blair, who finished in 4:25.90.

Senior Andrew Wong qualified fourth in the pole vault (13-3).

For Costa Mesa, sophomore Jasmin Day qualified first in the girls

high jump, clearing 5-2. Her father, Eugene Day, said Jasmin injured

her right leg while playing soccer two weeks ago and still is feeling

pain. She was 25th in the 800 in 2:28.36.

Costa Mesa senior Qualic Vargas qualified fifth in the boys discus

(148-11).

Mustangs Coach Glenn Mitchell singled out senior Cassey Brick, a

girls team captain who also competed in cross country and basketball

this year. Brick, who plans to play basketball at Irvine Valley

College next year, achieved a personal record in the 300 hurdles in

49.12, finishing 14th.

Estancia senior Jason Johnston, who also competed in the long

jump, pulled his right hamstring in the 110 high hurdles. He said he

might have finished second if it wasn’t for the injury. C.J. Buchmann

and Alex Cahuantzi also competed for the Estancia boys, while the

girls were represented by freshman Jaye Hellmich.

CdM senior Chris Ringstrom, the Pacific Coast League champion in

the 100, 200 and 400, did not compete Saturday. Sumner said

Ringstrom’s hamstring was still tight from last week and the coach

did not want to take any chances. Ringstrom plans to complete in

track at Stanford next year.