Newport-Mesa Masters

Steve Virgen

Coach Bill Sumner’s Corona del Mar High girls track and field team

finished third in CIF Southern Section Division III, but that wasn’t

the only reason why the running guru was so pleased Saturday at

Cerritos College.

Sumner seemed giddy throughout most of the day during the CIF

divisional finals. He said he was happy to know CdM will be sending

seven athletes to today’s Masters Meet at Cerritos College. He was

also excited because three more athletes from the Newport-Mesa

District advanced as well.

“I’m the CdM coach, but it’s like I’ve become a Newport-Mesa coach

because I get excited about the athletes from our area,” said Sumner

in his 20th year. “You have to get excited about Jasmin Day. How can

you not? I like watching all of them.”

Sophomores Anne St. Geme of CdM and Day of Costa Mesa lead a cast

of 10 district athletes who will be competing in the Masters Meet

that gets underway at 4:30 p.m. with the field events. The action on

the track starts at 6 p.m.

CdM will also be represented by freshman Hilary May in the 1,600,

as well as Sara Claster, Melissa Swigert, Alex Tobiessen and Kelly

Morgan in the 1,600 relay. For the CdM boys, Andrew Wong will compete

in the pole vault.

Newport Harbor senior Elizabeth Clayton, who finished third in the

triple jump for CIF Division II, and freshman teammate Allison

Stokke, who took third in the pole vault, will also be vying to

advance to the state meet. The top five finishers in each event will

advance to the state meet at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento on June 4.

St. Geme, the CIF Division III champion in the 800 and 1,600

meters, is the only Newport-Mesa athlete to have reached the state

meet before -- she went last year. She enters the 1,600 with the top

time in the Southern Section, a 4:53.65 clocking. Her personal best

is 4:52.93, which is second in the state.

She has a personal best of 2:13.95 in the 800, the top time in

Orange County this season. St. Geme also helped the Sea Kings to a

second-place finish in the 1,600 relay, but Sumner has pulled her

from that event so that she can concentrate on the 800 and 1,600.

Tobiessen, who also competed for the CdM girls soccer team, will be

in the 1,600 relay instead.

May, the fastest freshman in the state in the 1,600, will be

hoping to reach the state meet, which has been her goal this season.

Last week, she finished third in the 1,600 for CIF Division III, by

coming in at 4:59.16, nearly five seconds faster than her previous

best.

Wong also set a personal record with a clearance of 14 feet, 3

inches to grab the ninth and final qualifying spot for the Masters.

Day, as well, achieved her personal best, clearing 5-8, to win the

high jump in CIF Division III.

Clayton had a 37-9 mark in the triple jump for the fifth-best leap

in the Southern Section. She has the school record, 38-4, set two

years ago, and has been on a strong comeback since shin injuries

beset her junior year.

Stokke also has a school record, an 11-8 clearance in the pole

vault. She cleared 11-6 last week.