Wind-swept win all around

Bryce Alderton

Uncharacteristic dry heat and brisk winds provided added challenges

for Corona del Mar High cross country runners and foes from Northwood

and Calvary Chapel of Santa Ana in an opening Pacific Coast League

double-dual meet Wednesday at Fairview Park.

That, and some CdM runners had never ran the course before.

But the Sea King boys and girls teams took advantage of the

novelties surrounding the meet and emerged victorious against both

schools.

Kenneth Wong (17:20), Jack Turner (17:22) and Ryan Guthrie (17:35)

went 2-3-4 for CdM, which tallied 27 points on the boys side, eight

ahead of the Timberwolves (35). Calvary scored 61.

CdM’s top five girls triumphed, 25-30, over Northwood -- Calvary

had just four runners -- despite missing junior standout junior Anne

St. Geme, who has a tear in the plantar fascia ligament in her right

foot and did not race, Coach Bill Sumner said.

Sumner said St. Geme, the CIF Southern Section Division III

champion in the 1,600 meters, felt a “pop” running during the final

stages of Saturday’s Sunny Hills invitational, where she helped the

Sea Kings claim the overall girls title.

Sumner said St. Geme will be out for at least 10 days.

Ceci St. Geme, Anne’s mother, suffered a similar injury when she

ran for Stanford.

“It’s a common running injury,” Ceci St. Geme said.

CdM sophomore Hilary May finished second to St. Geme at Sunny

Hills, but took center stage Wednesday, kicking hard in the last mile

to cross first in 20:02, just ahead of Northwood freshman Brittney

O’Connor (20:021) and Sea King teammate Allison Damon (20:05), who

placed third.

Calvary Chapel junior Jennifer Bowles went out fast, staking a

lead after the first mile.

But a group of seven runners, including May, running the course

for the first time, stayed close.

“[Bowles] goes out fast every race,” May said.

Some encouragement from Sumner in the final mile spurred May on

once she reached a spot on the course dubbed “puke hill,” where

runners ascend from a small valley.

“[Sumner] said ‘go’ 25 meters after the top of the hill,” May

said. “Allison, [O’Connor] and [Bowles] ran the whole race together.

Once I went, I went all out.”

Sophomore Christie St. Geme, Anne’s younger sister, finished

seventh in 20:29 while teammates Nicole Slykhous (20:40), Devon

Ahearn (20:57), Ahlia Kattan (24:34) endured through gusty winds that

often blew sand across the trails.

“The wind makes you work for everything,” May said.

May also said Anne St. Geme’s absence made CdM work even harder.

“This is a strong team that works through it,” May said. “It is a

mental shift because you don’t have as big a cushion, but we stepped

it up and pulled through.”

Wong finished second in 17:05, five seconds behind Northwood’s

Brent Overlin, while Turner (17:22) and Guthrie (17:35), placed third

and fourth, respectively, for CdM.

Guthrie said he stayed with Wong and Overlin halfway through the

three-mile race, but couldn’t maintain the pace.

“I couldn’t [keep up any more,]” Guthrie said. “It’s a bit dusty

out here. You’re breathing a lot harder and it’s harder to pace

yourself in the heat.”

Sophomore Tommy Hutchison placed sixth in 18:17 while teammates

Andrew Boyd (19:49) and Cliff Taylor (20:24), finished 12th and 13th,

respectively, for the Sea Kings, ranked sixth in CIF Division III

entering the meet. Northwood entered ranked fourth in the division.

But Northwood Coach Charlie Gates, who led the boys team to the

CIF state championships a year ago, said the CdM is regularly a

formidable foe .

“You’ve got to be at full strength to beat CdM,” said Gates,

without three of his top four runners from a year ago, for

Wednesday’s race.

“We are in a rebuilding process, but that is no excuse,” Gates

said. “All you can do is like competing against [CdM]. It’s fun

competing with the best.”