Crowning achievements in CIF

Bryce Alderton

The 2004-05 sports year for Corona del Mar High girls featured

consistency in triumphant fashion in all three seasons. CdM teams in

cross country, volleyball, water polo and track and field won at

least a share of a CIF title while individuals were crowned in fall,

winter and spring seasons.

The crowning individual feat came from junior Annie St. Geme, who

claimed the state title in the 1,600 meters in 4 minutes, 50.40

seconds, capping a memorable campaign that included league

championships in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200, followed by her first

Masters Meet title -- in the 1,600. St. Geme also qualified for the

State meet in the 800, but dropped it to focus on the 1,600.

The fall season saw CdM’s volleyball and cross country teams claim

CIF titles. The volleyball team won the CIF Southern Section Division

III-A crown with a three-game sweep over Nipomo in the title match in

November for the program’s seventh section championship and first

since 1997.

The Sea Kings (27-6) reached the semifinals of the CIF State

Division III tournament before bowing out to University of San Diego

in five games. Senior outside hitter Jordan Smith was named CIF

Division III Co-Player of the Year while CdM Coach Bill Christiansen

was honored as CIF Co-Coach of the Year in the division. Senior

middle blocker Lindsey Ensign and sophomore setter Kelly Christian

were named to the All-CIF first- and second-teams, respectively.

CdM claimed Pacific Coast League and Division III championships in

cross country, eventually finishing fourth at the CIF State meet at

Fresno’s Woodward Park. St. Geme finished first and third in the

league and Division III finals, respectively, before placing seventh

individually at the State meet. Allison Damon, Sarah Cummings, Ahlia

Kattan and Hilary May formed CdM’s nucleus.

Next brought the continued prowess of the water polo team, which

claimed its third straight CIF Southern Section Division II title and

fourth championship overall -- the Sea Kings won the Division IV

crown in 2002, all under Coach Aaron Chaney. The Sea Kings claimed

their sixth straight league title -- fifth overall -- and won their

16th straight postseason contest with a 9-5 victory over Laguna Beach

in the Division II final. Junior Camille Hewko scored four goals in

the contest as CdM finished 24-7.

Seniors Brittany Fullen and Jordan Anae were named CIF Co-Players

of the Year in Division II. Fullen finished with 243 saves while Anae

paced the team with 70 goals. Hewko and Katlin Kubas each earned

All-CIF first-team accolades.

Spring brought speed.

In the pool, Doug Volding’s swim squad featured CIF individual

champions in sophomore Stephanie Gabert and junior Lexie Shue as CdM

finished second to University for the Division II team championship.

The Sea Kings claimed CIF titles in four events while setting

Division II records in two. Gabert was part of both Division II

records, winning the 100-yard breaststroke (1:02.71) and contributing

to the victorious 200 medley relay team that set a new record

(1:48.59). Danielle Lavery, Anae, junior Ashley Chandler and Gabert

swam on the winning 200 medley team.

Gabert also won the CIF title in the 200 IM (1:53.36) and anchored

the victorious 400 free relay team (3:32.91), which included Shue and

Anae. CdM track and field powered its way to a league title and tied

with Muir for the Division III team title. Senior Melissa Swigert,

the league champion in the 200 and 400, finished second in both races

in the Division III finals and qualified for the Masters Meet in the

400.

The CdM tennis team won its eighth straight league title and

reached the CIF Division I semifinals, where it fell to eventual

division champion Calabasas.

Sophomore Jill Damion and freshman Alexandra Walters teamed up

toward the end of the season and claimed the league doubles crown

before reaching the semifinals of the CIF individual championships.

In that span, the duo won nine straight matches.

CdM’s softball, basketball and soccer teams all reached the CIF

playoffs. The soccer team defeated Villa Park, 4-2, in penalty kicks

in the first round of the Division II playoffs. Arcadia handed the

Sea Kings a 1-0 loss in the second round.

Sophomore Michelle Tolfa, the Newport-Mesa Player of the Year,

helped lead the softball team to a 1-0 victory over J Serra in a

Division IV wild-card game with a two-hit, 12-strikeout performance.

Sophomore Holly Van Hiel and junior Michele Allred were also named

All-Newport-Mesa.

Junior Katie Schulte earned first-team all-league honors after

averaging 13.2 points a game for the CdM basketball team. The Sea

Kings defeated league-champion Laguna Beach twice and reached the CIF

Division III-A playoffs as a wild card. Junior Katie McKitterick

helped the CdM golf team to a share of the league title. McKitterick

finished second at the individual league finals and reached the CIF

individual finals.