CdM relay, Taylor win U.S. titles

GREENSBORO, N.C. ? The Corona del Mar High girls’ distance medley relay team was victorious Saturday at the Nike Outdoor Nationals track and field meet at North Carolina A&T; University.

Sea Kings Shelby Buckley (1,200 meters in 3 minutes, 30.5 seconds), Claire Schmidt (400 in 59.8), Hilary May (800 in 2:17.8) and Annie St. Geme (1,600 in 4:44.5) combined for a time of 11:32.3, third fastest in U.S. annals.

The quartet joins Newport Harbor High senior Bo Taylor as national champions. Taylor became the national champion in the discus throw with a mark of 200 feet, 1 inch on Friday. It was incorrectly reported as a qualifying mark in Saturday’s Daily Pilot.

Taylor, who set a state-meet record of 213-7 two weeks ago, took an early lead in the event with an initial throw of 187-9. Taylor, slated to compete in the U.S. Junior Nationals at College Station, Texas, June 25-27, posted his top throw Friday on his third attempt. El Toro High senior Nick Robinson was second (193-5).

Taylor finished third in the shot put contested Saturday with a mark of 62-1 1/4 .

St. Geme finished second in the mile run Saturday. Her time of 4:41.57 edged Mission Prep freshman Jordan Hasay, who was third in 4:42.27. Hasay and St. Geme finished first and second, respectively, in the 3,200 meters at the CIF State finals on June 3.

“She redeemed herself from the state meet and got some revenge on Hasay,” Corona del Mar Coach Bill Sumner said.

“[Hasay] was definitely a target of mine,” St. Geme said.

Danielle Tauro of New Jersey won the mile in 4:39.25.

“Now I wish I would have focused a little more on [Tauro],” St. Geme said.

In the race against the clock, St. Geme said her time, converted to a 1,600, was 4:39.97. The mile is 10 yards longer.

Newport Harbor junior Allison Stokke was fourth in Friday’s girls’ pole vault final with a mark of 12-4 3/4 .

CdM junior Sarah Cummings finished 14th in Friday’s girls’ 3,200 (10:44.52) and Buckley, a sophomore, was 11th in the girls’ 800 on Saturday (2:11.71).