CdM hits ground running

LAGUNA HILLS — The Corona del Mar High boys’ cross country team has high hopes this season.

Those hopes were transferred from the Sea Kings’ minds to their feet on Saturday at the Laguna Hills Invitational, where Corona del Mar juniors and seniors got a combined four top-10 finishes in their respective races at Laguna Hills High.

The Sea Kings’ Tommy Hutchison, who completed the three-mile course in 16 minues, 20 seconds, was second and teammate Tim Scott (16:32) was fifth, respectively, in the Division III senior race.

Races were divided by class and division.

“We’re still training right now,” Hutchison said. “We ran in [heavier] trainers and not in [lighter] racing shoes, but it was a pretty good race.

“It’s more about the end of the season. We want to be CIF champions this year.”

Sage Hill School’s Connor Rose, who will try to carry over momentum from a strong track and field season last spring, placed third in the Division III junior race in 16:36. The time sets a school record.

Rose said the third-place mark was also an improvement from the previous year at the Laguna Hills Invitational, when he finished sixth in the sophomore race.

“It’s pretty cool to see the same faces every year,” Rose said. “You can try to improve, and try to beat that one guy that you didn’t last year. And you want to do the best you can to start the season.”

Corona del Mar was also strong in the Division III junior race, as Thomas Dialynas (16:42) was fourth and Richard De Marco (17:10) finished sixth.

Newport Harbor High, competing in Division II, showed off its strong sophomore and junior classes.

Sophomores Jake Dawson (sixth in 16:41), Michael Taylor (eighth in 16:53) and Scott Figueroa (10th in 17:13) helped the Tars win the team title in the sophomore race.

“It’s nice to get a race in,” Newport Harbor boys’ coach Nowell Kay said. “We knew our sophomores were a strong class. They won the freshman race here last year and we’ll probably draw two or three of them up to the varsity team.”

Likewise, Newport Harbor juniors Mike Puncel (16:33), Rex Nelson (16:36) and Murphy Hitchcock (16:48) were seventh through ninth in their Division II junior race.

They helped the Sailors earn a second-place team finish in the race.

Nelson had never run a cross country race before Saturday, Kay said.

Estancia High Coach Charlie Appell said he liked the cooler weather early Saturday.

His freshmen and sophomore runners, racing before their junior and senior counterparts, apparently did also.

The Eagles’ Jorge Martin (17:37) won the Division III freshman race.

Estancia’s Fernando Orozco (16:57) was second in the Division III sophomore race.

Justin Crossen (18:17) was sixth for Estancia in the freshman race, and Miguel Perez (17:27) was eighth in the sophomore race.

“It’s a hot day, but the early races ran really well,” Appell said. “As the day wore on, the heat took its toll.”

Costa Mesa High’s top boys’ finisher was Mitch Friedmann (17:52), who overcame a fall on the course to place 23rd in the Division III senior race.

Sage Hill’s Lion Wintemute (17:58) was fourth in the Division III freshman race, in which CdM’s Sebastien Welch (18:25) was seventh.