Mt. SAC, poop-out hill awaits runners

Each year there is one cross country invitational that separates itself from the rest. Regardless of what day it falls on every year, all five Newport-Mesa District high schools will be competing at the Mt. San Antonio College Invitational.

Costa Mesa High, Estancia, Corona del Mar and Sage Hill School will compete on Friday, while Newport Harbor runs on Saturday. The meet is billed as “the world’s largest cross country competition” with 24,097 athletes participating at various levels.

The unique three-mile course is another part of the draw. The elevation of the hills makes the competition more hike than run. The hills are like mountains compared to hills other courses provide. The sections of the course even have nicknames, with the most challenging aptly named “poop-out hill,” which is not even the final hike along the route.

Throughout its 59-year existence, the course has changed only slightly, allowing for a comparison of times from any generation.

That adds more luster to the sixth-best girls’ time of 16 minutes, 58 seconds ran by Corona del Mar’s Annie St. Geme at last year’s CIF Southern Section meet, which is held on the same course.

Last season’s Sea Kings set the record for fastest Division III girls’ time at the Mt. SAC Invitational in 92:42, over a minute ahead of second place. That same team is the fastest ever on the course with a time of 89:42 at the section finals.

The Sea Kings hold top times at Mt. SAC in three of the four divisional races, but they aren’t alone among Newport-Mesa schools. The 2002 Estancia boys’ team posted two of the top 10 fastest Division IV and V times in Mt. SAC history.

It’s the Eagles’ girls’ team which is stronger this year, ranked No. 7 in the section. Estancia did not run in the Orange County Championships Saturday in order to be fresh for Mt. SAC. So a team led by senior Sydney Barloon and sophomore Alexa Aguilar is prepared for the Division III race.

Sophomores Fernando Orozco and Wes Barloon head up the Eagles’ boys’ team.

Sage Hill School will be returning to the Division V sweepstakes race, which features the top teams in the division from across the state. Junior Connor Rose, who finished second at the Orange County Championships, leads the boys’ team, which is the No. 5-ranked team in the section

Sophomore Cait Williamson, who finished eighth at the Orange County Championships, is tops for the girls, who finished third last year, and is the No. 4-ranked team in the section.

With the Newport Coast nestled in the hills, Coach Nate Miller is confident in his team’s chances on the tough course.

“We run hills everyday, so we feel we’re prepared going in,” he said. “We’ve got a pretty good ranking and [today] will be a test.”

Corona del Mar hopes Mt. SAC turns out to be another victory on its way to defending the Division III state title. The No. 2-ranked team in the nation, according to dyestat.com, won at the Orange County Championships and will compete in the Divisions III sweepstakes race scheduled for 4:20 p.m. today, as will the boys’ team, which is ranked No. 5 in Division III.

Senior Sarah Cummings and junior Shelby Buckley lead the girls, while senior Tim Scott and junior Thomas Dialynas are tops for the boys.

Costa Mesa will compete in the Division IV and V race.

Senior Emily Cotton leads a talented girls’ team, while senior Mitch Friedman leads a young boys’ team.

Newport Harbor will run in the Division II race on Saturday. The girls are the No. 2-ranked team in the section and senior Melissa Mead leads a deep group. They start at 8:40 a.m.

Juniors Rex Nelson and Mike Puncel are tops on for the boys’ team, who are edging its way toward a top 10 ranking in Division II.

The Sailors’ boys race is scheduled for 8:06 a.m.