Time to trim for local cross country squads

Saturday’s CIF Southern Section cross country preliminaries at Mt. San Antonio College serve as a weeding out process. Normally those about to be plucked from the season can see it coming and those with plans for next Saturday’s finals are more or less biding their time.

There are however a minority of schools that are on the fringe, with the capability to advance or have their seasons come to a screeching halt.

The two schools in the Newport-Mesa area which fit that billing are the Newport Harbor High and Estancia boys’ teams. The Estancia girls’ team won the Orange Coast League title, while both Corona del Mar and Sage Hill School teams and the Newport Harbor girls’ team are ranked in the top 10 of the section in their respective divisions.

The Eagles and Sailors boys’ teams are not ranked and finished second and third, respectively in their leagues.

Newport Harbor, which runs in boys Division II, was placed in a 16-team heat. The Sailors will need to be one of the top four teams in the heat to qualify for the following Saturday’s final. Loyala and Torrance, the No. 4 and No. 5-ranked team’s in Division II, are the only ranked teams in the Sailors’ heat.

Out of the four Division II heats four at-large teams are chosen based on time. Individuals who finish in the top six from non-qualifying teams will move on which gives the Sailors’ top runners juniors Rex Nelson and Mike Puncel an opportunity to advance in case the team does not.

The Estancia boys’ team, which runs in Division III and finished second at the Orange Coast League finals, is in a 17-team heat and has to contend with four top-10 teams competing for the six spots to advance.

Fernando Orozco, who finished third at the league finals, has been strong for the Eagles throughout the year.

The Eagles’ girls’ team, while not ranked, has been consistent all season, dominating their league in dual meets before taking the title in the league finals, with three runners in the top four. Estancia will face four top 10 teams, including Oak Park and Irvine, which are ranked No. 2 and No. 3 respectively, in its 16-team heat. Six teams will advance from the heat.

The Eagles’ biggest strength is depth. At the end of the regular season, senior Sidney Barloon and sophomore Alexa Aguilar were running neck and neck at the top. Junior Paula Negrete has given the Eagles a solid top three.

Then there are the team’s for which the preliminaries are just a warm-up for runs at a section title.

The No. 6-ranked Sea Kings’ boys’ team is the furthest away of the five section title contenders, which are both Corona del Mar and Sage Hill teams along with the Newport Harbor girls’ team. But Corona del Mar has the luxury of a wide open Division III, which hasn’t had a team hold onto the top ranking for more than two consecutive weeks.

In their 15-team heat the Sea Kings will face five top-10 teams, including three ranked ahead of them. Six teams qualify for the next round. Corona del Mar, which narrowly missed winning a Pacific Coast League title, has a solid top five of senior Tim Scott, senior Tom Hutchison, junior Thomas Dialynas, senior Brian Licorish and senior Tri Nguyen.

There are three Newport-Mesa teams, that, while not favorites, have a definite shot at section titles. The No. 2-ranked Newport Harbor girls’ team has hovered in the top of the Division II rankings the entire season.

The Sailors will run in a 15-team heat void of either of the two teams ranked higher than them. Three teams qualify from the heat. Newport Harbor’s strength is depth with senior Melissa Mead, senior Taylor Bryson, sophomore Desiree Alexander, junior Sophia Ditty and junior Jennifer Cain making for a solid top five.

Both Sage Hill teams have consistently improved through the course of the season. The boys’ team is No. 6 in Division V and the girls’ team is No. 4. Both teams won an Academy League title and took first individually, too.

Junior Connor Rose has dominated throughout the year, breaking school records in the process. Junior Sean McElroy gives the Lightning a tough one-two punch. Sage Hill has only one team ranked above it in its 12-team heat, from which four will qualify.

The girls’ team relies more on depth with sophomore Cait Williamson, the league champion, sophomore Aiyana Bobrownicki and junior Katie McKeon finishing first, second and third respectively at the league final.

And then there is the Corona del Mar girls’ team for which the preliminaries will serve as a stepping stone to a stepping stone to the true goal of defending the Division III state championship Nov. 25 at Woodward Park in Fresno. With senior Sarah Cummings leading the way, the Sea Kings have crushed the competition no matter where they have traveled.

Shelby Buckley, Allsion Damon, Laura Bilder and Hilary May all finished in the top seven at the league finals with Cummings taking first. Seniors Nichole Slykhous and Christie St. Geme make for an ever-changing top five.

Costa Mesa’s Emily Cotton will run in Corona del Mar’s heat.