THE HOT TICKET

Since the track and field postseason began, Corona del Mar High runners Shelby Buckley, Hilary May, Allison Damon, and Sarah Cummings have stuck to a routine: punch in, punch out, and run like it’s business as usual.

That’s what Coach Bill Sumner has been instructing them to do. He calls them the morning of each meet with the same message: finish well, but save their best for later.

Well, later is today.

Today, Buckley, May, and Damon — who all run the 1,600 meters — will finally face a real challenge in qualifying for the finals at the CIF State Championships in Sacramento.

All 12 girls who ran in the 1,600 event at the CIF Southern Section Masters Meet advanced to the state meet, and all with sub-five minute times. To narrow the field, Southern Section runners must run again to qualify for Saturday.

The top two runners from three heats will advance, plus the next three fastest times, for nine Southern Section qualifiers.

“We’ll all probably have to PR [set a personal record] Friday, and then PR Saturday,” May said.

Buckley took first place at the Masters Meet, followed by Damon(sixth) and May (seventh).

Cummings is running in the 3,200, and Tim Scott is racing in the 1,600 for CdM.

Newport Harbor’s Allison Stokke will attempt to reclaim her state title in the pole vault, and Jessica Robson will compete in the high jump.

— Soraya Nadia McDonald