Powers takes top honor

MISSION VIEJO — Corona del Mar High senior Melanie Powers found some redemption in the Orange County Track and Field Championships at Mission Viejo Saturday.

Last year at the O.C. Championships, Powers was tripped in the 1,600-meter race with 300 meters left. She crashed forehead first and then scraped her knees. She finished fourth in the girls’ seeded 1,600 race.

But she had few problems Saturday, as she was named Distance Athlete of the Meet. She won the girls’ 3,200 in 10 minutes, 46.39 seconds and finished second in the 1,600-seeded race in a personal-best 5:01.94.

Sarah Keddington, a CdM senior, was also a winner, taking first place in the 800 in 2:14.57.

Powers and Keddington helped the Sea Kings to a third-place finish as a team with 54 points, behind second-place Dana Hills (57 points) and champion Trabuco Hills (101).

In the 3,200, Powers, bound for Wake Forest, started off in the middle of the pack. Once the fifth lap came around she caught the leader. Powers finished strong in the last 300 meters and won the race.

“Coach [Bill Sumner] told me to relax in the first five laps,” Powers said. “Once I knew I had the lead I just told myself to give it my all.”

In the 1,600, Powers maintained a comfortable lead, but in the final meters Foothill’s Sierra Vega passed her.

Vega won in 5:21.

Keddington, bound for UC Berkeley, started strong, taking an early lead and never looking back.

“Our plan was to go out third or four place in the first lap, and try to bring it home at the [final] 300 meters,” she said.

For Keddington victory appeared simple, as she said she stuck to the race plan and it worked out well for her.

The meet also worked out well for CdM, as senior Jaycee Olsen placed second in the discus throw (137 feet, 9 inches) and third in the shot put (38-3).

“I started discus in September,” Olsen said. “I still have a lot to learn.”

Junior Ryan Andrews stood out for Newport Harbor. He placed second in the shot put (54-10 1/2 )

“I was coming in expecting first, but I didn’t compete as well,” he said.

The Sage Hill School boys’ 4x100 relay team led the Lightning’s performances, as the quartet of Eric Cheng, Lion Wintemute, Colton Gyulay and Kevin Schaefer finished eighth in a school-record time of 43.79 seconds.

The Sage Hill girls’ 4x400 relay team of Courtney Conlogue, Campbell Moore, Maddie Culberson and Jackie Dion finished sixth in 4:30.005.

Senior Austin Blodgett led the CdM boys, finishing eighth in the 110 hurdles in 15.37.

The Costa Mesa girls had junior Hunter Strodel finish 10th in the 1,600.

The Estancia girls’ 4x400 meter relay team finished eighth in 4:19.21.

Newport Harbor’s Allison Krugman finished eighth in the girls’ pole vault, clearing 10-9.