Honors: Yelsey shares top CdM honor

Barry Faulkner

CORONA DEL MAR - Even before he realized he was good at it, Josh

Yelsey knew running was for him.

After competing in several sports before arriving at Corona del Mar

High, he began running the summer before his freshman year, mostly as a

social activity. And, well, he just never stopped.

In fact, he kept running, winning and shaving seconds off his personal

records throughout four standout seasons of cross country and track and

field. All the while, he maintained the joy and passion for the sport

that attracted him in the first place.

Though at the end of his high school road -- he graduated Thursday --

Yelsey will stride on to Yale University, where he plans to continue his

running career.

Among the laurels he takes from his days at CdM, is the school’s Boys

Co-Athlete of the Year honor.

Yelsey capped his Sea Kings career with a transcendent track campaign,

marked by a personal-record-setting postseason that, in any other year,

would have won a string of gold medals.

But with Big Bear High’s Ryan Hall leading the middle distance pack

last spring, Yelsey had to settle for a string of second-place honors.

He was second in the 1,600 meters at CIF State Finals in Sacramento,

running a then-personal-best 4:14.32 in the preliminaries, then going

14:14.09 in the final, won by Hall.

Yelsey was second in the 1,600 at the CIF Southern Section Masters

Meet (4:14.62), after placing second (4:14.54) to Hall at the section

Division III finals at Cerritos College. Yelsey’s time that day was the

second fastest in all divisions.

He was also seventh at section finals in the 3,200, after qualifying

first for that event at prelims in 9:25.52, a PR by nearly 16 seconds.

He began his postseason by winning the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 at Pacific

Coast League Finals, where his performance helped the Sea Kings earn a

third of the team title.

Yelsey’s versatility and durability also helped him lead the Sea Kings

to a 5-0 PCL dual-meet record in 2001.

As as a junior, he won the league 1,600 and was second in the 800 as

Coach Bill Sumner’s Sea Kings claimed the outright PCL crown.

He went on to finish second in the 1,600 at the CIF Division

IIIsection meet, where he also finished ninth in the 800.

As a sophomore, he was second in the 1,600 at league finals.

Yelsey also excelled in cross country.

As a senior, he was second, behind teammate Travis Beardslee, at PCL

Finals. He went on to finish seventh (15:50.8) at the CIF Southern

Section Division III Finals at Mt. San Antonio College, then place 20th

at the CIF State Finals in Fresno.

As a junior, he was also second at league finals, behind Beardslee,

and equaled his seventh-place finish at the Division III section finals.

The Sea Kings shared the PCL championship that season and advanced to the

state meet as a team for the first time since 1996.

As a sophomore, he was 13th at league finals and, as a freshman, was a

consistent scorer for a team that finished seventh in CIF Southern

Section Division III.