Runners set for CIF prelims

For some teams, today’s races are just a warmup, but others will have to give their best to qualify for the Southern Section finals.The Newport-Mesa community will be well represented at the CIF Southern Section divisional cross country preliminaries at Mount San Antonio College today.

Seven local cross country teams and one individual standout will compete at Mount SAC. Some teams, like the Corona del Mar girls, see the prelims as good practice. Others, like the Estancia girls, would be overachieving to reach the Southern Section finals.

The day kicks off in the morning with Newport Harbor’s Kenny Rakestraw and ends late in the afternoon with the Corona del Mar High boys’ team.

8:01 a.m. -- Rakestraw will run individually in the first Division II heat . Rakestraw set a personal-best mark of 15 minutes, 14 seconds and took second place in the Sea View League finals at Irvine Regional Park last Friday to qualify individually for CIF. He needs to finish in the top six in his heat to qualify for the Southern Section finals.

8:12 a.m. -- The Sage Hill School girls’ team will run in the second Division V heat. Sophomore Katie McKeon took first place to lead Sage Hill to a second-place finish in the Academy League finals. Cait Williamson (fifth), Aiyana Bobrownicki (sixth) and McKenzie Muhannon (10th) also had strong performances. Six teams from both Division V heats plus an at-large team qualifies for the finals.

10 a.m. -- The Newport Harbor girls’ squad will run in the first Division II heat. The Sailors won the Sea View League final behind Whitney Blue’s first-place time of 16:33 -- the fastest time ever posted by a Newport Harbor girl on any course. Desiree Alexander, Taylor Bryson, Melissa Mead and Erica Pearson form a solid nucleus behind Blue.

“We want to win CIF, but I tell the team our real goal is just to do all we can do,” Newport Harbor Coach Eric Tweit said. “To go out and run our race. I tell them just to do what you’re capable of doing.”

Three teams from each of the four Division II heats, plus an at-large team, advance.

10:16 a.m. -- The Sage Hill boys’ team will run in the second Division V heat. Sage Hill finished second at the Academy League finals and hopes to qualify for the CIF Southern Section finals. Tyler Ellis was the Lightning’s top finisher in the league finals, taking fourth place. Sean McElroy (eighth) also had a strong performance. Four teams from each of the three Division V heats, plus an at-large team, advance.

1:10 p.m. -- The Corona del Mar High girls’ team will run in the first Division III heat. Leading the way is Annie St. Geme, who had a first-place time of 17:02 in the Pacific Coast League finals. CdM had the top five finishers in the league finals, including Sarah Cummings (17:14), Shelby Buckley (17:15), Allison Damon and Nicole Slykhous.

Corona del Mar was named the No. 1 team in the Nike/Footlocker Super 25 high school rankings after setting a new course record at Woodward Park in Fresno in the Clovis Invitational.

Coach Bill Sumner said he believes this team can win it all. St. Geme said she wants to lead the way all the way to the CIF State Meet. Today’s prelims should be just a warm-up for a team as talented as the Sea Kings. Four teams from each of the three Division III heats, plus an at-large team, advance.

“I want to win state and go on to the Footlocker Nationals and finish in the top three,” St. Geme said.

2:04 p.m. -- The Estancia High girls’ team will run in the third Division III heat. Estancia took third at the Golden West League finals behind Sydney Barloon’s third-place finish and Paula Negrete’s sixth-place finish. Sindi Ramirez, Karina Rios and Magali Onofre add depth for the Eagles.

“The girls’ goal is to make it to the CIF Southern Section finals, which would be a big accomplishment,” Estancia Coach Charlie Appell said.

Four teams from each of the three Division III heats, plus an at-large team, advance.

3:41 p.m. -- The Estancia boys’ team will run in the second Division III heat. Tito Castaneda, who had a second-place finish in the Golden West League finals with a time of 15:22, leads the pack. Estancia, which took first place in the league finals, will get a boost from Hector Gomez, C.J. Buchmann, Enrique Vivar and Fernando Orosco.

“The goal for the boys is to definitely place in the top seven, go to the CIF Southern Section finals and get to the state meet,” Appell said.

Four teams from each of the three Division III heats, plus an at-large team, advance.

4:08 p.m.: The Corona del Mar boys’ team will conclude the day by running in the third and final Division III heat.

CdM, which won the Pacific Coast League meet, is led by Tim Scott, (second place at the league finals at 15:17), Tommy Hutchison, Jack Turner and Brian Licorish. Kenneth Wong, Ryan Guthrie and Thomas Dialynas could also provide a boost.

Sumner said Corona del Mar’s boys’ and girls’ teams would like to advance without spending all of their energy. But they don’t want to relax too much.

“Our kids have worked very hard to get where we are,” Sumner said. “I hope I’ve taught them not to take anything for granted.”