Orange County Championship a tough test today

ORANGE - Corona del Mar High’s girls cross country team will be

looking to exorcise a disappointing fourth-place last year in today’s

Orange County Championships at Irvine Park.

Katie Quinlan suffered an asthma attack within the first mile of the race

and finished at the back, and Liz Morse finished sixth in a race she

admitted was an off day for her.

CdM is returning as a heavy favorite in the Gold Division race. The Sea

Kings are ranked No. 1 in CIF Southern Section Division III, and haVE yet

to lose. This year, a determined CdM team IS led again by Morse and

Quinlan.

CdM’s boys are top heavy with Josh Yelsey and Travis Beardslee, and it

needs its middle runners, led by Judd Heitbrink, to place well if the

Sea Kings want to duplicate the success at the Stanford Invitational.

Newport Harbor’s Amber Steen, Carrie Foss and Sonya Mechkor all finished

in the top 20 of last year’s championship. If Steen can at least

duplicate last year’s second-place finish by Alicia McFall, the the

Sailors can improve on a sixth-place finish.

Chris McMillen finished 11th last year and was the Sailor’s top placer in

the boys race. He returns to lead Newport Harbor’s boys team.

Sarah Cotton placed 15th and Jackie Nyugen 25th for the eighth-place

Costa Mesa’s girls team last year.

The Mustangs’ boys team has yet to win this year. Mike Williams and Dasan

Bushell are their top runners.