Girls cross country: Full speed ahead

Joseph Boo

NEWPORT BEACH - On paper, Newport Harbor High’s girls cross country

team looks formidable.

How could it not when senior Amber Steen, who won the CIF Southern

Section Division II title last year, is listed on the Sailors’ roster for

the upcoming season.

With arguably the best cross-country runner in Orange County and all

but one girl returning from last year’s fourth-place team in CIF, Newport

is certainly one of the top squads in the area.

But whether Newport closed the gap with the Sea View League’s

800-pound gorilla, defending CIF Division I champiopn Woodbridge, depends

on its runners after Steen and No. 2 Sonya Mechkor.

“Amber was pretty dominant last year,” Newport Coach Eric Tweit said.

“But from a team standpoint, we have to get four runners closer to our

No. 2.”

Those four would be seniors Lynn Rinek, Natalie St. Andre, Erin

Friedman and sophomore Ashley Steen, and they could be the keys to

Newport’s team success.

“If we can get those four to improve by 10 to 15 seconds,” Tweit said,

“we’ll be in good shape.”

St. Andre and Ashley Steen’s summer workouts has impressed Tweit this

year. St. Andre was 52nd in CIF Division II last year, while Ashley was

56th as a freshman.

“Natalie and Ashley both had great summers,” Tweit said. “I expect

really big things from those two.”

Rinek is Newport’s returning No. 3 runner. She was 49th in CIF last

year and 54th at the Division II state meet. Friedman was 82 in CIF.

In front of those four, Amber Steen and Mechkor will be Newport’s top

two runners again. Amber had a stellar year as a junior last season. She

won the league, Orange County and CIF section titles and placed fifth at

state. Only Fountain Valley’s Julie Allen might have an equal claim as

the best in the county.

“That’s Amber’s expectations, and that’s my expectations too,” Tweit

said. “She’s among the elite. There are other good girls in the county,

but I don’t know why she can’t be the best.”

Mechkor, a senior, was 12th in CIF and 26th at state, and she gives

the Sailors a solid No. 2 runner. She spent most of the summer in Morocco

with her family.

With Newport’s top six set, senior Jennifer Inouye and three freshmen,

Lauren Paul, Victoria Swigert and Heidi Peschelt, will rotate through the

seventh spot.

They round out an impressive Newport lineup that will be favored

against most. Woodbridge obviously looms large in the Sea View League,

but Tweit refuses to focus too much on dethroning the Warriors.

“They lost a couple of runners who were pretty good,” he said, “but

they were so good last year, it’s not really going to hurt them.

Honestly, we’re not looking at them or others. We’re trying to get

ourselves to run as best as we can.”

But with the bulk of last year’s fourth-place squad returning, Tweit

feels good about this year’s prospects and he isn’t conceding anything.

“On paper, we’re a better team from last year,” he said. “We’re

definitely one of the top 10 teams in the county. I’m pretty excited

about the year.”

Newport Harbor girls cross country roster

Coach: Eric Tweit

Erin Friedman Sr.

Jennifer Inouye Sr.

Sonya Mechkor Sr.

Lauren Paul Fr.

Heidi Peschelt Fr.

Lynn Rinek Sr.

Natalie St. Andre Sr.

Amber Steen Sr.

Ashley Steen So.

Victoria Swigert Fr.