St. Geme has group mentality

Annie St. Geme’s list of personal accomplishments in both cross-country and track and field reads like a grocery list.

School records. League records. CIF records. The list goes on and on.

But her dedication to the team concept this season has been almost as impressive as her individual accomplishments.

St. Geme’s team-oriented attitude became evident during cross-country season, when she chose to stay with her teammates all the way to the finish line and they all crossed together in Corona del Mar’s victory over Laguna Beach at Bonita Creek Park.

Soon after, St. Geme led her cross-country team to No. 1 in the Nike/Footlocker Super 25 high school rankings. The senior had a second-place time of 17 minutes, 24 seconds in the Clovis Invitational at Fresno’s Woodward Park and Corona del Mar clocked in at 91:21 as a team, smashing Sultana’s 2002 mark of 91:53 to set a new course record.

Her dominance spilled over into track and field season, as she continued to run at record paces while being mindful of doing what’s best for the team as a whole.

In the CIF Southern Section Division III final May 20, St. Geme ran in the maximum four events to help the Sea Kings earn as many points as possible.

St. Geme was a triple-winner ? taking first in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:10.06, winning the 1,600 at 4:53.59 and finishing first in the 3,200 with a time of 10:26.15. As if that wasn’t enough, she concluded her day by anchoring the 4x400 relay, which set a season-best mark of 3:56.02 but didn’t qualify for the Masters Meet.

The Stanford-bound standout could have made a run at a division record or two, but had to conserve her energy whenever possible, because there was always another race to run.

“I wouldn’t say it’s hard, but each race I had to keep in mind that I had another one a half-hour later,” St. Geme said.

St. Geme helped the Sea Kings amass 70 points, good for a Division III team title all by themselves, an improvement from last year when they had to settle for being co-champs.

“We tend to forget she totally put the team first. She didn’t go for records, she went for the team win,” Corona del Mar Coach Bill Sumner said. “She could have easily had the record in the 800, but she still had to run the two-mile, so she saved something. She stayed under control.”

Even so, St. Geme wanted to do particularly well in the 800, because she knew it would be her last time running the event in high school.

“I’m dropping it for the rest of the season, so the 800 was my focus,” she said. “I wanted to try and break 2:10, but I got 2:10.06. I was close, but it was difficult because I wasn’t pushed.”

What makes such an individual talent like St. Geme so team-oriented?

“I like to think it’s something she learned from being part of our program,” Sumner said.

“Coach Sumner stresses that in his coaching,” St. Geme said. “He’s the best there is coaching-wise and I trust him completely and listen to him completely.

“And the varsity girls want to do well as a team. We set team goals and set out to achieve them.”

St. Geme, who won the 1,600 state crown last spring, will be looking to take home individual titles in the 1,600 and 3,200 at the state meet next weekend.

“Now it’s Annie time,” Sumner said.

The Annie St. Geme File

Hometown: Newport Beach

Height: 5-foot-4

Weight: 110

Sport: Track and Field

Position: Long-distance runner

Coach: Bill Sumner

Favorite food: Steak

Favorite movie: “Sixteen Candles”

Favorite athletic moment: “Winning the state championship in the 1,600 meters last track and field season.”

Week in review: St. Geme was a triple-winner in the CIF Southern Section Division III track and field championships, helping Corona del Mar capture the team title. St. Geme took first place in the 800 meters with a time of 2:10, won the 1,600 at 4:53.59 and finished first in the 3,200 with a time of 10:26.15.dpt-femaleathlete27.IMGGraphicInfoK61RCPRI20060527K61RCPRINo Captiondpt.27-aow-stgeme-CPhotoInfo231RCPNI20060527izw6ulncKENT TREPTOW / DAILY PILOT(LA)