Powers propels CdM

ORANGE — Corona del Mar High Coach Bill Sumner says Melanie Powers has a real nervous stomach.

Powers kicked those nerves at the Pacific Coast League finals Thursday.

The junior won the individual girls’ race in 17 minutes, 17 seconds, helping the Sea Kings claim the league title for the ninth straight year.

When it was over, Powers knew she had set a personal-best time on the three-mile course at Irvine Regional Park.

As for the mark she topped, no clue.

“I’m like having a brain freeze right now,” said Powers, realizing it was OK.

Powers can rely on her sister Ashlee, a freshman, for such information.

“Her sister cares about the records,” Sumner said. “Melanie just runs as hard as she can and gets it done.”

Powers won her fifth race of the season by concentrating on just running.

She beat out teammate Laura Bilder by almost 20 seconds as the senior finished in 17:36, ahead of third-place finisher Caroline Wu of University.

Bilder is who Powers calls her “running buddy.” The two have been the top two runners for CdM, ranked No. 2 in the CIF Southern Section Division III poll.

Senior Kim Condino placed fifth in 18:06, giving the Sea Kings a strong 1-2-3 punch heading into the CIF Southern Section Division III preliminaries at Mt. San Antonio College on Nov. 15.

CdM’s next two finishers whose times counted in the Sea Kings easily beating out Laguna Hills, 34-75, for the title were juniors Amanda Garrett (12th, 18:32) and Marisa Cummings (14th, 18:42).

Thursday was CdM’s first step to reaching its goal of five straight section titles.

“We’re going for the win,” Sumner said. “We have rooms reserved.”

The hotel rooms are for Fresno’s Woodward Park, the site of the state finals.

The Sea Kings are two events away, the section prelims, followed by the section finals.

The top 12 teams from the prelims advance to the finals the following week at the same site, Mt. SAC. The course is known for its hills.

Powers likes conquering hills.

“You kind of have to like it,” she said. “If you don’t like it, you’re not going to do any good.

“I guess I like it.”

Sumner sounded more excited about seeing Powers run up and down next week.

The longtime coach saw her excel at the prestigious Mt. SAC Invitational on Oct. 24, when Powers won the Division III race in 18:35.

“She loves the hills,” Sumner said. “I don’t know if she knows it, but when she gets in the hills, she gets comfortable. I don’t want to bring it to her attention because she might think about it. I don’t want her thinking about it.

“I don’t want Melanie to think about too much.”

Sumner plans to do his best in putting together the right game plan for Powers.

Now, he’s working on one for his boys’ team.

The Sea Kings placed third, earning the league’s third and final entry into the CIF Southern Section Division III preliminaries.

Junior Sebastien Welch placed seventh in 16:02, one second and spot ahead of teammate Matt Haug. University’s Ryan Daniel won the event in 15:27.

Haug, a senior, caught up to Welch with one-quarter mile to go. The two ran neck-and-neck to the finish line.

The Sea Kings chances of advancing from the prelims to the finals will be just as tight.

“We were just trying to get to CIF with these boys,” said Sumner, adding that the CdM boys’ team has advanced to CIF for the 26th straight year. “I’m happy about that, but I just wished we would’ve run a little better.

“It seems like every week we have somebody who is sick or has a problem, and we’re not very deep, so it’s really costly for us. On the girls’ side, we’re so deep.”

Welch and Haug, the only members off last year’s team to reach state, understand the obstacles ahead.

Sophomore Austin Barvin took 16th (16:20), followed by senior Blaine Bolus (28th, 17:00) and Julien Crockett (32nd, 17:14).

“I’m happy we’re making it to CIF prelims this year, because the [two] teams in our league came out really strong this year,” Welch said of Beckman and University, which finished first and second, respectively. “I think it’s going to be extraordinarily difficult to get to state.

“[Section] finals I think is doable for our team.”

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at [email protected].