Mesa’s Day establishes Arcadia mark

Winning an individual title in the Arcadia Invitational is

prestigious, but apparently that didn’t totally satisfy Sharon Day.

Day, the Costa Mesa High senior who is the Orange County and CIF

Southern Section record holder in the high jump, won the high jump

with a 5-foot, 10-inch clearance at the Arcadia Invitational Saturday

night. However, Day, who cleared 6-2 to set the records and win a

title at the Trabuco Hills Invitational last week, wanted more.

“I guess I’m happy with my overall performance,” said Day, the CIF

state defending champion in the high jump. “I still won, but I feel

like I should have been able to get at least six feet. I just didn’t

have it today.”

Freshman Desiree Gonder of Stockdale finished second (5-10), while

LaShay Bagsby of South Bakersfield took third (5-4). The Arcadia

Invitational record in the high jump is six feet in the high jump.

“[Day] almost got over six feet, but it looked like she was

thinking about it too much,” said Eugene Day, Sharon’s father and the

Costa Mesa jumps coach.

Sharon Day hit the bar at every height on her first attempt, and

that played with her mind, “a little bit,” when she tried to clear

six feet, the Costa Mesa senior said.

“I felt I could have gone higher,” she said. “I’m not completely

satisfied.”

Last year, the 6-foot clearance was elusive for Sharon Day. She

won the state title with a 5-11 mark, but never reached her goal. But

then came April 5, when the Costa Mesa senior cleared 6-2 and set a

new standard not only for the CIF Southern Section, but for herself.

“It set a high standard for me to keep for the rest of the

season,” she said. “I want to just keep jumping higher.”

Day will compete in the high jump in the Mount SAC Invitational,

Friday.

Meanwhile, Corona del Mar enjoyed a rather successful day in the

“open” portion of the Arcadia Invitational, as everyone who competed

for the Sea Kings “got a taste” of a personal or relay-team record,

CdM Coach Bill Sumner said.

Junior Chris Ringstrom set a personal record in the 400 meters in

49.64, as he finished third. His previous best was 49.76 and his time

Saturday is still at No. 2 for the fastest time in Orange County this

season.

“He led the race for about 200 meters,” Sumner said of Ringstrom.

“With about 40 meters to go he was passed by two other runners. He

started out hard. He was flying.”

CdM freshman Anne St. Geme continued her impressive progression

with a PR in the 1,600 in 5:07.77 and finished second. Her previous

best was 5:10, but she produced an electrifying race-ending kick to

move from fifth to second and earned a new personal record.

“She had a huge kick, a beautiful kick for a freshman,” Sumner

said. “That’s something you can’t teach.”

Sumner also said he has a, “controlled excitement,” when he thinks

of St. Geme’s potential. The freshman seems to be on the fast track

toward stardom, yet Sumner refuses to display excitement about her

until she truly discovers her specialty event.

“I’m not going to get too excited until I know what she wants to

race,” Sumner said. “She has picked her event, and we like for our

kids to pick their event. She hasn’t run the [3,200], so I don’t know

what she’ll be able to do. Right now I’m still learning about her.”

Junior Kevin Artz, junior Brandon Borcoman, senior Matt Morris and

Ringstrom bettered their own time in the 1,600 relay and finished in

3:25.4, good for second place and the time is the second fastest in

Orange County this season.

In the girls 1,600 relay, Junior Sara Claster, junior Whitney

Weidner, freshman Kelly Morgan and sophomore Melissa Swigert came in

second at 4:01.49, which is their best time and is second in Orange

County this season, as well. Swigert also competed in the 400 and

finished third (59.94).