Before the Pacific Coast League finals, Coach Bill Sumner was confident his boys’ track and field team could win the league title, but he wasn’t making any predictions. That’s not his style.
“I don’t cash any checks until we put money in the bank,” Sumner said, using a metaphor as an example that he doesn’t make predictions.
All the hard work the Sea Kings have put in paid off Friday at Irvine High, where the boys’ team won the PCL title with an impressive team effort and standout performances from John Swigert and Nick McGuinness.
The CdM girls’ team finished third at the PCL finals.
“I like to be confident and we had every position to win the league title,” Sumner said. “But you still have to run the races.”
The CdM 4×100-meter relay team certainly ran hard and quick. Thomas Testini, Nick Willard, Cole Cottrell and Swigert broke the school record, winning in 42.69 seconds. They broke the previous record (42.76) set in 1972 by Joe Tosti, John Miles, Matt Cox and Carlo Tosti.
Swigert, who scored 25 points, also won the 200 in 22.49 and the 400 in 49.42. Plus he was on the victorious 4×400 relay that won in 3 minutes, 25.25 seconds and also included Troy Hardy, Ryan Rodrigues, Swigert and Kyle Iverson.
“The team came together,” Sumner said. “They all knew they had a shot at [the PCL title].”
McGuinness scored 26 points with high finishes in three events. He won the 300 hurdles in 39.36 and took second in the 110 hurdles (15.49) and high jump (5 foot, 10 inches).
CdM’s Braden Brahs won the high jump, clearing 6-1.
Alex Imani was also a league champ for the Sea Kings with his big win in the discus (158-6).
“The secret to us winning is not a guy, but it’s several guys doing multiple events,” Sumner said.
The longtime CdM coach was thrilled his boys’ team won the league title. It adds to a great year the school is having in athletics. Plus it’s impressive since the small school has so many standout athletes in other sports such as lacrosse and volleyball, both having superb seasons.
The CdM boys grabbed the league title with 166 points. Woodbridge was second with 142.
On the girls’ side, CdM scored 74.5, finishing behind champion Woodbridge (175) and runner-up Irvine (116).
Kristen Rivera won the 800 in 2:16.19 for the Sea Kings. Karléh Wilson also a league champion for CdM, winning the shot put (40-1½). She was second in the discus (126-9).
Ashlee Powers finished second in the 3,200 in 11:01.80 and third in the 1,600 in 5:09.03.
The CdM league champs and others who qualified for the CIF Southern Section Division 3 preliminaries will compete Saturday at Jim Scott Stadium.