Sophomore Kristen Rivera

Last Saturday, the girls cross country team rallied together to win the CIF Division III State Meet and Woodward Park in Fresno. This win marks the girls cross country seventh state title, and repeat win after winning state the previous year.

The girls finished the 5000 meter course (3.2 miles) with 76 points, ahead of rival Orange Lutheran by five points.

“This has been our dream since freshman year,” said team captains Sarah Keddington and Marissa Cummings, on winning the state meet.

Running against twenty two other teams, the girls were hungry for a win after taking second behind Orange Lutheran at the CIF Finals by three points.

“Both races were really close, the difference between those points can be a margin of one to two runners. And the course was freezing!” said team captains Sarah Keddington and Marissa Cummings.

Senior and team captain Melanie Powers lead the team with a time of 17:56 taking 3^rd. Seniors Kristina Funahashi and Ali Hummelberg ran pivotal times. Kristina Funahashi ran an incredibly fast race and was also able to beat her own PR, personal record. Ali Hummelberg saved some big points for the team by passing multiple runners on the last stretch to the finish line.

Due to their spectacular win at Fresno, the girl cross country team has been invited to run in Portland Oregon, at the Nike Cross Nationals. The girls will be competing against 22 other teams (154 athletes) at the Portland Meadows, a repurposed horse track. The man made 5k course features three loops and obstacles. Since it is in Portland, a city notorious for its rain fall, there is a possibility of adverse weather. The girls, however, have already taken this into account.

“We are expecting the course to be completely muddy, but we’re not quite so sure about the hay bales and other obstacles…” said Seniors Marissa Cummings and Sarah Keddington.

Their race is at 11:35 AM on Saturday, and they will be running as the Newport Beach XC Club of California. Click here to watch live streaming footage .

For more information visit Dystat or Nike Cross Nationals
Photo credit to Margaret Gallagher at Dyestat

CIF State Meet Results
Melanie Powers 17:56 3rd place
Kristina Funahashi 18:18 7th place
Marisa Cummings 18:27 13th place
Kristen Rivera 18:45 28th place
Ali Hummelberg 18:54 34th place
Ashlee Powers 19:00 43rd place
Sarah Keddington 19:22 72nd place

Students buzzing with anticipation, awaiting the final confrontation between the two rivals. Long lines to buy tickets a week in advance. Designing T-shirts symbolizing each student’s school spirit and confidence in the Sea King Pride.

The forty-eigth annual Battle of the Bay football game stirs the competitiveness between Corona del Mar and Newport Harbor while also allows heightened spirit to spread throughout the school.

From teachers assigning minimum homework on the night of the game to football players having longer practices, Battle of the Bay is a tradition that is embedded in the culture of our school and is therefore, an event that can be recognized as a union of students, faculty members, parents, and community members who enjoy a sports game between rival schools.

“Seniors are definitely excited because it’s their last time to participate in Battle of the Bay,” stated senior Madeline Mains.

Students in general are excited for the annual rivalry game. If anyone need proof of this, he or she could just glance at the ticket lines the week of the game.

Student buzz surrounding Battle of the Bay has been phenomenal. Daily announcements, posters, newspaper articles documenting the event, teachers promoting attendance, the hype regarding Battle of the Bay models increased school spirit, school unity, and school pride.

On Thursday, September 24, the day of the game, the Battle of the Bay rally brings together freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors to demonstrate school spirit and support our hardworking football players.

Enthusiastic students in ASB at the Battle of the Bay rally (from left to right), Anara Askar, Emma Kaye, Sarah Hostetller, and Ariana Naaseh. (Picture taken by Melanie De Arakal)

The rally was kicked off by Chloe Harder, Benny Townsend, and Parker Seaman, clearly displaying their CdM school spirit. A video illustrating CdM’s confidence in beating Newport Harbor was shown while our football team performed a rap to the student body.

CdM’s new principal, Tim Bryan, made a debut in playing a game with Mr. Selby and later giving words of confidence and wisdom to the students.

The Battle of the Bay rally was a monumental display of school and spirit and pride in what CdM can accomplish as a school and a unified student body.

The excitement displayed around school this week and at the rally indicate increased levels of Sea King Pride and confidence in our students.

Written by Donna Etemadi

“CdM’s going to dominate, obviously,” predicted sophomore Remy Lamons before Friday’s game against Troy High School; and he was right. CdM started strong and held their lead until the end, finishing with a win of 27-14.

Near the end of the fourth quarter, quarterback Kyle Smith of Troy went down with leg cramps after a series of passes and didn’t come back due to a minute left in play.

With three minutes and 49 seconds left of the first quarter, Michael Borchard passed to a teammate, but Deangelo Bonner of Troy intercepted it. However, in the next play, Troy’s running back Justin Austin fumbles the ball, and CdM regained possession.

The most memorable play of the game was lead by Michael Borchard, CdM’s renowned quarterback, during the beginning of the second quarter. He rushed 80 yards and claimed the second touchdown of the night. After the field goal CdM’s lead held strong; it was 14-0.

“I had to make the read on the play and I was just trying to run my hardest,” says Borchard when asked what he was thinking as he sprinted down the field.

It was third and goal, with less then one yard remaining, Michael Borchard rushes for touchdown, 20-0. The field goal was blocked.

Third quarter, first and ten, 44-yard pass from Borchard to Donald Dalton. With a good field goal, the score became 27-7.

At the beginning of the fourth quarter CdM had the ball on the 29 yard line, Smith passed to Kevin Tucker but it was intercepted, touchdown by Troy. With another good field goal the game ended with a score of 27-14.

The girls varisty tennis team traveled all the way to Fresno, enduring a five hour busride and triple digit temperatures to compete in the California High School Classic, one of the largest tennis tournaments in the state, with 104 teams.  Corona del Mar took 3 teams of nine girls to Fresno.  The team in Division 1 finished first, and the other two teams also finished very high in the rankings.

Sophomore Katelyn Ngyuen lead the charge, playing singles.  She lost only two games in four sets in the opening rounds on Friday September 11. Her impressive performances lead to victory in two semifinal matches; 6-4 and 7-5 on Saturday. Ngyuen won Girls Athlete of the Week in the OC Register.

The team’s stellar performance in the tournament has established them as a force to be reckoned with during the season which is just starting. The girls tennis team is consistently one of the most competitive and dominant teams on campus, and this year they should be on track for another CIF title. Senior tennis player Delphine Bioche said “The Fresno tournament allowed our team to really bond throughout the tournament in supporting each other in our matches even though we were competing as 3 separate teams. It was a preview of what a great season we’re going to have this year.” Noted senior tennis player and tennis expert Karl Fletcher said that the girls team’s outlook for the upcoming season was “hot, smoking even…they’re definitely going to do well.”