Donna Mills

School: Newport Harbor High

Sport: Cross-country

Class: Senior

Mills’ victory in the Division III race of the CIF State cross-country championships Saturday in Fresno was anything but expected. “There were a lot of times I didn’t think she would make it this far,” Newport Harbor Coach Eric Tweit said. Mills, who because of family moves, is running for her third Orange County high school, wasn’t eligible last year because of district residency requirements. She didn’t run during the summer because she was busy in summer school trying to improve her grades. But after starting to train in September, she reacquainted herself with the rigors of cross-country and finished second to University’s Tanja Brix in the Sea View League finals. Mills finished fourth at the Southern Section Championships in Division III, but at the state meet she outran that competition, winning in 18 minutes 45 seconds for three miles and leading the Sailors to a team title. “To turn around and beat them was quite a feat,” Tweit said. “I figured she could be about fifth or sixth. It never occurred to me that she would win the race.”

Other top performers:

Marni Hichborn and Lynette Anderson, who each had 13 kills in El Modena’s four-game victory over University of San Diego High School in the Southern California Regional volleyball playoffs.

Erica Ladne-Meredith Volt and Renee Bergeron-Veronica Selby, Los Alamitos doubles teams, which each swept three sets in a 12-6 victory over Rosary for the Southern Section Division 2-A tennis championship.

Jaime Smith, who had 19 kills in El Toro’s four-game victory over Arroyo Grande in the Southern California Regional volleyball playoffs.

Shelley Taylor, who won the Division II race at the State cross-country championships, finishing in 17:28 and leading Edison to the team title.