Tracy Clark

School: Corona del Mar High

Sport: Cross-country

Class: Sophomore

With two of Corona del Mar’s best runners ill during the week leading up to Saturday’s Orange County Championships, it figured the Sea Kings would be at a disadvantage. Dresden Howell missed five workouts because of the flu and Brooke Meek was battling allergies, but Clark ran with the leaders and finished second to Canyon’s Kim Nelson. Clark led the Sea Kings, then-ranked second in the county, to a 25-point victory over then-No. 1 Edison. She finished the three-mile Irvine Park course in 17 minutes 55 seconds, a personal best. “Normally, she’s our second or third runner, but whenever we have a problem she runs up and helps us,” Corona del Mar Coach Bill Sumner said. “I’m just amazed that she could break 18 minutes on that course. She had a great day.” Earlier in the season, Clark, who is 4 feet 10 and 85 pounds, was the Sea King runner who first figured out that she, Howell and Meek were off the course in a dual meet against Irvine. Clark recovered to take second and the Sea Kings defeated the Vaqueros. Clark’s time Saturday was the third-best time of the day by a Corona del Mar sophomore, boy or girl.

Other top performers:

Becca Foltz, who had 21 kills in Foothill’s three-game victory over Villa Park in a Century League volleyball match. It was El Modena’s first league loss in three seasons.

Sandy Needham, who swept her sets, improved her singles record to 39-3 and helped Santa Margarita to tennis victories over University and Corona del Mar. Needham avenged one of her three losses this season by defeating the Sea Kings’ Marcie Asch, 7-6 (7-2).

Kim Nelson, a Canyon runner who won the seeded race of the Orange County Cross-Country Championships, finishing in 17:52.

Brandy Smerko, who had 39 kills in helping Valencia to Orange League volleyball victories over Brea-Olinda and Anaheim.