Girls track and field: Halley’s a comet for CdM

Barry Faulkner

CORONA DEL MAR - Maybe it was arriving too late to compete in the

long jump at Sea View League finals last spring, or the fact that her

dream college features 12 potential Olympians, making scholarship money

scarce. Whatever the reason, Corona del Mar High girls track and field

standout Kelly Halley is operating with a serious sense of urgency this

season.

“This is my senior year,” said Halley, who won three individual events

and also participated on a victorious relay to help CdM trounce visiting

Laguna Beach, 105-30, in the Pacific Coast League opener Thursday. “I

really want to be successful.”

Halley began the season impressively, leaping a personal-best 16-9 in the

long jump, her favorite event, at the Irvine Invitational. That effort

came following only one modest practice session, after helping the soccer

team reach the CIF Southern Section Division IV semifinals.

“To do that on my first meet really helped my confidence,” said Halley,

who went 15-6 in breezy conditions against the Artists.

Halley, who plans to attend SMU, also won the triple jump (a season-best

31-7, though nearly two feet shy of her personal record) and the 100

meters (13.3) and ran the second leg on the victorious 1,600 relay.

“Kelly and the other girls from soccer have only had about nine

workouts,” CdM Coach Bill Sumner said. “She’s still catching up at this

point.”

There was no catching senior sensation Liz Morse, who won the 400 (56.4)

and the 800 (2:18.9), and impressively anchored both relay winners.

“She came back from that 400 in about 15 minutes to run her 800,” Sumner

said.

CdM sophomore Krisserin Canary won the pole vault and was on the winning

400 relay quartet, while Diana Hossfeld (1,600), Katherine Morse (3,200),

Jaycee Mahler (300 hurdles) and Allison Brawner (high jump) were other

individual event winners.

Canary, a sophomore, added second-place showings in the 100 and triple

jump. Hossfeld (800) and Mahler (100 hurdles) also collected second-place

points.

Freshman Jaclyn Thayer was on the 400 relay, was second in the high jump

and third in both the long jump and 100.

Jenny Cummins was on both relays and was second in the 200 and third in

the 400 for the hosts, who improved to 4-0.

Becky Cummins was the other 1,600 relay contributor.