Girls’ Cross Country Previews

Corona del Mar Sea Kings

League: Pacific Coast

Coach: Bill Sumner (30th year)

Athletes to watch: Lilly Schmidt (So.); Jacqueline Choe (So.); Kristen Hansen (Jr.); Hannah Crane (So.); Emily Glenn (Sr.); Ellen Naruse (Sr.) Natalie Queathem (So.); Krista Schildwachter (Jr.); Tess St. Geme (Jr.).

You should know: The Sea Kings finished ninth at CIF Southern Section Division 3 finals to miss qualifying for the state meet for the first time in 23 years, which irked Sumner to no end ... Sumner said he has carried a fire in his belly over the entire off-season to ensure that CdM begins a new state meet streak ... The team returns all but two of its top nine from 2012 and with 12 girls all within roughly a 10-second span, depth is a strength ... Sumner believes his team will win meets with a pack mentality, rather than one or two individual stars ... CdM is ranked No. 7 in section Division 3 preseason poll.

— Barry Faulkner

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Newport Harbor Sailors

League: Sunset

Coach: Eric Tweit (25th Year)

Athletes to watch: Erin Barth; Leah Van Dyke (Sr.); Katelyn Mead (Sr.); Ashley Ima (Sr.); Berkley Van Oostendorp (Sr.); Holly Clemence (So.); Grace Clemence (So.); Lauren Loucks (So.).

You should know: Paige Tennison, the CIF Southern Section Division 2, Sunset League, and Orange County Championships individual champion a year ago, has moved on to UCLA, while Maggie Goodson, a four-year letter winner, is now at UC San Diego ... Tweit, however, said a strong summer has put the Sailors in position to compete as a unit ... Barth, who was seventh at league finals in 2012, anchors the squad that includes Van Dyke (19th in league last year) ... Ima and Mead are coming off injuries in 2012 ... Tweit says it’s his deepest team in years.

— Barry Faulkner

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Costa Mesa Mustangs

League: Orange Coast

Coach: Steve Moreno (Fourth year)

Athletes to watch: Jocelyn Gutierrez (Sr.); Daysi Vazquez (Sr.): Holly Reiland (Fr.); Emily Olvera (Fr.); Gabby Perez (So.).

You should know: Gutierrez and Vazquez were the No. 1 and No. 2 runners, respectively, last season, when the Mustangs finished last in league ... Vazquez was ninth as a junior in the 3,200 meters at Orange Coast League finals and hopes to carry over that success this fall ... Both Gutierrez and Vazquez have run well in off-season training, Moreno said, and they are ready to lead a youthful group of teammates who are still unproven ... “I think we’ll be better,” Moreno said.

— Barry Faulkner

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Sage Hill Lightning

League: Academy

Coach: Nate Miller (14th year)

Athletes to watch: Brittany Andressoo (Jr.); Claire Goul (Jr.); Rebecca Fudge (Jr.); Julia Lowe (Fr.); Julia Dupuis (Fr.).

You should know: The Lightning finished second in the Academy League in 2012 and Miller believes they could do so again this fall, with Crean Lutheran being a prohibitive title favorite ... Andressoo, who finished 72nd at CIF Southern Section Division 5 finals in 2012 to help Sage finish 10th as a team, moves up from the No. 2 spot to No. 1 ... Goul has worked hard to take her spot behind Andresso and Fudge makes it a trio that has separated themselves in training, Miller said ... Other contributors include Alyssa Anderson (So.), who was 74th at CIF finals last fall, and Brittany Murphy.

— Barry Faulkner

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Estancia Eagles

League: Orange Coast

Coach: Charlie Appell (24th year)

Athletes to watch: Jackie Puentes (Sr.); Viri Rios (So.); Gabby Pearson (So.); Estela Hernandez (Jr.).

You should know: Unexpected departures by would-be returners has dampened expectations for the Eagles, who lost six of last year’s top 10, Appell said ... Appell praised his athletes for their collective work ethic ... Rios was sixth in the frosh-soph 1,600 meters at last year’s Orange Coast League finals ... Yaritza Sandoval (Jr.), Karla Avonce (So.), Fey Perez (So.) and Maria Gonzalez (Fr.) are additional contributors.

— Barry Faulkner