Team Spotlight: Newport Harbor Girls Cross Country Ends Championship Drought with Sunset League Title

Team Spotlight

The Finished Results Media Team reached out to Newport Harbor High School Head Coach Haley Bates for some insight into the renewed success of their Girls XC team program. Coach Bates and 2019 Sailors' graduate standout cross country athlete and now assistant coach Alexis Garcia contributed to the following perspective:

Newport Harbor Girls Cross Country Ends Championship Drought with Sunset League Title

Newport Harbor Girls Cross Country has a long-standing legacy of championship teams. Under the guidance of Coach Eric Tweit, the Sailors consistently reached the CIF Southern Section preliminary meet from the 1990s to the early 2010s--often advancing to the CIF State Championships. However, the past decade brought a drought for the program, with their seasons frequently ending at the Sunset League Finals.

This year, the team set out to break that cycle and establish a new legacy—and they’ve done so in spectacular fashion. Not only have the Sailors qualified for CIF, but they also won the Sunset League Finals, a feat the program hasn’t achieved in recent years.

The Sailors dominated the podium, with senior veterans Marley McCullough and Keaton Robar finishing first and second, followed by junior Natalie McCarty—a first-year cross country runner—taking third. Sophomore Sophia Garcia Ramirez placed 15th, while newcomers sophomore Katherine Janda and junior Karen Ramirez finished 24th and 26th, respectively. Junior Viata Bales completed the seven-woman squad with a 31st-place finish.

Marley McCullough (11/2/2024)

Keaton Robar (11/15/2024)

Natalie McCarty (11/15/2024)

Sophia Garcia Ramirez (11/15/2024)

Katherine Janda (10/18/2024)

Karen Ramirez (11/2/2024)

Viata Bales (11/2/2024)

To many, Newport Harbor’s rise was unexpected, but for McCullough and Robar, this success has been years in the making. Both runners have competed at CIF and the State championships as individuals in previous seasons, but their dream was to achieve this milestone as a team. At the league finals, their reaction said it all--instead of celebrating their individual victories, they embraced their teammates and coach, exclaiming, “We’re going as a team!”

This moment embodies the team-first mentality that has been central to their success this season. McCullough and Robar credit the team’s growth to a shift in culture and camaraderie. They recall the fall of 2022, when the girls’ team had just 10 runners. Since then, the roster has more than doubled, a testament to the program’s welcoming atmosphere and strong leadership.

Head coach Haley Bates, who began teaching science and coaching boys’ cross country and track at Newport Harbor in 2022, took over training for the girls’ team following the Fall cross country season that year. Watching the girls grow as runners and embrace competition has been one of her greatest joys. “Every Runner Counts” has been her rallying cry, and the “Not me, us” mentality has propelled the Sailors to new heights.

When asked what motivated the team’s success, Coach Bates highlighted the impact of first-year runners who have embraced the program. She posed the question to the team: What inspired you to join, and what keeps you motivated?

The general consensus: athletes saw the tight friendships and bonds between the athletes, and that and their athletic goals pushes them to strive for success.

Alongside Coach Bates, assistant Coach Alexis García has stepped into a leadership role for the team this year. A former standout runner for Newport Harbor, García was known for his strong performances during his high school career. These experiences fueled his passion for the sport and deepened his connection to the program. Now, as a coach, García is determined to give back to the team that shaped his early success.

“I want these athletes to feel the same pride and sense of accomplishment I felt when I ran for Newport Harbor,” García shared.

What’s next for the Sailors? They aim to extend their postseason run to the State championships. Looking ahead, their goal is to build on this year’s success, earning future league titles and consistent CIF qualifiers.

Coach Bates believes that sustained success will come from emphasizing foundational principles of nutrition, strength, mental health and physical preparation—while preserving joy for the sport and fostering the familial bond between teammates.

“We could never have imagined two years ago that we would be where we are now,” McCullough and Robar shared. “We feel pride in knowing how far we have come as a team and are excited to see where the team will go in the next few years.”