San Clemente High School Girls Athlete of the Year: Caroline Hawkes

By Zach Cavanagh

Caroline Hawkes was the most successful sprinter on the San Clemente track team this season and one of the best in all of Orange County—and, ultimately, the entire state.

For her stellar senior sprinting season and accomplishments, Hawkes has been selected as one of the San Clemente High School Athletes of the Year.

Hawkes was named the Sprinter of the Meet at the Orange County Championships with county titles in the 200 and 400 meters, and she won Sea View League titles in both events as well. Hawkes would go on to finish sixth in the 200 at the CIF-SS Division 1 Finals and ran the 400 all the way to the CIF State Championships, where she finished fourth.

Hawkes set her personal record in the 400 at the Mt. SAC Relays in April. Hawkes was clocked at 55.20 seconds in the event, which finished the season as the 10th-fastest time in California. Hawkes ran a time of 55.47 seconds in the state final.

Also at the Mt. SAC Relays, Hawkes set her personal record in the 200. Hawkes crossed the line with a wind-aided time of 24.37 seconds, which finished the season as the 12th-fastest time in the state. Hawkes nearly matched the time at the Sea View League Finals with a wind-legal time of 24.41 seconds.

Hawkes was actually more successful on a race-by-race basis in the 200. Hawkes won 11 of the 14 200-meter races she ran across all competitions, compared to the four wins in 11 races in the 400.

Additionally, Hawkes could’ve run with the best in the 100 meters, as her personal record of 12.16 seconds from the Triton Invitational was second in the county, and she ran the anchor leg on San Clemente’s league-champion 4×100-meter relay team.

Hawkes will continue her athletic and academic career at Montana State.

Zach Cavanagh

Zach Cavanagh is the sports editor for Picket Fence Media. Zach is multiple California Journalism Award winner and has covered sports in Orange County since 2013. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @ZachCav and follow our sports coverage on Twitter @SouthOCSports. Email at zcavanagh@picketfencemedia.com.