Veteran leadership, consistency and a dash of pressure from within will be key ingredients for the Summit Girls' cross country squad in 2009 as they prepare for their second meet of the season Tuesday against Rahway.
"We are putting our own pressure on ourselves," said fifth-year head coach Dave Field. "We need to answer the call and respond and do the work, the right work, to get us to peak in the second week of November (Group II finals in Holmdel on November 14). Our goals and sights for the season are on winning Group II, North II-Group II sectional, Union County and to be new Union County Conference (Mountain Division) champions."
Despite the loss of Danielle Allocco (first team, All-Union County and All-Conference), Brittany Joostema and Kayla McDonald to graduation, senior co-captains Kearsley Olcott, Nicola Hallenborg and Julia Woods lead a roster comprised of nine seniors with experience and depth.
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"Kearsley Olcott has been at the helm of our team the past three years," said Field. "She has won the Iron Hills Conference Championship races for us in both her freshmen and sophomore years and was named first team All-Conference, Union County and Group II. Hallenborg has the potential and desire to be one of the state's best. She was also named first team All-Conference and second-team All-County last season."
"Our numbers are up," added Field, whose team last season had four first-place meet victories and placed second in the Union County Championships. "We have 27 girls in the program, up from 12 in my first season. Another strength is our successes in our recent past. We have won three sectional titles and two league titles and have had some impressive finishes in Union County and at Invitationals. This helps to show the girls what working hard can do for an individual and team. We have eight incoming freshmen who have added some depth and some of which might be able to contribute as the season wears on."
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Due to the NJSIAA new realignment athletic plans, which will be insitituted this season, Summit will participate in the new Union County Conference (Mounatin Division). One of the highlights of the schedule will be a dual meet on September 22 at Memorial Field in Summit with Governor Livingston, Hillside and Union Catholic participating. It will mark the first home race in four years for the Hilltoppers.
"We will facing the likes of A.L. Johnson (who has been extremely strong over the past couple of years), Cranford, Roselle Catholic and Westfield (who is always strong)," said Field. "We need to stay injury free to be successful."
2009 Summit Girls' Cross Country Roster
- Seniors (9): Nicole DeFonzo, Sara DiMassimo, Nicola Hallenborg (Capt.), Lindsey LoBosco, Melissa Mandelbaum, Kearsley Olcott (Capt.), Tory Round, Arielle Spinner, Julia Woods (Capt.).
- Juniors (4): Kelly Diaz, Sarah Grewcock, Chase Olcott, Katie Watson.
- Sophomores (6): Brooklyn Baldacci, Aleixa Diaz, Sharon Kwak, Hannah Persson, Emily Richards, Isabella Yozzi.
- Freshmen (8): Lauren Britt, Rebecca Cummings, Kristy Gargiulo, Devin Lawler, Emma Olcott, Olga Pryymak, Hannah Rose, Jen Stabler.
