GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD: Coach Don Hess is pleased with his team’s performance to this point.
By: Neil Hay
With a winning record at this point in the season, coach Don Hess is pleased with the way the spring has gone for his Hightstown High School girls’ track team.
"I am really pleased with the team so far. We are fairly young, and the freshmen and sophomores have contributed quite a bit. The seniors are providing good leadership, so it is a good blend," said Hess.
Hess mentioned a number of his tracksters who are making a success of the 2002 outdoor season. In the 800, 1,600, and 3,200 Elena Tous is "really having a nice year so far." Another contributor is Sonii Kollie, in the 100 hurdles, 400 hurdles, the 200 and the long jump. Latoya Ellis is the Rams’ top sprinter, placing in the 100, 200, 400 and long jump. A senior captain, Obi Onochie, is contributing in the 100, 200, long jump and relay.
Amanda Marshall is "doing really well for a freshman" as Hightstown’s primary threat in the shot (her 36-3/4 is second best this year in the CVC) and discus (her 102-2 is fourth best). Junior Sara Mitchell has a 106-8 javelin, the CVC’s fourth best mark. She qualified for yesterday’s Penn Relays.
Lauren Spingler gives the Rams depth in the 800 and the high jump, an event in which she has cleared 4-8. Kelly Gavin, another senior captain, adds to the Rams’ lineup in the discus and shot. And Katie Lawler scores in the distances.
Several freshman give the Rams a shot in the arm. Anne-Lise Cossart is "one of the best freshman hurdlers we’ve had in a while," according to Hess. Chrissie Baumann has contributed in the sprints. And Victoria Schemelia "will be a real good distance runner."
In the Holmdel Relays last Saturday Hightstown had some impressive results. Mitchell and Kristen Healey were first in the javelin relay with a combined 192-6. Marshall and Jean Hewins placed second in the shot-put relay at 59-11, and were third in the discus with a 176-0 total.
Cossart, Kollie and Colleen DeLuca placed fifth in the 3X400 intermediate hurdles with a 3:58.2. And in the distance medley relay Ellis (400), Tous (1600), Lawler (1200) and Schemelia (800) were fifth in 14:11.3.
"I am real pleased with our progress so far," said Hess.
After Wednesday’s split of two meets, the Rams are now 5-3-1 on the season. Hightstown easily defeated Nottingham 95.5-24.5, but fell to host Steinert 65-57 in a close meet.
"It was a lot closer than I thought it would be," said Hess of the Hightstown-Steinert outcome.
"The kids are really coming together as a team. We almost pulled the Steinert meet out. These kids are so energetic."
Baumann, Natalie Nunez, and Schemelia, all freshmen, teamed with Onochie, a senior, for a season’s best 4:38.3 to sweep the 4X400 relay against both the Spartans and Northstars. Tous ran three events, scoring well in each: in the 1600 her 5:42.7 placed first against Nottingham and second against Steinert; in the 800 Tous’ 2:29.6 gave her first against Nottingham and third against the Spartans; and in the 3200 her 12:16.7 was best against both opponents. In the 3200 Tous trailed with two laps to go, but rallied to pass some strong Steinert runners.
Also racking up points was Ellis. In the 100, her 13.3 was first against Nottingham and third against Steinert. In the 400, her season best 1:04.6 was second against Nottingham and third against Steinert. And in the 200 Ellis’ 28.9 was second against both schools. Onochie ran "a pretty good time for her" of 28.5 in the 200, which swept Steinert and Nottingham.
In the shot-put Marshall’s 32 8-1/4 was first against Steinert and third against Nottingham. Her 94-3 in the discus was good for a first (Steinert) and second (Nottingham). And Marshall’s 88-8 javelin netted a second (Nottingham) and third (Steinert).
DeLuca had a personal best of 4-6 in the high jump to win against Nottingham and place third against Steinert. Kollie’s 1:16.1 won the 400 hurdles against the Northstars and was second against the Spartans. And in the high hurdles, her 19.3 won against Nottingham and was third against Steinert.
Natasha Reed was second in the shot against Steinert with a season best throw of 30 1-1/2. Kristen Ewer had an 89-4 discus, good for a second (Steinert) and third (Nottingham).
"It was a great day today. A tremendous job by our kids," beamed Hess afterward.