Spring track
By: Jim Green
When members of the Hopewell Valley Central High School girls spring track team look back at the 2003 Mercer County Tournament, their thoughts will be consumed by two "what if" questions.
What if two Lady Bulldogs had been able to get their entry cards in on time for the 200-meter dash?
What if the pole vault had been a scored event?
The answer might be that the Lady Bulldogs’ talented senior class would have dethroned the powerful Tornadoes. Unfortunately for Hopewell Valley, senior Jessie Pall and sophomore Natalie Mapp were late submitting their entry cards for the 200, while the pole vault, which the Lady Bulldogs swept, was not scored.
So Hopewell Valley came up just short Saturday at West Windsor-Plainsboro North, finishing with 100 team points to Trenton’s first-place tally of 124.
"We knew Trenton was the team to beat," Hopewell Valley coach Mike Hammill said. "We loaded up our lineup to go after them. We figured, with this group of seniors, this would be our chance."
Leading the way was Pall, who Hammill entered into the 100, the 200, the 400 and the 800. She won the 800 (2:20.8), placed second in the 400 (56.4) and did a good job of keeping pace with the Tornadoes sprinters, placing second in the 100 (12.3).
"We don’t usually put her (Pall) in the 100," Hammill said. "But she got in there and did a good job of breaking up Trenton’s strength."
If only she and Mapp had been able to compete in the 200.
"That was pivotal," Hammill said of Pall and Mapp missing entry into the 200. "Who knows what would have happened."
Hammill did not blame the girls for failing to get their entry cards in on time.
"Just during the course of the whole day, they (Pall and Mapp) were going from race to race and they were all over the place," Hammill said. "The cards were collected early.
"It’s definitely frustrating, but I do give Trenton a lot of credit."
Senior Kate Willever defended her title in the 1,600 with a meet-record time of 5:08.0 and finished fifth in the 800 (2:26.4).
"She (Willever) has been working hard," Hammill said. "She’s gotten really strong."
Sophomore Annie Carney took second in the 3,200 (11:25.7) and third in the 1,600 (5:22.8). Mapp placed sixth in the 100 (13.3) and third in 400 (58.3). Emily Sherrard finished third in the 800 (2:24.4), while senior Sarah Seiler took fourth in 1,600 (5:26.5) and third in 3,200 (11:25.7).
Mapp, Willever, Sherrard and Pall teamed to edge out Trenton in the 4×400 relay, posting a winning time of 4:04.5.
"Between Trenton and ourselves, we scored about half the points in the whole meet," Hammill said. "It’s frustrating to score 100 points and lose."
Senior Lauren Manley came through for the Lady Bulldogs in the weighted events, placing third in the discus (105-4) and sixth in the shot put (34-6 ½). Junior Allison Sheridan was fourth in the discus (101-4), and freshman Meredith Rutledge took fourth in the javelin (112-1).
"Meredith Rutledge had a surprise performance," Hammill said. "Those points, we didn’t know if they were going to come through. We were really pleased with that."
And the Lady Bulldogs swept the top three spots in the pole vault, led by Kristen Volpe’s 7-0.
"If that (the pole vault) had been a scored event, it would have been interesting," Hammill said.
The Hopewell Valley boys team, meanwhile, placed third in the team standings with 43 points, well behind first-place Trenton (123).
Senior Dave Rout was a double winner, taking the discus (136-10) and the javelin (192-3). Sophomore Andrew Freeman placed fifth in the 800 (2:01.0), senior Kent Long took second in the 1,600 (4:24.9), and junior Derek Jablonski came in third in the 3,200 (9:58.3) to highlight the Bulldogs’ efforts on the track.
The Hopewell Valley girls team will now turn its attention to the Central Jersey Group II sectional meet, which begins May 23.
"They (the Lady Bulldogs) were a little disappointed," Hammill said. "But they still know we have states to go. They’re still pumped up for states.
"Counties would have been nice to win, but they’re still focused on states."

