Lady Bulldogs win sectional title

Spring track

By: Jim Green
   The Hopewell Valley Central High School girls spring track team was without its coach Saturday as it chased the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Central Jersey Group II sectional title in South Plainfield. BecauseMike Hammill was at his own wedding, assistant coach Aaron Oldfield was forced to take the reigns.
   With senior leaders Jessie Pall and Kate Willever practically serving as coaches on the track, Oldfield knew his job wouldn’t be difficult.
   Pall took first place in the 100 (12.73), the 400 (57.49) and the 200 (25.72), and Willever notched three top-four finishes, as the Lady Bulldogs ran away with the team title. Hopewell Valley finished with 120 team points, easily outdistancing defending champion Voorhees (70 points).
   "Both of those girls (Pall and Willever) bring so much to the table with their experience and their heart," Oldfield said. "They’ll do whatever it takes to win. It would be hard to find any two athletes in Hopewell Valley history who have had more success, individually and as a team."
   Pall and Willever helped Hopewell Valley reclaim the sectional title it won in 2001. The Lady Bulldogs vacated the championship last year, when CHS moved up to Group III. Despite facing much stiffer competition, the Lady Bulldogs still managed to place third at the Central Jersey Group III sectional championships last season.
   Oldfield said there is a simple reason for his team’s continued success, regardless of the event or competition.
   "We just work hard," he said. "There’s no substitute for hard work. They (the Lady Bulldogs) get after it.
   "They always put in a full day’s work. Maybe a lot of it has to do with the tradition."
   The Lady Bulldogs now have an opportunity to accomplish something none of the previous Hopewell Valley track teams have done: capture a Group II championship for the spring season. They have already won the Group II cross country and winter track titles this school year.
   The top six finishers in each event at the sectional championships advanced to the group championships, which will be held Friday and Saturday at Egg Harbor.
   "They (the Lady Bulldogs) would like to win all three (Group II titles for the year) and sweep," Oldfield said. "That’s never been done by any track team, boys or girls, at Hopewell Valley. That’s another thing we’ve talked about — being the first to win all three."
   The Lady Bulldogs clearly seemed motivated to make history at the sectional championships this past weekend. Pall got the team off to a strong start Friday by winning the 100 and the 400, while sophomore Natalie Mapp, who placed third in the 400 (59.11) and fourth in the 100 (13.13), provided support.
   Pall, who took second in the 400 and fourth in the 800 at the 2002 Central Jersey Group III sectional championships, has made great strides as a sprinter this year, adding a new dimension to the Hopewell lineup.
   "I think she (Pall) just really found a whole different type of running," Oldfield said. "She’s more of a sprinter. She’s almost turned over a new leaf."
   Hopewell Valley also dominated the 1,600 Friday, even though Voorhees’ Sara Best won the event. Willever took second (5:09.54), senior Sarah Seiler came in third (5:09.95), and sophomore Annie Carney took fifth (5:18.75).
   Two freshmen contributed mightily to the Lady Bulldogs’ title push Friday. Kristen Volpe captured the first Central Jersey Group II girls pole vault championship (8-0), and Meredith Rutledge advanced to the group championships by taking third in the javelin (113-7).
   "She (Volpe) did a great job, especially for a freshman," Oldfield said. "That (the pole vault) was early in the meet. At the time, those 10 points were very important."
   The Hopewell Valley boys team on Friday had one member qualify for the group championships, as freshman Kevin Osagie took sixth in the long jump at 19-7. On Saturday, senior David Rout continued his stellar season by winning the javelin title with an incredible distance of 196-3, making him the clear favorite to win both the Group II and overall state javelin titles.
   Sophomore Andrew Freeman, who finished sixth Saturday in the 800 (2:02.21), will join Osagie and Rout at the group championships this weekend. The HoVal boys team took 11th at the sectional championships with 16 team points.
   Pall, meanwhile, was busy racking up more points for the Lady Bulldogs on Saturday. She won the 200 — giving her three individual sectional titles — and placed fifth in the 800 (2:19.05).
   "She (Pall) is one of those seniors we really count on," Oldfield said. "She’s done a fantastic job. She knows what it takes to win."
   Mapp qualified for the group championships in her third individual race, taking fifth in the 200 at 26.90, and Willever finished second in the 800 (2:17.45). The Lady Bulldogs, though, pulled away from Voorhees on Saturday by dominating the 3,200.
   Carney won the mile (11:08.35), with Seiler taking third (11:27.88) and Willever finishing fourth (11:33.70). Senior Lauren Manley chipped in by placing fifth in the shot put (33-11).
   The Lady Bulldogs’ 4×400 relay team, which included freshmen Jackie Barrett and Emily Sherrard, took third at 4:06.94.
   Oldfield said the Hopewell Valley veterans have received a boost this season from the contributions of freshmen such as Barrett, Sherrard, Volpe and Rutledge.
   "We really have four freshmen that have done a fantastic job," he said.
   The Lady Bulldogs now are focusing on capturing the elusive Group II spring track title. With eight individuals qualifying for the group championships in 17 overall events, Hopewell Valley likely will never have a better opportunity to win the crown.
   "As a coach, you always want to seize the opportunity you have in front of you, because you might not have another opportunity," Oldfield said.
   The top six finishers in each event at the group championships will advance to the Meet of Champions, which will be held June 4. The Lady Bulldogs produced 13 performances at the sectional meet that ranked in the top six for Group II.
   Still, the team’s focus is on the Group II championships, which is the Lady Bulldogs’ last meet of the year that includes team scoring.
   "The Meet of Champions is a non-scoring meet," Oldfield said. "That’s more individual. They do what they want to there."
   But Hopewell Valley has a chance to make team history at the group championships.
   "We really focused our entire season on having a successful state meet," Oldfield said. "That’s what the girls have been focusing on. We’ve talked about it a lot."