Senior helping WW-P North girls’ cross country start fast
By: Justin Feil
At the urging of one of her best friends, Rebecca Pierson, and West Windsor-Plainsboro North coach Bill Mealy, Jessica Galvano finally decided to give cross country a shot this season.
With every accomplishment, the question comes back again why she didn’t come out sooner. But she can’t think about that as she prepares to make her final scholastic year something special.
"I used to do soccer in the fall," said Galvano, a senior who has run the 400 hurdles for the spring track team since she was a sophomore. "That’s kind of why I hadn’t been doing (cross country). I wouldn’t say it took convincing, but I was just a little hesitant about trying something new. I only played soccer sophomore year.
"I kind of just came into it not expecting anything super to come out of it. I just wanted to take a chance and have some fun. Most of our running related programs are pretty tight-knit. Even if I wasn’t one of the better ones, I figured I’d have some tight friends."
Galvano has found both solid friendship and quick success this season. With the absence of Pierson due to injury, Galvano was first overall to lead the Knights to a sweep of Notre Dame and Nottingham at Washington Crossing on Tuesday. To make things better, the win came in a personal best of 21 minutes, 33 seconds.
"I kind of just go out and see how I feel," Galvano said of her strategy. "I didn’t think I went that fast on the first mile. My first mile was probably my fastest and my second mile was probably my slowest. My third mile was a little slower. All the girls and myself, we try to go out not knowing what to expect, just trying our best. Whether or not people are doing the greatest is up to the day.
"When I was running, it was kind of hard to gauge how fast I was going. I like running behind somebody. I didn’t think it felt that fast. We’re all getting a little more used to Washington Crossing."
For Galvano, there’s a period of adjustment with all three Mercer County courses in her first year. But she’s been a pleasant surprise in how quickly she’s adapted.
"She usually runs sprints in the spring," said Mealy, who is also a spring track coach. "The girls told me she could also run distance. Last year she toyed with the idea but decided against it. She was up in practice with Rebecca right away. I knew we had something special right away."
Galvano isn’t alone is making a sudden impact for the Knights, who improved to 6-1 in dual meets heading into Tuesday’s meet against Hopewell Valley and Allentown at Washington Crossing. Newcomers Julia Xu, who was third overall Tuesday, Kylea Meredith, who was fifth overall and Katy Walsh, who was ninth overall, have all been in the Top 7 for the Knights throughout the year. Meredith and Walsh are also former Knight soccer players.
"We have a number of newcomers that we weren’t sure about who are doing a great job," Mealy said. "The main reason for our success is we have a nice pack that runs together and is running together very well. It’s not just packed, it’s the fact that they’re running well. What seems to be happening is we may not get first in a meet, but we get quite a few places before the next team’s fourth or fifth girl."
Galvano has been well in front of opponents’ fourth or fifth girls. It’s something that has come as a pleasant surprise to her as well, and also raises questions of herself.
"I definitely would have started sooner," she said. "Towards the end of middle school, I had bad feet problems and I stopped playing soccer. Then I decided to play as a sophomore but it didn’t work out. I’d rather have opted for cross country than soccer. It would have been a better decision."
Galvano hasn’t spent long looking in hindsight at what could have been. She’s focused on doing as well as possible this year. She and the Knights face one of their sternest tests in Hopewell and Allentown, two of their Colonial Valley Conference Patriot Division foes.
"I kind of approach every meet the same way," Galvano said. "I tell myself to do my best. Whatever I have that day, I give. I try to give everything I have. I’ll probably be a little more nervous. I might have a couple more butterflies. But we just all go out and run our own race and pick up for anybody not having the greatest day."
More often than not, Galvano and the Knights have been having great days. But even if they weren’t, Mealy says this team would be special.
"With the attitude the girls have, even the girls who aren’t running in the Top 7 are working hard, it’s fun," he noted. "Even if we weren’t doing as well as we are, this group would be a delight to work with."
Galvano has found joining the team a delight, and is glad that Pierson kept her interested in joining. And even after joining, Pierson has provided motivation.
"It’s really nice to have the option to run with one of your best friends," Galvano said. "When she’s healthy, she’s definitely not running with me. When Rebecca’s healthy, she’s pretty good. I’ll try to use her to drag me along. I can only hope to stay up with her."
Staying up with Pierson can only make the Knights a stronger team, one that hopes to be among the top squads at the Mercer County Championships. Galvano is just hoping to continue to progress in what’s become a pleasantly surprising fall.
"I don’t think anyone anticipated we would be this good," Galvano said. "I don’t think anyone completely doubted that we would be (good) either. We knew we were building a strong team from the beginning of the season. Everyone was putting in a lot of effort."
Galvano gave some indication of her potential by reporting to her first practice in the kind of shape that could help her compete for a spot among the Top 7.
"I trained really hard over the summer and came into the season trying to at least be prepared," she said. "I didn’t know exactly what to expect. After the first couple of practices, it became clear who was going to be in the Top 5 and Top 10."
Having proven herself in cross country, Galvano has to be considered for the distance races this spring on the track. And though there’s less appeal to circling the track multiple times, she’s a willing participant.
"I basically do what I’m told," Galvano said. "If they want me to keep running hurdles, I’d do that. If it’s distance, I’d do it."
The Knights just want to get the most out of her before she’s graduated, and every day that Mealy sees her progress in cross country, he just shakes his head.
"I keep thinking what she could have done if she came out earlier," Mealy said.
Galvano thinks occasionally of that, but more than that, she’s focused on having as good a time and producing as many fast times as possible. With her choice of college and the accompanying decision of whether to compete, this could be her first and last year.
"It could be. If it’s going to be my last year," she said, "hopefully I can do my best towards the end of the season and go out with a bang."