Cox new head coach for established girls program

By: Carolyn M. Hartko
   The only thing certain in high school sports is that each new season brings a lot of changes. Athletes graduate, and new ones arrive. Opponents’ rosters get stronger, or weaker, and some familiar foes get shifted to a different division.
   For winter track teams in the Greater Middlesex Conference, the biggest change this year is in the format of the overall competition. For the first time, the GMC has not scheduled any dual meets. Instead, there will be one big indoor meet for each division at the end of January. The outcome of that meet will decide the division crown for 2004-05, and also act as a qualifier for the GMC Championship Meet.
   That means that teams will be free to concentrate more on large indoor invitationals. However, schools are also free to schedule dual meets among themselves. They just won’t count towards division standings, and they won’t have to be made up in case of bad weather.
   "We went ahead and scheduled four or five dual meets with neighboring towns," Monroe Township High School boys coach Frank Bonich said. "We didn’t want to travel too far, but we just set some dates, keeping our fingers crossed that it’s not too brutal with the temperature, or with rain or snow. Basically, weather-permitting, we’re going to go out and try to get a couple of them in."
   Monroe was planning on traveling to East Brunswick this week, and other dual meets are on tap with Spotswood, South Plainfield, and Sayreville. South Plainfield and Sayreville are in the White Division, along with Monroe, while the other two schools are not.
   Meanwhile, the Falcons are looking forward to their first invitational, the Jersey Shore Relays, sponsored by Wall Township High School at the Atlanta Club on December 27.
   Another big difference for Monroe this year is that the team is loaded with upperclassmen. Six people graduated in June, spread out among the events. Hardest to replace will be shot putter Tim Payne, and middle distance man Chris Sardone.
   With the departure of Payne, there will be a shift in the team’s strength. Bonich expects the youth on the throwing squad to be a weakness. But junior brothers Austin and Justin Tsang, and classmate Mark Zawistowski have been working hard in pre-season, and they are the top guys in the shot put so far.
   Others to keep an eye on include sophomores Andrew Cocuzza and Shawn Walsh, and senior newcomer Kevin Hall. Another senior, Stephen Modzelewski will add shot put to his main events, hurdles and distance.
   "Adam’s like my secret weapon," Bonich said. "I can use him in just about anything."
   Monroe’s strengths will be on the track this winter. Senior co-captain Rob Phillip will compete in both sprints and hurdles. Fellow seniors Carmine Ragucci, Rob McGowan and Chris Emerson are sprinters. Sophomores Billie Phillips and Vic Amato return in the sprints and senior Bryan Walsh will concentrate on the hurdles.
   Junior co-captain Scott Roman heads up the distance squad, and there are plenty of experienced runners for these races. Seniors Luke Kerstetter and Brandon Theinert are back, along with sophomore Zach Theinert. Four freshmen have moved over to winter track after successful seasons as cross country runners: Ryan Brown, Kyle Zablocki, Dan Rowan and Eddy Junquet. Senior Diego Delgado will specialize in the middle distances.
   While Monroe will be entered in several invitationals in the area, Bonich is being selective about the ones he chooses this time around.
   "We’re trying to eliminate the 12 hour meets, where the kids run one race and lay on the floor, or sit in their chairs, and sleep and are miserable," Bonich said. "That’s what actually happens at some of those. We don’t want that anymore."
   That sounds like a good change.