Depth will be key for Monroe boys’ cross country team

By: Redd E. Patrick
   There won’t be a Roman on the team this year, but Monroe High School boys cross country coach Frank Bonich feels he has a program now which won’t rely so much on one standout runner.
   Scott Roman, who, along with his brother Steve, provided the program with an outstanding individual talent for eight different years, graduated. But four of the top five runners from last year team, which finished 8-2 and placed 11th at the GMC Championship meet, are back.
   Junior Ryan Brown, the squad’s No. 1 runner, returns, along with senior Adam Modzelewski, who has been a steady influence during his four years. They are this year’s team captains.
   Sophomore Joe Ruopoli, junior Kyle Zablocki and senior Nick Garibaldi also return, along with junior Nate Smith, who worked extremely hard and could be a big surprise, according to Bonich.
   Bonich will be counting on a pair of brothers in freshman Yusef Farrah and senior Adan Farrah. Adan is a standout sprinter in spring track who tried football last year, while Yusef is a promising cross country/track performer.
   Bonich will also count on sophomores Chris Garibaldi, Ben Wendel and Dan Lemelman, junior Eddy Junquet and senior Brian Somers in addition to a handful of freshmen.
   "We have a good group of kids who have experience and who have worked hard over the summer," Bonich said. "We’re going to miss Scott obviously, but we have some kids who we think will step up. We hope to be as good as last year or even better."
   A year ago, the Falcons finished second in the GMC’s White Division, losing a meet to division champ Bishop Ahr by three points (the other loss was to Red Division member J.P. Stevens). On Tuesday, the Falcons will open with Bishop Ahr at Thompson Park, so the division crown could be on the line early.
   Bonich also served as girls coach in the past, but with the program getting bigger, Jim Cox, an assistant to Bonich last year, has taken over as the head girls coach.
   The girls team features just seven runners since three athletes expected to run are trying volleyball, which is in its first year of existence at the school as a club program.
   The Falcons, who were seventh at the GMC championship a year ago, lost three of their top four runners to graduation, including Ely Segarra, the GMC champion.
   Ely’s sister, Damaris Segarra, is a junior who will take over at No. 1. Seniors Marie Nemeth and Jackie Barclay are the other two runners returning as Cox will look to sophomore newcomers Dina Mangarella, Erika Korsak and Illena Olivarria and junior newcomer Allyson Karas to provide depth.
   Monroe finished second in the White Division last year, losing to champ Perth Amboy, which is no longer in the White.
   "We’re going to have some growing pains this year," said Cox. "We have some shoes to fill, not only from Ely but some other senior leaders as well. We’re going to ask some kids to play a bigger role this year, which is going to be a major adjustment, but as we lead up to the GMCs, we think we can still contend for the division title."