PHS senior has high hopes for senior year
By: Justin Feil
Dan Cavallaro has been a steady performer for years, yet he feels like an entirely new runner.
The Princeton High School boys’ cross country co-captain is one of the most experienced runners on the team. He has been a part of the program for three years. His freshman year was cut short by injury, but Cavallaro developed into one of the top talents in Mercer County over the next two years.
He finished his junior cross country season well enough as the Little Tigers’ top finisher in two of its final three races. He placed sixth at the Mercer County Championships and helped the team reach the Group III state meet.
It was a breakthrough in the spring track season, however, that has Cavallaro thinking of the highest goals as he enters his senior year.
"My spring season got off to kind of a slow start," he said. "I was running times at or around my (personal record) from the previous year. I wasn’t getting better. I didn’t know what to attribute that to. But at the end of the year, at counties and sectionals, I lowered my mile PR from 4:35 to 4:25.
"Especially in that race at counties, I found a gear I didn’t know I had before. Actually, I knew I had it but I had never been able to reach down and find it. I hope I can find it again."
Cavallaro takes his first strides toward what he hopes will be his best season when the Little Tigers face Lawrence today at Washington Crossing Park. Cavallaro comes in upbeat about the cross country season. Even before taking his first strides off the line, he is off to a better start to his season compared to last year’s beginnings.
"There’s almost no comparison," Cavallaro said. "Last year, I didn’t really start training seriously until late July or early August. This year, I took two weeks after track and then started training in June. I took a big step up in mileage. I’ve already been able to do a bunch of solid workouts that I wouldn’t have ever been able to do last season. I’m certainly at a much higher level than I was last season."
Cavallaro sets a perfect example for the Little Tigers, who lost two of their top four runners from last year’s squad. He has come back more fit and more equipped to lead the Little Tigers.
"I think Dan is ahead of where he was last year in so many ways," said PHS head coach John Woodside. "It’s not just speed wise. It’s confidence-wise, and he has a better ability to understand strategy. He has an understanding of his strengths and weaknesses. He’s come to a point where he’s a fully matured high school runner. He sees what he can do. I see that in him.
"Last year, he was hoping to be one of the best. This year, he’s willing to go out there and fight for it."
Woodside says that side of Cavallaro came through in the spring when he made his big jump. It was something that helped him propel himself into a spectacular summer of training.
"Spring track changed his whole perspective," Woodside said. "He completely matured as a competitor and a racer. Before that, he was a pretty good runner. Then he became a really a better racer.
"As a racer, you go through phases. I think he was in a plateau. He was running good times. He wasn’t breaking through. He didn’t go to the well and see what was there. I remember when it happened to me and then you just go out there and say, when am I going to drop this guy? He’ll basically bury people now. It’s a knowledge of what he has and how good he can be."
Cavallaro is shooting high in his senior year, for himself and for the team. The Little Tigers had a breakthrough of their own last year, finishing 11-1 and winning the Colonial Valley Conference Patriot Division. A tiebreaker forced them to third in counties and they finished fifth at the Central Jersey Group III meet.
"I’d definitely like to make this a good year for me," Cavallaro said. "It’s obviously my last year of high school running. There are some things I want to accomplish and only have one year to do that. I think I can and that’s an exciting thing for me.
"Obviously last year, we made it to Groups as a team but we all had off races as a team. We want to make it to Groups as a team and do better. We’re looking to possibly make the Meet of Champions as a team. And definitely, if not as a team, I’d like to go as individual. I definitely want to go to the Meet of Champions this year."
Cavallaro believes if he can help bring the pack closer together, the Little Tigers can meet those goals. He and PHS should be helped by facing a regular season filled with competitive races. Mercer County promises to have some of the deepest talent ever assembled.
"I’m well aware this is a great year for Mercer County," Cavallaro said. "I know with a lot of guys, this is the year everyone seems to have stepped up their training. There are a lot of teams looking good in the county. I think it’s going to be a great year in Mercer County and distance running in general.
"My biggest motivating factor," he added, "is I just want to succeed. I want to do well this year. There’s not really any single motivating factor. You always want to do well."
Cavallaro’s confidence got a boost from a healthy summer of training. More than anything, it allowed him the consistency to continue to build on a breakthrough spring track season.
"I am a lot more confident," Cavallaro said. "I know I’ve put in the work over the summer. I know I’m in the shape I should be. I know I have competition. There are certainly a lot of good teams in the county and a lot of strong individuals. I’m confident but I know I have my work ahead of me."

