Falcons gear up for post-season

By: John E. Powers
   The championship season is on the horizon for both the Monroe High School girls and boys cross country teams. And the Falcons are performing as if their post-dual meet season will bring some great results.
   The girls improved their dual meet record to 6-1 Tuesday with a rugged 27-30 win over New Brunswick at Buccleuch Park in New Brunswick. The boys also raised their record to 6-1 with a 15-50 win over the Zebras at the same site.
   Saturday, both teams head to New York City for the annual Manhattan Invitational at Van Cortlandt Park. The teams will then get a week off before competing in the Greater Middlesex Conference championships at Thompson Park.
   The girls were pressed by New Brunswick, as Falcon head coach Jim Cox expected. The team’s No. 3 runner Maureen Nemeth was sick, and usual fifth runner Jackie Barclay suffered from cramps during the race. Both are seniors.
   "I knew before the race that it wasn’t going to be a cakewalk," Cox said. "Then we had a couple of things happen, and it became even tougher."
   New Brunswick took 1-3, with Lil Jaquez winning in 21 minutes and Quanisha Booker going 22:35. Monroe junior Damaris Segarra, who was slowed by allergies, placed second in 21:40.Others stepped up.
   Sophomore Erika Korsak was fourth and freshman Valine Bogue was fifth. Sophomore Dina Mangarella was eight, junior Allyson Karas was ninth and sophomore Illena Olivarria was 10th.
   "Dina made the biggest step," Cox said. "We really relied on some kids we hadn’t relied on. Allyson (Karas) had been injured lately and hadn’t run the last couple of races. She was ninth and as soon as she finished ninth and she finished ahead of their fifth runner. When that happened, I knew we were ok. It was nice to see those three girls in the middle. It was kind of a preview of what next year will look like."
   The boys cruised as junior Ryan Brown won by 16 seconds over New Brunswick’s John Jaquez in 18:34. Junior Nate Smith was third, senior Nick Garibaldi fourth, sophomore Ben Wendel fifth and senior Adam Modzelewski sixth. Sophomore Joe Ruopoli was seventh and sophomore Dan Lemelman was eighth and Brad Siegal was 10th.
   Boys head coach Frank Bonich, who was felled by a bee sting while the Falcons ran Woodbridge and Perth Amboy a week ago Tuesday, is back and feeling much better. Bonich had an allergic reaction to having been stung by a bee and was taken to Raritan Bay Hospital in nearby Perth Amboy. He was back coaching the team this week.