Norato qualifies for the Meet of Champions

Robbinsville High boys’ squad places 13th in Group I cross country

By: Sean Moylan
   While she didn’t win, Robbinsville’s Gina Norato ran a nearly flawless race at the Group I State Tournament Cross Country Finals at Holmdel on Saturday to qualify for the Meet of Champions.
   Norato placed eighth overall in the race with a time of 22:04.
   "That was her PR (personal record) for Holmdel by 40 seconds," noted Robbinsville head coach Mike Walker. "With Gina, it was just a matter of let’s finish in the Top 10 and move on. I told her that she’s the first one to make it to the Meet of Champions in school history."
   Norato and Walker had devised a perfect strategy going into the big race.
   "In the first half mile of the course she was in the 15th position, but we had said that we didn’t want her coming out too fast with the weather being as hot as it was," said Walker. "Before the race I told her to make sure she entered the bowl in the Top 10. She entered the bowl in the ninth position. That’s when I told her to make her move."
   Norato, who ran the last mile in well under seven minutes, managed to blow by one other runner to garner the eighth spot. It was the instantly the most amazing individual feat in Robbinsville’s short history.
   "She was excited. Her family was there," said Walker, who believes that Norato will run a competitive time against the other small group runners competing in Saturday’s Meet of Champions at Holmdel.
   On the boys’ side, while the Ravens fell a little short of their team goal, they did have some solid individual performances.
   "The boys finished 13th overall out of 20 Group I teams. We beat a couple of teams we had lost to. I wanted us to finish in the Top 10, but it didn’t happen. It wasn’t a big deal," said Walker. "Nick Lachman, who ran an 18:58 time, was our best runner. I think he was the top freshman in the race."
   Lachman placed 42nd overall. Yet Walker was just as proud of his junior star, John Harmon, who placed 53rd with a 19:16 mark.
   "Harmon was right behind him (Lachman) the whole way. Harmon, the last few weeks, has been running with tired legs," noted Walker. "For him to hold on and keep running is amazing. He’s showing his maturity by gutting it out and finishing it out for the team."
   Mike Landolfi (19:42 for 67th place), Mike Schindewolf (20:23 for 90th place), John Paulino (20:26 for 93rd place) and Mike Zappichi (20:53 for 107th place) were the Ravens’ other runners in the big race. Landolfi ran pretty well considering he was seeing the bowl for the first time.
   "We don’t graduate anyone and we were 13th in the State," said Walker, who can’t wait for next year to start. But the year is far from over. Norato will attempt to make more school history on Saturday.