Ragucci’s MOC frustration a sign of how good she is

By: David Gurney
   You know you’ve reached a high level when qualifying for only two events in the Meet of Champions is considered a mild disappointment, but then you know where junior Nicole Ragucci is coming from.
   Yet, as disappointed as she may be with some of her performances in the NJSIAA Group III Championships at South Plainfield High School on June 2, Ragucci still was good enough to make a return trip to the Meet of Champions at South Plainfield on June 7. The Falcon junior came in third in the 400 meters with a time of 56.21, and qualified in the 200 after being granted a wild card after a time of 25.44.
   At the Meet of Champions, Ragucci finished sixth overall in the 400 with a time of 56.66 and 14th in the 200 with a mark of 25.2.
   "I did well, but yeah, I wish I had done a little better," Ragucci said. "I’m a little disappointed, I expected to do better, but given some of the circumstances, I ran pretty well."
   Some of those circumstances included battling off a short gap in between races and an injury the previous week at the Group III Championships in the pole vault.
   "There just wasn’t much time in between events," Ragucci said. "My stomach was killing me, I threw up a little. My head wasn’t in it. Under those circumstances I did decently."
   In the 400, Ragucci battled some stiff, tight competition before falling at the very end. To her, the fault in the race was her slow start, which cost her right out of the gate.
   "I got there early, warmed up for a while, but when the race started I went out too slow," Ragucci said. "I was so pumped, I wanted to do well. It was a tight heat, a tight race. Everyone was right in there at the finish."
   Where she started slow in the 400, Ragucci began the 200 quicker than normal. But a quick turnaround from the 400 took its toll and her finish slipped a little lower than anticipated.
   "My start was good, but I was worn down later," Ragucci said. "It’s not my main race and it wasn’t a bad performance. But it was a little disappointing also."
   The downside was the lack of improvement for Ragucci, who qualified for the Meet of Champions last year and finished fifth in the 400 meters.
   But, it’s something that will leave her hungry next year.
   "There was no improvement in my time, I wish there had been," Ragucci said. "Again it’s why I’m disappointed, nothing moved for me. But it gives me more drive for next year. I’m already excited about the offseason workouts."
   Ragucci qualified for three events at the Group III finals, with the pole vault being the lone event she failed to qualify in, due to an injury off a collision with the bar.
   After suffering a bloody nose and loose tooth, she tried to jump the opening height two more times, falling short in each attempt.
   Her appeal to get into the Meet of Champions as a wild card was denied, limiting her to two events.
   The boys 4×400 team also competed in the Meet of Champions, earning a wild card berth with a strong time in the Group III finals. Yet, the squad was unable to place in the top six at the meet. The Meet of Champions was the last meet this season for the track program.