HHS cross country set to run down more success

By: John Chester Sports Writer
For the Hightstown High School girls’ varsity cross country team, the season isn’t measured only by the dual-race record.
   The season also will be measured by individual accomplishments of runners, such as achieving a personal-best time in a race or building up endurance during the season to run a certain distance.
   Tom McCafferty is beginning his fifth season as coach. A member of the Hightstown High faculty, McCafferty competed at the varsity level in both cross country and track and field (one- and two-mile runs) for Shawnee High School of Burlington County, NJ and then The College of New Jersey.
   Last year, Hightstown competed in the Colonial Valley Conference’s Valley League and had an overall record of 5-8 in dual races. No Hightstown runner advanced past the state sectional meet — Central Jersey Group III.
   McCafferty said the dual-race record "has been about average" for Hightstown in recent years. Only one senior was lost to graduation.
   Once again in 2007, McCafferty has a dedicated group of runners. But with only 10 on the roster, the team is not blessed with depth.
   "I’m just like any coach in that I want the team to win as many (dual races) as possible," said McCafferty. "But it’s also important to set realistic goals for each runner."
   McCafferty already has met with each runner to discuss individual goals.
   "It could be a time goal. It could be where the runner wants to finish on the team. It could be the runner wants to build to a certain distance, say, a half-marathon by the end of the season," he said.
   With the objective(s) agreed upon, McCafferty has set up a workout regimen tailored to each runner. Thus, each runner knows why a particular workout is to be carried out in practice on a particular day.
   "I can always tell them why they’re doing something," McCafferty said. "For example, if they’re doing a long run in practice, there’s a reason for it."
   Four returning varsity letter-winners are the core of this year’s Hightstown team. They are senior Kerry Perchulak, senior Ivonne Saquicela, senior Sam Serenkin and sophomore Priya Amin.
   A highlight of Hightstown’s 2006 season was Perchulak (23 minutes, 12 seconds), Saquicela (24:30) and Amin (25:41) all recording a personal best time in the Mercer County Championship Race.
   "Achieving a personal best was a season goal for them," McCafferty said. He added that Perchulak, Saquicela and Serenkin will be the team captains this year.
   Sophomores Joanne Kim and Preethi Sundararajan are back. They were part of the cross country group as freshmen.
   McCafferty is welcoming four newcomers to the cross country group. Senior Reena Parikh and junior Michelle Yaeggy played girls’ soccer last fall.
   "I think they can be strong for us," McCafferty said.
   Yaeggy is a distance runner (one- and two-mile runs) in girls’ track and field. So participating in cross country will help her build a mileage base for the winter and spring track and field seasons.
   And two freshmen are joining the group — Alexis Figueroa and Carinne Lazarovitch.
   This past Monday, August 27, marked the start of the third week of pre-season practice for Hightstown.
   "From looking at the mileage, everyone ran a couple days a week over the summer," McCafferty said. "Now, we’re building their mileage base so that when the season starts, they can races in the races and not just run in the races."
   He added that his team and the Hightstown boys’ cross country team, coached by Mary Brower, conduct joint workouts. Upcoming trips for practice for both teams could include the old towpath of the Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park, Washington Crossing State Park and Thompson Park in Jamesburg/Monroe Township, Middlesex County, NJ for hill work.
   NOTES: Hightstown this year will compete in the Colonial Valley Conference’s Colonial League. Hightstown opens its season on Saturday, September 8, at the Knights Cross Country Invitational, hosted by West Windsor-Plainsboro North High. The event will consist of eight races — a boys’ race and a girls’ race for each class, senior through freshman. Each race will be two miles.
   Hightstown’s first dual match is on Tuesday, September 11, against WW-P North at Washington Crossing State Park (the portion in Hopewell Township, NJ).
   BOYS



   The Hightstown High School boys’ cross country program is again heading in the right direction. So says Mary Brower, long-time coach.

   Brower has been coaching the Hightstown boys’ team since 1995. Over the years, she has watched the Rams enjoy a high level of success as a team as well as have individual runners advance all the way to the biggest stage in New Jersey high school cross country — the Meet of Champions.

   For example, Graham Apgar in 2004 finished 25th in the state Group III race with a time of 17 minutes, 15.6 seconds. Then in 2005, Simon Gordonov finished seventh in the Group III race (16:28) and advanced to the Meet of Champions, where he finished 42nd (16:41).

   "We’ve definitely had great seasons as a team. And we’ve had individual runners excel," Brower said. "We’ve struggled the last few years due to a lack of depth. But this season, the numbers are back on the upswing."

   This year, Brower has 24 runners in the program. She said one reason for the upswing in numbers is the cross country program at the Melvin H. Kreps Middle School. Cross country, which began several years ago, joined the established track and field program for youngsters in grades six through eight.

   So boys and girls who were students at Kreps when the cross country program began have now moved on to high school.

   Hightstown lost six seniors from the 2006 cross country team that finished with a dual-race record of 5-8.

   Key returnees are senior James Coyle, senior James Sheehan, senior Joey Suarez and sophomore Cameron McCreedy. This will be the fourth year on the varsity for Coyle and Sheehan. Suarez is beginning his third year. McCreedy is beginning his second year.

   A newcomer has been a pleasant surprise so far in pre-season practice, Brower said. Junior Brendan Walsh has been on pace with the top group. Walsh also is a varsity wrestler at Hightstown.

   In addition, two seniors are new to the cross country team. Sam Parker also is part of the boys’ track and field program. And Kyle Soska is part of the boys’ swimming program.

   According to Brower, three freshmen may make a mark this season. They are Eric Curry, Tyler Foss and Kasty Perskosky.

   "They come to us from Kreps. I understand they primarily ran the mile in the track and field program," Brower said.

   She continued, "The fact that our guys have come in (to pre-season practice) with mileage under their belt has helped their endurance. They are ready to push themselves. When you come into a season with a low number of returnees and a low number of upperclassmen, it’s a bit like shooting in the dark."

   But Brower said it is good news that the time is hitting time objectives in practice.

   "The guys are very ambitious and eager to do well," said Brower, who added that the dual-race portion of the season is intended to get runners ready for the big races at the end.

   "It has been my philosophy from the beginning that what happens at the end of the season is what really matters," Brower said. "Then, you’ll see times coming down. The county meet is a stepping stone to the sectional, group and state races."

   NOTES: Hightstown will compete in the Colonial Valley Conference’s Colonial League. Hightstown opens its season on Saturday, September 8, at the Knights Cross Country Invitational, hosted by West Windsor-Plainsboro North High. The event will consist of eight races — a boys’ race and a girls’ race for each class, senior through freshman. Each race will be two miles.

   Hightstown’s first dual match is on Tuesday, September 11, against WW-P North at Washington Crossing State Park (the portion in Hopewell Township, NJ).