Sean Moylan
With sophomore sensation Megan Flynn out with an injury and senior star Jon Harmon away on a college trip, the Robbinsville High boys’ and girls’ varsity cross country teams could have easily just gone through the motions and used this past Saturday’s Cherokee Challenge as just another workout.
Instead, the Ravens set many personal records.
Gina Norato medalled by placing 21st in the senior race.
”Her (Norato) time was 12:53, which I think is 50 seconds faster than last year’s time. She looked great,” said Robbinsville varsity cross country head coach Mike Walker, whose wife gave birth to a baby girl this past week. But as luck would have it, Robbinsville also approved Walker’s first assistant coach ever, James Hunter, this past week.
Erin Hayes ran a fine 13:58 time in the senior race.
Robbinsville’s greatest success came in the sophomore boys’ race where Nich Lachman medalled with a 10:33, 9th-place time.
”(Lachman) was our only boy to get a medal. This is the premier early season meet in New Jersey. You get the best of most of New Jersey in this meet,” said Walker.
The Ravens’ Tim Brazelton (11:54), Tyler Muir (12:01) and Dan Orlak (12:12) all placed in the top 100. Chris Woidill ran a 14:09 time to cut a minute and a half off his previous best time.
With a few runners away on college trips, only Brian Flynn and Mike Schindewolf competed for Robbinsville in the senior race. Flynn finished in 61st place with a fine 11:14 time while Schindewolf ran an 11:39 time for 112th place.
Mike Landolfi, the only 11th grader on Robbinsville’s cross country team, ran an 11:47 time to place 87th overall. Michael Giesler, Andrew Kurzeja and Ryan Whitlock competed for Robbinsville in the freshmen race.
”The guys did a pretty good job. Overall we finished 27th out of 43 teams,” said Walker.
Walker sat out a slightly banged up M. Flynn for precautionary reasons. However, since she was Robbinsville’s only sophomore, the Ravens could not score as a team on the girls’ side. Even so, the Ravens girls came up with a few pleasant suprises, including an 18th place finish by Meagan Lesniak in the freshmen race. Lesniak’s time of 13:21 was more than good enough for a medal. Freshmen Alicia Norato (a 14:42 time for 55th place) and Selena Anker (a 15:41 time) also improved their times from last week.
Walker was also very happy with Amber Scott’s 15:18 time in the junior race.
”She (Scott) finished in the middle of the pack in the junior race. She’s a competitor and that’s what we needed,” said Walker, who also got a solid 15:39 time from Holly Lovering in the junior race.
Lachman and Harmon are great on the boys’ side. And now Walker is very pleased to add Lesniak’s name to his 1-2 punch of G. Norato and M. Flynn on the girls’ side.
”With Gina Norato, I don’t have to worry about her,” said Walker, whose senior star knows what he’s going to tell her before the words even come out of his mouth.
Robbinsville’s opener was rained out. This past Tuesday, Robbinsville was scheduled to have competed in a batch race at Nottingham. Hightstown was expected to have been added to that meet.

