Callahan wins senior division
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
Kelly Callahan found herself in an unfamiliar position in front of everyone at the Old Bridge Classic on Saturday.
When she crossed the finish line first in the senior division, it was even more shocking to the West Windsor-Plainsboro North harrier.
”I really had no idea that I would do so well,” said Callahan, who won the senior race in 21:05. “I wasn’t really expecting it. I was kind of surprised, but I was also really excited. I never won a cross country race before.”
Callahan is accustomed to being in the top pack for the Knights, who are 4-0 this season. She is used to running at the front with fellow senior Trish Reilly and Emily Scott, who finished third in the junior division that was won by Montgomery High’s Jillian Prentice on Saturday. With Reilly on a college visit, Callahan took the lead for the Knight seniors, who finished sixth in the division as a team without Reilly.
”Kelly stepped up,” said WW-P North coach Bill Mealy. “She got a chance to run with the leaders. She did just that. She stayed a little behind the first-place girl and then about three-quarters through, she caught her and hung with her and passed her toward the end. She had a good strategy and worked really hard at it. She had the kind of race knew she had in her.”
Callahan is in just her second season of cross country. She joined the team last year to complement her career on the track, where she has solidified herself as one of the top half-milers in Mercer County. Her shorter speed has paid off in cross country races, particularly at the end, as it did Saturday when she held off Kirstin Anderson of Middletown South by seven seconds.
”Sometimes it helps,” Callahan said of her track background. “I know I have some more speed than some of the cross country girls do.”
Callahan still favors track and field to cross country, but there is one element of cross country that helped bring her back for another season.
”I like track better, but I really like the team aspect of cross country,” she said. “We’re really close with all the girls.”
Callahan’s return, along with a number of members from last year’s team that set a school record for girls’ wins with 11, is one reason that the Knights are looking for even bigger goals this season.
”We’re trying to make it to the Meet of Champions this year for the first time,” Callahan said. “Last year was the first time we even made it out of sectionals. We’re hoping we can get all seven to the Meet of Champs this year.”
Last year, just Reilly reached the final race in New Jersey. Callahan’s early races in 2008 have shown how far she has come in a year. Her time Saturday was 48 seconds faster than she ran at last year’s Old Bridge meet, and she finished 12 places higher.
”I feel like I have a little more experience this year,” Callahan said. “I’ve run the courses before. I know what’s a better spot to make a move.”
In most races, Callahan doesn’t have to make the major moves. That’s left up to Reilly and Scott, and she works off them. Neither was in her race Saturday.
”I was actually a little nervous about that in the beginning,” Reilly said. “I’m used to having her there as someone to go out with.
”The day before, Mr. Mealy told me that I needed to at least go out with the leaders just to see how things will play out. It worked out pretty well.”
Callahan’s strong showing has the Knights feeling more confident about achieving their lofty goals. They get a good look at the state when they race in the Shore Coaches Invitational at Holmdel on Saturday, then face Princeton High and West Windsor-Plainsboro South in a Colonial Valley Conference meet next Tuesday.
Callahan will look to do her part as a top finisher as well as helping along the younger Knight runners.
”She’s developing a lot more confidence in herself,” Mealy said. “This weekend will help a lot for her. Trish and Emily have been out a little ahead of her. I hope she realizes she can stay right up there with them and make a tight pack in the front.
”I’d like to be a little farther along this year, but in a way it’s probably good,” he added. “Hopefully we won’t end up peaking too soon. We still have some work to do.”
Kelly Callahan is happy with the start to her senior year. She already has earned a flashy reward, with the flashiest coming from the Old Bridge Classic on Saturday.
”They gave pretty big medals,” Callahan said. “I hung it up on my mirror.”

