By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP — Josh Siegel was thrilled to know that he’d be getting a second Kellner runner this year.
”I was very, very happy,” said the West Windsor-Plainsboro South coach.
It’s easy to see why. Katie Kellner wrapped up her Mercer County Championships career with her second individual title on Friday at Washington Crossing Park in a record time of 17:50. Her freshman sister, Caroline Kellner, was third overall, a finish widely credited with helping the Pirates to a one-point win over defending champion Hopewell Valley for the team title.
”My girls went out with the attitude, this is what we’ve been training for all season,” Siegel said. “Here we are to the last couple meets, and they went out and put it on the line and got it done.”
Katie Kellner won as a sophomore as well, and was second last year as a junior. She was second as a freshman, the last time the Pirates won the team title.
”I’ve won the race in the past, and our team has won the race in the past, and I was just hoping for this last year for it to happen in the same year,” Kellner said. “I’m so excited. I’m so proud of my team, and my sister.”
Ting Ting Zhou was 10th, Shelby Miller was 14th and Becky Barclay was 18th for the Pirates. Caroline Kellner had been to plenty of county meets before, but only as a fan of her sister’s. Her debut went better than expected. She hoped to finish in the top seven.
”I shocked myself with how good I did,” she said. “I never guessed that I would get third. It’s such a competitive group of girls.”
She knows that full well from having seen so many county races previously. This time she joined Katie as a teammate Friday.
”It definitely helps me a lot,” Caroline said, “because I see how much fun she has at all the other meets and I’ve been so excited and ready to run in this for so long. I was a little nervous, but I was more excited than anything.”
Said Siegel: “I expected her to be up there, but that was an unbelievable performance. She gutted it out the whole way through.”
Katie Kellner also had to push from start to finish for a 31-second win over defending champion Clare Buck of Hopewell. It was another personal record for Kellner, who has broken all her previous course marks this season.
”My goal was to take the race as soon as possible because I know I don’t have as good a kick as Clare,” Katie said. “If I want to win, I have to win it throughout the entire race rather than just at the end.”
Following her win, Kellner honored the memory of another sister in the county by sporting a Princeton High School T-shirt for Helene Cody, the Little Tigers sophomore who passed away the Sunday before counties from a brain aneurysm. PHS brought the largest cheering contingent as it finished an inspired fifth as a team.
”They did an incredible job coming out today,” said PHS head coach Jim Smirk. “They did fantastic.”
Alicia Fenley was eighth. Helene’s sister, freshman Jenna, was 13th overall for the Little Tigers, who have leaned on each other all week through their loss.
”To a girl, they said, we’re running, there’s no question,” Smirk said. “I was really proud of them. They talked a lot about commitment to themselves and to the team. They’ve done a great job of it.”
Trish Reilly, led West Windsor-Plainsboro North to fourth in the team standings. The senior was sixth and Emily Scott was seventh for the Knights.
”I know the team put everything they had,” Reilly said. “We were a little nervous going out. One of our top five was injured this week, but I think everyone stepped up really well. Everyone stepped up when the opportunity came to fill in a spot. They definitely put their best forward.”
Natalie Pontillo led Stuart in 64th place. The Tartans were 13th overall. The Tartans will compete in the Prep B state championship Wednesday. The public schools run in sectionals on Saturday.

