By Bob Nuse, Sports Editor
HAMILTON — After spending last winter and spring competing for the West Windsor-Plainsboro High North track and field team, Bryn Gorberg was ready to make the switch from soccer to cross country in the fall.
Gorberg, who competed in track in eighth grade as well, is happy to have made the switch. And the Knights are happy to have her as part of their cross country lineup.
On Tuesday, Gorberg was North’s fourth finisher as they managed dual meet wins over Allentown and Ewing. The meet came on the heels of the Cherokee Challenge, where she finished 28th in the sophomore race in her first cross country meet.
”It was pretty cool,” Gorberg said of the Cherokee Challenge. “There were a lot of people cheering me on and I really liked it. There were 204 girls in the race. Today was different. I was trying to keep up with one of the South girls but then I lost her.”
Gorberg knows she still has a lot to learn when it comes to racing on the cross country course. Tuesday’s meet also included runners from WW-P South and Nottingham, although the Knights did not score against those teams.
”Knowing how to pace myself in practice with the workouts we do is something I am still learning,” Gorberg said. “We trained together starting in early July. Having time between the meets and working on what I do wrong will help me improve.”
Gorberg ran a personal best 5:43 in the mile last spring, and with her speed once she gains experience she’ll be a key contributor for the Knights.
”She is a real nice addition,” WW-P North coach Bill Mealy said. “It’s a nice boost. I remember when Emily Scott started running the first time on each course she was a little tentative. I think each time Bryn runs on a course she’ll get a little more confident.
”She had a nice meet at Cherokee. It’s a nice two mile run to start the season with.”
In Tuesday’s meet, Christina LiPuma was the top finisher for North, coming in behind only Caroline Ticse of Allentown and Caroline Kellner of South. Freshman Manolya Altan was the second finisher for the Knights and Wendy He was third, just a few seconds ahead of Goldberg.
At the Cherokee Challenge, He finished just behind Goldberg in the sophomore race, while LiPuma was 14th in the junior race and Altan was 11th in the freshman race.
Those runners, along with Sarah Neiheiser and Molly Patel, give the Knights a solid group to build around.
”If we get everybody healthy we’ll be OK,” Mealy said. “We have a nice pack. Rachel Sun is a little dinged up right now. She twisted her ankle. She’ll contribute when she gets back. Wendy and Manolya have been running well. We have a nice group that is pretty close to each other right now.”
And opening the season with two wins has everybody feeling pretty good.
”We’re all close as a team,” Gorberg said. “I like cross country because you get closer to your teammates because you run with them all the time.”