Members of the Howell High School cross country team beam after winning the Central Jersey Group IV state sectional cross country championship at Thompson Park in Jamesburg on Nov. 5. The Rebels will compete in the Group IV state finals on Nov. 12. TIM MORRIS A fter several near misses, the Howell High School girls cross country team was not going to leave Thompson Park in Jamesburg without the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV state sectional championship trophy.
Three recent runner-up finishes, including a one-point loss to Colts Neck, were all put behind them when the Rebels emphatically captured the Central Jersey Group IV team championship for the first time in school history on Nov. 5.
Paced by Naomi Barnett in fourth place and Jamie Hand in 10th place, the Rebels beat Colts Neck, 80-105, to win the state sectional team title.
“We took second place last year and we knew we had the chance to win it this year,” said Hand, a four-year varsity harrier. “We were not going to let anyone else get it. We worked way too hard this season. We wanted to bring the banner back to the school for ourselves, the school and mostly for Coach [John] Hein.”
Hein said that on Nov. 4 he took the Rebels to their home course, the Manasquan Reservoir in Howell, sat them down and reminded them how many times they had run around the reservoir just to have the opportunity that would be before them at the state sectional meet.
They had done training especially for the Thompson Park course that has all of its climbs in the last mile of the race. For the seniors like Hand, it was the chance to do something before their careers were over that no other Howell team had done.
The Rebels got the message loud and clear and came up with their best team effort of the 2011 season on Nov. 5.
Barnett, a swimmer turned cross country runner who has been the key addition to the team this fall, led Howell with her fourth place. She toured the 5K Thompson Park course in a time of 19:16.
“I can’t even believe it,” Barnett said after the race. “This is the best team I’ve ever been with. My goal was top five.” Barnett said the seniors are “my inspiration every day.” Behind Barnett, Hand came through with a strong second half of the race to get 10th place (19:53). Aileen Rivell followed in 19th (20:19) and Kendal Hand (20:26) and Francesca Dee (20:29) were 23rd and 24th to secure the state sectional team championship.
Kendal Hand was another key addition to the team. Her twin sister, Jamie, talked her into giving up volleyball to run cross country, and she made a difference in the team’s biggest meet of the season.
“This team has a lot of depth,” Jamie Hand said.
Colts Neck High School’s Arielle Weiner slipped past Barnett in the final 500 meters of the race and finished third (19:11).
“I wanted to help my team get to the states,” the Cougar senior said after the race. “I kept relaxed in the beginning and just let it flow.”
Weiner achieved her two goals at the state sectional meet: a high finish and helping Colts Neck earn a place as a team in the Nov. 12 Group IV state championships at Holmdel Park in Holmdel.
The Cougars finished second as a team in Central Jersey Group IV. The top five teams and the top 10 individuals advanced from the sectional meet to this week’s group meet. Megan O’Dowd was the Cougars’ second runner, finishing 18th (20:19), and Gwendolyn Morris was 20th (20:21).