Jackson Memorial High School’s Justine Basa (l) and Yuliya Myrovych compete against Marlboro High School during a volleyball match played on Oct. 18 in Jackson. The visiting Mustangs defeated the Jaguars, 25-23 and 25-20. ERIC SUCAR staff The Jackson Liberty High School boys and girls cross country teams have had a memorable 2012 season with their young lineups and are pointing toward a strong showing in the Central Jersey Group III state sectional meet to be held on Nov. 3 at Thompson Park in Jamesburg.
“We were young and inexperienced and are doing pretty well, although it has been an up-and-down season,” boys coach Todd Engle said.
The Lions were 4-1 in dual meets heading into their final dual meet of the season on Oct. 22 against Central Regional and Point Pleasant Borough.
Jackson Liberty’s wins include a 27-28 victory over Jackson Memorial on Oct. 12. In that meet, both teams were missing their No. 1 and No. 4 runners, but sophomores Mike Russo and Steven Linton rose to the challenge by finishing first and second, respectively.
Jackson Memorial High School’s Brianna Roth serves to Marlboro High School during the Jaguars’ Oct. 18 volleyball match against the Mustangs. Marlboro defeated Jackson Memorial, 25-23 and 25-20, in the match played in Jackson. ERIC SUCAR staff Russo clocked a time of 17:01 for 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) and Linton was timed in 17:11 in the first meet this season held at Jackson Liberty’s home course on its campus in Jackson.
The Lions came up short in their bid to qualify for the 2012 Shore Conference Championships when they finished 13th in the team standings at the Ocean County Championships on Oct. 18 at Ocean County Park, Lakewood. The top eight teams at the county meet advanced to the Shore Conference meet.
“We were quite impressive against Jackson Memorial and I thought we would be ready to run in the county meet, but it was disappointing,” Engle said. “We had the potential to make it and didn’t. Our runners came out too fast on that course.”
Engle said his team ran well in its lone dual meet loss to Monsignor Donovan, with Linton finishing a close second in 17:11.
Tyler Chamra, a junior who has been out with shin splints that sidelined him for most of the season, is working his way back into running shape for the state sectionals. He returned to the lineup in the county meet.
Nick Eckett, the team’s No. 1 runner, was sidelined by a stress fracture for most of the season. Eckett and Kyle Lackay, a steadily improving runner, are the lone seniors.
Engle is building for the future with a larger squad than usual that includes junior Justin Farrell, who usually is the No. 3 finisher for Jackson Liberty in dual meets, along with junior Mohammad Kazim and sophomore Jack Olear among the top five finishers for Jackson Liberty, and sophomore Young Ko and junior Steve Callahan.
Engle also praised his freshmen, who finished second as a team in the Ocean County freshman meet behind Chris Raimondi, who finished fifth, and Joe Labianco and Josh Osowiecki. The Lions went to the Woods Trail Run on Oct. 6 at Thetford Academy in Vermont. Linton finished among the top 40 percent in the top seeded group and Russo was a close second in the second seeded group.
For the girls team, Dominique Pangborn finished third in her seeded race at the Woods Trail Run. Jackson Liberty’s girls were 4-1 in dual meets coming into this week’s action. The Lions finished 11th as a team at the Ocean County Championships.
Although the Lions did not qualify for the Shore Conference Championships, the girls remain upbeat about the upcoming state sectional competition.
“We keep improving week after week,” coach Amy Caruso said. “I am happy with the progress we are making. They are focused and come to practice and meets with great attitudes. They support each other.”
Sophomore Kasey Suszko, one of the consistent top three runners in the lineup with sophomore Morgan Albrecht and junior Sam Lopez, broke 21:00 for the first time when she competed in the Ocean County meet. Sophomore Lacey Kosty and Pangborn complete the top five of the Lions’ lineup.
Alex Kavoleff, the only senior in the lineup, may be back for the state sectionals after dealing with injuries that kept her out for virtually the entire season.
“When she’s healthy, she’s a key part of our group,” Caruso said of Kavoleff.