Jenkins ready for sectional debut
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
Danny Jenkins does not think back to what could have been, only to his next race.
The Montgomery High School runner did not come out for the cross country team until this, his senior, year. He didn’t run spring track until last year, and only ran winter track as a sophomore to prepare for baseball.
”I love basketball and baseball, but I knew I could make a bigger impact on the track and cross country team,” Jenkins said. “I’m definitely happy where I am. I’m not one of these people thinking back. I’m happy how things turned out.”
Jenkins has been at the top of the surprising Cougar boys who will try to extend their season at the Central Jersey Group IV meet at Thompson Park on Saturday. The top five teams plus the top 10 individuals advance to the Group IV state meet Nov. 16 at Holmdel Park.
”Never having been in this situation with any sports team, it’s not something I expected to be a part of,” Jenkins said. “It’s exciting we have a chance to compete and move on. I’ve gotten close with the guys.”
Andrews has helped to fill in the void after three of the Cougars’ top seven graduated — including second-place finisher Andy Adamovics — from last year’s seventh place team at sectionals.
”Danny has consistently been 1 or 2 the whole year,” said MHS boys coach Tim Bartholomew. “He’s a senior. This is his first year of cross country. He always did track. Last year, he started to come into his own. He did a terrific job in track, so we convinced him to come out for cross country. We thought he’d be our best or one of our best for us. He works hard. It worked out for us. We got pretty lucky.”
Jenkins was the Cougars’ second finisher at the Skyland Conference Championships when freshman Ajay Sarathy had a breakout race. Rahul Ramesh was a second faster than Jenkins for the top spot for MHS at the Somerset County Championships. The trio could push each other and key the Cougars to a Group IV appearance.
”We have three boys that could possibly run under 17,” Bartholomew said. “I think they have to do that for us to get out. We don’t have that guy that’s going to get in the top 10. We need those three boys to get under 17. We need the other two to be as close to that as possible. I think we have a good possibility.”
Jenkins would love to help the Cougars advance from sectionals. He has embraced his new team.
”The cool thing that stuck out is it’s much more of a team atmosphere,” Jenkins said. “Every one of the top seven matters. In cross country, you need your seventh to run well. In track, you don’t know how everyone will impact it. This is such a team atmosphere. I really do enjoy that.”
It may have taken him some time to get there, but he’s happy that he has finally had the chance to run cross country.
”When I was younger, just recreationally, I’d go running in my neighborhood,” he said. “I never thought about running competitively. It wasn’t on my mind.”
Jenkins didn’t take long to endear himself to his teammates. He was named a captain at the end of the summer, an honor for him. Now the rookie leader will try to close his first year of cross country on a high note.
”One of the things that’s helped has been my unfamiliarity with what’s going on,” Jenkins said. “Some of the guys, they’re constantly on milesplit. For me, not knowing where I factor in, I’m not intimidated if I don’t know if I’m keeping up with someone who has a faster PR than me. For me, it’s more naturally how am I feeling today.”