By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
Emily Morgan is the only senior on the Stuart Country Day cross country team, but she is more optimistic than ever about the young Tartans.
”This is probably the strongest team we’ve had since I’ve been running,” Morgan said. “Coach (Len) Klepack seemed to think we’d do pretty well this year. I’m glad that’s playing out.”
A win over Princeton Day School in the season opener was an uplifting way to begin the season, but with PDS not being at full strength, the excitement had to be tempered. There was no holding back, however, after Stuart added a sweep of Hun School and Pennington School on Wednesday at Rosedale Park.
”It went really well,” Morgan said. “It’s very exciting.”
Morgan was the Tartans’ second finisher, third overall in the race behind winner Caitlyn Murray from Hun, and Stuart junior Lindsay Craig.
”I felt like I did pretty well,” Morgan said. “This is a better weather day than our last meet. That helped. I liked the course that we ran at today.”
Morgan gave Stuart the sort of effort that they have come to expect out of her. She is their only four-year runners this year, and her experience is something the team can count on always.
”Emily has been consistent through three years,” Klepack said. “She has a very good attitude and is a good team leader.”
The Montgomery resident took up running long before high school as she followed in the footsteps of her mother.
”I’ve been running cross country for Stuart since sixth grade,” Morgan said. “I got into running, just local 5ks, when I was in third or fourth grade. My mom is a really big runner, so I decided to try it out. She was always running these races. That’s how I started and I decided I liked it.”
When Morgan got to high school, she had some classmates to run with her. But by her sophomore year, she was the only runner on the Tartans from the Class of 2015.
”I don’t mind being the only senior,” Morgan said. “I’m pretty good friends with the rest of the girls. It’s fine with me. The two girls who were on the team when I was a freshman, one left the school and the other was not interested in running. I don’t know what it is about our grade. No one has liked cross country.”
Fortunately, the Tartans have found 10 girls that really do enjoy it. Casey Nelson and Jada Postadan are sophomores, Casey Nelson, Isabella Koptis and Craig are juniors while Sonia Mohandas and Allie Burgess are freshmen.
”I didn’t know who was going to be on the team,” Morgan said. “I knew Lindsay and Jen were going to run again, and I knew Isabella was recovered from her injury. Of the girls who were sophomores, they all came back except one girl that left the school. The two freshmen, one is one of my friends’ sisters. The other one, I already knew because she ran middle school cross country so I guessed she would want to run in high school.”
There are no definites. The team doesn’t get the chance to see much of each other during the late spring and into the summer before they return.
”We have preseason the last week of August, Morgan said. “Over the summer, aside from a few times, we don’t get together as a big group. Once in a while, I might meet up with Jen Walsh or Lindsay, but we’re pretty spread out so it’s hard to find a day when we can get together over the summer.”
Stuart has come together this fall in fine fashion. The Tartans are showing they won’t be a pushover this season, and Morgan is doing her best to help bring along her younger teammates.
”Definitely during practices, I’m just making sure that everybody’s doing their best but also making sure they’re all healthy and not at risk of being injured,” Morgan said. “And trying to keep them positive about everything. Practice can be really hard. Sometimes I know it’s discouraging.”
Morgan is living proof of what a steady effort in practice can produce. She has seen development in her abilities every year.
”I’ve definitely progressed a lot from freshman year,” she said. “I came in and didn’t realize my running form was not the most efficient thing. I spent a lot of time, freshman year and sophomore year trying to fix that. After that, it got a lot easier to improve my times.”
Morgan is hoping that her times continue to improve. She is eyeing the chance to compete in college next year, and some solid times from this fall could help her chances.Said Klepack: “Emily has steadily improved, as have all of the girls. Casey and Lindsey have improved as well. Emily has been very consistent. She knows the sport.
”Last year, she was third team All-Prep B. She improved her time on the Blair course. She tends to peak towards the end of the year, which is great. The team has their best times toward the end of October, which is what you want them to do.”
The Tartans are particularly encouraged in that regard by their fast start. It shows their promise for the future if they’re starting out at this point.
”We feel we have a young team and it’s stronger than past years,” Klepack said. “We only have one senior on the team, Emily Morgan and she’s a good leader. Our best runner last year, Lindsay Craig, came back stronger than the year before. Our numbers are a little better. We’re looking forward to having one of our better seasons. We’re young. We have a long way to go.”
Throughout the roster, the Tartans are improved since last season. It is fueling speculation of a breakthrough season.
”Casey has come back a lot stronger than last year,” Klepack said. “She was hurt last year. Sonia and Allie are our two freshmen and we think they can help. Jen Walsh is a little better. Isabella is coming back after losing a year. Jada was injured in track and has to get healthy again, but she’s coming around. Lindsay is our strongest runner and Casey being healthy is much, much more improved.
”We think Sonia and Allie will add a lot to the team and Jada too. And it’ll take time for Isabella to get where she was before her injury. If you miss a year, it takes time to get the mileage back up.”
The Tartans are working together to push each other to new heights. Wins in their first three races means a strong starting point for Stuart that could go beyond this year when they lose only Morgan to graduation. The Tartans are hoping they have the groundwork to sustain some success.
”We have 10 this year, which for us is a good number,” Klepack said. “We feel the team is going to keep growing. There’s a good middle school group that I believe will help the team in the coming years. We have a bright future.”
For Emily Morgan, there is only one year left with the Tartans, and it’s shaping up to be quite enjoyable and memorable.
”Coach Klepack said, it’s probably the best team he’s coached at Stuart,” Morgan said. “We’ve had good runners over the years, but this is the most consistent group that we’ve had.”
