XC talent growing
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
Sophia Zahn and Izzy Trenholm epitomize the strength of the Princeton High School girls cross country team’s depth.
The two have been fixtures in the Little Tigers lineup for their state championship meets, and they have helped to push PHS to its first Meet of Champions appearance since 2010.
”I’m feeling really confident,” said Zahn, a senior. “I feel like we performed really well at groups and we’re going to do the same thing Saturday.”
Princeton finished second at the Group III state championship last weekend to automatically qualify for this Saturday’s Meet of Champions at Holmdel Park.
”We’re all real excited to go to the Meet of Champs on Saturday,” Trenholm said. “It’s motivating us all to work even harder. We’re just really excited.”
Zahn and Trenholm have been able to contribute during the run, even if at times their scores don’t count. Trenholm was the Little Tigers’ fifth finisher as they won the sectional championship. Zahn was six seconds back that day, but finished ahead of Trenholm and pushed Julie Bond to a strong finish at the Group III meet. Had anything gone wrong for Bond, Zahn provided good insurance after getting one championship race under her belt.
”At sectionals, I felt pretty confident in because we’d gone there a lot,” Zahn said. “It was only my second race for Holmdel. Julie and I were tag-teaming a bit. When she was in front, I was thinking, I have to get my teammate; and when I’m in front, it was, I have to lead my teammate along.
”Going into groups, I was prepared to run the fifth spot. We weren’t sure how Julie was going to perform after being out due to injury. I’m just trying to run the best race I can and hopefully that’ll put us in a good position.”
Zahn had run at Holmdel Park for the Shore Coaches Invitational as part of the JV team. She was also in the JV race at the Mercer County Championships, and she won it with a time of 21:07. The time and the win helped push her into the top seven for states.
”This is much more of a question of who’s mentally and physically ready for our team to perform,” said PHS head coach Jim Smirk. “Sophia fit that bill. She’s been growing into that role. She did a great job for a showcase event of setting up and showing everyone what she’s capable of doing.
”She’s a great example of a kid who keeps plugging away at it and goes after the areas she needs to improve on and it pays off.”
Zahn had been running ninth for much of the season, but has come on strong. She has moved into position to help the team down the stretch.
”I was happy because I’d been talking to Coach (Jim) Smirk for a while about moving up,” Zahn said. “He had this idea about having this rotating 6-10. We have a lot of girls that could race in the varsity race and run well. I was just looking for my time to transition up.
”I’m happy. It means I get more races in. That’s important as a senior. I just want to run as much as I can.”
Zahn dropped 50 seconds from the Shore Coaches to the group meet. Being on the course before helped her.
”I feel like Shore Coaches was definitely a learning experience about when I should be aggressive, when I should push and who I should be with,” Zahn said. “I had a good race plan at groups. I felt I executed it to the best of my ability on that day.”
Trenholm is the youngest member of the top seven for the veteran Little Tigers. Zahn is one of four seniors who ran at the Group III meet along with two juniors.
”It’s been really exciting and it’s been a great experience and I’ve learned a lot training with them and being able to learn alongside them in practice,” Trenholm said. “I think it’s really helped me become a better runner. I think I’m lucky to have such great teammates.”
Trenholm has fit in well. She was thrust into the No. 5 spot at the Mercer County Championships and came through there and at sectionals. She is hoping to lower her Holmdel best this weekend.
”It’s a really difficult course,” Trenholm said. “That was my third time racing there. I think each time I get used to the course a little more and I know what to expect and where to do what. I think each time I’m able to have a better racing strategy and do a little better. Each time I race there, hopefully I’ll improve.
”I’ll probably try to focus on really pushing it this time,” she added. “The last two miles and the middle of the race, that’s the hardest part. You’ve run for a mile or so and it’s getting pretty tiring and you still have a ways to go and you have to keep going. I think that’s a part I can definitely improve.”
Trenholm has been training through a slight injury this week, keeping her mileage low and staying on the bike to be ready for Saturday. It’s not as bad as she had it last year when she fell and broke her elbow on a run in Mountain Lakes. She didn’t get another chance to compete with the team until Northeast Regionals. She’s been thrilled to have the chance to contribute as she gains experience in the sport.
”I didn’t do any cross country or track until eighth grade,” Trenholm said. “I did spring track for the first time that year, and I really liked it. I decided I would try cross country in high school. I really, really liked it so I kept doing it. I did winter and spring track in high school too.”
She is hooked now, and she has the potential to help the Little Tigers for years to come.
”I think she’s really an individual that highlights the future of our team,” Smirk said. “She had more success at the end of last year. She still has to grow into the level it takes for our girls to run at this year. You look at the quality of the girls up front and their experience. Trying to step into that and race and train with them is a pretty big task. I think Izzy has handled it well and I think she’s a kid we’ll look to in our future as part of the core of our success.”
Trenholm is hoping that she can be quicker Saturday to help the team more at the MOC. She was nervous at the group meet, but having her teammates there boosted her confidence.
”I definitely wanted them to have a great race and a great last race in their high school cross country career,” Trenholm said. “I wanted them to do well. That made me want to do well and make their last race enjoyable and a great memory.”
Zahn is happy with the way her cross country career is closing. She missed most of last year due to injuries, and didn’t run cross country as a freshman or sophomore. She took up track as a sophomore, and realized not long after that she enjoyed the longer distances the most.
”It was tough, but I enjoyed it,” Zahn said. “Going into spring track is when I got serious about it. In winter, I did the 800. In spring, I tried longer distances. I started to get serious about it when I realized it was an event I could perform well in.”
Zahn’s development has helped the Little Tigers to continue to improve through the season. They come into the MOC looking for a spot on the podium as one of the top eight teams in the state. It would be quite an ending for the PHS girls cross country team.
”I’m definitely going to try to go out more aggressive on Saturday,” Zahn said. “I feel like I want to try to do the most that I can in the race because it’s my last race. I want to go out with a bang.”