South girls are second at Shore XC
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
Becky Barclay helped the West Windsor-Plainsboro South girls’ cross country team pass its first big test of the week, but she nearly missed the chance due to another test.
The senior placed 32nd overall for fifth among the Pirates as they finished second in the B Division at the Shore Coaches Invitational at Holmdel Park on Saturday.
”I actually almost didn’t make it there,” said Barclay, who finished the 5-kilometer course in 21 minutes, 21 seconds. “I took the SATs and then I had to drive down there. I had a lot of problems. They wouldn’t let me park in the parking lot, but I made it there finally. It was a little stressful. I had 20 minutes to warm up.”
Barclay was fine once she got to the start line to join her Pirate teammates, and they delivered quite a race. Fellow senior Katie Kellner won the division in 18:34, a 12-second personal record over her Meet of Champions time last year.
”Last year, she did not do well at Shore Coaches,” said Pirates coach Josh Siegel. “She had a great start. She was right there in the pack off the line, exactly what we talked about, making her mark early. About a mile in, she started to push ahead and had the lead. Second place was right there after The Bowl, but Katie pushed it. It was exactly what we talked about doing.”
Montgomery High School’s Jillian Prentice was second and Lara Shegoski was ninth in the B race to lead the Cougars to a fourth-place finish. Emily Scott was third and Trish Reilly fourth to lead West Windsor-Plainsboro North to third in the C Division race. Jenna Cody was 13th for an undermanned Princeton High School squad that finished 12th.
On the boys’ side, WW-P North dominated the B Division with Joe Rosa winning in a sophomore course record of 15:38. Kevin Foy was fifth to lead WW-P South to second place. Skylar Kelly was 66th for 17th-place Montgomery. In the C Division, Aaron Thomas was 19th for PHS as it finished ninth.
WW-P South faces PHS and WW-P North today in a Colonial Valley Conference meet, then runs at the Manhattan Invitational at Van Cortlandt Park on Saturday.
”This is a tough week for us,” Siegel said. “Coming from Shore Coaches to Princeton and North to Van Cortlandt. These girls are not letting up. We’re working our way right through this week.”
Saturday’s Shore Coaches results were an eye-opener, even for the Pirates. Kellner was also a top-five finisher at the Shore Coaches last year, but the Pirates did not score as a team because they only had four finishers due to SAT conflicts. This time, the Pirates had a full squad and showed their firepower with a runner-up finish.
”It’s kind of funny,” Barclay said. “It’s pretty much the same group of girls we had last year with the exception of Caroline. We didn’t realize we were this good.”
Kellner’s freshman sister, Caroline, was fifth overall in her first race at Holmdel. Senior harrier Ting Ting Zhou was 26th and junior Shelby Miller was 29th with Barclay just four spots behind her.
”This summer, we trained really, really hard,” Barclay said. “We started in July. I just tried to stay behind all my teammates and follow them.”
With teammates like the Kellners, Zhou and Miller in front of her, Barclay is finding the benefits of such strategy as well as a year’s experience. Barclay lowered her time by 1:37 and moved up 29 places over last year’s Shore Coaches’ finish. She already has posted a time only two seconds slower than her personal best of a year ago run at Thompson Park’s easier course.
”Last year was first year full year running,” she explained. “I did cross country, winter track and spring track. When I went into this year’s cross country, I knew what to expect more.
”I know all the courses now,” she said. “I know a little bit more what to expect. The only thing I remembered about this was The Bowl. It was a little harder than I remembered.”
Barclay is expecting more of herself after last year serving primarily as an insurance runner for WW-P South. This year, she has established herself as a reliable member of the top five.
”She is certainly a part of it,” Siegel said. “Our three, four and five — Shelby, Ting Ting and Becky — fight each other for those top spots. Any given day, they’re all pushing up there.
”She’s such a strong athlete. She is a fantastic young lady. She’s just doing everything right. She’s coming out there and pushing herself every day. She’s had a remarkable two years with me and we’re only getting started this year. I’m very, very happy with how she’s progressed.”
Saturday, with a little extra pre-race stress, Becky Barclay helped the Pirates handle their first big test of the week. Two more await them. Two more chances to test themselves.
”It’s exciting,” Barclay said. “It’s a little overwhelming, but I like it.”
Especially when the Pirates pass with flying colors.