Senior is South’s fifth at Shore Coaches XC
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
Katie Calder may not like the look of her knee braces, but if they get her through her final scholastic season, she can take a little teasing.
The West Windsor-Plainsboro South senior is off to a good start as she helped the Pirate girls cross country team place fifth in the Division B race at the Shore Coaches Invitational on Saturday.
”I felt really good about it,” said Calder, the Pirates’ fifth finisher. “The best part about it is that I know we can get a lot better. It’s just a beginning.”
Caroline Kellner was second in the race in 19:07 at Holmdel Park to lead the Pirates. Shelby Miller was 25th in the race in 21:15. May Chang (42nd) and Jaedi Gambatese (58th) were next with Calder rounding out the top five.
”I thought it was a great first race for Caroline,” said Pirates head coach Josh Siegel. “She got out well and at the mile mark, she made a little gap between her and the pack. She raced well for being alone most of the race.
”I was pleased with how the girls ran. Shelby and May Chang ran outstanding races and Jaedi Gambetese was our fourth. Katie held down fifth place.”
Calder ran nearly 20 seconds faster than she did at last year’s Shore Coaches meet. She’s finally stopped feeling her knee problems that cost her the chance to train with the team in practice.
”Last year, I was in pain every single day,” Calder said. “This year, it doesn’t happen. I think I’m doing the right stuff now.
”I didn’t run last year,” she added. “I was on the bike every single day. I could never run.”
Calder is hearing it from her team for sporting what she calls “goofy knee braces,” but they are helping her stay in the race. She is the lone senior who has returned from last year’s initial top seven. She was also in the top seven as a sophomore before a hip injury cost her the end of the year.
Her personal goals this year are simple — remain in the top seven and stay there throughout the season.
”She’s a captain this year and she feels more a part of the team,” Siegel said. “She’s not injured. All these factors have led her to have a good first couple races and hopefully a fantastic rest of the season.”
Led by Emily Scott’s third-place finish in 19:09, WW-P North placed 12th in Division B. Montgomery, racing without top runner Jillian Prentice due to illness, placed 14th. The Cougars were paced by Lara Shegoski in ninth overall in 20:05.
Princeton High placed the highest of any local team, third overall in Division C. Jenna Cody was fourth in 19:53 and Alicia Fenley was also in the top 20 at 17th overall. The Little Tigers defeated the Pirates in a dual meet last week, but on Saturday it was WW-P South that had the faster team average by six seconds per runner.
”We’re very young,” Siegel said. “Katie is our only senior in the top couple. We’re pretty good through 10 (runners). We have a couple girls on the JV that could be up in the top seven. With the training we did over the summer, we’re in contention to get out there and race every time. We’re very competitive.”
The Pirates graduated five of their top seven who raced for the Mercer County championship team last fall. Calder is hoping that the team can continue to build on an important summer of training to contend again this year.
”We lost a lot of girls last year,” she said. “I think we have to work a lot harder. We’re not talented runners, but if we work hard, it should pay off.”
Calder has been doing cross country since sophomore year. She favors the shorter distances on the track, where she regularly runs the 400 and 800 meters and last year was a part of the school-record distance medley relay. It was a springboard to this fall.
”I had a really good spring,” Calder said. “I didn’t do as much as the other girls this summer. Eventually I picked it up.”
Convinced that she is finally done growing, her knees aren’t giving her the same problems that have ended the last two falls prematurely. She is off to a better start, but just as she believes in the Pirates’ promising showing at the Shore Coaches race, it’s only a start to her final cross country campaign.
”I do cross country because I love the girls and I love the coaches,” Calder said. “I don’t do it just to get in shape. I want to be competitive and do my best.”