Sarathy sees motivated boys XC
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
Ajay Sarathy is hoping to see the same progress he made as a freshman this year as a sophomore at sectionals.
The sophomore is the youngest runner in an experienced top seven for the Montgomery High School boys team that will race in the Central Jersey Group IV state championship Saturday at Thompson Park.
”I have high expectations,” Sarathy said. “This past season has been as good as I wanted. I was sick a couple weeks ago, and my county race and Shore Coaches were off. After conferences, I got my confidence back and I’m hoping to have a huge PR here.”
Sarathy was the Cougars’ second finisher at the Skyland Conference Championships at Natirar Park almost two weeks ago. He ran 16:39 for the 5-kilometer course, the fastest he has gone in a championship race.
”I expected to run that time before,” Sarathy said. “I ran 16:34 at a dual meet. I was happy with it. Natirar isn’t an easy course. I know I wasn’t into the race. When people were passing me, I didn’t have that drive to not-let-this-guy-go type of thing.”
Sarathy has plenty of reason to run hard, particularly the five seniors who are hoping to extend their season to the state Group IV meet. The first five teams and first 10 individuals from each sectional advance to the state group meet.
”They’ve been here all four years training hard,” Sarathy said. “They changed our team. Cross country and the track distance team, it wasn’t that good. They built it up with their work ethic and how much they cared.
”This has been our ultimate goal the entire season,” Sarathy said of advancing. “It’s like you can’t let the team down.”
Senior Rahul Ramesh has been the front-runner for the Cougars most of the season followed by Sarathy and junior Taylor Gatt. The next four are all seniors, and Rob Dembinski, Ishaan Waghray, Patrick Fritzinger and Daniel Alttieri finished within five places and six seconds of each other at the conference meet.
”They worked hard and they earned this opportunity,” said MHS boys coach Tim Bartholomew. “They have experience and the will to go out and get it. I’m excited for that. They’ve been taking all the right steps to go forward. Hopefully with a little bit of a luck and all the preparation pays off and they achieve their goal.
”I think they’ve all taken huge steps,” he added. “They’ve put so much work in during the offseason. We started as early as July with summer runs and going in and working five days a week. It’s an optional thing and not everyone goes, but those seven were there every day. It’s the first season that I’ve had the top seven stay the same from the first race to the last. These kids were consistent and they stayed the path. It’s not to say my 8-9-10 kids are not talented. We’ve had a couple of them running 17s, but the top seven has been performing and stayed the same the whole year.”
Sarathy has a year of experience after being in the top seven as a freshman last year. He knows what to expect with each race.
”Coming into it now, I feel like I know everything more,” he said. “Last year, I thought my ignorance helped me. When I ran these big races, I didn’t have expectations. I didn’t know who the big, fast guys were.
”Looking back on it now, it has helped with the courses. I know where the hard spots are and where I need to keep the same energy.”
Sarathy is particularly happy to be going back to Thompson Park. The Cougars have competed there twice already this season, and Sarathy’s greatest race as a freshman came on the sectional host site.
”I like it a lot,” Sarathy said. “Since I had my biggest jump there last year, I’m excited. I didn’t do too well at the beginning and then I ran 16:45 at sectionals. I’ve had good experience. I know the course well. You have a flat first two miles, and then you go down and have a steep uphill at the end.
”For Thompson Park, I think I can stay with (the top pack) the first two miles because it’s flat,” he said. “Then when we hit the third mile, it’ll be a gut check and I’ll see if I can stay up there. When it comes down to it, running is more of a mental sport.”
Sarathy has grown more vested in running with each year. He discovered his talent as a runner until he was in middle school.
”In seventh grade, we had to gym miles,” Sarathy said. “I was a really good swimmer in middle school. I ran the gym mile and I happened to be the second best in my grade. I joined the track team and I ended up being the second fastest runner in the middle school behind Taylor Gatt, who’s the year older.
”When I got to high school, I dropped swimming. It was too much on my body and it’s a lot to do two sports. I have more passion and talent for running.”
Running came easier to Sarathy, and he has seen his times drop each season, though not necessarily the way he expected. In each of his first two cross country seasons in high school, his times have been slower than anticipated in the beginning. He came on strong at the close of last year and expects to do the same with a training plan geared toward championship season.
”Since I’m progressing up,” Sarathy said, “I’m confident again.”
The Cougars will need good races across the board from their top seven. Among the Packet-area teams, West Windsor-Plainsboro North and WW-P South are also competing in the packed sectional.
”It’s tough,” Bartholomew said. “It’s definitely going to be difficult to get out. You’re going to have to perform. At the beginning of the season, that was our goal. We talked about our goals and we wanted to be one of the top five and get out of groups. We have a chance, as long as all five step up on the same day. We have the talent. We just have to step up on the same day. I’m confident sectionals is the day it’ll all come together.”
Sarathy is looking forward to an encore performance after an encouraging showing at conferences. The Cougars took fifth place in the talented county and think they can work together to be even better this Saturday. They are running to help each other.
”We’re really close,” Sarathy said. “Our entire varsity team is basically returners from last year. Right now, our top seven is five seniors, one junior and me. We all ran together last year. We had a really strong team. The five seniors are best friends and I hang out with them too. When you spend two and a half hours running with each other every day for two years, you get really close.
”We’re really hoping to get out of sections this year,” he said. “It’s been our goal since the beginning of the seasons. We’ve been training really hard. Our team is really good especially with our depth. If we can run the way we did at conferences, we’ll definitely get out.”