Colts giving first glimpse at Shore Coaches meet
Local harriers run well at Cougar Invitational
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

CHRIS KELLY staff Rumson-Fair Haven’s Samantha Marinko holds a lead over Red Bank Catholic’s Caitlin Dorgan as they sprint to the finish at Saturday’s Cougar Invitational in Colts Neck.

The Christian Brothers Academy (CBA) cross country team has been lying low this fall.

However, it’s hard to stay out of sight when you are ranked No. 5 in the country and No. 2 in the Northeast Region.

Tom Heath’s Colts, the top team in the state, will make their 2005 debut on Saturday at the Shore Coaches Invitational at Holmdel Park. It is the first time this year that the team’s top seven runners will be in action at what is the first big meet, statewide, of the season.

There is a very good reason for CBA’s late start this fall — namely the Nike Team Nationals (NTN) outside Portland, Ore., Dec. 3. The team championship made its debut last year and CBA finished 11th. With their top four runners returning, the Colts have every intention of returning to the championships and is the big reason why they are ranked No. 5 in the nation.

With the national meet stretching the season into December instead of the third week in November, Heath made the decision to start CBA’s competitive year later. He avoided running his top harriers in dual meets (CBA has done just fine extending its national record for consecutive wins with a 4-0 mark) and used the month of September for added training.

“If you run a race, you lose four days of training,” he said. “The two days before the race, race day and the day after.”

Having competed at the NTN last year, the Colts know the course and know they have to run differently.

“It’s a hard course to play catch-up on,” Heath said. “We have to learn to get out fast and push the pace.”

The Colts are more than ready to shake off the racing dust and get at it on Saturday, but Heath knows the delayed start will have an impact on his team’s performance at Holmdel.

“The first race won’t be perfect,” he said. “There will be some flaws, we’ll make some mistakes. By the second race, we should be OK.”

That second race will be the Manhattan Invitational at New York City’s famed Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx on Oct. 8.

There is every reason to believe this could be a very special year for the Colts. The lineup is stacked. Seniors Chris Horel, Kevin Rogers, Justin Wheat and Greg Leach have vast national experience and were CBA’s top four runners at the Meet of Champions last year. Horel, the Parochial A state champion, finished fifth at the Meet of Champions, earning First Team All-State honors. He ran a 16:07 at Holmdel and should join the select group of runners who have broke 16:00 at the park.

“Chris Horel looks incredible,” said Heath, who doesn’t dish out praise lightly.

The Colts lineup was made more formidable by the addition of sophomore Brendon Pierson, who has cracked through to the top five already. In the spring, he broke the state freshman record for 800 meters. The potential is there, and he has not had any trouble handling the longer 5,000-meter distance.

Mike Lee, a senior, and juniors Anthony Pellegrino (top seven last year), Chris Lombardi and Taylor Zorski are vying for the sixth and seventh spots on the team.

These Colts have already made a name for themselves by breaking the school’s time-trial records. Saturday, they get to show their wares for the first time.

Despite the lofty ranking, Heath is very much aware that his team hasn’t qualified for the Nike Team Nationals.

“We’re not there yet,” he said.

To qualify, the Colts have to be ranked first or second in the Northeast Region, and if not, they must try and get in via the wild-card route that goes to four teams from across the nation. For the NTN, the country is divided into eight regions with the top two teams filling 16 spots. The final four are open to wild cards.

CBA’s biggest test will be Oct. 8 at Van Cortlandt Park. The region’s top-ranked team, New York state’s Fayetteville-Manlius is expected to be there.

“I have to make sure that they are ready to go at Manhattan,” Heath said. “That is the key.”

RBC girls second to New York power at Cougar Invitational

Red Bank Catholic’s girls put on another display of pack running at the Cougar Invitational on Saturday.

Building on the momentum they gained at the Battle of Mommouth Class Meet, the Caseys finished second to New York power Pearl River in the Small School division. The meet, hosted by Colts Neck High School, was held at Bucks Mill Park.

The Caseys stacked their top five runners in the first 13 places for a 47-point total. Unfortunately, Pearl River rode a one-two finish by Samantha Stadt (18:54) and Michelle Farrell (19:37) to a 28-point total. Tina Forgach paced the Caseys in fifth place (19:49), averaging 6:23 per mile for the 3.1-mile course.

Starting with Erin Lunny in ninth (20:05) came a wave of Casey green-and-gold. Michelle Savarese (20:12), Marta Laskowski (20:25), Jannie Louie (20:30) and Meghan McGrath (20:31) finished ninth through 13th, separated by just 19 seconds.

RBC had a five-runner average of 20:12.

At the BOM Class Meet, the Caseys won the Freshman, Junior and Senior division races, and were second in the sophomore.

Rumson-Fair Haven’s girls were fourth (108), bunching their runners together impressively as well. The Bulldogs had their first three in the top 20, led by Sara Robinson (21:13) in 17th place. Right behind in 18th was Caitlin Dorgan (21:21). Ashley Hopkins was 20th (21:31).

RFH’s boys were second to Manchester, 41-86, while placing their first three runners in the top 10. First across the line for the Bulldogs was Rob Atkinson in sixth place (17:32). Brendan Kirchner (17:43) and Ryan Krystopowicz (17:46) followed in ninth and 10th.

Manchester’s Alexander Cuesta was the overall winner posting a 16:44.

In the Large School competition, Colts Neck’s girls (27) and East Brunswick’s boys (41) were the team champions. Colts Neck’s Brianne Jackucewiz set a meet and course record 18:42 as she crossed the line just head of teammate Ashley Higginson (18:43).

Colts Neck’s Craig Forys won the individual title turning in the fastest time of the day, 15:56. It was the junior’s third straight win at the meet.

Tomorrow, the Shore Coaches Invitational at Holmdel Park will take center stage. This is the first meet held at Holmdel this fall that will bring the top teams and runners from throughout the state together on the site of the state championships. It is a barometer for everyone to judge themselves against their November competition.