2006 Scotch Plains Girls Union County Outdoor

Trailing Rahway by 14 points with only two events to go, Scotch Plains Fanwood Girls Track Coach Jeff Koegel knew the only way his balanced team would defend their championship Saturday at Hub Stine Field in Plainfield was with a near perfect finish.

The Raiders obliged with sophomore Cassy Valdes outsprinting Cranford’s Hannah Van Why for second and eight points in the 3200 and the 4 by 400 running a season’s best 4:05.9 to win the final event. Rahway could have still won the title by finishing higher than fourth in the 4 by 400 but the Indians faded down the stretch and finished sixth as the Raiders stormed back to win 86-83. .

“We were cheering hard for Kent Place and Union Catholic down the stretch of the 4 by 400,” said Koegel of the two teams that held off Rahway.

SPF’s depth helped withstand the individual brilliance of Rahway senior LaShonda Carter, who won three events and scored 38 points and sophomore Andrea Butler, who added 26 more in the sprints. It was almost a repeat of a year ago when SPF’s balance edged Rahway’s two stars 72-68. The duo combined for 64 last year.

With the victory the youthful squad captured and defended its third title in the past three weeks adding to the Union County Relays and Watchung Conference titles. Using the same formula, the Raiders were strong in the weight events and jumps, as well as the distances and 4 by 400 relay

“It’s a nice finish to the day to dig it out at the end. We have no stars, so we have to nickel and dime our way,” said an elated Koegel afterwards.

“We left some points out there, but overall this was a tremendous team effort,” added Koegel.

For most of the meet it looked like Rahway would win the title but when sophomore Bridget Cornwell provided a surprise victory in the 800 with a season best 2:21.9,
Koegel, a calculus teacher, realized that victory was still possible.

“I told Cassy (Valdes) before the 3200 that we had to have at least eight points from her to have a chance and she came through with a gutsy performance.”

“Knowing how much the team depended on my points motivated me to run better,” said Valdes, the teams’ top cross country runner last fall.

“That was the best 3200 I have ever run,” added Valdes, whose 11:42.1 was a personal best.

It still took a victory by the 4 by 400, which was running without one of its members, junior Sam Gates, who was injured two weeks ago. The first three runners sophomore Tina Olsson , junior Danielle Vena and sophomore Kate Johnson ran strongly but the team was still second behind leader Governor Livingston when Johnson handed off to anchor Meaghan Kelly. The team’s only senior, Kelly quickly made up her deficit of several yards and pulled away with a 59.4 anchor leg.

Kelly, the team captain, provided another fine all around performance with a second in the 400 meter intermediate hurdles (67.1) and a fourth in the triple jump (33-8).

“Nobody thought we could repeat as county champions because of all the seniors we lost, but the new kids have filled in well,” said Kelly.

“It’s great to prove everyone wrong.”

Cornwell took advantage of the absence of Plainfield’s Jahlisa Smith, the county’s top 800 runner, by taking control of the race early with a 69 second first 400 and breezing to victory, the only individual title for the Raiders.

“Coach has taught us if you set the pace, you own the race and that’s what I did,” said Cornwell.

“You can’t worry about who wasn’t there,” added Koegel.

“Bridgett took it out hard and dared anybody to run with her.”

Four other underclassmen provided crucial points. In the triple jump Junior Natasha Celius broke the meet record, formerly held by Raider Michelle Regg in 2004, with a second place effort of 35-8 ¾ and was third in the long jump with a 16-4 ¼ mark.

Olsson was second in the 200 in 26.4 and added a fifth in the long jump 16-4. Sophomore Erin Rossi was second in the discus (106-5) and fourth in the shot put (33-6). Sophomore Carlaya Jones produced a personal best (36-7 1.2) for second in the shot put and was sixth in the discus (100-5).

“Natasha really stepped up big for us. She was a pleasant surprise against some very good jumpers,” said Boys Coach Rich McGriff, who also coaches the jumpers.

Before the season Koegel had said that replacing Kat Berka in the weights would be the biggest challenge but Rossi and Jones combined for 21 to compensate for Berka, who had 17 last year.

“We knew we had to step it up this year and we have worked hard,” said Rossi.

“They are all peaking at the right time,” said weights coach Ken Hernandez.

“That is what you want to see this time of the year.”

Ayn Wisler finished second to Cornwell in the 800 with a 2:24.8 for eight of Westfield’s twelve points. The Blue Devils also got fifths from Catherine Cognetti in the 400 and Vicky Attenasio in the Pole Vault.