Cross Country Teams Off And Running

By Andy Hutchison

Newtown High School’s girls’ and boys’ cross country teams are both coming off runner-up finishes in the South-West Conference and have high hopes for more success in 2012.

The girls, led by ten-year coach Doug Russell, will have to overcome significant losses to graduation, including three of the top seven runners: Katie Burns, Erin Begg, and Jenny vanVeen.

Captains this year are seniors Kristen DeGirolamo, Talia Fappiano, Leah Pinckney, and Shannon O’Gorman. Other runners whom Russell expects to be in the mix among the top competitors are sophomore Hannah Schwartz, junior Brianne Moulder, senior Reagan Cerney, and junior Sarah Craig.

“We have a very young team this year with only seven seniors. There is a strong group of underclassman and I am excited to see how our freshman do this season. We will obviously know a bit more about how things are going to go after the first meet,” Russell said.

The coach added that those vacated top spots are up for grabs and could change throughout the season. “The girls did a nice job preparing themselves this summer, which is very important for success in country,” the coach added.

The Hawks were 15-1 in the regular campaign before finishing second behind Immaculate of Danbury in the SWC meet, then going on to place eighth at the Class LL state championships, and 19th at the State Open last fall. Russell would like to see his team again contend for a conference crown, but knows it will not come easily.

“I believe we can be competitive in the SWC this year but, as usual, it is going to be a very competitive season,” he said.

Immaculate, Pomperaug of Southbury, and New Milford are among the tough teams the Hawks will try to overcome but, as Russell points out, there may be surprise teams that come to the forefront. “In cross country you never know who may have gotten a top runner, who worked really hard over the summer,” he said. “I am excited about this season and what I have been seeing at practices, but a key thing is to continue to prepare for the postseason and that means hard work and determination from the entire team.”

Boys Try To Dethrone New Milford

The NHS boys were 11-2 last year, placed eighth at the LL meet and ninth at the Open. Pat Sullivan, Dieter Gutbrod, Palmer Lintz, Jordan Hensel, and Luke Piazza all graduated, leaving key spots open for improved team members.

Senior captains are Jake Feinstein, Paul Mangiafico, Mitchell Russo, and Rob Russo. Other runners whom Coach Dave Foss expects to be big contributors are sophomore Christopher Gamble, junior Nate Steinebrey, junior Tom Floros, sophomore Joey Whelan, and freshman Ethan Burg.

Foss doesn’t expect his team to miss a beat this fall and, in fact, believes the Nighthawks can contend for the conference crown.

“We, as always, would like to dethrone the ten-time SWC champs New Milford. We are definitely in the mix. We would hope to be very competitive at the state level with a big-time goal of coming in the top six in the state, which would earn us a trip to New Englands,” he said.

Foss has one of the best runners in not only the conference, but the entire state, in Feinstein. The senior captain won the boys’ race at the SWC finals and was fifth at the Class LL state meet last year. Foss says the Hawks have at least two runners with All-SWC recognition potential behind him.

“We have a dogfight for spots 4–7 and need some runners to step up with really strong improvement to do big things this year,” the nine-year coach said.

Foss says this is a hardworking team that will again be pushed by New Milford, along with Weston and New Fairfield.

The girls’ and boys’ squads began the season Tuesday at Bethel against the hosts, New Fairfield, and Kolbe Cathedral of Bridgeport. The first home meet, at Reed School, is slated for September 18, when Stratford, Immaculate, and Masuk of Monroe visit. The postseason kicks off with the SWC meet October 18 at Bethel High.