Rebels’ Hand leads the pack on District x-country team
Rebels, Cougars
dominate harrier squad
By tim morris
Staff Writer

For the first time, the cross country season belonged to the Howell Rebels.

John Hein’s harriers established a series of firsts during the course of the season. They won the Freehold Regional District title for the first time, and captured their first-ever Shore Conference A North Division title while completing the dual meet season undefeated. They were third in Central Jersey Group IV and qualified for the state championships for the first time.

The Rebels did it behind a solid, veteran nucleus that was sparked by freshman additions who proved to be impact runners. Freshman Kellee Hand, junior Jessica Hoffman (a newcomer) and senior Leslie Holleran were the trio who sparked the Rebels all year.

Colts Neck relied on combination of experience and youth as Bryan Parks’ Cougars repeated as the Shore Conference A Central Division champions and were the only team to qualify for the Meet of Champions, where they were 17th. Senior Lianne Price and sophomores Danielle Plenzo and Melanie Mahoney were the Cougars’ big guns.

Manalapan’s Laura Saffer was again one of the area’s leading harriers, qualifying for the Group IV meet.

Hand, Holleran, Hoffman, Saffer, Price, Mahoney and Plenzo head the News Transcript’s 2002 All-Freehold District Girls’ Cross Country Team.

Hand did things no other freshman has ever done. Hein refers to her as "legitimate."

After a fifth place at the Shore Coaches, Hand broke out of the pack at the Freehold District Championships where she became just the second freshman to win the meet, joining former Rebel Lindsey Gallo.

From there, Hand took on the best. She was third at Monmouth County, 11th in the Shore Conference, then became the first-ever freshman to win the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV title. She did that by simply pushing the pace from the start and not catching anyone by surprise. Hand then followed that with a third place in a personal best 19:42.7 in the rain and wind of the nor’easter at the Group IV state championships. That mark is the best-ever by a freshman. She had her only bad day at the Meet of Champions, where a 46th will no doubt serve as her motivation for next fall.

Holleran was the Rebels’ leader. The senior welcomed the freshmen and newcomers to the team and helped the team jell early. Her reward for four years of perseverance was Howell’s finest season ever. On her own, Holleran was very successful. She was the only runner other than Hand to qualify individually for the MOC, where she was 44th. Holleran was fourth in the District, 11th at the Shore Coaches, 15th in the county, 16th in the conference, sixth in Central Jersey and 19th at the Group IV state meet, earning a wildcard entry into the MOC, where she was first among the locals with that 44th.

A broken toe cut Hoffman’s season short, but the Rebel junior had already proven she was one of the area’s best. She made dramatic improvement every week in this her first cross country season. She started it off with a fourth at the Battle of Monmouth, then placed second to Hand at the District and finished 10th at Monmouth County. She and Hand figure to keep the ball rolling for the Rebels, who will return four of their first five runners next year.

Saffer, last year’s Freehold District champion, put together another strong campaign. She began the season with a first place in the Battle of Monmouth junior race and an 18th at the Shore Coaches. She lost her District title to Hand, finishing fifth, but came back to place 13th in the county and 20th in the Shore Conference. Saffer was eighth in Central Jersey and 46th at the Group IV state meet.

Sophomore Plenzo stepped up this fall to run at the front of the pack for the Cougars. She was 21st at the Shore Coaches, ran a strong third at the Districts behind Hand and Hoffman, was 14th in the county and 12th in Central Jersey and 20th at the Group II state meet.

Colts Neck’s future is bright as sophomore Mahoney is another of the young harriers who are already delivering. She had a consistent season for the Cougars. Mahoney was sixth in the District, 22nd in the county, 21st in Central Jersey and 32nd at the Group II state championships.

Price was to the Cougars what Holleran was to Howell—the senior leader who kept the team together. Price was also consistent throughout the season and ran her best in November. Seventh at the Freehold District meet, Price was 19th in Central Jersey II and 31st at the state Group II championships.

Those earning Honorable Mention in 2002 are: Kim Lang and Amy Lewis, Colts Neck; Jenna Brock, Freehold Township; Heather Garleb, Jamie Theriault and Kristen Caburis, Howell; Sofia Machado, Manalapan; and Jessica Whang, Marlboro.