Saffer, Hand finish first at Battle of Monmouth meet
Colts Neck hosting
Cougar Invitational
on Saturday
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

Laura Saffer and Kellee Hand are beginning to feel at home on the Battlefield State Park cross country course.

On Saturday the harriers began the 2003 season like they did in 2002, with victories at the Shore Coaches Battle of Monmouth meet. This meet is run by class, so Saffer, a senior at Manalapan, and Hand, a sophomore at Howell, did not go head-to-head. For Saffer, Saturday’s win in the Senior Girls race was a big step forward. A stress fracture in her left foot last winter sidelined her for the indoor track season and much of the spring outdoor track campaign, and left her wondering how long it was going to take to get back to the form that had made her a Freehold District champion.

"It was definitely tough," she said. "I wanted to get out there and compete."

This summer, Saffer worked harder than ever, helped by a 13-day training trip to Australia with the Down Under Sport Tour. Ever since the 2000 Summer Olympics in Australia, Saffer has wanted to visit the country, she said. The trip took runners, which included Freehold Borough junior Mike O’Flaherty, to Sydney and the Gold Coast.

"It was awesome," Saffer recalled. "We trained in the mornings and did sightseeing in the afternoon. We had two cross country meets and one of the courses made Holmdel Park easy."

With more base training behind her than ever before, Saffer was ready to reassert herself as one of the area’s best distance runners. She did so Saturday, coming through with a quick 20:09 for the 5K course. It was more than a minute faster than she had run last year in winning the Junior race

"I knew I was in that kind of shape because of all the training I did," she said.

Saffer didn’t just want to run fast Saturday, she wanted to retain her championship.

"It was pretty important to me. I wanted to try and defend my title," she said. "I was a little nervous."

Saffer’s time stood up as the third fastest of the day. Howell’s Jessica Hoffman was second to Saffer (21:38) and Freehold Borough’s Deanna Shea was sixth (22:49).

Hand, who was the freshman champion last year, running a course record 12:25 for 3,200, wanted to get the taste of competition again. "I was looking forward to it," she said. "You want to see where you stand with the other runners."

She stood front and center in the Sophomore race, gradually pulling away from Ewing’s Carolyn Calhoun over each kilometer. Hand ran a 20:51 to Calhoun’s 21:02.

"Today I was hoping to win," Hand said. "I wasn’t looking to set records. I’m pretty happy with the race. I’m in better shape this year at this race than I was last year."

Hand’s win led Howell to first place in the Sophomore race. Meagan Nevins finished fourth for the Rebels (21:59) and Jamie Theriault was ninth (22:48).

Scoring is based on the top three finishers and Howell edged Ewing, 14-18, for the championship.

Freehold Township’s Jenn Brock was eighth (22:41).

Freehold Township’s Charlotte Walsh won the Freshman Girls’ race in 12:59, holding off Howell’s Lauren Wiemken (13:05) and Manalapan’s Kristen Andrew (13:15). Marlboro’s Joanna Pecoraro was 10th (14:43).

Manalapan’s Jenn Barr was the was the top area finisher in the Junior Girls’ race, placing fifth (21:28), just ahead of teammate Sophia Machado (21:30). Highland Regional’s Arianna McKinney ran the best time of the day in winning the ace in 19:16.

There was a race within a race Saturday as Howell’s and Manalapan’s girls kept an eye on each other and the times they ran. Yesterday, the two teams went head-to-head in a dual meet at Manalapan that would probably determine the Shore Conference A North Division champion this year. Howell won the title last year.

O’Flaherty ran the best time of the day among the district boys. He was ninth in the Junior division clocking 17:44. North Brunswick’s Tim Riley was first in 16:50.

Marlboro’s Alex Ziabko was eighth in the Senior division, posting a 17:55. Manalapan’s Mike St. George was ninth (18:11).

East Brunswick’s Ryan Williams ran away with the race, clocking a 16:34.

Scott Cohen of Marlboro took fifth in the Sophomore race at 18:30. East Brunswick’s Daniel Gilbert was first (17:38).

Manalapan’s Bobby Barret was the top freshman runner, turning in an 11:50.4 for the 3,200 meters, good enough for a seventh place. The top frosh was Nick Minotti of Southern Regional High School, Manahawkin (11:23.8).

Cougar Invitational

Colts Neck is looking to start a tradition that will be unique to cross country invitationals in New Jersey on Saturday.

"We want to make it a meet that invites the good teams from the East," said Colts Neck’s boys cross country coach Jim Schlentz. "The meets we go to (out of state) have teams from other states.

"September is a great month to go out and explore, and we want teams to come to Colts Neck," he added.

The Inaugural Cougar Invitational, which will be run at Bucks Mill Park, the home course for Colts Neck, has already attracted an out-of-state team, New York state powerhouse Pearl River, which will compete in the girls’ varsity race.

The Cougar Invitational will begin at 9 a.m. with a grade school race that is individual, only covering 1,600 meters. That will be followed by a middle school race where runners will compete individually and as a team. Howell’s Middle School North and South will be competing along with teams from Toms River, Monroe, Ocean and Keansburg. The middle school race is 2,400 meters.

Freshman (3,200) and jayvee (5K) girls and boys races follow. The varsity races will be divided between large and small schools.

Among the girls’ teams committed to the Cougar Invitational are Freehold Township, Howell, Lacey, Brick, Red Bank Catholic, and North and South Brunswick, Southern Regional and Point Pleasant Borough and Beach.

Among the boys’ teams headed to Colts Neck are Middletown North, RBC, North and South Brunswick, Rumson-Fair Haven, Lacey and Brick. The race will also be filmed and available on the Web.