Cougar harriers open year ranked No. 1 in Northeast
Colts Neck girls start season ranked 6th in United States
BY TIM MORRIS Staff Writer
At this time last year, Colts Neck High School's girls cross country team was on a mission: Portland, Ore., home to the Nike Team Nationals (NTN).

TIM MORRIS Members of the Colts Neck Girls Cross-Country team, ranked sixth in the nation to start the season.

Feeling slighted by the NTN selectors in 2005, nothing short of a trip to the NTN in 2006 would satisfy the Cougars. From the day they found out they weren't going to the NTN in 2005, they kept a calendar and counted down the days to the 2006 championships. If you asked any member of the team at any time during the 2006 season, they would have been able to tell you how many days it was to the NTN.

Colts Neck would achieve its lofty goal after an impressive win at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions. The Cougars would go on and prove that they deserved the invitation and that they indeed were one of the country's best teams. Led by senior Ashley Higginson's individual win, the Cougars finished fourth in Oregon, the highest placing by any New Jersey team in the meet's history.

In 2007, the shoe is on the other foot for the Cougars. They begin the season ranked No. 1 in the Northeast and No. 6 by Marc Bloom's The Harrier magazine.

There is a very good reason for Colts Neck's high ranking: they have five of their top seven runners returning from a year ago and are no less than 10 deep.

Leading the pack is junior Brianna Jackucewicz. Now over the illnesses that sidelined her for the track season, she is back to the form that made her a Foot Locker National Championship Qualifier as a freshman.

"I've had a good summer of training," said Jackucewicz. "I've been healthy all summer and gradually got my mileage back.

"The way I look at it, I'm ahead of last year. I'm actually running," she added.

Senior Allison Linnell, who was slowed last year by an iron deficiency ailment, is back and running better than ever, another big plus for the Cougars.

"It's a nice feeling," she said of being back in top form. "This summer I put so many miles in. My fitness right now is good."

Twins Allison and Erin Donaghy and Allie Flott are the other returners from the NTN squad. That's enough to make the Cougars an NTN contender and the favorite to repeat as MOC champions. However, Jessica Fasano and Eva Wimberly, both sophomores, have made dramatic improvements and are making a push to be among the top seven. Stephanie Olenik and Morgan Clark are also in the mix.

The leadership of the graduated Higginson, who ran 17:50 at Holmdel Park and won the NTN, is irreplaceable. Kristen O'Dowd, the other graduated starter, came up big for Colts Neck at the NTN and will also be missed. However, this team is deeper than last year's MOC winners. They are so deep that the Cougars will have the luxury of being able to rest runners during the season.

If there is a concern, it would be whether or not the Cougars are as hungry as they were last year.

"Last year they were fearless, they were so focused, so hungry," coach Jim Schlentz pointed out.

Schlentz said it took only a couple of practices for him to see that the hunger was still there. The Cougars are not going to be resting on their laurels.

Linnell noted that the team still has Portland on its mind.

"There isn't a day that goes by that we don't talk about getting back," she said. "We have the experience [of getting there]. In the back of our minds, we think we can win it."

Jackucewicz said the competition to make the seven-member team is keeping everyone from being complacent.

"One thing driving everyone is that they want a spot on the team," she remarked. "We don't know our top seven yet."

Both runners agreed that the team is as close as it was last year. Linnell said that it is Colts Neck's team unity that is the driving force.

""We're all best friends and hang out on weekends together," she said. "We had a pasta party last night. It's good to do that."

Jackucewicz echoed Linnell's sentiments, noting that running "is just part of what we do."

The road to Portland will be taking another route in '07 with the inclusion of regional championships. There will be seven throughout the country, with the top two finishers at each regional championship automatically qualifying for the NTN. The other teams in the 22-team field will come from four atlarge (late-November performances) and four wild card picks.

Colts Neck will be competing in the Northeast Qualifier at Bowdoin Park in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., on Nov. 24.

The Nike Team Nationals are scheduled for Dec. 1.

Some of the finest running talent in the state can be found in the Freehold Regional High School District, where the cupboard is full in addition to Colts Neck.

At Howell High School, coach John Hein may have his finest team since the one that captured the Monmouth County title in 2002.

Senior Lindsey Lambert shows the way. She had a breakout season on the track qualifying for the MOC in 3,200 meters in both indoor and outdoor track, finishing in the Top 10 in the state. She returns more confident than ever.

Another senior, Lauren Rome, has apparently recovered from the injuries that nagged her all last year. A full recovery by her will give Howell a very strong one-two tandem at the front of the pack.

Sarah Nelson, another senior veteran, and Jacquie Ward, a sophomore who had a promising freshman campaign, are proven harriers.

Key for Howell will be the development of its fifth through seventh runners. Alyssa Pinney and Pujat Shastri are back from last year and running better. Laura Kochenash, a freshman, could be the most

important newcomer.

Howell's goal is to qualify for the MOC as a team. The Rebels could well be one of the 10 best teams in the Garden State this fall.

Freehold Township High School's Janel Parker had her 2006 season brought to a premature finish by injury last October, and she'll be anxious to show the form that got her a 17th place at the MOC as a sophomore. She proved she had come all the way back from her injury during the outdoor track season, where she medaled in the 800 meters at the MOC and repeated as Central Jersey champion.

Marlboro High School is a team on the way up. Twins Brittany and Lauren Pietrosh are coming off outstanding track seasons, as is Suzanne Raspa. The junior trio make up a solid nucleus to build around. Liz Manderski and Lisa Scarlino round out the top five.