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Week seven: nationally ranked and looking ahead

E-mail|Link|Comments () Posted October 30, 2009 09:30 AM

(A weekly series chronicling the journey of the Newton South girls’ cross-country team, culminating with the All-State meet on Nov. 21 at Northfield Mountain).

After kicking off the season with a win over Dual County League foe Acton-Boxborough, the Lions cruised through the regular schedule, with just one loss to rival Lincoln-Sudbury. Behind its top three runners — Madeleine Reed , Melanie Fineman and Kathy O’Keefe — South completed the toughest September in program history, facing two nationally-ranked teams, four teams ranked in the Northeast’s top 15, and six teams ranked in the state’s top 10.

The Lions entered October ranked second in the state and Northeast region and 19th in the nation. After running the course at Franklin Park two weeks ago at the Catholic Memorial Invitational, South ran in the Dual County League championship meet on the same course Friday.

‘‘We came into the season with a mixture of experience and a lot of new faces on varsity,’’ said coach Steve McChesney before the meet. ‘‘But now our fourth through seventh runners are a crew with some of the best depth in the state. With three girls up front running under 19 minutes in the 5K, it’s a dangerous lineup at every position.’’

Sophomore Anna Laurence emerged as the club’s most improved runner. Having followed the most aggressive training plan on the team, Laurence shined at the CMI, running a personal best on the course. Junior Jenny Epstein and sophomores Abby Pressberg and Hannah Friedman give the Lions depth, while freshmen Zuzana Skarkov, Kitty Crowley, Hailey Hart, and Maggie Whalen are the future.

‘‘‘‘They faced a schedule that could have buried them,’’McChesny said. ‘‘but they have so much grit, character, and resolve that I’m as proud of this team as any I’ve ever coached.’’

Up next

The Lions are eyeing the Eastern Mass. Division 1 meet (Nov. 14, Franklin Park) and the All-State championship meet (Nov. 21, Northfield Mountain), contending for both team and individual honors.

‘‘Year in and year out, the DCL is in the running for the strongest league in the state,’’ said McChesney. ‘‘The DCL (meet) was simply a stronger field than half of the divisional meets, so every place will be critical in that race. Any girl that places in the top 8 in the DCL has a chance to place that high at all-states, it’s just that competitive.’’

Stepping forward

The trio of Fineman, Reed, and O’Keefe combined for 11 All-American honors last season as the Lions set four state and four New England records.

‘‘As a cross country coach, it’s my hope that we have several front-runners who work together and help each other at, or near, the lead of the bigger meets as well as in practice,’’ said McChesney. ‘‘This is exactly what these three do. They’re very special and ... , they give each other the motivation to push to the next level.’’

COMPILED BY
SAPNA PATHAK