Growing Pains for Blue Devil Girls’ Cross Country
With only two seniors on a roster of ten athletes, the Huntington girls’ cross country team endured growing pains this fall, compiling a record of 0-5 under head coach Debra Cheskes.
“After last year’s graduation of six seniors, I knew this would be the proverbial ‘rebuilding year,” Cheskes said, and it was exactly that type of season. The Blue Devils were led by juniors Kathryn Schmitz and Olivia Torres.
“Kathryn has really shined this season,” Cheskes said. She captured three league meets, finished 6th at the Suffolk Track Officials meet, crossed the line 10th at the Division Championships and cut thirty seconds off her previous best time to place 12th in the Suffolk finals. Schmitz earned All-League and All-Division honors.
Torres came on strong throughout the season, too. “Olivia’s drive and determination are what being an athlete is all about,” Cheskes said. “She has improved greatly this year.” Torres earned her first varsity medal at the Nassau Coaches Invitational, finishing 27th out of 95 runners.
In addition to Schmitz and Torres the roster included Michelle Grenier, Shannon McSweeney, Susanna Michaels, Gabriella Mitchell, Elizabeth Northcote, Ricki Norton, Jillian Silverberg and Victoria Smith.
The highlight of the fall came in the last meet of the season, a loss against Comsewogue. “The team really came together,” Cheskes said. Although the Blue Devils lost by six points, Huntington won the race.
“Since only two seniors are leaving the team, next year should see a return to a more competitive standing,” Cheskes said. “Experience and mileage really go a long way with the development of a cross country team.”
Blue Devil Notes: Schmitz and Norton served as team captains . . . Huntington finished sixth in the league and 10th in the conference . . . Schmitz’ best time over a 5K race course was 21:36 and over 3m was 21:43 . . . Torres’ best performances in 5K and 3m races were 24:37 and 24:19, respectively . . . The Blue Devils enjoyed a year end awards dinner at 34 New Street in Huntington Village on a recent weeknight.
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