Blue Devil Girls’ Strong at Nassau Invitational
It often coasts just under the radar, but this year’s Huntington High School girls’ cross country team is comprised of a wonderful collection of talented and spirited athletes.
The Blue Devils recently turned in a fine performance at the Nassau Coaches Cross Country Invitational at Bethpage State Park, with outstanding efforts by the team’s veterans and several underclassmen.
Coached by Debra Cheskes, Huntington boasts some of Suffolk’s top runners. The Blue Devils are prepping now for the season’s final stretch. Their showing last weekend is sure to raise hopes high for a strong finish to the fall campaign.
In the Varsity A race, junior Alexis Pastorelli finished the 5K (3.1 miles) race fifth in a field of 78 competitors in a time of 20:27.71. Juniors Louise Koepele (15th place in 21:27.98) and Marina Ruzic (18th place in 21:37.94) and senior Jeannie Kopstein (21st place in 21:54.88) were also among the top runners. Senior Ekaterina Koulakova showed her mental toughness, determination and commitment to the team by covering the race course in 24:27.24 to place 52nd.
The five exceptional Blue Devil runners combined to capture fourth place in the team standings, trailing only Kellenberg, Great Neck North and South Side and ahead of the other Top 10 finishers, including Our Lady of Mercy Academy, Curtis High School, Calhoun, Plainedge, Clarke and East Hampton. Nearly 20 high schools entered competitors.
“The Nassau Invitational was a great race for all of us,” Kopstein said. “We have trained so hard all season at the rigorous and hilly course at Sunken Meadow that we were able to dominate the mostly flat course at Bethpage. Despite a windy start, it was a great day for a race and I felt confident about my performance from the very beginning.”
In the “sophomore” race at Bethpage State Park last Saturday, Huntington freshman Hadley Clayton finished fifth out of 52 runners in a time of 22:01.25 while freshman teammate Sophie Dellecave placed sixth in 22:25.99. Blue Devil sophomore Alexandra McKenzie (eighth place in 22:35.98), freshman Erika Varaday (14th place in 24:05.64), sophomore Hannah Hughes (17th place in 25:09.62) and freshman Colette Barron (21st place in 25:52.86) were also sensational.
Huntington finished third in the “sophomore” race team standings behind only Kellenberg and South Side.
“The Nassau Coaches meet was proof of how talented these girls are,” Cheskes said. “They are peaking at the right time. With divisions only one week away the team is ready. Right now only Alexis Pastorelli has qualified for the county championships, but I expect that to change after the division meet.”
Pastorelli is enjoying a sensational first season in the sport, including running 21:21 at the Suffolk Officials Invitational. It’s the eighth fastest 5K performance in Huntington girls’ cross country history. Cross country rookies Clayton, Dellecave, Kopstein and Varady are all poised to make names for themselves in the post-season. Veterans Ruzic, Koepele and McKenzie “have been instrumental in bringing the mostly rookie team together,” Cheskes said.
The Section XI Division Championships are set for Sunken Meadow State Park on Tuesday, October 27 at 1 p.m. The Section XI Championships are slated for Sunken Meadow on Friday, November 6 at 1 p.m. The New York State Public High School Athletic Association Championships are scheduled for Monroe-Woodbury High School on Saturday, November 14.
“The season has been absolutely amazing,” Kopstein said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better team to end the fall season of my senior year with. We have all grown so close over the past couple months and have become like a family. The hard work we have put into training has paid off as my times are consistently improving and now I feel ready to take on the winter and spring track seasons.”