Young Talent Should Spark Womens Cross Country Team

Despite losing two of its top three runners from 2009, the Chatham womens cross country team is looking to exceed expectations in 2010.

"We had one that graduated, her name is Kat Grimes; she'll be running for Brown this year," said head coach Amanda Hopkins. "We also graduated our No. 3 runner, Kathleen Lavelle; she's off the Virginia this year. Academic all-stars and really fine leaders, both of them.

"They will be missed but we have Kara Hanley, who will be our team leader this year, she's a junior. She's going to have a target on her back because she's posted some very very good times so far. This year is supposed to be even better."

If the 2010 team wants to match last year's mark of winning the conference, state sectionals and advancing to groups, it will have to rely on newcomers. With the new additions comes depth and a bevy of new runners. In addition, the Lady Cougars will need their senior captains, Lauren Hagens and Katie Hurt, to step up and lead by example.

"This year is looking very promising for us," Hopkins said. "I'm pleasantly surprised and I think the prospects for this season were that we weren't going to achieve as much as we did last season. We have four new girls to the team this year who are really adding depth and I think we're going to have an excellent season and I think we're going to surprise a lot of people.

"Kara Malanga is going to have a fine season. We have two new-comers who are looking very promising, Alex Conforti and Tef Frenzel. We're also going to have another top-four runner Stacey Angelbeck. She'll be a junior this year."

The teams that stand in Chatham's way are the usual suspects, mainly the neighboring towns and schools that have always given the Lady Cougars trouble.

"We're going to have some competition against Madison, just because they're local and we run with them a little bit over the summer," Hopkins said. "Summit is always great because they've been very evenly matched with us. (Another) very strong team in the area is Mountain Lakes and we have Shore Coaches coming up, which is run at Holmdel. (Holmdel) is the course where the state finals take place."

The Lady Cougars embark on their journey with the season-opening Randolph Invitational on September 10 at 6 p.m.

"I'm looking for another very successful season and hopefully another run at the state sectional title," Hopkins said.