BY ROGER CLEAVELAND
DERBY – The Derby High girls cross country team heads into Wednesday’s Naugatuck Valley League Championships incredibly well prepared to defend last year’s title thanks to both a wealth of experienced successful runners and a youthful infusion of talent.
Senior Kiley Rodriguez, last year’s NVL runner-up, returned this year for the Red Raiders as did juniors Nicole Rizzo and Rachel Fleischer. As if that wasn’t enough, the Red Raiders added three fast freshmen ready to tackle serious training in Sabrina Hanock, Annaly Khanthaphixay and Cassie Battaglino who have all consistently finished among the top six for the team.
“Kiley, Nicole and Rachel have all been on our teams the last two years that have finished as the runner-up in the Class S state meet, so they all have a bit of experience and they have really taken the whole year as kind of a build-up toward the championship season,” Coach Nick DiLuggo said. “So experience definitely plays a big role in our success.
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“We definitely have a couple of really good freshmen who are kind of game changers for us, as well. It is kind of a mix of the old and the new.”
The quality depth has clearly allowed the Red Raiders to remain successful while fighting through injuries and illness. Rodriguez, the team’s best overall runner last season, spent the summer battling through plantar fasciitis in her feet so she really hasn’t been able to been able to get up to speed until just recently.
“Nicole (Rizzo) has been our fastest runner all season,” DiLuggo said. “She really came into the season in great shape and has been running fast. She has just been battling a really bad sinus infection the last three weeks. So she didn’t run against Woodland last week. So Sabrina (Hanock) has kind of emerged as our fastest runner. But right now between all three of them they are really, really, really talented so it is kind of cool. We are in a really weird position where we actually really have three No. 1 runners.”
With good depth behind those three, it would appear that the Red Raiders are in a great position to not only repeat as NVL champions but perhaps take the next step up and win a Class S state title this year.
DiLuggo said the team isn’t taking anything for granted. While the returning runners are incredibly motivated to finally get a state title, he’s made sure the girls aren’t looking past some quality competition at the league meet. And there won’t be any holding back to save something for the Class S or State Open meets.
NVL girls cross country champs |
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|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | Top 8 |
| 2015 | Derby | Kristen Barbaris, Oxford, in 19:30.6; Kiley Rodriguez, Derby; Gabby Prizio, Derby; Nicole Rizzo, Derby; Bethany Ottowicz, Watertown; Sophia Guerrera, Watertown; Kelsey Mitchell, Woodland, Gabriela Vega, Torrington |
| 2014 | Woodland | Kelsey Mitchell, Woodland, in 20:38.2; Clara Drozdowski, Woodland; Steph Kiley, Woodland; Bethany Ottowicz, Watertown; Mary Szarkowicz, Watertown; Emilie Noreika, Woodland; Nicole Rizzo, Derby; Kristen Au, Oxford |
| 2013 | Woodland | Gabby Prizio, Derby, in 19:53.2; Mary Sardinskas, Woodland; Madison Beasley, Naugatuck; Mary Szarkowicz, Watertown; Stephanie Kiley, Woodland; Clara Drozdowski, Woodland; Meghan Kelly, Wolcott; Kiley Rodriguez, Derby |
| 2012 | Wolcott | Zoe Kelly, Watertown, in 19:52.9; Julia Maturo, Seymour; Mary Sardinskas, Woodland; DJ Alberto, Kennedy; Kara Lipka, St. Paul |
| 2011 | Wolcott | Megan Bobinski, Holy Cross, in 19:55; Zoe Kelly, Watertown; Jillian Woodring, Watertown; Julia Bickford, Wolcott; Mary Sardinskas, Woodland; Jordyn Allen, Naugatuck; Stephanie Kiley, Woodland; Emily Lindsley, St. Paul |
| 2010 | Wolcott | Caitlyn Forte, Wolcott, in 19:09; Megan Bobinski, Holy Cross; Zoe Kelly, Watertown; Crystal Steinfeld, Woodland; Jillian Woodring, Watertown; Julia Bickford, Wolcott; Erika Pakalnis, Holy Cross; Sarah Valenti, Seymour |
| 2009 | Woodland | Rosa Moriello, Naugatuck, in 17:50; Megan Bobinski, Holy Cross; Cate Forte, Wolcott; Brittany Albright, Woodland; Crystal Syeinfeld, Woodland; Julie Pattyson, Seymour; Kelsey Rowley, Holy Cross; Melissa Kiley, Woodland |
| Note: Top 8 earn All-NVL honor | ||
He said there is plenty of talent and good coaches in the league along with some very strong teams. In particular, he said Woodland, which won the title three of the six years previous to last season, and Watertown. Which has been the runner-up each of the last six years, are dangerous teams.
“The one thing I told the girls at practice was that Wednesday is a day where you run really hard,” DiLuggo said. “A lot of our meets have been measured this year and more like training. The girls know that Wednesday is kind of like a preview of what you are going to do the following week at states. We think we are a pretty good team, but our league always has to be taken seriously. We are ready to run fast Wednesday. That’s for sure.”