2005 Westfield Girls Indoor Track Preview

An infusion of fit soccer players added to the Group IV section cross country champions makes the Westfield Girls indoor track team a strong threat to retain their Union County Relay and Team championships.

Two time all county soccer star Emily MacNeil and cross country stalwarts, Annie Onishi and Meg Driscoll return to make the Westfield four by 800 relay team one of the state’s most formidable. Replacing graduated Deenie Quinn is likely to be, another soccer player junior Miriam Becker-Cohen, who often ran on the relay last year. MacNeil, the county indoor and outdoor champion in the 800 meter run, will also be a force in the 400 meter run and a member of the four by 400 relay team.

“I hope to make it back to the meet of champions this year and the team hopes to defend its county relay and individual team titles,” said MacNeil.

“I’m hoping to get my 800 meter time under 2:18 for the winter because I’ve never done that in the winter season.”

“I am expecting Emily to have a great season, just like I expect the rest of the seniors and returnees to have. She is a captain, she is a leader, and she wants to finish strong,” said Head Coach Jen Buccino.

Another soccer player, sophomore Jillian Kape adds strength to both relays.
Having a soccer coach Katie Egan, who was a championship 800-meter runner at Westfield, while also playing soccer, enhances the soccer-track synergy. Buccino an accomplished runner, welcomes the fitness the soccer players enter the season with, but also knows that the team must merge the two fitness levels from the fall seasons.

“This is track season. Everyone is a track kid on the team right now. The only variations in the training, other than for sprinter and distance, and for those that have experience and those that are rookies. is for those in shape and those that are not ,” said Buccino.

Yet another soccer star, sophomore Erin McCarthy is part of a talented group that includes freshmen Stephanie Cortinhal, Catherine Cognetti, and Corrine Parkinson that add to the middle distance depth, which will be even more needed with Driscoll recovering from an injury that caused her
to miss much of the cross-country season.

“Meg is running again. She will be back to her old form before you know it ,” said Buccino.

While the strength of the team is clearly the middle and long distance runners, the team also should improve in the sprints where freshman Christina Obiajulu joins returnees Ali Fleder and Erica Ammermuller.

The distances will be paced by cross-country stars Jen Danielsson, and Ayn Wisler as well as veteran Caitlyn Berkowitz. The hurdles appear strong with returning co-captains Lauren Nolan and Danielle Parkinson along with Emily Perry and Marlena Sheridan.

Kape and Perry. return to pace the high jump and another co-captain Christina Henry returns, along with Kate Anderson to join newcomers Carolyn Cook and Christina Collucci in the shot put.