Although significant talent from last year’s outstanding team has graduated, the Cranford High School girls track team retained enough talent and with an outstanding addition appears poised to be just as strong. The 2008 edition flexed their muscles Saturday by repeating as Mountain Valley conference (MVC) championships at Drew University in Madison. Unlike a year ago when the Cougars shared the title with Union Catholic, they outscored Arthur L Johnson a 71-66 to gain sole possession of first. The boy’s team finished sixth with 16 points.
The victory was far from easy. Trailing Johnson by five points heading into the final event, the 4x400-meter relay, the Cougar foursome of freshman Natalie Englese, sophomore Kelly Burke, and junior twins Lilas and Claire Humen, combined to win in 4:18.87. Naturally, the title pleased coach Pete Kane, who realizes that the limited slate of indoor events does not play to Cranford’s field event strength, where they dominate in missing events like the long jump, triple jump and pole vault.
“Indoor track meets definitely do not play to our field strengths, but we are very happy to see our girls spread themselves out to score points where we
can. We work hard at practice finding new events for people and working to get better at them,” said Kane.
Lilas Humen, a top pole vaulter, who has already broken the school record indoors with a 10’0 leap this winter, typified the Cougar’s versatility, by picking up a new event, the shot put, and adding two valuable points with a fifth place finish.
“Lilas is a very quick, explosive and strong athlete. We started her throwing indoors last season and she is getting better still. She never complained about doing shot she was just asked to help the team and she works hard at it. All the girls on the team
exhibit this team mentality,” said Kane, one of the state’s top pole vault coaches.
The Cougar’s top scorer was senior Erin Hannen, the cross country captain last fall, who took the 3200 meters in 12:22.34 and was second in the 1600 in 5:38.36. Hannen has emerged from the shadows to help the Cougars withstand the loss of Laura Gallo, a 2007 graduate, who was the greatest runner in school history.
“Erin has been a little injured lately but she is a very strong girl who has
separated herself as a leader on this team. She ran a great 1600 and then came back and ran a gutsy tough 3200 when she knew how important it was for her to beat the girls from Johnson,” said Kane.
Junior veteran Joy Hanke and freshman Bridget Miller added key points in the 3200 with a third and fifth. The meet served as a coming out party for the team’s newest star, Englese, who in addition to her leadoff leg on the winning relay also won the 400 in 1:01.86, and finished third in the 55 meters. Claire Humen added a third in the 400 with a 1:04.43.
You would never know Natalie is a freshman. She is a very talented athlete that will break many records in her career here at Cranford. Beyond her athletic ability Natalie is a great kid. She is positive and fun at practice and meets and the
other girls took her in very quickly for that,” said Kane.
Burke, last year’s freshman has been battling illness, which slowed her progress, but
With a clean bill of health, Kane is expecting her to exhibit the awesome talent that marked her first season. She had broken the school pole vault record, which Lilas Humen now holds and the duo will team up at the state relays this Sunday. In addition to the relay, Burke tied for fifth in the high jump.
Another Cougar, who overcame illness to make a key contribution, was senior Jessica Fennes-Pheney, who ran strong second in the 55 meter hurdles in 9:43.” Jessica was the toughest person in the building. She has been dealing with a bad muscle strain in her quad and her status to run was questionable at best up until the race. She came prepared to run and did extra warm ups. She gutted it out and took second for us. That was tremendous,” said Kane.
