Girls Track Team Prepares for Building Season

Numbers are slightly smaller on the roster of the Westfield High School girls indoor
track team. But that won't mean anything changes for the way coach Jen Buccino goes about leading the Blue Devils.   

"There are so many more meets now to go to and get real competition,'' said Buccino, who also coaches the team in the spring outdoor season. "There might be a couple of meets less, but there's still a lot of to go to.''   

The Blue Devils will get a sample of competition in a scrimmage at home Tuesday with Millburn before starting the season Saturday with the 25th annual Gardiner Holiday Relays at Drew University in Madison.

The schedule also includes the NJSIAA Relays in Toms River Jan. 15 and NJSIAA sectionals Feb. 3 and 7, the NJSIAA Group Championships Feb. 12 and 14 and the Meet of Champions Feb. 20.    The Union County Relays are Jan. 9 and the Union County individual championships Jan. 23. Both are at the Jersey City Armory.

With winter track traditionally seen as a bridge between the competitive cross country sesaon in the fall and the action packed outdoor track season in the spring, Westfield's team will be gearing up for the action in the warmer weather.  

"This year we'll be a building year,'' said Buccino. "Most of the kids do indoor
and outdoors, so we're building for the spring.''   

Among the experienced back are senior shot putter Jill Pate, senior sprinter Emily
Harris and the versatile Alex Hawkins and Claire Stevens-Haas. Those two will be a
strong anchor of the team's relays.  Senior pole vaulter Ashley Edwards, who missed last year with an injury, is back. She cleared 10 feet as a sophomore.