Season Preview: Calhoun Girls Cross Country

When the Calhoun High School girls cross country team kicks off its season on Sept. 21, the girls will be looking to use last year's experience as a key to a successful 2010 season.

Led by senior Ava Fitzgerald, an all-county runner and a state championship qualifier in 2009, the Lady Colts will seek to improve upon their 8-5 overall record last year, in which they finished the regular season in sixth position out of 14 teams.

"Everyone has been training really hard this summer," Fitzgerald said, "so we should be able to do really well as a team this year. Either a couple or hopefully all seven of us can go to states this year."

Coach Tom Leavy is looking for his team to continue the momentum and success it had at the end of last season. Calhoun finished fourth out of 14 teams in the conference championship, followed up by a solid seventh place finish in the Nassau County championships.

"My expectations are to finish in the top three of our conference this year," Leavy said, "and to qualify them for county's in a higher position."

With another year of experience, Leavy is hoping for others to follow in the footsteps of Fitzgerald and to prosper in the county tournament.

"Along with Ava, I have a couple of girls this year that I hope will possibly be all-county or at least all-conference all-stars, such as (seniors) Taylor Cassidy , Danielle Wilson, Michaela Buckley and Jenny Frank," Leavy said.

Cassidy said: "All of the girls are always really encouraging of each other, as far as improving and getting through workouts. We try to buddy up with someone, so that helps a lot. Personally, I'm trying to follow in my brother's footsteps (who competed in states), so he's got me going too."

With a shift in population for the 2010 academic year, Calhoun will be competing in Conference 2A compared to the 1A division in 2009. The girls figure to face some tough competition from the likes of Wantagh, Garden City, and Mepham.

Along with meets matching up against those schools, Calhoun will be able to test their abilities in some other invitational meets that attract some of the top schools on Long Island.

"We will compete in a Wheatley Invitational, which gets about 15 to 20 schools, and the Nassau Coaches Invitational, competing with about 40 schools," Leavy said. "We also go to two or three meets in Sunken Meadow on Saturdays which are big meets."

Leavy knows that potentially winning the conference championship and sending more girls to the county tournament is no easy task.

At the end of every regular season, the conference allows the top seven runners from each school to compete at the championship. Leavy uses that line as a strong motivational tool and a competition within the team.

"They can always move up," he said of the girls. "They are fighting to be in the top seven on the team for the conference championship meet."

There is little doubt that the team has the ability and leadership in its seniors and coach to be in the running for a conference championship come the close of the regular season.

"That is the top goal that I want the girls to shoot for, to be in that position at season's end," Leavy said.