Scarsdale Girls Track Looks Forward to Spring Season

As a team, the Scarsdale girls struggled through their indoor track and field season, but the Raiders showed they had plenty of individual talent to compete in the section.

Juniors Alexandra Cappello and Caroline Botvin and seniors Laura Lutzker and Maddie Rosenberg excelled during the indoor season. Unfortunately at the team meets, those four athletes were the only ones to score points.

"There were definitely some bright spots this season," Scarsdale coach Rich Clark said. "I felt that Cappello, Botvin, Lutzker and Rosenberg performed quite well in the big meets. Our fourth place finish in leagues was disappointing, yet we were able to bounce back a little at counties and Class A."

At the Westchester County meet Botvin and Lutzker combined to score the team's only 14 points as Scarsdale placed 11th in the county. At the Class A meet the two athletes combined to score all 16 of the Raiders' points as the team finished 10th in the section.

Lutzker had an exceptional season as the senior won the Class A title in the high jump, clearing five feet, two inches. She finished second at the county meet jumping 5-0. Botvin also had plenty of success as the junior took third in the class and the county in the pole vault, both times clearing 9-6.

But it was at those larger meets, against some of the top competition in the section, where the majority of the Scarsdale girls' team seemed to struggle.

"The competition always seems to be tougher on the girls than the boys," Clark said. "The boys seem to relish the competition. I think I would be intimidated with the likes of Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, Ursuline and Bronxville if I had to try to compete against them at all the big meets."

Scarsdale track and field does seem to have a promising future.

Cappello finished with her best time in the 3,000 meter run at the league meet, taking third in five minutes, six seconds. The Raiders are also hoping that sophomores Rebecca Faust and Michelle Ko continue to develop in the 1,500.

"I feel the girls team definitely has some promise moving forward," Clark said. "We have some good field athletes and if our younger runners continue to improve. They definitely could shine this spring."