Sleepy Hollow Cross Country: Preview

Sleepy Hollow's first official day of cross country practice was Aug. 23. However, they have been training long before that, according to its coach Paul Gersfeld.

"They had a summer-training program," Gersfeld said.  "You could tell the kids that took it seriously and the kids that didn't. We went right into workouts. So there was no transition to easy running and building a base, they were supposed to build their base over the summer."

One of those that did just that was junior Kyle McGovern.

"He's a good runner, he's got a great personality, he's a great kid to have on the team," Gersfeld said. "He's a fierce competitor. He digs down deep and does what he has to be successful."

Sophomore David Maldonado during the summer brought down his mile and two-mile time.

"As a freshman, he broke our course record for the freshmen, he broke our freshmen mile and two-mile record in the spring," Gersfeld said. "He should do really well. He should give Kyle, who was our No. 1 runner last year, a run for his money this year. It's not a given that Kyle is going to be our No. 1 this year."

Eighth-grader Henry Hargatai ran on the varsity as a seventh-grader last year and will be one of Sleepy Hollow's top three or four runners.

Newcomer, senior Lucas Schaffer, is someone who has shown some promise in the preseason.

"I expect to be very strong within our league and at our league championship," Gersfeld said. "We are very young so I don't expect to make an impact at counties but I expect to make an impact in our league meets."

Gersfeld said that each runner has personal goals that they attempt to reach.

"We really get each kid to focus on running to their potential and do the best that they can do and what happens, happens," Gersfeld said. "If they train hard, run to their potential and come up short, I am fine with that. One of my top five is going to be an eighth-grader, our leader is an 11th grader or could even be a 10th grader."

Leading the girls squad is junior Katherine Doyle, a hard worker and fierce competitor who qualified for states last year.

"I would not want to get in her way while she is running," Gersfeld said. "She runs hard every time, whether it is practice or a meet. She just goes for it every time. I never question her effort."

Last year, Doyle was all-county while just missing all-section, something Gersfeld said that she is looking to obtain this year.

"She's looking to go back to the state meet," Gersfeld said. "She placed low 30s last year. She didn't have a very good race so she is looking to improve on that. She is also looking to lower her course record for our home course and bringing that down."