2010 All-Area Girls Cross-Country: Runners join the front pack to bring home accolades

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

REPEAT OFFENDERS: Rochester Adams' Jamie Morrissey and OXford's Brook Kovacic were named to the All-Area First Team for the second straight year. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

Championship cross-country teams or individuals have come from this area of Michigan for many years. That continued again this fall again in girls cross country.

Although no area teams finished in the top five at the state finals, the area did produce several all-state runners and another state champion. In seven of the past 11 seasons, a female runner from the coverage area of www.northoaklandsports.com have finished as an individual state champion.

Led by Rochester’s Brook Handler’ this year’s Division 1 state champ, the area produced a pack of frontrunners that build quite a resume over the past few months.

He’s a look at the profiles of the first-team members, as selected by area coaches win conjunction with staff at NOS. Meet the team

BROOK HANDLER, Rochester: This four-year standout, a member of the Falcons’ Division 1 state championship track team last June, had another stellar season as a senior, which ended this past weekend with an 18^th-place finish at the Footlocker

ALMOST THERE: Rochester Stoney Creek's Sara Szatkowski has the finish line within her sights. The senior was named to the All-Area First Team for her stellar efforts in 2010. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

Nationals. Handler was third at the Oakland Golden Grizzlies Invite and followed that up with a first or second-place effort in every in-state meet this year. She was the champ at both of the OAA Red Division Jamborees, won the league meet, finished second at the Oakland County, Goodells region, West Bloomfield Invitational and Michigan State Spartans Invite. Courted by numerous Division I colleges for both cross-country and track and field, she was also seventh at the Footlocker Midwest meet. Her 17:00.2 clocking at the state finals is the second-fastest in state history.

“I knew Brook could be one of the top three runners in the state, and she put it all together at the state meet and had an amazing race,” said coach Larry Adams. “She’s a great kid. She worked so hard to get to where she is.  A lot of colleges have taken notice of her.”

JESSICA GOETHALS, Rochester: The younger sister of former national high school champion and two-time state champion Megan Goethals, this freshman began to carve her own niche this autumn with many notable finishes. The freshman was top-10 at most meets throughout the season and clocked 18:56 at the D-1 state finals, good for 49^th overall. She was eighth, third and fifth at the three OAA-Red events, fourth at the Golden Grizzlies Invite, fifth at the regional, 13^th at the county, ninth at the West Bloomfield Invite, fifth at the Goodells regional, fourth at the Rochester Frosh/Soph meet and 44^th at the Spartans Invite.

“She had a great season and people did not really try to compare her to her sister, which was good,” said Adams. “She doesn’t quite realize how much talent that she has. We have time. She had a very good freshman year.”

BROOKE KOVACIC, Oxford: Kovacic became the Wildcats’ first state qualifier last season since Karen Leroy in the late 1990s and this year proved that there would be no sophomore jinx. Kovacic shattered the school record this season on multiple occasions and her 12^th-place finish of 18:02 at the D-1 state finals is not only the best in school history but a 57-seconds improvement from her freshman season. Kovacic won both OAA White Division Jamborees and finished second at the league meet. She was also third at the Goodells regional, fifth at the county meet, second at the Oxford Invitational and won both the Rochester Soph/Frosh meet and the Catholic Central Shamrocks Invite.

TOP FINISHER: Rochester's Brook Handler (right) outduled Grand Blanc's Gabrielle Anazolone for the Division 1 state championship and headlines this All-Area squad. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

JAMIE MORRISSEY, Rochester Adams: Morrissey followed up a fine freshman cross-country and track season with another strong sophomore campaign on area trails. She was second at both OAA-Red Jamborees and third at the league meet, placed fourth at the Goodells regional, eighth at the county meet, 18^th at the Spartans Invite and 19^th at the D-1 state finals (18:15.2).

“She had two very good years, although I don’t think she was happy with her state meet,” said coach Budd Cicciarelli. “I think we were easy on her in her first two years. I think she has a chance to be a much better runner. We’ll up the milage and really work with her the next couple of years. She has a lot of potential;”

CASSIE HOFFMAN, Rochester Stoney Creek: This program has taken a huge leap the past two years and the Cougars had another great season thanks to the efforts of this sophomore. She was fourth at all three OAA white Division events for the league champion Cougars. Hoffman also ran sixth at the Goodells regional, ninth at the Oxford Invite, 17^th at the county meet, 44^th at the D-1 state finals and 54^th at the Spartans Invite. Her time of 18:54 at the state finals is a career best. She was voted as the Stoney Creek MVP and carries a 4.0 GPA.

SARA SZATKOWSKI, Rochester Stoney Creek: A senior in her fourth varsity season, Szatkowski was a consistent performer for the Cougars and finished her prep career in 46^th at the D-1 state meet in 18:55.  She was eighth in the first OAA-White meet and third in the final two league events. She was also 25^th at the county, 11^th at the Goodells regional and 53^rd at the Spartans Invite. She was the Team MVP last season.

NICOLE KOWALCHICK, Rochester Stoney Creek: Kowalchick took a giant leap from the start of the season to the end and became one of the area’s top freshmen prospects. She claims sixth, fifth and seventh at the three OAA White meets, third at the Rochester Frosh/Soph meet, ninth at the Goodells regional, 21^st at the county meet and 56 at the Spartans Invite. At the D-1 state meet she 48th overall in 19:03 — 11^th fastest among freshmen.

JULIE DINVERNO, Troy: Although slowed at the state meet by an injury, Dinverno still plugged away to get her team to the state meet and finished 88^th at the state finals. Still considering options to further her running career, Dinverno was the No. 1 runner for the OAA Red Division champion Colts in all but one meet. She began the year sixth at the Oakland Invite and posted two sevenths and one-sixth-place showing at the OAA-Red events. The senior was seventh at the Linden regional, eighth at the Oxford Invite, 12^th at the county, second at the Schoensee Memorial Classic and 39^th at the Spartan Invite. She ran in the 19s at four consecutive state meets and helped her team finish anywhere from sixth to 13^th during her four-year career. Her best effort was 19:13.

“She was our top runner most of the season, except the state meet,” said coach Matthew Richardson. “She was solid all year, very consistent.”

COACH OF THE YEAR

JED KRAMER, Rochester Stoney Creek: For a school that is in only its ninth season, Stoney Creek has fared quite well in athletics and cross country has been on the rise in recent years. In his fifth season, Kramer guided a well-balanced team to league and regional titles in both girls and boys cross-country and to top-five finishes at the Oakland County meet as well. This is the second straight year that Stoney Creek swept regional championships in both boys and girls cross country and the second time that Kramer is coach of the year.

2010 ALL-AREA GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY TEAM

FIRST TEAM

Brooke Handler          Rochester                          Sr.

Jessica Goethals         Rochester                         Fr.

Jamie Morrissey         Rochester Adams         Soph.

Brooke Kovacic           Oxford                               Soph.

Julie Dinverno             Troy                                   Sr.

Cassie Hoffman            Roch. Stoney Creek     Soph.

Sara Satkowski             Roch. Stoney Creek     Sr.

Nicole Kowalchick      Roch.Stoney Creek      Fr.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Jed Kramer                    Roch. Stoney Creek

SECOND TEAM

Clarkston: Natalie Smith, jr.; Lindsey Fantin, sr.; Lake Orion: Anna Dietz, fr.; Molly Emerick, soph.; Oxford: Brittany Johnson, jr.; Rochester Adams: Sarah Johnson, jr.; Troy: Lindsey Miller, sr.; Haley Burns, soph.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Auburn Hills Avondale: Anna Hairatos, fr.; Auburn Hills Oakland Christian: Rachel Termarsch, jr..; Clarkston: Katilin Catania, soph.; Kylie Knavish, fr.; Lake Orion: Amy Wells, sr.; Casey Stribbell, fr.; Ashley Bartreau, soph.; Patty Babich, soph.; Sarah Daly, sr.; Oxford: Chelsea Johnson, jr.; Alora McCoy, fr.; Rochester: Maria Lepore, jr.; Jessica Smith, soph.; Rochester Adams: CJ Karas, jr.; Rochester Stoney Creek: Laura Johnston, soph.; Natalie Bick, jr.; Mary Santi, soph.; Caroline Egan, sr.; Troy: Abby Green, fr.; Lauren Miller, fr.; Theresa Hencie, sr.; Sarah Stanczak, sr.; Laura Moriset, jr.; Katie Shaheen, jr.; Troy Athens: Tammy Sanchez, jr.

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Tags: all-area, all-area girls cross-country, featured, High School Cross Country

Category: All Area Teams, Auburn Hills Avondale, Auburn Hills Oakland Christian, Clarkston, Clarkston Everest Catholic, Lake Orion, Oxford, Prep Wraps, Rochester, Rochester Adams, Rochester Stoney Creek, Troy, Troy Athens