Happy Trails: Oxford harriers making their way to the front pack
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
OXFORD — In nearly 40 years as a head or assistant cross-country coach, Ray Sutherland has had his fair share of talented athletes. Yet in 2011, he has his best collection of female runners in school history.
The Wildcats have lived up to that so far this season. In fact, Oxford has had perhaps its most successful first month in school history.
Oxford was second to Brighton at the season-opening Rochester Adams Invitational, which was contested under extreme heat and humid temperatures. The Wildcats won the prestigious West Bloomfield/Brother Rice Invitational-Division II — Oxford won both the boys and girls divisions on the same day for the first time — and the Wildcats already ran second at the first OAA Red Division Jamboree, signaling that they belong with the best in the area.
“In all of my years coaching, this is already the team girls team that we’ve had at Oxford,” beamed Sutherland, who has had far more successful boys teams than girls teams at Oxford.
Oxford graduated only one runner from its top 10, as Megan Seeley, who finished last season as the team’s No. 6 or No. 7 runner, departed. The rest of the team is back, plus the arrival of a deep and talented freshman class, including three already in the top 10.
ALMOST THERE: Oxford's Alora McCoy is one of four freshmen in the Wildcats' top 10 this season and one of many reasons why the Wildcats are having their best season todate. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt
Last season the Wildcats started to turn the corner, finishing an all-time best third at the prestigious Oakland county meet, near the top of a field of nearly 50 schools. The Wildcats finished in second place in the OAA White Division, running in the runner-up slot in both league jamborees and the league meet — all to Rochester Stoney Creek.
Stuck in a deep regional, the Wildcats finished fifth of 14 teams with 118 points, but only 12 points from third place. Rochester Stoney Creek, Lake Orion, Waterford Mott and Rochester all finished ahead of Oxford at the regional. Only 41 points separated the top seven teams at least year’s regional, hosted at Goodells Park near Port Huron.
The Wildcats have a deep roster and a frontrunner to help keep the score low. Junior Brooke Kovacic, 12th at last year’s Division 1 state finals, already owns wins at three invitationals, including an 18:15 clocking at the OAA-Red Jamboree at Bloomer Park. But it is the depth behind her that makes Oxford a contender at most meets.
TWO IN THE TOP 10: Oxford senior twins Chelsea and Brittany Johnson can often be found near the top at various invitationals, as the duo are the Wildcats' No. 2 and No. 3 runners this season. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt
Senior twins Brittany and Chelsea Johnson, juniors Abby Wrobel and Jillian Walker and sophomores Kristen Godwin and Sam Medici are all back. What has made this team even more formidable is the arrival of freshmen Jenna Feeney, Sabrina Smith, Jessica Murphy and Alora McCoy, all which have shown great promise this season.
“This is one of the best freshmen classes we’ve had here. We have 3-4 really good freshmen that have already run some varsity races. And they are only going to get better,” said Sutherland.
With the championship season not too far off in the distance, Sutherland believes his squad will have a chance to compete for high finishes. The Wildcats should be among the top five teams at the Oakland County Championships Oct. 8. At the ensuing league and regional championships
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Category: High School, High School (M-Z), Oxford, Prep Wraps
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