OB girls track squad returns many from last year
Paturzo, Felicetti return as part of 80-person team
BY WARREN RAPPLEYEA Staff Writer
The Old Bridge High School girls winter track team is still relatively young, although it returns many of its runners as it prepares for the Merli Invitational that begins Dec. 27 in Toms River.

Coach Steve Gajewski said the Knights had a large turnout at tryouts, and 80 runners are currently in the program - many of them freshmen and sophomores.

"Last year, we had a lot of freshmen, and competing at this level was a new experience for them," Gajewski said. "Almost all of them are back and we have some promising newcomers, too. Last year was a learning experience and we only won three points in the GMC [Greater Middlesex Conference] meet. So one thing I'm looking to do is make a little more noise in the GMC because the girls know now what it's like."

The Knights' top returnee is senior Stephanie Paturzo, who won the 800 meters in the GMC spring meet a year ago. She will also compete in the 1,600-meter event.

Marissa Felicetti, who is coming off a solid cross country campaign, gives Old Bridge another solid runner at 800 and 1,600 meters. Gajewski said that both Paturzo and Felicetti have been running well in the early going.

Another strength is the Knights 4x400 relay team, which finished fifth in the GMC a year ago. This season Gajewski will rotate five girls in and out of the lineup, including senior Leah McClish, sophomores Tyler Anderson, Chelsea Lodato, Nina Veneziale, and freshman Jill Grant. All five of those

girls will also compete in the shorter sprint

events, 100, 200 and 400 meters.

Lodato will run the hurdles as

well. Briana Kelly and junior

Taylor Palehonki will run the distance events: 1,600 and

3,200 meters, while sophomore

Tiffany Cheung, who also had a

solid cross country season, will

compete at 800 and 1,600 meters.

Senior Ebony Wingo will compete in

the hurdling events.

"One of our main goals in the winter is to prepare the girls for the spring season," said Gajewski, who is assisted by Crystal Somers, the girls spring track coach. "We're concentrating on conditioning and improving our times and we want the girls to get a little better each day."

With no dual meets during the winter season, the Knights will participate in several meets in addition to the Merli, including the Hispanic Games on Jan. 5 and several meets at the New York Armory, one at Fairleigh Dickinson University, as well as a few local events.