By:Carrie James
Place third in county; freshman Criscuolo leads the young pack
Quietly jogging at East Meadow High School, the girls track team hasn't quite begun to show the spirit that would later help them to place third all-county during the spring season.
As they warmed up, however, their winning side started to shine.
"I started here five years ago with just four girls," said track coach Steve Josepher. "And I have increased that up through the years to 41 girls this year. They have succeeded this year with the help of hard work and dedication."
The girls just took part in the county championships, May 22-23, where in addition to the team taking third place, several girls placed in individual events as well. Monica Friedl took second place in the high jump and also qualified for the state competition. Laura Fitzpatrick took second in the steeple chase, and Stephanie Hack took second in the 3000 meter while her teammate Brittney Criscuolo took third.
According to Josepher, their performance at the spring season county championship mirrors their success during the winter season. The team took the conference championship and also placed second in the county in cross-country.
The East Meadow girls track team has many talented veterans, including Hack, who holds the top time in the 3000 meter this year in the county. The team's make-up, however, is more than half freshmen.
"The middle school's teams have really grown in numbers, and the success of this high school team has brought out a lot of new people also," Josepher said.
Among the new runners is Criscuolo, a freshman who now holds the county's fastest time for the 3000 meter in the freshman/sophomore class.
As a sixth grader at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Regional School, Criscuolo joined the track team there. She said her interest came from her father, who used to run.
It didn't take her long to realize she was a distance runner, choosing to run the 3000 meter in track and the five-kilometer in cross country.
"I'm not really much of a sprinter," she said. "I like more the competition of the long-distance running."
Since she joined the East Meadow High School team last summer, Criscuolo has improved significantly, Josepher said.
"It's very unusual for a freshman to be this good because generally they don't get really good until they are juniors or seniors," he said. "From summer last year, she has improved a lot because of hard work and dedication. She listens to everything we tell her to help her get better."
Criscuolo agrees, saying it's the coaching she receives from Josepher and assistant coach Kathy Seitz that has made her improve as much as she has.
"I have a really good coach and I train really hard," she said. "I look up to my coach and to Stephanie Hack [teammate who also runs long distance]. I look up to my mom and dad too."
Criscuolo, in addition to taking third at the recent county championship, also placed well during the winter season and was one of two East Meadow freshmen to go to state then also. The other was Kristen Wadlmen for the 4 x 800-meter relay.
Like many others on the team, Criscuolo said she plans to stay on the team until she graduates. From there, she hopes to get a scholarship based on her running ability.
"She's got some natural talent," Josepher said.
As for the future of the girls track team: The season will end with Monica Friedl representing the team at the state competition, participating in the high jump. They will also be seen as one of the higher-ranking cross country teams in the county next season, Josepher said.
