North Hosts Red, Black & Gold Intrasquad Scrimmages

After eight years of Sachem North Red, Black & Gold Intrasquad Scrimmages at fields near and far from Sachem North, the North Flaming Arrows girls cross-country team ran its annual scrimmage on Sachem North’s Rookie 1.75 mile cross-country course. 

The rookie course has been used in dual meet action since Sachem North’s new cross country course opened in 2003.  For the first time in the course’s history every runner ran the 1.75 mile loop.

Entry Loop, Big Loop, the Ridge, Gatelot Loop, the Lower Field Flats, the Cow Chute and Squiggly Hill show up on the rookie course as they do on the 5K course.

Veteran harriers know that the difference between the 5K course and rookie course is one Big Loop,” said North coach Alex Young.

Senior Kristie Michta was introduced as the rookie course record holder before the start of the meet to team cheers.

All expected the course record to fall. The question was how many runners would break it. 

Aprilrose Marasco (14:20), Marysa Mullen (14:20), Mackenzie Coleman (14:14) and Katie Michta (14:10) each broke Kristie’s 2008 record. Kelly Lavan shattered the record as she tore up the course in 12:23.

Sachem Red, Black, Gold, White and Green teams learned about team scoring and race tactics at the scrimmage.  While all teams had their No. 3 runner in before any team’s No. 4 finished, two teams – the White Team  Back-Offs and the Green Team Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – scored both their No. 4 and  No. 5 runners before the Red Team Little Red Riding Hoods, Black Team Oreos and Gold Team Olympic Goldfish scored their respective No. 4 runners.

Team spirit was high before, during and after the scrimmage as all teams designed team uniforms and held scrimmage squad warm-ups, drills and strategy and bonding sessions all week, Young said.

“Squad captains devised race tactics and warm-ups and pre-race drills,” he said. “Some runners dealt with race-day butterflies at the starting line.  There was a familiar air of tension and anticipation as all runners received their final instructions before the start of the race.”

This will teach the team lessons that will be used at the team’s League 2 season opener versus Sachem East next Tuesday (9/13).

The White Team Back Offs won the Red, Black & Gold Scrimmage as they finished third (Mackenzie Coleman), 4^th (Marysa Mullen) and 10^th (Caroline Schmidt) in the race.  No other team scored three runners in the top ten.  Lisa Curcio (16^th) and Katie Pfeil (18^th) added to top five scoring for the Back-Offs with Sylvia Mann (27^th) and Becky DiFulvio (33^rd) rounding out the seven runner squad.