Clearview HS girls cross country team wins state championship
MULLICA HILL, N.J. — Every day, the Clearview High School girl’s cross-country team shows up at practice ready to work harder than the day before. Putting in long miles of training while the sun is blaring down can be daunting, making some quit. But that is what sets this group of girls apart from runners decades before them鈥� none of them ever stop. The girl’s cross-country team have been putting in the work, and it has been showing.
Combined with raw talent and pure grit, the 22-23 girls’ cross country team has proven that they deserve to be ranked fourth in New Jersey. Abby Waddington, Abby Kotran, Allison Roes, Maggie聽Wisniewski, Lilla Porter, Aubrey Donahue, Anna Hagerman, Rachel Jones, Lilly Nolan, Jacqueline Bonnenberg 鈥� these girls have taken on every meet as if it鈥檚 a chance to make history. And, indeed they have.
On November 5, the Clearview Girls’ Cross Country Team won the Group III NJ State Championship title for the first time in school history.
For most cross-country teams coming through Clearview, the goal has been smaller 鈥� winning county or conference championships. But this year, the girls have unlocked a whole new level of competition. Senior Abby Waddington says, 鈥淚 definitely had big expectations for this group of girls, but they have surpassed them every step of the way. I’ve had faith in our ability to do well since the beginning of the season, but to be able to challenge the best in the state of New Jersey is something incredible.鈥�
Not many sports teams have the chance to compete on a state level and match their competition. This is the difference between a good team and a team that only comes through every decade. The students that make up a team that ranks fourth in the state are willing to work extremely hard to prove their worth.
The girls began their season winning the Tri County Conference Showcase, and medaling during meets like the South Jersey Open and the Shore Coaches Invitational.聽 During the Invitational meet, the team blew everyone away with their performance, winning the meet for the first time in school history. The girls also won their second consecutive sectional title with the victory at the NJSIAA South Jersey, Group III Championships at DREAM Park. The team had聽the best South Jersey sectional score in 32 years, and Waddington earned her first sectional title.
Runners like Waddington put in 50-60 miles every week during the off-season to prepare for the Fall. Many put time in the weight room to gain muscle to support the impact that running long distances has on the body. The girls are no strangers to dealing with injury, but coming back and listening to your body is crucial. Although some think cross country is a very individual sport, racing as a team is what brings a runner first across the finish line.
Waddington, who has amassed聽a long list of achievements during her Clearview running career, said earlier this season聽鈥淗onestly, I’m just proud. There isn’t a single girl on this team who hasn’t worked to be ranked that high. But it’s early and there’s a lot more work to be done before we can cement our place as one of the best teams in NJ. And we plan to.鈥�
Her prediction became reality in early November. The Clearview Girls Cross Country team are聽NJSIAA Group III State Champions.
The achievements that this small group of girls has accomplished this season has been extraordinary. To flourish as a team of only 10 girls proves that each one of them is crucial. Keep an eye out for this once-in-a-lifetime girls’ cross-country team who will undoubtedly continue to make history.
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