Howell girls second in conference X-C
BY TIM MORRIS Staff Writer
The Howell High School girls cross country team posted its best finish ever at the Shore Conference Championships as the Rebels claimed second place in the Oct. 31 meet held at Bucks Mill Park, Colts Neck.

Howell's Aileen Rivell races to the finish line at the 2009 Monmouth County Cross Country Championships at Holmdel Park on Oct. 20. Rivell and her teammates kept their strong season going with a second-place team finish at the Shore Conference Championships on Oct. 31 at Bucks Mill Park, Colts Neck.

Coach John Hein's Rebels continued their outstanding 2009 season. The Rebels (136 points) trailed only Toms River North (97) in the team standings and beat Monmouth County champion Red Bank Catholic and another state power, Southern Regional.

Howell accomplished its second-place finish with it tightest pack finish of the season. The Rebels' five scorers all ran within 25 seconds of each other, led by Alyssa Pinney (20:08.5), 19th in team scoring and 21st overall. Laura Kochenash (20:22.6), Aileen Rivell (20:25.1), Anne Werkely (20:30.5) and Tara Nealon (20:33.2) were Nos. 25, 27, 31 and 34 in scoring for the Rebels.

Howell's Laura Kochenash (11407) and Alyssa Pinney (11412) stride toward the finish line at the Monmouth County Cross Country Championships at Holmdel Park on Oct. 20.

"Everyone was real close together, and that was key for us," Hein said.

Nealon came through with her personal best by 1:30 and Pinney, who has been the No. 4 or No. 5 scorer for the Rebels, was their top runner this time.

Red Bank Catholic High School's Molly McNamara (18:42.4) and Michelle Capozzi (19:01.7) finished 1-2 in the 5,000-meter race.The boys' Shore Conference race featured a duel between Colts Neck High School's Mike O'Dowd and Christian BrothersAcademy's Mike Mazzaccaro.

Although O'Dowd lost another pulsating race to Mazzaccaro, he looked at the positive side of losing to one of the state's best harriers.

"I definitely came out of this with confidence," said O'Dowd. "I'm ready for [the state] Group IV race."

Just as he did at the Monmouth Country Championships at Holmdel Park on Oct. 20, Mazzaccaro was shadowing O'Dowd the entire way. This time the two were joined by Ocean County champion Joe Kotran from Toms River North.

O'Dowd tried shaking things up, but found the others willing to let him shield them from the wind if he took the lead.

Mazzaccaro had a slim lead with a halfmile to go when O'Dowd took his chance on the downhill that leads to the finishing straight and shot into the lead.

"I was listening to his breathing and he seemed to be breathing hard," said O'Dowd. "On the downhill I changed the tempo."

O'Dowd was hoping that Mazzaccaro's heavy breathing might be a sign that the CBA runner would not have the sting in his kick like he did at the county championships.

When Mazzaccaro responded to the challenge and went past O'Dowd in the final 200 meters, the Cougars' harrier did not think the race was over.

"I thought I might catch him, but he was really lifting," said O'Dowd.

Mazzaccaro held off O'Dowd's determined effort and stopped the clock for the 5,000-meter run in 15:53.2, with O'Dowd right on his heels in 15:54.8.