By Justin Feil

Rica Eleches-Lipsitz was confident that the Princeton High girls’ cross country team would race well at the Colonial Valley Conference Championships on Thursday at Thompson Park.

PHS did its part, and Eleches-Lipsitz nearly equaled their personal record.

“I knew that we would dominate as a team because we’ve done a lot of really good work on that course and just together. I’ve seen us grow a lot,” said Eleches-Lipsitz. “I don’t think I anticipated my individual race being nearly as good as it was. But I’ve always had faith that my team would pull through the way that they did.”

The PHS senior came within four seconds of their personal record set freshman year before an injury riddled two seasons, and Princeton had all seven finishers place in the top 14 to easily take the team title. It’s the program’s third championship in four years at the race formerly known as the Mercer County Championship. (The Mercer County Tournament Association announced last spring that it was discontinuing county tournaments in favor of a Colonial Valley Conference Tournament, which bars local private schools who are not members of the CVC.)

“The thing that made me happy is how far a step forward we’ve taken since a year ago,” said PHS coach Jim Smirk.

“We had a pretty successful year last year. We won the county meet, and so you’ve got to try to build off that and you start to ask that question like, ‘how can we get better?’ And then you look across the board and everybody who raced a year ago who’s in the lineup this year took a big step forward. And then on top of that, the new runners we have on the team also performed at an extremely high level.”

The Tigers displayed impressive depth and ability in rolling to the CVC title. They scored just 29 points to runner-up WW/P-North’s 59, and only North had a second runner ahead of Princeton’s seventh finisher. PHS raced well to execute that lofty goal.

“That was definitely part of our race plan,” said Smirk. “And I think when some of those opportunities presented themselves, they really took advantage.”

Junior Kajol Karra led the way for PHS, taking second overall in 18:54.3 while sophomore Grace Hegedus took third in 18:59.9, sophomore Eowyn Deess was sixth in 19:32.3, freshman Rosemary Warren ran 19:52.3 for eighth and freshman Sevanne Knoch was 10th in 20:07.6 to round out their scoring. Eleches-Lipsitz ran 20:09.6 for 11th and sophomore Phoenix Roth was 14th in 20:30.3.

“I’m really excited we get to race there again this coming week and I’m hoping to break 20 in that time because seeing that was really a motivation for me for sure,” said Eleches-Lipsitz, whose PR of 20:05.02 came at Thompson Park in the county meet in 2021. “I’m glad I’m not peaking freshman year.”

The PHS boys took fourth place last Thursday, just one point out of third place. The Tigers had a score of 95 with Hopewell Valley one point better in third at the meet win by WW/P-North at 60. Princeton had a tight pack up front with sophomore Braedyn Capone taking 10th in 16:58.4 followed by sophomore Finn Wedmid finishing 11th in 17:00.1 and senior Felix Farrugia coming in 12th in 17:00.5. Sophomore Felix Yu took 26th and senior Emilio Gonzalez-Toro was 36th.

“We have a little bit of work to do,” said Smirk. “I do think on the positive side. I was, ‘say those top three guys were good,’ and Emilio stepping up and finding himself in a scoring position just makes us stronger. We have some proven guys who can get it done. I think we put the right race together in a week and we’ll be trying to qualify out to the group.”

The PHS girls also have big goals for the Central Jersey Group 4 sectional meet that will be held at Thompson Park on November 2. The Tigers already have been up against some top national talent at the Manhattan Invitational, where the squad placed fourth in the Eastern Championship division on October 13.

“Our team goal has always been to be the best that we can be and push ourselves to do better,” said Eleches-Lipsitz. “I’ve always fought for us to meet our full potential and put everything we can into whatever that we have. And so our goal is just to put forward the best that we have for whatever competition we have coming up because we have so much potential.”

Eleches-Lipsitz is the lone senior in the varsity seven for the PHS girls’ team. Eleches-Lipsitz is enjoying a resurgence now that they’re healthy again. They broke into the varsity lineup as a freshman, running every race for the Tigers in an eye-opening season that gave them a taste of their potential.

“I just suddenly found my talent,” said Eleches-Lipsitz. “Almost as suddenly, they were sidelined. A hip injury and a torn ACL then suffered in wrestling season cost them the 2022 cross country season and all but two big races in the 2023 cross country year. But now back and fully recovered, Eleches-Lipsitz is contributing on the course and trying to nurture the young talent surrounding them.

“I feel a little bit like their parent, but also simultaneously they’re seeing it and it’s just really cool to watch these kids grow into the athletes they can be and see them really succeed out there,” said Eleches-Lipsitz. “In some ways, I put a lot of pressure on myself to be what they need me to be in order to succeed and meet their full potential, but I think it’s been really worth it. And being able to be on this journey with them as they grow and as I guess I grow too and have a proper season as well without injury, has just been really special.”

Eleches-Lipsitz can share their ups and downs with the team. They may not have run as many races as other seniors in the area, but they have been willing to share their experiences and wisdom.

“I’ve basically been working like over a year on PT (physical therapy) and also on mental and being able to moderate myself and take care of myself and not just drive myself into the ground,” said Eleches-Lipsitz. “Now this year it’s finally paid off and I feel really strong and I’m getting back to my freshman year’s time. It’s just really nice and I’m getting to be part of the team again and it’s honestly just been really special to be able to do that.”

Their contributions are important to the Tigers. Eleches-Lipsitz has seen the program grow through their career, even when they weren’t running in the races. Now they are running and their return has made PHS as deep as ever.

“Rica didn’t have guaranteed success on the teams that they’ve been on so there were races that didn’t go our way in their tenure,” said Smirk. “I think they bring a very real perspective to what it means to be prepared, to compete, and I think the other thing that they provide is this wildly stabilizing force when the gun goes off. Everybody on that starting line knows that Rica is on the line with them. They’re able to take positive risks and stretch themselves a little bit more and be willing to say, maybe I can do a little bit more because if it doesn’t work I know Rica is there.”

Eleches-Lipsitz also has helped to create a culture that has fostered development of their younger teammates. PHS showed more depth Saturday when its JV girls won the Mercer Track Coaches Association Freshman/Sophomore meet at Robbinsville. The Little Tigers varsity will be tested down the home stretch. They are in the same sectional as top teams like Freehold Township and Manalapan.

“I want them to trust in their training and trust in their teammates,” said Eleches-Lipsitz. “We’ve done so much work this season of trusting each other and we’ve watched each other put in that hard work. And I think if we trust in each other and the work that we’ve done, it doesn’t particularly matter how the other teams have been ranked, or how we’ve been ranked. Ultimately, we have what it takes to succeed and win a lot of these things, and as long as we put our everything out there, that is what I’m striving for. And I know that we have it. If anything, counties showed us that we still have it, and we also have the depth and it’s just fabulous. I’m really excited.”

The year has been transformational for Eleches-Lipsitz. Being able to come back and run for PHS has bookended their high school career, and helped cement their future dreams, which now include running along with studying toward a career possibly in teaching biology or chemistry.

“I’ve just never been on a team of this level,” said Eleches-Lipsitz. “I’ve been on really special teams, but this kind of level of performance and competition and dedication, it’s just really special to be in. I feel like I can really give my all and have a place to give my all and have coaches support that. I really like it and definitely this season convinced me that I want to do cross country in college and keep on doing this and keep on having that dynamic.”