SPOILS OF VICTORY: Members of the Stuart Country Day School team show off the plaque they earned for placing first in the state Prep B indoor championship meet last Saturday at Lawrenceville. Pictured in the front row, from left, are Heather Kwafo, Alex Ottomanelli, Priscilla Francois, and Cara Carr. In the back row, from left, are senior captains Alison Walsh, Kendra Brenya, Michelle Kwafo, and Sonia Mohandas. Not pictured are Michaela Meyer, Miranda Maley, Taj’hana Tyson, Sarah Girgis, and Olivia Giblin. It marked the first-ever state indoor crown for the Tartans.

By Bill Alden

Coming into the state Prep B indoor championship meet last Saturday, Len Klepack wasn’t expecting his Stuart Country Day team to end up with the title.

“I thought we would maybe be in the top three because Villa Walsh would have too much distance strength; I think they won four of the last five titles and it would be very difficult to beat them,” said Stuart head coach Len Klepack in assessing the competition that was held in the Lavino Field House at the Lawrenceville School. “We planned on getting the most points that we could with the squad we had.”

Rising to the occasion, Stuart piled up the most points at the meet, getting 72 to edge runner-up Villa Walsh, which ended up with 69.50. It marked the first-ever state indoor crown for the Tartans.

“We had personal bests from a lot of the girls,” said Klepack, reflecting on his squad’s performance. “It became the team championship because so many people raised their level.”

Senior star Michelle Kwafo emerged as Stuart’s best performer at the meet, winning the 55-meter dash, the 200 dash, and the 55 hurdles.

“Michelle has matured a lot as an athlete this year in learning how to prepare,” said Klepack, noting that Kwafo’s 7.35 time in the 55 dash broke a school record that had stood for 10 years.

“She always had the natural talent but she is learning that it takes more than that, and she is applying it. You have to do your drills, you have got to do endurance work, and you have to have proper preparation before the race.”

The example set by Kwafo is having a positive influence on her teammates.

“That maturity is going to help the whole team because they see someone with her talent doing stuff and know it takes more than talent,” said Klepack.

“Michelle is definitely going to go to another level and I don’t think she has touched her potential. She has the leg speed and the hurdles is a technical event; she is getting better and better.”

Showing talent and versatility, junior Priscilla Francois made a big contribution for the Tartans, taking sixth in the 55 dash, fourth in the 55 hurdles, fourth in the 400, and helping the 4×400 relay to victory.

“It is easy when you are just doing a dash but Priscilla ran the 4×400, she ran the 400 where she came close to a personal best, and she ran the dash,” said Klepack.

“We haven’t really used her in the hurdles all year but we felt against that competition, she could score and she did. She had to run trials in the dash and the hurdles.”

In the high jump,  Allison Walsh scored some crucial points for the Tartans as she cleared 5’0 to win the title.

“One of the senior captains, Allison Walsh, had to win on her third jump, her last attempt, so that was clutch,” said Klepack, noting that Walsh’s jump tied a school record.

“Also in the high jump, out of nowhere, Michaela Meyer goes six inches higher that her previous best and gets third.”

Stuart got some other key performances out of nowhere as sophomore Alex Ottomanelli took sixth in the 400 and ran a leg for the victorious 4×400, sophomore Heather Kwafo took third in the 200 and fifth in the 55 while sophomore Taj’hana Tyson placed sixth in the shot put.

“We put Alex in the 400, she is a good sprinter and she ran her personal best to score in the 400,” said Klepack.

“That was important and then she runs her best leg also in the 4×400. Heather had personal records in two events; we didn’t expect that third in the 200. You have a sophomore like Taj’hana Tyson and she scores in the shot with her personal best. So it is the unexpected added to what you knew would be solid.”

Despite all of the individual heroics, the title came down to the final event of the meet, the 4×400, with Stuart needing to better Villa Walsh’s time of 4:43.41 to clinch the crown.

“We ended up beating their time with a new school record,” said Klepack, whose 4×400 quartet included senior Kendra Brenya and freshman Cara Carr in addition to Francois and Ottomanelli. “The girls were so into it; each girl ran a personal best leg. They went out and really did something special.”

In Klepack’s view, his athletes will gain lessons in the long run from their special performance last Saturday.

“I think it tells the girls if they work hard, certain things can happen that carry over for Stuart in athletics and academics,” said Klepack.

“These kids are good in academics; you can balance both, and that is what we have been pushing. You can enjoy the lessons from sport which will make you even better academically.”