N  I  A  G  A  R  A        G  A  Z  E  T  T  E      niagara-gazette.com

Published: November 13, 2009 12:32 am

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY: Vikings have that extra kick

It took a year, but Maritina Tsembelis’ tears of disappointment finally turned into tears of joy.

The Grand Island senior led her team to the Class A championship at last week’s Section VI Cross Country Championships after missing out on the title by a single point a year ago.

“Words don’t even do it justice,” the senior captain of the school’s first sectional team championship.

Sophomore Maggie DeMarco, who is one of six runners that returned from last year’s squad, called it “the best feeling ever.”

“That’s what we worked for all year long,” she said. “We’ve given up so much to get that title.”

Senior Amber Spiesz added, “We were going to do anything within our reach to make sure we won this year. And I think we did that.”

The team began training for this fall just weeks after last year’s runner-up finish. They banded together during both indoor and outdoor track season, creating a family-type atmosphere, according to junior Dominique DeGregorio.

Tsembelis, who did qualify for states individually last season, agreed.

“We were able to grow as individuals and as a team,” she said. “I think we’ve grown up and grown closer. We became united as one.”

With a little help from their “backbone,” head coach Don Sauer, and “mentor,” assistant coach Jon Lacki, the ladies were off and running.

The team had a solid dual meet season, ran well at invitationals and began the racing postseason with a share of the Niagara Frontier League title after nipping Lockport in the NFL Championship race at Beaver Island.

Tsembelis, who ran away with the NFL crown and finished second in last week’s Class A race, credited a great deal of the team’s success to the improvement of its 3-4-5 harriers.

“Maggie (DeMarco), Ayla (Marino) and Megan (Karpie) have all really stepped it up,” she said. “They’ve had their best times on the toughest courses when we needed them the most.”

Saturday will be another one of those times as the Vikings try to compete in an extremely-deep Class A race at the state meet at Plattsburgh State.

“It’s a flat course, so I believe we have a chance of doing very well and putting in some new (personal records),” Tsembelis said. “Still, we’re probably not in position to win it. We just want to have some fun, enjoy the experience and do our best.”

Tsembelis, who is hoping to garner a few Division I offers before the spring, hopes to individually finish in the top 10 to 20 runners in Class A.