Team: Mohonasen

Head coach: Bill Sherman

Playoff result: Section 2 Division 3 champion

Returning players
Kate Sherman – 1,500-meter champion, 3,000-meter champion
Emma Sinisgalli – runner-up in 600-meter and 1,000-meter races
Christina Esposito – 600- and 1,000-meter specialist
Matti Muller – runner-up in 1,500-meter race
Anna Sherman – 1,500- and 3,000-meter specialist
Loren Cuomo – 3,000-meter specialist
Bailey DeCocco – shot put champion, weight throw champion
Lena Calkins – pole vault champion
Emily Racana – pole vault specialist
Zionna Perez-Tucker – 55- and 300-meter specialist
Natalia Sawyer – 300- and 600-meter specialist
Courtney Bush – 55-meter hurdles specialist

Graduated: none

Newcomers
Navi Shaw – sprint specialist (transfer from Colonie)
Jocelyn Countryman – 1,500- and 3,000-meter specialist

Outlook for the season 
After winning its first ever Sectional title in 2018, Sherman said Mohonasen is looking to repeat this season, but it will be more difficult with the addition of Averill Park to the Mighty Warriors’ division.

“Traditionally, our team has been anchored by our distance squad,” said Sherman. “That looks to be the case in 2018-19 with all of our top runners returning and the addition of several new distance runners.”

Kate Sherman is back to defend her Sectional titles in the 1,500 and 3,000 after what her coach and father described as “an outstanding [cross country] season, which leads me to believe she will improve during her track seasons.” Coach Sherman added that Kate will be “supported by at least seven other strong distance runners.”

Coach Sherman also addressed two of Mohonasen’s weaker areas: sprints and field events. He added two new coaches, Tom Howley (sprints and jumps) and Bob Stranahan (throws), to work with his athletes in the hopes of creating balance throughout the various events.

“The field squad is led by three seniors – Bailey DeCocco, double champion in the shot put and weight throw, and the pole vault duo of Lena Calkins and Emily Racana,” said Sherman. “After the first day of Sectional competition last year, these three athletes gave our team 38 points, which contributed greatly to our Sectional championship by 68 points. However, questions remain in the horizontal jumps and the high jump.

“Our returning sprints squad is very young with Zionna Perez-Tucker and Natalia Sawyer providing the best opportunities to score. We look to Zi as the short sprints specialist and Natalia more in the 300-400 meter range. However, both are very young and have not yet reached their potential,” added Sherman. “The addition of Navi Shaw is a potential game changer. Assuming Navi makes a successful transition to Mohonasen, we expect she will greatly bolster our sprint events and relays.”