Northport High School Girls Cross Country Season Preview

With a strong returning core and a focus on depth, Northport Girls Cross Country is gearing up for another highly competitive season. Offseason Focus: Building Depth & Staying Healthy Top priority: Keeping athletes healthy throughout training. Key goal: Strengthening the depth of the team—the top five from the state meet return, but developing runners 7-10 will be crucial to provide more flexibility and resilience. Special Offseason Events: Victory XC Camp The team will attend Victory Running Camp (Aug 18-22), an annual favorite that promotes team bonding and training in a fun and competitive environment. Most of the team participates and benefits greatly from the experience. Roster Changes: Retaining Strength, Honoring Leadership Top 5 runners from last year’s state meet return, maintaining a solid core. The team graduates Maggie Taylor, Beckah Triana, and Cate Coronato. Maggie Taylor, in particular, leaves behind a legacy of leadership as one of the best captains Coach Cantwell has ever had. Players to Watch: Emerging Talent & Key Performers The returning top five runners are expected to take another step forward. Shelby Rizzuto, Lucy Saviano, and Isabella Reilly have all made major strides and have the potential to break into the top 7. Incoming freshmen and middle school runners could provide a boost to team depth. Training Approach: Smart Mileage & Core Strength No heavy weightlifting—focus is on intelligent mileage buildup and core strength. Athletes are encouraged to gradually increase mileage over the summer while prioritizing injury prevention. Nutrition Guidance: Smart Summer Habits Hydration is emphasized, especially during summer training. Athletes are advised to run during cooler parts of the day to avoid heat-related issues. Focus on iron intake and fueling properly—avoiding junk food and sugary drinks. Coaching Adjustments: Race Strategy Tweaks Coach Cantwell is looking to adjust race strategies, particularly at the start. A more aggressive race approach will be encouraged, ensuring athletes establish themselves in strong positions early. Emphasis on learning from past mistakes and continuously refining training methods. Fan Engagement & Community Impact Annual volunteer work at the local road race, which provides scholarships to one boy and one girl on the team. Exploring the idea of a summer track camp to encourage greater youth participation and build future team numbers. Biggest Challenges: Tough Competition & Low Team Numbers Facing elite competition from Upstate New York, Albany-area teams consistently produce some of the nation’s strongest squads. Small roster size: With only about 10 runners, filling a full JV squad is a challenge, especially when larger schools have 50+ athletes. Soccer & new sports (flag football) are competing for athletes, making it difficult to recruit more runners to the program. Season Outlook Northport Girls Cross Country enters the 2025 season with a dedicated returning core, an emphasis on depth, and a strategic shift in racing tactics. Overcoming roster size limitations and competing against state powerhouses will be key challenges, but with a focused offseason and strong leadership, this team is ready to rise to the occasion.