WHS Girls Cross-Country Team Has Strong Off-Season

The Westborough High School girls cross-country team has prepared for this season for a while.

A number of runners trained during the off-season, head coach Kristin Collins says.

"We graduated a lot last year, but we still have a lot of strong girls coming back," says Collins, in her second year as the Rangers' head coach.

"And we have some new people that look like they trained this summer and they're ready to run."

Westborough opens its 2013 season at 4 p.m. Tuesday, hosting Hudson at Veteran's Freedom Park.

Seniors Rachel Harris, Claire Gitkind, Gillian Robertson and Rachel Sudol are Westborough's captains this year.

Harris "trained incredibly over the summer. She participated in the Westborough Sprint Triathlon. She's a very good runner. She's an incredibly hard worker, and she's a good example to the other girls," Collins says.

Gitkind "has been very strong in the previous seasons. And all the girls, when I asked them who they thought should be one of the captains, a lot of them chose her," Collins says.

Robertson spent a week this summer at running camp and is "excited to run," Collins says.

And Sudol is among a number of runners on the team that also do indoor track and outdoor track, Collins says.

"I have a very good group of captains that are experienced," Collins says.

"They run a lot. They know what they're doing. So, I'm very excited."

The Rangers' roster is: 

• Seniors: Emily Bigwood, Claire Gitkind, Rachel Harris, Gillian Robertson and Rachel Sudol.
• Juniors: Melanie Barbini, Sabrina Goebel and Helena Wright.
• Sophomores: Lauren Almy, Sara Anderson, Adriana Gomez, Hayley Ostertog, Caroline Reynolds and Erica Sudol.
• Freshmen: Evelyn Goroza.