PHOTO CAPTION - The track and field captains for Mount St. Joseph are Kiley McGovern (left), Ryan Good (right) and Meg Ciasullo (missing from photo). (Photo by Tom Utescher)

by Tom Utescher

In the Athletic Association of Catholic Academies, St. Basil’s and Villa Maria tied for the track and field championship last spring, so as the new season begins, Mount St. Joseph Academy athletes are looking to recapture the title they last won in 2017.

The Magic won the AACA cross country championship last fall, and among the carry-overs from that squad are senior Meg Ciasullo and junior Lauren Ehnow, who finished second and fourth, respectively, in the league meet.

Ciasullo is one of the team tri-captains for track this year, along with her classmate Ryan Good and junior Kylie McGovern.

There were more achievements for the Mount during the indoor track season. Sophomore Annie Lemelin, a force as a freshman in the sprints last spring, excelled in the 200 and 400 meters and also set a new school record in the 60 meter hurdles. She was also part of a strong 4x200 meter relay that included sophomore Maya Charles, freshman Kathleen Downs (a former CYO grade school sprint champion) and fellow ninth-grader Katie McGovern.

McGovern, like her older sister Kylie, comes from St. Genevieve School right down the street. The other three runners, along with Kylie McGovern, are being tried out for the 4x400 in early outdoor competition. Of course, all of them will race in various individual sprints as well.

Junior Kelly Rothenberg and sophomore Margaux Rawson are both back for the high jump and the hurdles, and Rothenberg will also compete in javelin.

The Mount’s veteran head coach, Kitty McClernand, said that a good prospect in the throwing events is senior Riley Mulligan, who performed well indoors. Also showing promise here is junior Meg Scheffey, who has migrated over from the Mount crew team. Coming from the MSJ lacrosse program is sophomore Emily Jones, and she has demonstrated good natural ability in the high jump, according to McClernand.

The Mount St. Joe team is also hoping to pick up some points in the pole vault, where not all the league teams compete. Here, senior Bridget Joyce is a returning talent, and joining her is a classmate who’s new to the team, Grace Wilson. Coming from a gymnastics background, she has shown aptitude in the pole vault and will try the triple jump, as well.

As usual, Mount St. Joe will be sorting out numerous event assignments as it competes in several large invitational events over the next few weeks.

“We have a full team that I hope can spread the points around in a number of areas,” McClernand summed up.