Andrew Constant – Sports Writer

Marcus Hatchett, right, hands the baton off to a teammate during a race last season. Photo by: Augusto F. Menezes

A year ago, he was part of the “Big Three” for the Piscataway High School boys track team, along with Tim Ball and Lance Weaver. Both of those runners have gone on to NCAA Division I programs, leaving Marcus Hatchett by himself in the distance meets for the Chiefs in 2012-13.

“He’ll have to adjust because of the graduation and not having those guys at practice,” Piscataway head coach Pete Buccino said. “He’ll have to be more of a leader and step up into that role, but he can adapt to any situation.”

In the North 2 Group IV meet last winter, Hatchett placed fourth in the 800-meter race, running a 2:00.63, just three seconds behind Weaver. He was even faster in the Meet of Champions race, shaving nearly two seconds off of his time from the sectionals, coming in at 1:58.36.

In the spring he dropped that time to a blistering 1:54 and also cocked 4:15 in the 1600. But Hatchett knows that with a lot of seniors departing from last season’s cream of the crop, the time is now for him to make the next leap toward the top of the state’s distance runners.

“I hope to do that, yeah. That’s the goal,” Hatchett said. “My goal since I started running is to win groups. I’ve started to go into the weight room instead of playing basketball during open gym time, and I’m just paying more attention to the smaller stuff. I’m trying to get stronger and better every day.”

Ball and Weaver, who are currently running for Notre Dame and Saint Peter’s respectively, helped spearhead the Chiefs attack a year ago. Buccino made it known that Hatchett is one of the hardest workers on his team, and that his work ethic will make up for the loss of the other two members of Piscataway’s “Big Three.”

“I think Marcus is going to work really hard to improve,” Buccino said. “He has a great work ethic and takes his training seriously. He’s an excellent team player and Marcus leads by example. He is always running towards more work and never away from it.”

Hatchett mentioned that the loss of Ball and Weaver cut deeper than just running with them on the track.

“Those guys are like my brothers and we hung out a lot,” Hatchett said. “I had to make an adjustment to my life without them around. I had to change the way that I run in meets and I had to change the way I prepare for things. Even practices are different now without them around.”

Buccino also mentioned that two speedy standouts from the Chiefs football team, Jamaal James and Tyrell Judson are expected to return to the oval following their run in the football playoffs.

Oksana Sokolova of Old Bridge. Photo by: Doug Hood

During her freshman season, Oksana Sokolova didn’t take track very seriously and her results reflected that. But between her first and second years as a member of the Old Bridge High School girls track and field team, Sokolova realized that she needed to put more time and effort into her craft, and the payoff was a sixth place finish at the Meet of Champions, where she cleared 5-feet 6-inches last June.

She returns for her junior season with renewed confidence and a sense that year three can be the best of them all.

“I became more serious after my freshman year and I realized that I wanted to be great, so I stopped slacking and I did exactly what was asked of me,” Sokolova said. “I would love to jump over my height (5’8’’) and be a state champion. I believe that’s all in reach for this season.”

One of the biggest changes that Sokolova made this year was to join the cross country team at Old Bridge. All of the extra training and team building gained from running all year long should pay off in a big way this winter.

“She’s in the best shape of her life and she’s in good position to be even better as a jumper and as a runner,” Old Bridge head coach Steve Gajewski said. “I expect a huge year from her. We expect her to have a very good season, nothing in track is magic and she won’t instantly be the best, but she’s had a fantastic attitude and she has put in a lot of work.”

Sokolova noted that she didn’t particularly want to join the cross country team, but knew that it was one of those necessary changes she needed to make to be great. After building up strength and coming off of a successful season, Sokolova and her teammates are expected to help carry the load this winter, according to Gajewski.

“I think we’ll have a strong team,” Gajewski said. “The girls are coming in off of a solid cross country season and I think that’ll carry over. Those girls are fresh and they just expect everyone to be accountable and work as hard as everyone else does.”

If only she had joined the cross country team earlier.

“I feel like I should have done it last year, I am so much stronger because of it,” Sokolova said. “We all pushed each other and it helped a lot and I like what its done for me so far.”