For North Shore, it's about the team

One of the main goals for the North Shore girls cross country team was to do better than last season.

Was that too much to ask of the Vikings, who had a marvelous 2010 season, which included a state public schools Class A title and a third-place finish at the Federation championships?

Apparently not.

Last season turned out to be just a foreshadowing of what North Shore was going to do in 2011.

Led by seniors Samantha Nadel and Brianna Nerud, juniors Jessica Donohue and Elizabeth Caldwell and sophomore Alexandra Osman, the Vikings swept the top three places at the state public school championships and took home the Class B title in dominating fashion.

Nadel added the icing on the cake, taking first in the Class B race for her first individual state championship in 19:25.5. Nerud and Jessica Donohue took second and third in the race in 19:45.9 and 20:01.7. Caldwell came in 10th in 20:31.1.

Although having an individual state champion is impressive, participating in cross country at North Shore is about team success.

"Winning an individual title wasn't a priority," North Shore coach Neal Levy said. "Taking one, two and three was more impressive than having one kid win."

It was the same scenario at the Nassau championship / state qualifier on Nov. 5 at Bethpage State Park as the Vikings took four of the first five places for their fourth straight overall county title.

"The idea is if you run for your teammates, you'll run better," Levy said.

The state championship and state qualifier victories are just part of what North Shore has accomplished.

North Shore also won its 50th consecutive League meet this season.

The success hasn't gone to their heads.

"Even though they're high school athletes, they have a professional mind-set," Levy said. "They train like pros and act like pros."

With three of its top runners expected to return next fall, North Shore has the opportunity to continue its run as Long Island's top cross country program.

"We're a well-balanced group," Levy said.

The coach attributed the program's consistency to it foundation on the junior high school level.

"Our middle school program is outstanding," he added. "It's a constant process from grade seven through 12."

The Vikings' success on Long Island has vaulted them onto the national stage in recent years.

North Shore had four runners finish in the top 100 at the Nike Cross Nationals in Oregon Saturday.

Nadel finished 10th in 18:02.18, Nerud took 17th (18:18.43), Jessica Donohue (19:03.31) finished 77th and Elizabeth Caldwell was 91st out of 196 runners.

North Shore took ninth out of 22 teams.

The Vikings' march to Oregon was also because of, in part, a strong finish at the Nike Cross Regional Championships in Wappingers Falls last weekend.

Nadel, Nerud and Donohue, who finished second, third and sixth, led North Shore to a third-place finish.