Hillside
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Friday, April 13, 2012
FEATURE:Highlands' Stoller living out her dream
By Rich Barton
NJS.com Staff Writer
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| Former Northern Highlands softball standout Jenna Stoller is now pitching at Cornell. |
ITHACA, N.Y. – The beauty of an athlete playing on the varsity level of high school athletics is getting to play with your friends that you grew up. But in the back of every athlete’s mind is the hope that they could one day move on to play at the Division 1 level. But that dream often dies hard as playing any sport at that highest collegiate level is something that even the most talented of athletes do not achieve. To get to that level and to continue to grow on that level takes something much more than talent. It takes a drive, an inner will, and the perseverance to succeed when the odds are heavily stacked against you. Odds that former Northern Highlands standout Jenna Stoller knew all too well when she first walked onto the campus at Cornell University. While the odds often get the best of some athletes, Stoller refused to be one of them and took a chance at latching onto the team as a walk-on. A daunting task being Stoller was not recruited by any Division 1 schools and Cornell went 40-10 the year prior. But Stoller had two things going for her that allowed her a glimmer of hope. She was not just a hard-working, likeable pitcher, but she was also a lefty. Something legendary head coach Dick Blood, who is the all-time winningest head coach in any sport in Cornell history with currently 558 wins, had not had in his bullpen for years. After trying out for the squad, Stoller bucked the odds and made the team. MORE...
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NORTHERN HIGHLANDS HIGH
SCHOOL
SPORTS COVERAGE
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| Northern Highlands' Jackie Reyneke. |
MARCH
GIRLS BASKETBALL:'The Curse' is no more as Teaneck takes county title
FEBRUARY
GIRLS BASKETBALL:Highlands heading to first ever Bergen County final
GIRLS BASKETBALL:Highlands turns weakness into strength in quarterfinal win
WRESTLING:History rewritten as Northern Highlands tops Wayne Valley
JANUARY
GIRLS BASKETBALL:Gibbs comes up big as Teaneck pulls away from Highlands
DECEMBER
GIRLS BASKETBALL:Highlands stays unbeaten by holding off Ridgewood
NOVEMBER
GIRLS SOCCER:Highlands now one win shy of perfection
BOYS SOCCER:'The Shot Heard 'Round Franklin Lakes' puts Ramapo in state semis
GIRLS SOCCER:Highlands takes its turn as dominant player in well-worn rivalry
OCTOBER
FIELD HOCKEY:Highlands and Ramsey share Bergen County title
GIRLS SOCCER:Sick of assists, Sonageri scores to propel Highlands past Glen Rock
BOYS SOCCER:Ramapo returns the favor; knocks Highlands out of county tourney
GIRLS SOCCER:In 'less than a minute' Highlands breaks Mahwah's heart
BOYS SOCCER:Highlands' Mamary does it again in county tournament
SEPTEMBER
GIRLS SOCCER:Highlands looks as good as it ever has in win over Ramapo
BOYS SOCCER:Nash's overtime goal finishes Ramapo's comeback against Highlands
BOYS SOCCER:With target on its back, Highlands takes aim of its own
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