JANUARY 2021 FREE
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Dumont sets the pace for HoVal cross country Sophomore, never beaten in dual meets this season, was a key member of a strong squad By RiCH FisHer
Paige Dumont is only a sophomore, but was able to sum up the 2020 New Jersey cross country landscape in a wise and maturely succinct manner. “This season was definitely weird,” the Hopewell Valley Central High School runner said. Indeed it was, with COVID19 leaving its ugly imprint in so many ways. But Dumont didn’t let weird get in her way as she enjoyed an outstanding campaign by going undefeated in the Bulldogs dual meets and finishing second in the NJSIAA Group III Central sectional meet. That was as far as runners could go this year, as state meets and the Meet of Champions were not run. “I was disappointed about that, not just for myself, but for my whole team,” Dumont said. “Although last year I ran at states (as an individual), as a team we narrowly missed qualifying. This year we could have run together, which would have been such an exciting experience.” The Bulldogs would have advanced as a team this year as they took second in sectionals thanks to Dumont, Dorothy Wong (10th), Mia
Vaughn (11th), Katie Rowe (13th), Elizabeth Chandler (20th) and Sophia Venezia (21st). Asked if Dumont could have advanced to the TOC as an individual, Bulldogs assistant coach Aaron Oldfield said, “That’s a good question. We didn’t get to race outside the CVC this year. No invitationals, no county meet. With her only being a sophomore and lacking some experience, who knows? Anything is possible. I would think she would have had a shot. I don’t think it would be a slam dunk but she’d have a shot.” Dumont finished with a time of 20:01 at sectionals, which was over a minute behind Lilly Shapiro, and 18 seconds ahead of Kavita Shah (both of Colts Neck). Despite the high finish, both Oldfield and Dumont felt Paige’s inexperience showed in the race. “She pretty much goes right from the gun and tries to control the race,” said Oldfield, who assists head coach Karen Walker. “She probably went out a little too hard at sectionals. As you run against more elite, experienced girls you gotta save something for the end. “ The coach will get no argument from Dumont. “I completely agree,” she said. “Coach Oldfield and coach Walker often talk to me about the importance of strategy and this is definitely something I need to work on. I have good intentions of following through on a strategy and then I get out See PETERSON, Page 10
Ian Knauer and Shelley Wiseman of The Farm Cooking School had reasons to hope for a great 2020 when the pandemic changed everything. (Photo by Guy Ambrosino.)
After tough year, businesses hoping for more luck in ’21 By Joe Emanski
Business was booming at the Farm Cooking School as 2019 turned to 2020. Ian Knauer and Shelley Wiseman, the business partners and chefs behind the small Titusville business, were selling out most of the available slots in their cooking classes, six or seven times a week. They were the hosting several multicourse farm-totable dinners a week, and selling those out as well. After years spent working in kitchens and in food media, Knauer and Wiseman have spent the past six
years developing a following for their business. “We had had enough time to get established,” Knauer says. “It was a thing people were really into and enjoying, which was a super satisfying thing to see.” Hopewell Valley Vineyards is another small business success story. Owners Sergio and Violetta Neri have built up their small winery into a multifaceted enterprise where people go to taste locally made wines, eat wood-fired pizzas, celebrate milestones and even get married. But when the coronavirus pandemic erupted in March, these businesses and hun-
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dreds more throughout the area were forced to close. The impact on the bottom line was immediate — and startling. Sergio Neri says in March and April, the vineyard did 10% of the business it would normally do. The vineyard started offered curbside pickup for their wines, and packaged the food they usually served with wine to go as well. “It didn’t compare to before in terms of sales, but between that and some help from the government, we at least were able to keep the core people of our business employed,” Neri See BUSINESS, Page 6
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