From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

It’s not the first time track officials have miscounted laps in a 3,200, and it won’t be the last. Seems to happen every year in some meet.

Unfortunately, the latest instance of officials miscounting laps came at a huge moment in the South Jersey Group 2 girls sectionals at the Bennett Center in Toms River.

Seneca girls finished third and fifth in the 3,200 at sectionals, but because the lead pack was stopped by finish-line officials after 15 laps instead of 16, the results were nullified and a re-race was scheduled for three days later on the same track.

All nine finishers were invited back, with a team title was at stake.

With the nine other events in the books, Seneca led Delsea 56-54, with Haddonfield within range at 45. Haddonfield and Seneca each had three girls entered in the 3,200 and Delsea one, with the other two entries coming from Sterling (including top-seeded Madison Coppolino).

Coppolino won the re-run in 11:35.38, and Haddonfield runners Payton Weiner, Izzy Miller and Lilly Server went 2-3-6, and the 15 points gave Delsea 60 for the meet. Delsea’s runner didn’t place in the top six so the Crusaders finished with 54 points. Seneca’s Emma Klouchek and Carley Tool ran fourth and fifth for six points, giving Seneca 62 and a two-point win over Haddonfield at 62-60 that was four days in the making.

The sectional title was Seneca’s fourth indoors, following Group 3 championships in 2009 and 2010 and Group 2 in 2015. Only Haddonfield (seven), Delsea (seven) and Winslow Township (five) have won more among South Jersey schools. Seneca has also won two sectional titles outdoors, Group 3 in 2009 and 2010.

In the 3,200 re-run, Weiner ran 11:41, Miller 11:42, Klouchek 11:58, Tool 12:05 and Sirover 12:08. Coppolino won in 11:35.

Seneca scored 16 big points in the 800, with seniors Grayce Heinemann winning in 2:21.53, Sydny Warner (2:26.16) and Kayla Hay (2:26.45) placing first, fourth and fifth. Warner and Klouchek also ran 1-4 in the 1,600, with Warner clocking 5:16.

That’s a total of 36 points in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200.

Seneca also got big points from Heinemann in the 400 (third in 61.34), senior Susann Foley, who won the high jump at 5-0, and the 1,600-meter relay team of Hay, Warner, junior Madison Melvin and Heinemann, who ran  a season-best 4:09.22.