Cinnaminson junior Austin Gabay placed third in the Central Jersey Group 2 race at Thompson Park, earning a ticket to the state meet Saturday at Holmdel.
Gabay covered the 5,000-meter course at Thompson Park in Jamesburg in 16:42, finishing behind only Foot Locker top-10 finisher Devin Hart of Point Pleasant Borough, who won in 16:17, and senior Colin Flood of Manasquan, who ran 16:28.
Gabay’s time was second-fastest among juniors in the four Central Jersey races, behind only Allentown’s Liam Murphy, who won the Group 3 race in 16:09 and remains unbeaten this fall.
This will be Gabay’s second trip to states for XC. He was seventh in the South Jersey Group 2 sectionals last year and went on to place 23rd at states with a 17:08 at Holmdel.
He’s already run 67 seconds faster than that this year at Holmdel, with a 16:01 at Shore Coaches.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 