Dennis Fortuna shattered the DREAM Park course record Saturday morning and led Triton to its first sectional cross country title in school history!
What a historic day for the Mustangs!
Fortuna won the South Jersey Group 3 race in 15:09, breaking the 5,000-meter course record of 15:12, set by Cherokee’s Ethan Wechsler at the 2019 Olympic Conference Championships. This is the fourth year the course has been used. Fortuna’s previous 5,000 best for any course was 16:02, but that was at Holmdel County Park at Shore Coaches, one of the most challenging courses in the state.
Fortuna won by 150 meters over Delsea senior Andrew Littlehales, who placed second in 15:38 and became Triton’s first sectional winner in 56 years, since George Dilenno ran 12:27 over 2 1/2 miles to win the 1966 South Jersey Group 3 title at Pennsauken, beating Sterling’s Mike Kelly by about 100 meters. Dilenno actually ran for Triton Blue, which merged with Triton Red in 1967 to form the current Triton High School.
Fortuna remains unbeaten this fall in major meets, having previously won titles at the Shore Coaches, Manhattan Invite and Camden County.
Triton placed its five scorers in the top 25 to defeat Ocean City 62-78 and averaged 16:33 per runner, 5th-fastest in course history. Highland [85], Mainland Regional [104] and Moorestown [150] also qualified for next weekend’s state meet at Holmdel County Park.
Also for Triton, senior Forrest Miller ran 16:24 for 6th, junior Antonio Nieves was 12th in 16:44, sophomore Ethan Wence placed 20th in 17:09 and Nicholas Martino was 25th in 17:19. Sixth and 7th runners senior Caleb Messenger and sophomore Cameron Priestly ran 17:26 and 17:57 for 29th and 37th.
Ocean City senior Owen Ritti placed third in 16:08, followed by Mainland senior Linden Wineland [4th in 16:18] and Timber Creek senior Cole Myolan [5th in 16:19]. Highland junior Cole Knoedler took 7th in 16:27, Mainland junior Elliot Post ran 16:29 for 8th, Ocean City junior Nick Scarangelli was 9th in 16:31 and Highland junior Gavin Gallo rounded out the top 10 in 16:34. In all 14 runners broke 17 minutes at DREAM Park in Logan Township and another 17 broke 17:30.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 