Despite cold and rainy conditions, Peyton Shute on Saturday became Gloucester County’s fastest runner at Holmdel County Park in 12 years.
Shute, a junior at Woodbury, ran 16:01 to place 4th in the Group F race at the Shore Coaches Invitational. That’s fastest by a Gloucester County runner at Holmdel since Paul Szulewski of Williamstown ran 15:54 at the 2010 Meet of Champions. It’s a family best: Older brother Brady ran 16:09 in 2020 at the Holmdel Invitational.
The only other faster runners from Gloucester County at Holmdel are Mike Mantini of Gateway [15:54 in 1978] and Anthony Dentino of Washington Township [15:59 in 2010].
Also in the Group F race, Haddon Heights packed five scoreres in 72 seconds and placed 3rd in team scoring with 104 points behind only New Jersey No. 3 Union Catholic [24] and Delbarton [91]. Heights averaged 17:22 on a course that’s slow and challenging even in good conditions.
Senior Jack Bolling led the way for the Garnets in 8th place in 16:38, senior Colin Patterson was 15th in 17:01, senior Ryan Wells took 23rd in 17:25 and then junior Jayden Gonzalez and sophomore Reggie Hernandez finished in 17:53, with Gonzale officially in 32nd and Hernandez in 33rd .
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 