Overall winner Abigail Kotran led four Clearview girls in the top eight and the Pioneers, ranked No. 3 in the state, won the team title at the Gloucester County Championships at West Deptford Park Friday.
It was Clearview’s first county title since 2014, when Kaitlin Donahue, Julia Rothstein, Emily Schaeffer and Kate Woolam all finished in the top 10, and the Pionners topped 2nd-place Washington Township, 35-56.
Since then, Kingsway had won seven straight team titles. On Friday, Kingsway placed 3rd with 69 points.
Clearview raced without defending champ Abigail Waddington, who won the South Jersey Open last weekend.
Kotran ran 18:57 and finished 75 meters ahead of Kingsway senior Nicole Lipieta, who finished 2nd in 19:15. It was Kotran’s second major win of the year. She won the Shore Coaches Varsity B race in a 1-2 finish with Waddington earlier this month at Holmdel.
Junior Margaret Wisniewski ran 19:53 and placed 3rd for Clearview, with junior Allison Roes 6th in 20:13 and senior Aubrey Donahue 8th in 20:23. Sophomore Lilla Porter ran 22:30 for 18th to round out Clearview’s scoring group.
Senior Allyson Wernik and sophomore Kaylee Russen led the way for Washington Township in 5th and 7th in 20:07 and 20:23. Senior Gabriella Maletta, sophomore Rachael Wilson and sophomore Ella Johnson placed 12th, 15th and 20th for the Minutemaids.
Also in the top 10 were Williamstown senior Alexa Fisher [4th in 20:05], Delsea sophomore Juliana Sieminski [9th in 21:02] and Williamstown junior Paige Franklin [10th in 21:11].
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 