The Moorestown girls did it again.
A few days after winning their first Burlington County Open title in 17 years, the Quakers won the Olympic Conference title in their first year in their new conference.
Moorestown didn’t have a runner in the top 9, but packed its five scorers between 10th and 23rd place in a 37-second gap and packed its seven runners in a 50-second span to win a crazy three-team battle that saw Moorestown, Cherry Hill East and Bishop Eustace finish within 10 points of each other and Cherokee and Paul VI make it five schools within 27 points.
For the Quakers, sophomore Noelia Reyes ran 20:20.12 to place 10th and junior Julia Brock was a second back in 11th. Sophomore Jane Goettle ran 20:36 for 3rd and sophomore Sarah Brown and sophomore Hannah Byrd-Leitner finished 22nd and 23rd in 20:48 and 20:56.
Moorestown’s last conference title came in 2019 at the BCSL Liberty Division meet at New Egypt. Moorestown won the Liberty Division race 21 straight years from 1999 through 2019.
That group was backed up by junior Paige McCabe and sophomore Gabrielle DeJoseph in 25th and 26th in 21:08 and 21:09.
Paul VI junior Shaelan McNally ran 18:13 over 5,000 meters to lead five girls under 19 minutes at DREAM Park in Logan Township and win by 65 meters over Cherry Hill East senior Alexis Tepper, who ran 18:26..
Cherokee junior Kerry O’Day and senior Kelsey Niglio took 3rd and 4th in 18:39 and 18:42, and Bishop Eustace senior Elena Cicchini also dipped under 19 minutes in 5th place with an 18:53.
McNally’s time is No. 4 in course history, and Tepper’s is 9th. O’Day, Niglio and Cicchini all moved into the all-time top 20 at DREAM Park, which was first used in 2018 and hosts sectionals and many other meets.
Also in the top 10 were Eustace senior Arianna Cane [6th in 19:12], Camden Catholic sophomore Nilaa Ponnappan [7th in 19:35], Cherokee sophomore Megan Niglio [8th in 19:37] and freshman Paul VI Macy Huber [9th in 19:39].
Every girl in the top 10 ran an all-course PR in perfect conditions on the flat, fast course outside Glassboro.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 