Cherry Hill East senior Alexis Tepper ran an all-course PR and the 6th-fastest time of the day Saturday at the South Jersey Group 4 race at DREAM Park in Logan Township.
Tepper ran 18:15 and placed 2nd to Toms River North freshman Jessica Abbott while also leading East to a 4th-place team finish.
Tepper’s previous 5,000 PR was an 18:26 on the same course last week at the Olympic Conference Championships, where she placed 2nd to Paul VI’s Shaelen McNally.
That 18:15 is No. 8 in course history.
Seven runners broke 19 minutes in perfect conditions on the flat, fast DREAM Park layout. Atlantic City senior Madeline Dischert placed 3rd in 18:22, Egg Harbor junior Michaela Schelmo ran 18;26 for 4th, Kingsway senior Nicole Lipieta was 5th in 18:42, Cherokee junior Kerry O’Day took 6th in 18:57 and Williamstown senior Alexa Fisher clocked 18:59 for 7th place.
Other South Jersey runners in the top 15 were Cherokee senior Kelsey Niglio [9th in 19:04], Cherokee sophomore Megan Niglio [10th in 19:27], Washington Township sophomore Kaylee Russen [11th in 19:49], Egg Harbor junior Taylor Rooney [12th in 19:57] and Washington Township senior Sophia Bostwick [13th in 19:57].
Toms River North edged Southern 77-83 to win the team title. Washington Township [109], Cherry Hill East [111] and Egg Harbor [124] qualified for the state Group 4 meet next weekend at Holmdel County Park.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 