Ava Thomas finishes 1st & Haddonfield girls average 19:13 at West Deptford in Colonial Conference triumph!!!!!!

Three Haddonfield girls broke 19 minutes, the Bulldogs’ five scorers averaged 19:13 at West Deptford Park and Haddonfield raced to the Colonial Conference title Thursday.

Haddonfield went 1-2-3-4-5 to win last year’s meet and only one girl from that race was in Haddonfield’s top-5 this year.

It looks like Haddonfield has never lost this meet in years where official team scoring has been kept.

Junior Ava Thomas, freshman Riley Austin, junior Audrey Naticchia and senior Helene Usher swept the top four spots, Thomas running 18:43, Austin 18:49, Naticchia 18:51 and Usher 19:17. Sophomore Dylan Melcher and junior Sarah Fetter both ran 20:27 for 8th and 9th.

Haddonfield finished with an 18-59 margin of victory over 2nd-place Haddon Heights. Sterling [79] and Haddon Township [87] were next.

Also in the top 10 were Haddon Heights senior Ava Severino [5th, 19:37], Haddon Township senior Meghan Lex [6th, 19:43], Haddon Township junior Genevieve Gentlesk [7th, 20:14] and Sterling sophomore Cara Coppolino [10th, 10:38].

Haddonfield is ranked No. 2 in New Jersey and No. 3 in the Northeast Region by Milesplit.

Liliah Gordon breaks own course record, races Northern Burlington to 2nd straight Liberty Division team title!!!!!!

Liliah Gordon has raced at New Egypt twice, she’s broken the course record twice and she’s led Northern Burlington to a conference championship twice.

On Wednesday, a year after Gordon led NBC to its first BCSL Liberty Division title in meet history with a course-record 18:03 as a freshman over New Egypt’s 5,000-meter course, Gordon ran 17:56 and led Northern to its second straight Liberty Division title.

Last year, Northern edged Moorestown, 35-39, ending Moorestown’s streak of 21 consecutive BCSL Liberty Division titles. This year, with Moorestown now in the Olympic Conference, the Greyhounds scored 29 points and finished ahead of Cinnaminson [50], Burlington Township [78] and Bordentown [79].

Gordon won by about 250 meters over Cinnaminson senior Stephanie Renouf, who ran 18:57. Renouf became the 7th girl to break 19 minutes on New Egypt’s course, which has been used since 2004.

All five Northern scorers finished in the top 10. Sophomore Zoe Chou placed 5th for Northern in 20:50, senior Paige Their ran 6th in 20:59, junior Abigail Duffy was 9th in 21:39 and sophomore Sofia Dileo placed 10th in 21:59.

For team scoring purposes, Northern went 1-5-6-8-9.

Northern is the first school other than Moorestown to win consecutive Liberty Division titles since Shawnee in 1989 and 1990. The meet wasn’t held from 1991 through 1998 of in 2000.

This was the first time Gordon had dipped under 18 minutes on any course. Her fastest previous 5,000 was that 18:03 in last year’s BCSL meet.

Others in the top 10 included Cinnaminson junior Anna Marino [3rd in 19:34], Burlington Township senior Maeve Timms [4th in 19:51], Burlington Township junior Angelina Beck and Delran freshman Ashley Doyle [8th in 21:20].

1-2 finish by Sofia Day, Gillian Lovett paces Mainland to 4th straight Atlantic County title!!!!!!

Sophomore Sofia Day and junior Gillian Lovett finished 1-2, and Mainland placed four in the top 10 to win its 4th straight Atlantic County Championships Thursday.

Day ran 18:17 and Lovett 18:32 over 5,000 meters at Stockton University in Galloway Township, and Mainland outscored 2nd-place Egg Harbor Township, 29-41. Cedar Creek placed 3rd with 87 points. Day won the individual title last year as well with an 18:23 on the same course

Mainland also won county titles in 2018, 2019 and 2021. The meet was not held in 2020.

Day and Lovett recorded Mainland’s first 1-2 finish at the county meet since 2016, when Alyssa Aldridge and Emily Dirkes went 1-2 – both under 18 minutes – at Hammonton Lake Park.

Also for Mainland, junior Claudia Booth, junior Chloe Malone and sophomore Ava McDole placed 5th, 9th and 12th, Booth in 20:24, Malone in 21:12 and McDole in 22:01.

Junior Michaela Schlemo led EHT in 3rd place in 18:34, with sophomore Bithan Andemariam [6th in 20:41], junior Taylor Rooney [7th in 20:55] and freshman Page Pacquing [10th in 21:36] all in the top 10 and senior Raghd Mahmoud just five spots behind Pacquing in 22:23.

Also in the top 10 were Atlantic City senior Madline Dischert [4th in 19:06] and Hammonton sophomore Natalie Clauhs [8th in 21:05].

Chad and Aidan Cloke lift Maple Shade to 6th straight BCSL Freedom Division title!!!!!!

With three freshman in the top five, Maple Shade raced to its 6th consecutive BCSL title Wednesday at New Egypt.

Senior Chad Cloke ran 16:53 and finished about 150 meters ahead of 2nd-place Colin Broadbelt, a Palmyra junior, who ran 17:27.

Other Maple Shade scorers were junior Aidan Cloke [3rd in 17:30] and freshmen Michael Smith [5th in 18:25], Kai Matis [8th in 19:03] and Ries Fox [9th in 19:09]. Smith, Matis and Fox were the first three freshman finishers in the race, and Smith ran faster than any freshman in the Liberty race as well.

Maple Shade recorded a 23-49 margin of victory over Palmyra, with Riverside three points behind Palmyra.

The meet wasn’t held in 2020, but Maple Shade won the BCSL Freedom each year from 2016 and 2019 as well as 2021. Last time the Wildcats lost they were in the Patriot Division in 2015 and fell by two points to Cinnaminson.

Also in the top-10 were Pemberton junior Zion Jackson [4th in 18:25], Palmyra junior James Crean [6th in 18:40], Riverside senior Angel Herrera [7th in 18:42] and Riverside sophomore Eddie Grinnan [10th in 19:31].

A few days after winning first county title in 17 years, Moorestown girls win Olympic Conference in first year in new conference!!!!!!

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.

6th runner Patrick Lant gives Washington Twp. tiebreaker win over Williamstown in Tri-County Showcase Championships!!!!!!

Washington Township’s 6th runner finished 31st to give the Minutemen the team title on a tiebreaker at the Tri-County Showcase Championships Tuesday.

Both teams finished with 49 points through five runners – 1-6-12-14-16 for the Braves, 2-5-7-13-22 for the Minutemen.

But junior Patrick Lant ran 17:51 at Cumberland Regional and placed 25th, finishing eight places ahead of Williamstown’s 6th man to give Township the team title.

Williamstown senior Nicholas Krol was the overall winner, covering the 5,000-meter course in 15:58, but Washington Township – in its first season in the Tri-County Conference – had three of the next six finishers, with sophomore Hunter Bostwick 2nd in 16:13, junior Aaron Kolosowsky 5th in 16:40 and senior Colin Keane 7th in 16:48.

Senior Tellus McDonald ran 17:13 for 14th and senior Kanye Mills 24th in 17:51, finishing virtually together with Lant.

Williamstown senior Aidan Berad ran 16:43 for 6th, sophomore Dylan Saber 13th in 17:10, senior Walk Cristinziani 15th in 17:13 and freshman Dominic Burgio 17th in 17:18.

Also in the top 10 were Glassboro junior Ellijah Whitaker [3rd in 16:33], Kingsway senior Cesar Pedro [4th in 16:37], Clearview senior Cavan Agatone [8th in 16:50, Triton junior Ethan Wence [9th in 16:56] and Delsea freshman Matthew Littlehales [10th in 16:58]./

(Triton and Highland didn’t field full teams, so the overall finishing places are slightly different than team points.)

Pleasantville’s Irvin Marable leads Lincoln to Bowie Invite team title with 2nd-place finish!!!!!!

Pleasantville graduate Irvin Marable, a freshman at Lincoln University in Lower Oxford, Chester County, Pa., placed second over the weekend at the Bowie State Homecoming Classic at Jericho Park in Bowie, Md.

It was only the third career college race for Marable, who ran 1:57.77 last spring and placed 4th at the state Group 2 meet at Franklin High.

Marable covered the 7,000-meter course in 24:06, finishing behind only Robert Edwards of St. Augustine’s, who won in 23:26.

Marable was Lincoln’s first finisher and led the Lions to the team title. Lincoln outscored 2nd-place St. Augustine’s of Raleigh, N.C., 33-46, with host Bowie 3rd with 53 points. The Lions went 2-3-5-8-15.

Nick Kuenkel, Patrick Ditmars both run sub-16 to lead Cherokee to 24th County Open title!!!!!!!!

Cherokee became the first school ever with two runners under 16 minutes in the same race at Mill Creek Park on its way to winning the 53rd annual Burlington County Open Friday.

The title is Cherokee’s 9th straight and 24th overall.

Junior Nick Kuenkel won the race in 15:51 and Patrick Ditmars was 2nd in 15:59, and Cherokee recorded a 38-64 margin of victory over 2nd-place Lenape.

Kuenkel’s time is 4th-fastest in course history and faster ever by an underclassman. The previous course-best by an underclassman was Austin Gabay’s 15:56 in 2018. Ditmars’ time is No. 9 in course history.

Junior Robert Poplau placed 7th in 16:41, sophomore Liam Tindall 10th in 17:00 and senior Daniel Hassall 18th in 17:40.

They were backed up closely by 6th and 7th runners sophomore Anthony DiBatista in 19th in 17:42 and sophomore Benjamin Weiner in 21st with a 17:50. Cherokee raced without senior Conor Jacob, their usual 3rd runner. He’s due back for the Olympic Conference meet Wednesday at DREAM Park.

Cherokee’s 8th runner, sophomore Luke Reistle, ran 17:54 to win the JV race, fast enough for 22nd in the varsity race. Cherokee swept the top four spots in the JV race and seven of the top eight.

Cherokee also won County Open titles in 1988, 1989, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Lenape was led by senior Colin Hermack, who placed 4th in 16:05, and sophomore Noah Manwaring, 8th in 16:41. Hermack’s 16:05 is fastest ever by a Lenape runner at Mill Creek. The previous Lenape-best was Jake Boniva’s 16:16 at the 2012 County Open.

Also in the top 10 were Cinnaminson senior Alex Boyko [3rd, 16:02], Cinnaminson senior Matt McCarron [5th in 16:24], Rancocas Valley senior Ryan Smith [6th in 16:37] and Shawnee junior Eli Mackey [9th in 16:56].

Boyko’s time is 11th-fastest in course history and fastest 3rd-place time ever in a County Open at Mill Creek, and Hermack’s is 14th in course history and fastest 4th-place time.

The Burlington County Open has been held at Mill Creek Park at 5,000 meters since 1984, other than 1994 through 1998, when it was held at Cherokee, and 2020 and 2021, when it was at the Rancocas Valley athletic fields in Eastampton. Numerous runners went under 16 on a 3.0-mile Mill Creek course that was used from 1981 through 1983.

There have been many minor adjustments to the 5K course since 1984, mainly in the stretch  along the Rancocas Creek. But here’s the all-time sub-16:10 list on the 5,000-meter layout with 100ths listed if they were recorded:

15:39.40 … Austin Gabay [Cinnaminson], 2019 [1st]
15:43.?? … Keith Krieger [Cherokee], 2002 [1st]
15:43.44 … Ethan Wechsler [Cherokee], 2019 [2nd]
15:51.81 … *Nick Kuenkel [Cherokee], 2022 [1st]
15:56.00 … Shawn Wilson [Cherokee], 2012 [1st]
15:56.21 … Justin Kelly [Cherokee], 2017 [1st]
15:57.46 …….. *Wechsler, 2018 [2nd]
15:59.01 … Michael Ungvarsky [Cinnaminson], 2016 [1st]
15:59.71 … Patrick Ditmars [Cherokee], 2022 [2nd]
16:01.?? … Jon Anderson [Cinnaminson], 2002 [2nd]
16:02.55 … Alex Boyko [Cinnaminson], 2022 [3rd]
16:04.?? … Dave Forward [Shawnee], 2008 [1st]
16:05.?? … Bill Mason [Cinnaminson], 1998 [1st]
16:05.32 … Colin Hermack [Lenape], 2022 [4th]
16:06.?? … Steve Grabowski [Cinnaminson], 2005 [1st]
16:06?? … Urie Ridgeway [Bridgeton], 1988 [1st, S.J. Group 3]
16:06.09 … **Chris Spisak [Cherokee], 2017 [2nd]
16:07.?? … *Eric Lorenz [Holy Cross], 1986 [1st]
16:08.?? …….. Lorenz, 1987 [1st]
16:09.?? … Joe Halin [Cherokee], 1998 [2nd]

[The County Open was not held at Mill Creek from 1994-98 and 2020-21. The 1989 South Jersey sectionals were held at Mill Creek.]

Paul VI goes 1-2, Haddonfield girls win Camden County title resting their top group!!!!!

Haddonfield rested its top five runners and won the Camden County XC meet at Timber Creek Park in Lindenwold and Gloucester Township.

Paul VI junior Shaelan McNally and freshman Macy Huber finished 1-2 in 19:29 and 21:01, and Camden Catholic sophomore Nilaa Ponnappan placed 3rd in 21:09.

After that, it was all Haddonfield, with sophomore Dylan Melcher, junior Sarah Fetter, freshman Lauren Hamblin, junior Anna Stolarick and senior Maya Carey sweeping 3rd through 7th, Melcher in 21:10, Fetter 21:39, Hamblin 22:12, Stolarick 22:19 and Carey 22:43.

Haddonfield, ranked No. 2 in the state, finished with a 30-43 margin of victory over Paul VI, with Camden Catholic 3rd with 78 points.

Haddonfield didn’t compete from 2007 through 2016 or last year but has now won the Camden County meet the last five times it entered – 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022. Last time Haddonfield competed but didn’t win was 2006, when the Bulldogs placed 3rd behind Timber Creek and Highland.

McNally became Paul VI’s first county XC champion in 30 years, since Danielle Rollick won the 1992 race at the Lakeland Complex in Gloucester Township in 19:15.

PVI’s last 1-2 finish at a county meet came in 1986, when the Eagles swept the top five spots with Meagan Carmody, Jackie McMillan, Missy McNally, Sandy Wright and Lauren Bello at Camden County College, also in Gloucester Township.

Also in the top 10 were Winslow sophomore Ava Millner [9th in 22:47] and Paul VI freshman Giovanna Mantuano [10th in 22:57].

Overall winner Abigail Kotran paces N.J. #3 Clearview to Gloucester County title!!!!!

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].