From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Gillian Lovett became Mainland Regional’s first Cherokee Challenge winner in eight years Saturday when she won the senior race at the 26th annual Challenge on a hot, muggy morning that wasn’t conducive to fast times.

Lovett ran 11:38.5 over 3.2 kilometers, finishing just ahead of Cherokee’s Kerry O’Day, who was 2nd in 11:44.4.

The only other Cherokee Challenge winner in Cherokee history is Alyssa Aldridge, who won the freshman race in 11:58 in 2014 and the sophomore race in 11:34 in 2015.

Despite the difficult conditions, Lovett’s time was fastest in the Senior Race since 2019, when Maddy Kopec of Red Bank Catholic ran 11:34..

Lovett’s time was fastest by any South Jersey runner in any race since Aldridge’s 11:34 in 2015 and fastest in the senior race since Shelby Cain of Haddonfield ran 11:33 in 2013.

As a junior, Lovett placed 5th at the state Group 3 meet with a 19:27 at Holmdel County Park.

In addition to Lovett and O’Day, other South Jersey girls under 12 minutes Saturday included Ocean City’s Maeve Smith [3rd in Junior Race in 11:41.7], Mainland’s Sofia Day [4th in Junior Race in 11:53.6] and Williamstown’s Alyssa Boucher [6th in Senior Race in 11:57.3].

Mainland finished 2^nd in the overall girls team scoring competition and was the top South Jersey school with 53 points with top-10 finishers in three of the four races [Cecilia Foreman 9^th in freshman race, Day 4^th in junior race, Lovett 1^st in senior race]. Mainland’s top soph finisher was Macie Gannon.

Sadie Krueger of Northern Burlington Middle School won the Middle School race with a 8:06.4 over 2,400 meters, only eight seconds off the middle school record of 7:58 set by Haddonfield’s Briana Gess.