Schalick junior Jordan Hadfield, in her first year of cross country, recorded her first XC invitational victory Saturday morning at the Six Flags Wild Safari Invitational.
In rainy conditions, Hadfield covered the 5,000-meter course at Great Adventure in Jackson in 19:18.6, finishing 150 meters clear of the field in the Varsity D race. Dagny Shiffler of Shipley School in Bryn Mawr, Pa., was 2nd in 19:59.0.
Hadfield ran 5:14.80 and 11:17.17 as a sophomore last spring and was a medalist in both races at the state Group 1 championships at Franklin High. She’s the 3rd-fastest Group 1 returner in the state in both the 1,600 and 3,200.
But she made her XC debut with a 19:56.32 in a batch meet earlier this month and then placed 3rd at the South Jersey Shootout at DREAM Park last weekend with a 19:27.4.
She lowered that to 19:18.6 with her big win on Saturday.
Schalick’s No. 2 runner Saturday was freshman Elizabeth Petrunis, who placed 21st in 23:27.8.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 