Kingsway’s Ryan Duffy ran the fastest time ever by a freshman Saturday at the 16th annual Bowdoin Classic at Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls, N.Y.
Duffy placed 9th in the varsity race in 16:27.0, which according to the MileSplit venue database broke the freshman meet record of 16:38.8 by Max Dimuccio of La Salle Academy in Providence, R.I., at the 2016 Bowdoin Classic.
Overall, Duffy’s time is 4th-fastest in course history by a freshman, with the three faster times coming much later in the season either at the New York Federation Championships or the Nike Cross Nationals Northeast Regional.
Here’s a look at the five-fastest times in course history by freshmen:
16:07.0 … Sam Toolin [North Kingston, R.I.], 2015 Nike Northeast Regionals
16:12.3 … Sam Affolder [Carthage, N.Y.], 2015 N.Y. Federation Championships
16:24.8 … David Principe Jr. [La Salle Academy, Providence, R.I.], 2013 Nike Northeast Regionals
16:27.0 … Ryan Duffy [Kingsway], 2023 Bowdoin Classic
16:28.5 … Max Dimuccio [La Salle Academy, Providence, R.I.], 2016 Nike Northeast Regionals
The race was Duffy’s second over 5,000 meters. He ran 16:25.7 at Cumberland Regional earlier this month in a Tri-County Conference batch meet. He won the South Jersey Shootout at DREAM Park and ran 15:40.0, but because the lead vehicle made a wrong turn, the course was significantly shorter than 5,000 meters.
Duffy’s time is fastest by a New Jersey freshman at Bowdoin Park by nearly half a minute. CBA’s Gavin Schmitt ran 16:56.6 Saturday in a JV race.
The previous South Jersey freshman course best at Bowdoin Park was 16:58.6 by Haddonfield’s Derek Gess at the 2015 Bowdoin Classic.
Duffy’s time is 13th-fastest overall among all South Jersey runners at Bowdoin Park. Jonathan Vitez of Haddonfield and Cherry Hill East’s Aaron Groff both broke 16 minutes on the layout along the eastern banks of the Hudson River. Vitez ran 15:41.5 at the 2009 Bowdoin Classic, and Groff ran 15:52.7 at the 2015 Nike Cross Nationals.
The previous-fastest time by a Gloucester County runner at Bowdoin Park is Joe Grandizio’s 16:35.0 when he placed 7th in the 2016 Bowdoin Classic.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 