Nick Kuenkel ran the fastest time of the day, and Cherokee edged St.Peter’s Prep by one point in the team merge at Friday’s Battle at Ocean County Park in Lakewood.

Kuenkel won the Senior Race in 15:22 over 5,000 meters, finishing seven seconds ahead of 2nd-place Elijah Forrest of Collingswood, whose 15:29 was the 2nd-fastest time of the day.

Senior Robert Poplau ran 15:50 and was 4th in the Senior Race and 5th-fastest overall, Liam Tindall ran 16:11 for 6th in the junior race and 15th-fastest overall, Logan Bromley won the sophomore race in 16:13 and was 16th-fastest overall and Benjamin Weiner was 10th in the junior race and 29th overall in 16:26.

Additionally, Benjamin Realley placed 2nd in the freshman race in 10:53 over two miles. The freshman race didn’t figure into team scoring.

Cherokee edged St. Peter’s Prep of Jersey City 65-66 to win the team merge. Cherry Hill East placed 5th with 169 points and Washington Township was 8th with 351. Some 45 schools ran full teams.

Other South Jersey boys under 17 minutes: Washington Township’s Daniel Torres [12th in Senior Race in 16:13], Washington Township’s Aaron Kolosowsky [14th in Senior Race in 16:16], Cherry Hill East’s Raine Guidarelli [15th in Senior Race in 16:18], Cherry Hill East’s Brody Bogos [8th in Junior Race in 16:18], Timber Creek’s Robert Wakefield [19th in Senior Race in 16:30], Cherry Hill East’s Nikhil Raman [11th in Junior Race in 16:38], Cherokee’s Enzo Corona [12th in Junior Race in 16:40], Rancocas Valley’s Christopher Gray [14th in Junior Race in 16:41], Cherry Hill East’s Brandon Lyons [16th in Junior Race in 16:45], Cherry Hill East’s Colin Moore [6th in Sophomore Race in 16:48], Cherry Hill East’s Alvin Lin [7th in Sophomore Race in 16:50] and Cherry Hill East’s Cole Pizzo [20th in Junior Race in 16:51].

Ryan Duffy shattered the DREAM Park freshman record by half a minute Saturday morning at the South Jersey Shootout.

[Word from DREAM Park is that a cart leading the runners made a wrong turn, cutting the course by an unknown amount. If we get any more information on that and adjusted times or a more accurate distance run, we’ll post something. Too bad, but Duffy will get another crack at the course record at sectionals.]

Duffy, a Kingsway freshman, won the Gold Championship Race on the 5,000-meter speedway in Logan Township in 15:40, edging Moorestown soph Peter Simpson [2nd in 15:46.4] and Williamstown junior Dylan Saber [3rd in 15:47.3].

Simpson set the previous freshman record of 16:10.1 this past October when he placed 9th at the South Jersey Group 3 sectionals.

This was Duffy’s first major high school race. He ran 16:25 to win a Tri-County Conference batch meet at Cumberland Regional on Tuesday.

Duffy ran 2:03.88 and 4:31.43 full mile as an 8th-grader and won USATF National Youth Outdoor Championships in both events. He also long jumped 19-1 ½.

The only faster Kingsway runner at DREAM Park is Kyle Rakitis, who ran 15:15.64 when he won 2021 Group 4 sectionals in 2021.

Simpson broke his own school record on the DREAM Park course. That was that 16:10 from last year’s sectionals. Saber became Williamstown’s fastest runner at DREAM Park by a fraction of a section. Nicholas Krol ran 15:47.44 at Group 3 sectionals last year.

Other South Jersey runners in the top 10 were Williamstown sophomore Dominic Burgio [5th in 16:00.8] and Shawnee sophomore Yanni Ekatomatis [8th in 16:16.0] and Shawnee junior Noah Stapleton [9th in 16:18.1].

Paul VI’s Colton Johnson, Pitman’s Sebastien Reed and Delsea’s Noah Deckert all finished in the top 10 Friday at the John “Paddy” Doyle Iona Meet of Champions at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronz.

Johnson, a St. Joe’s junior, took 4th in 25:22.1, Reed, a Monmouth junior, placed 6th in 25:38.9 over five miles and Deckert, a St. Joe’s senior from Delsea, was 7th in 25:42.0.

Also in the top 20 were Army’s Andrew Littlehales, a sophomore from Delsea, and Matthew Coffey, a St. Joe’s senior from Camden Catholic. Littlehales ran 25:59.6 for 14th and Coffey was 17th in 26:04.2.

Army won the team title by 42-64 over St. Joe’s, with Johns Hopkins 3rd with 71 and Monmouth 4th with 87 points.

Kingsway’s Kylie Anicic opened her cross country season with a win at the Tiffelberg Cross Country Meet in Tiffin, Ohio.

Anicic, now a senior at Edinboro, ran a fast 17:26.4 over 5,000 meters .

It was her first 5,000-meter XC race for Edinboro. Her previous 5,000 PR was a 19:06.4 in September of 2019 as a freshman at Towson in a race at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx. Anicic’s 6,000-meter XC PR of 21:07.5 is 17:36 pace for 5,000 meters. She has a track PR of 16:25.97 from indoor NCAAs in March in Virginia Beach.

Anicic led Edinboro to a big team win over Tiffin, 22-55. Edinboro went 1-2-4-5-10 and had all five scorers across the line before any of the eight other schools in the field got their second runner across.

Edinboro’s team average of 19:17 would have placed 5th in the race.

Anicic won by nearly 400 meters over Tiffin’s Ines Macadam, who was 2nd in 18:47.8 running unattatched. Kate Szep, an Edinboro junior, was the 2nd scoring finisher in 18:51.4.

Anicic won the NCAA Division 2 Atlantic Region XC Championship last November in Mansfield, Pa.

Edinboro is ranked No. 5 in the NCAA Division 2 Atlantic Region by the USTFCCCA.

Pleasantville’s Nia Ali and Florence’s Curtis Thompson will be competing this weekend in the Diamond League Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

Ali, the U.S. champion and World No. 2 this year at 12.30, is one of nine entrants in the 100-meter hurdles. World record holder Tobi Amusan of Nigeria (12.12) and World No. 1 Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico are also among the entries.

Thompson, who won his third U.S. javelin title this year in Eugene, is the No. 1 American this year with his 265-5 to win nationals. He’s all-time U.S. No. 3 with his 287-8 last July in East Stroudsburg, Pa. Thompson is one of six javelin entrants, including World No. 1 Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic [293-8] and 2021 Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra of India [295-0].

The men’s javelin is scheduled for 3:20 p.m. EST on Saturda, and the women’s 100-meter hurdles – a one-race final – is slated for 5:05 p.m. EST on Sunday.

College of New Jersey senior Katherine Rice from Haddonfield and sophomore Savannah Hodgens from Mainland Regional placed 2nd and 3rd Saturday at the inaugural Herb Lorenz Invitational at the Green Lane Fields in Ewing.

Rice placed 2nd in 20:07 over the 5,000-meter course, and Hodgens was 3rd in 20:13. Overall winner was Emily Hoegler, who ran 20:04.

The College of New Jersey swept the first five spots and won the team title in the 5,000-meter event, held to honor legendary runner Herb Lorenz, who grew up in Pemberton, starred at The College of New Jersey and went on to become a record-setting Masters runner, a 2:17 marathon runner, a two-time member of the U.S. national team that went to World XC and an inductee of the Road Runner’s Club of America Hall of Fame. Lorenz died in 2011 at 71.

Herb Lorenz’s wife Irma was honorary starter for the women’s race and TCNJ assistant coach and former Rancocas Valley runner Mike Walker spoke about Lorenz’s legacy before the event began. Lorenz’s son Eric and daughter Diane – both outstanding runners as well – were on hand for the ceremony along with their kids.

The TCNJ women are ranked No. 2 in the NCAA Division 3 Metro Region by the USTFCCCA behind only Widener.

The College of New Jersey also swept the men’s race, led by Michael Rodriguez in 20:10 over 6,000 meters.

Williamstown’s Anna Sasse, Washington Township’s Allyson Wernik and Seneca’s Amanda McNally recorded top-10 finishes Saturday as the Rowan women edged Stockton by six points to win the Philadelphia Metropolitan Cross Country Championships.

Sasse, a junior, placed 2nd in 20:17.8 over 5,000 meters at Belmont Plateau in Fairmount Park in Philadelphia, finishing just behind overall winner Kayla Kass of Stockton.

Clearview’s Aubrey Donahue from Immaculata University in East Whiteland Township in Chester County, Pa., in her 2nd collegiate race, placed 5th overall in 20:41.4.

Wernik ran 20:53.9 for 7th and McNally 21:00.7 for 9th for Rowan, which topped Stockton 39-45. Rowan and Stockton women took 10 of the first 16 spots in a field of over 100 runners. Jefferson of Philly was 3rd with 85 points.

Two other Williamstown graduates – sophomores Mackenzie Saber and Gianna Burgio – also raced for the Profs as well as Ocean City’s Issy Smith, also a sophomore. Saber placed 18th in 21:50 and was Rowan’s 5th runner, Burgio ran 22:31 and placed 27th and Smith was 30th in 23:01.

Also in Rowan’s top seven were senior Mia Guerra from Hasbrouck Heights [4th in 20:28], sophomore Abbey Churchill of Indian Hills [20th in 22:03] and soph Gabriella Pagano of Pope John XXIII [23rd in 22:17].

For Stockton, Shawnee graduate Madelyn Valasek placed 10th overall and was the Ospreys’ 3rd finisher in 21:00.9.

Stockton is ranked 3rd in the USTFCCCA NCAA Division 3 Metro Region, and Rowan is No. 7.

Holy Family freshman Maya Harper of Pleasantville placed 24th in 22:22.1 and was the Tigers’ second finisher.

Jefferson placed 3rd with junior Olivia Monahon of Woodstown the Rams’ 4th finisher in 26th in 22:29.4, and junior Sarah Brennan of Pitman was Jefferson’s 6th runner in 34th overall at 23:09.4.

With a top seven comprised entirely of South Jersey high school graduates, Rowan recorded a team title Saturday in the Philadelphia Metropolitan Cross Country Championships at Fairmount Park’s Belmont Plateau in Philadelphia.

Sophomore Anthony Faust from Bishop Eustace and freshman Colin Patterson from Haddon Heights both placed in the top 10 for the Profs, who outscored 2nd-place Wilmington (Delaware) 49-63 for the team title. Stockton (82) and Georgian Court (93) placed 3rd and 4th in the 14-team competition.

Rowan is ranked 4th in the USATFCCC Metro Region and Stockton is 6th.

Faust ran 28:11.9 in hot, muggy conditions over five miles at Belmont to place 3rd and Patterson ran 28:22.4 to place 6th.

Also in Rowan’s top seven were freshman Joshua Jackson [14th in 28:54.7], sophomore Scott Hubbard [16th in 28:57.6], sophomore Joshua Cason [18th in 29:00], junior Sean Eisenhower [19th in 29:04.1] and sophomore Sean Hice [22nd in 29:15.5].

Sophomore Dalton Culleny of Cedar Creek was Stockton’s 5th runner and sophomore Tyler Wells from Audubon was the Ospreys’ 6th runner.

Wilmington was led by junior Dan Wyshinski from Pennsville in his first race since last year’s NCAA Division 2 East Regionals in Garden City, N.Y. Wyshinski placed 4th in 28:13.2. Freshman Joel Oquendo from Pennsauken, in his first collegiate race, was Wilmington’s 6th runner, taking 33rd overall in 29:39.

For Georgian Court of Lakewood, senior Xavier Seals of Woodstown placed 24th and was the Lions’ 3rd finisher.

Freshman Anas Bensaoud from Clearview, a transfer from SUNY Stony Brook, led Rowan College Gloucester County in 26th place overall in 29:22 in his first college XC meet. Bensaoud ran track last spring and was a double All-America at the NJCAA Division 3 Championships in Utica, N.Y.

Haddonfield graduate Tobias Janssen, a George Washington freshman, placed 5th overall at the Navy Cross Country Invitational Saturday morning in Annapolis, Md.

Janssen ran 16:39.84 over 5,000 meters and was GWU’s 3rd finisher overall. He finished only 22 seconds behind overall winner Owen Ahten of Navy.

It appears that the 5K race was for freshmen, and upperclassmen ran in a separate 8,000-meter race.

Janssen ran 4:17.57 and 9:23.20 at Haddonfield and was 5th at the state Group 2 cross country meet at Holmdel, which Haddonfield won.

Navy edged George Washington 25-32 for the team title.

Peyton Shute won the Senior Race by over 100 meters and tied the course record Saturday at the 26th annual Cherokee Challenge.

Shute covered the 3,200-meter course in 9:26.13, finishing about 24 seconds ahead of 2nd-place Matthew Lucas of Monroe Township.

The course record is listed as 9:26 – with no fractions – by Cherokee’s Shawn Wilson in 2012. The official results from 2012 show none of the times with 10ths so Wilson and Shute will share the course record at 9:26.

Shute was the state Group 1 champ at 800, 1,600 and 3,200 meters last spring and placed 11th at the Meet of Champions in XC with a 16:05 at Holmdel.

Delsea’s Matthew Littlehales ran 10:13.0 to win the Sophomore Race over Gavin Leffler of Tatnall School in Wilmington, who was 2nd in 10:15.5. Matthew Littlehales’ older brother Andrew won the Senior Race in 2021 in 9:47.

Other runners under 10:30 Saturday included Collingswood’s Elijah Forrest [9:51.9, 3rd in Senior Race], Paul VI’s Will Mrozinski [7th in Senior Race, 10:04.3], Williamstown’s Dylan Saber [10th in Junior Race, 10:10.7], Williamstown’s Dominic Burgio [3rd in Sophomore Race, 10:18.0], Haddon Heights’ Reggie Hernandez [11th in Junior Race, 10:19.7], Audubon’s Aiden Williams [12th in Senior Race, 10:21.5], Moorestown’s Peter Simpson [4th in Sophomore Race, 10:22.9] and Owen Dybus of Haddon Township [16th in Senior Race, 10:27.6].

Salesianum of Wilmington won the boys overall title with a combined 30 points from their top finisher in each of the four varsity races. Paul VI was the top South Jersey school with 82 points. Shawnee had the lowest score among South Jersey schools in the combined boys-girls scoring with 318 points (150 boys, 168 girls). Conestoga of Berwyn, Pa., was the overall combined winner with 153.

Here’s a look at the 10-fastest runners in course history [and also the top 10 South Jersey times]:

9:26 … Shawn Wilson [Cherokee], 2012 [Senior Race]
9:26.13 … Peyton Shute [Woodbury], 2023 [Senior Race
9:17.69 … Luke Petela [Haddon Township], 2014 [Senior Race]
9:28 … Miles Schoedler [Ocean City], 2010 [Senior Race]
9:29.36 … Andrew Marston [Conestoga, Pa.], 2014 [Senior Race]
9:30.59 … Louis Corgliano [Hammonton], 2013 [Senior Race]
9:32.93 … Chris Romero [Voorhees], 2017 [Senior Race]
9:33 … Jon Vitez [Haddonfield], 2009 [Senior Race]
9:33 … Ben Potts [Haddonfield], 2009 [Senior Race]
9:36 …….. Vitez, 2008 [Junior Race]
9:33.26 … Luke Johnson [West Windsor-Plainsboro North [Senior Race]
9:38 … Nick Costello [Delsea], 2012 [Senior]
9:40 … Roberte Rawls [Triton], 2010 [Senior]
9:40 …….. Corgliano, 2012 [Junior]
9:41.51 … Sean MacPherson [Sterling], 2014 [Senior Race]