Junior Sofia Day ran 17:14 – the fastest time by any South Jersey girl on any XC course in eight years – and Mainland won its 5th straight Atlantic County title Thursday at Hammonton Lake Park.
Day’s time – officially 17:14.38 – is fastest by a South Jersey girl since Mainland’s Alyssa Aldridge ran 17:07.58 at the Brown Invitational at Goddard Park East in East Greenwich, R.I., on Oct. 17, 2015.
It’s fastest by a South Jersey girl on a New Jersey course since Haddonfield freshman Briana Gess ran 16:57 at the 2013 Colonial Conference All-Star Meet at Pennypacker Park in Haddonfield and Cherry Hill.
Her previous all-course PR was a 17:38.96 at the 2021 Cape Atlantic League Championships at Stockton University in Galloway Township.
Senior Gillian Lovett also ran well under 18 minutes, and Mainland placed five runners in the top eight to outscore 2nd-place Egg Harbor 20-35.
Lovett placed 2nd in 17:46, junior Ava McDole placed 4th in 18:45, freshman Cecilia Foreman was 5th in 19:20 and senior Chloe Malone ran 8th in 19:38. Mainland senior 6th runner Claudia Booth ran 19:53 for 11th place.
Mainland and Egg Harbor girls took up the first 11 spots.
Egg Harbor was led by senior Michaela Schlemo, who placed 3rd in 18:22, senior Taylor Rooney ran 6th in 19:26, sophomore Paige Pacquing was 7th in 19:28, junior Bithini Andemariam 9th in 19:46 and sophomore Devyn Per placed 10th in 19:53.
Also under 21 minutes: Hammonton Natalie Clauhs [12th in 20:04], Mainland senior Sophie Goldstein [13th in 20:41], Atlantic County Tech senior Ella Feehan [14th in 20:52] and Cedar Creek senior Riley Lerner [15th in 20:53].
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 