Senior Kerry O’Day, junior Megan Niglio and junior Grace Wojciechowski all finished in the top 10 and the Cherokee girls won their 3rd South Jersey Group 4 cross country title in the last four years Saturday morning.
O’Day ran 18:59 over 5,000 meters at DREAM Park in Logan Township for 3rd place, Niglio 19:43 for 9th and Wojciechowski 20:01 for 10th, and Cherokee, ranked 12th in the state, edged 2nd-place Cherry Hill East 54-67, with Egg Harbor topping Williamstown on a 6th-runner tiebreaker for 3rd place after both scored 95 through five runners. Toms River North also advanced to the state Group 4 meet next Saturday at Holmdel County Park.
Overall, the South Jersey Group 4 title is Cherokee’s 4th. The Chiefs won in 2003 and also in 2020 and 2021.
Cherokee’s 4th and 5th runners were seniors Alaina Bromley [15th in 20:29] and Olivia Parkinson [18th in 20:42].
For Cherry Hill East, junior Cate Feudtner placed 6th in 19:33, sophomore Shaelea Conway was 11th in 20:07, Ryleigh Budsock 14th in 20:27, Tiffany Guidarelli 16th in 20:34 and Ella Davidson 21st in 20:50.
Toms River North sophomore Jessica Abbott won her 2nd individual title in a row, and Williamstown senior Alyssa Boucher was the top South Jersey finisher in 2nd place with an 18:55.
Other top-10 finishers from South Jersey were Williamstown sophomore Sophia Aldridge [4th in 19:10], Egg Harbor senior Michaela Schlemo [5th in 19:18], Eastern freshman Theresa Albertson [7th in 19:39] and Egg Harbor sophomore Paige Pacquing [8th in 19:39].
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 