From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Schalick junior Jordan Hadfield broke her own record for fastest time by a Group 1 runner at DREAM Park and won her first sectional cross country title Saturday.

Haddon Township won its first sectional team title in 19 years.

Hadfield ran ran 18:33.39 to win the race by over a minute. The previous fastest time at DREAM Park in Logan Township by a Group 1 girl was Hadfield’s 18:49.24 earlier this month at the South Jersey Open.

Hadfield has won titles this year at Six Flags Wild Safari, South Jersey Open, Salem County and Tri-County Conference and now sectionals, where she joins Marleigh Puglia in 2017 and Julia Smith from 2018 through 2020 as Schalick’s 3rd sectional winner.

Wildwood junior Macie McCracken placed 2nd in 19:50.

Senior Genevieve Gentlesk and sophomore Blake Kemery placed in the top 10 to lead Haddon Township to the team title, 46-65, over Schalick. Audubon [97], Maple Shade [101] and Gloucester [131] also advanced to the state Group 1 meet Saturday at Holmdel County Park.

Gentlesk ran 19:50.32 for 3rd place and Kemery 21:30 for 6th place. Other Haddon Township scorers were freshman Biz Maher [14th in 23:35], freshman Abigail McLaughlin [16th in 23:57] and senior Ella Sherwin [22nd in 24:34].

The team title is Haddon Township’s 5th but first since 2004, when freshman Eileen O’Mara led the Hawks to the South Jersey Group 2 title at Delsea. Haddon Township won South Jersey Group 2 in the inaugural girls sectional meet at Pennsauken in 1976 behind a 1-2 finish from Linda Matousch and Mimi Bullock, the 1983 title behind individual winner Missy Roller and 1984 with Roller and Suzanne Haug running 2-3.

Also in the top 10: Maple Shade junior Crystal Benito [4th in 21:13], Gloucester junior Dejia Robert [5th in 21:28], Wildwood junior Leiah Pawlus [7th in 21:34], Schalick freshman Elizabeth Petrunis [8th in 21:44], Palmyra senior Cadence Anderson [9th in 21:55] and Maple Shade senior Yaretzy Rodriguez-Parras [10th in 21:58].