Kerry O’Day became Cherokee’s 2nd-fastest runner ever at Holmdel Saturday morning with her 4th-place finish at the state Group 4 meet.
O’Day, a senior, ran 18:41, her fastest time on the historic 5,000-meter layout by 43 seconds. O’Day had run 19:24 at the 2021 Meet of Champions.
The only faster Cherokee girl at Holmdel is Megan Lacy, one of six South Jersey runners to break 18 minutes at Holmdel. Lacy’s fastest Holmdel time was a 17:55 at the 2010 Group 4 meet.
O’Day’s time makes her the 4th-fastest performer from Burlington County ever at Holmdel and the 8th under 19 minutes:
17:55 … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2010 Group 4
18:18 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2023 Shore Coaches
18:38 … Casey Doyle [Shawnee], 2007 Meet of Champions
18:41 … Kerry O’Day [Cherokee], 2023 Group 4
18:43 … Nicole Clifford [Cherokee], 2021 2021 Meet of Champions
18:49 … Mara Schiffhauer [Seneca], 2013 Meet of Champions
18:52 … Lisa Burkholder [Cherokee], 2004 Meet of Champions
18:59 … Kara Bonner [Shawnee,], 2015 Group 3
O’Day’s 18:41 reshapes Cherokee’s all-time team average, dropping it from 18:46.6 to 18:38.6 and moving the Chiefs – at least temporarily – from 4th-fastest team average in Holmdel history to 3rd-fastest among South Jersey schools.
18:38.6 Cherokee A
17:55 … Megan Lacy [2010 Group 4]
18:41 … Kerry O’Day [2023 Group 4]
18:43 … Nicole Clifford [2021 Meet of Champions]
18:52 … Lisa Burkholder [2004 Meet of Champions]
19:02 … Kate Rathman [2019 Meet of Champions]
Cherokee junior Megan Niglio and Williamstown 1st-year senior XC runner Alyssa Boucher also recorded top-10 finishes, Niglio in 8th in 19:30 and Boucher in 9th in 19:37.
Niglio’s previous Holmdel best was a 19:48 at the 2021 Meet of Champions and Boucher’s was 20:23 in September at Shore Coaches.
Cherokee placed 4th with 135 points and Cherry Hill East was 7th with 203 points.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 