From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Fourteen South Jersey runners broke 17:30 at the state Group 4 cross country championships last fall at Holmdel County Park, and 11 of them were underclassmen – six juniors, three sophomores and two freshmen.

Those 11 are among the 27-fastest returners on the legendary Holmdel 5,000-meter course that will host the 52nd annual Shore Coaches Invitational on Oct. 5, the 105th annual state meets Nov. 9 and the 52nd annual Meet of Champions on Nov. 16.

Only 10 of the 11 on the list below ran their fastest Holmdel time at states. Colin Moore of Cherry Hill East is listed with his 16:52 from Shore Coaches. He ran 17:03 at states.

Of the top 50 returning South Jersey runners at Holmdel, Cherry Hill East has seven, Cherokee six and Haddonfield and Ocean City five each – although Haddonfield has four of the top 13. All four ran 16:52 or faster on the hilly, winding course.

Clearview and Williamstown have three apiece and Washington Township and Paul VI two each. Kingsway, Glassboro, Highland, Moorestown, Moorestown Friends, Delsea, Haddon Heights, Rancocas Valley, Eastern, Cinnaminson, Haddon Township, Bishop Eustace, Egg Harbor Township and Camden Catholic are all also represented. (Yes, I know it adds up to 51 … there’s a three-way tie for No. 49!).

Williamstown rising senior Dylan Saber is the fastest Holmdel returner, thanks to his 16:14 at the state Group 4 meet, one second ahead of Cherokee rising senior Liam Tindall. Kingsway soph Ryan Duffy is the only other returner who broke 16:30 last year. Duffy ran 16:19 in that same Group 4 meet, fastest ever by a South Jersey freshman and tied for 3rd-fastest by any freshman at Holmdel.

Here are the 50-fastest returning South Jersey runners at Holmdel. If you notice any errors, typos, mis-spellings or omissions, let me know in the comment section!

16:14 … Dylan Saber [Williamstown], State Group 4
16:15 … Liam Tindall [Cherokee], State Group 4
16:19 … **Ryan Duffy [Kingsway], State Group 4
16:32 … Bennett Wright [Haddonfield], Shore Coaches
16:33 … Ty Blackman [Glassboro], Meet of Champions
16:34 … *Luke Andresen [Haddonfield], Meet of Champions
16:35 … Brady Bogos [Cherry Hill East], State Group 4
16:39 … **Benjamin Realley [Cherokee], State Group 4
16:41 … *Ryan Gibson [Haddonfield], State Group 2
16:45 … Ethan Buck [Ocean City], State Group 3
16:46 … Mason Wassell [Highland], State Group 3
16:46 … *Peter Simpson [Moorestown], State Group 4
16:48 … Alvin Lin [Cherry Hill East], State Group 4
16:52 … Benjamin Andrus [Haddonfield], State Group 2
16:52 … Colin Moore [Cherry Hill East], Shore Coaches
16:56 … Dominic Burgio [Williamstown], State Group 4
17:03 … *Matthew Littlehales [Delsea], Shore Coaches
17:03 … Reggie Hernandez [Haddon Heights], State Group 2
17:05 … Benjamin Weiner [Cherokee], State Group 4
17:05 … Brandon Lyons [Cherry Hill East], State Group 4
17:06 … Ethan Worst [Clearview], State Group 3
17:08 … *Erik Praisner [Ocean City], State Group 3
17:09 … Noah Stapleton [Shawnee], Shore Coaches
17:10 … Yanni Ekatomatis [Shawnee], State Group 3
17:15 … Christian Napoli [Paul VI], State Parochial A
17:16 … Nikhil Raman [Cherry Hill East], Shore Coaches
17:16 … David Kershner [Williamstown], State Group 4
17:26 … **Keenan Neuman [Ocean City], Shore Coaches
17:29 … Akshar Patel [Clearview], State Group 3
17:29 … Isaac Linden [Moorestown Friends], Meet of Champions
17:30 … Kal Heyman [Ocean City], State Group 3
17:32 … Hunter Bostwick {Washington Twp.], Shore Coaches
17:33 … Christopher Gray [Rancocas Valley], Shore Coaches
17:34 … Ryan Haefele [Eastern], Shore Coaches
17:36 … Cole Pizzo [Cherry Hill East], Shore Coaches
17:38 … *John Liebrandt [Haddonfield], Shore Coaches
17:38 … *Jacob Wickersham [Cinnaminson], State Group 2
17:40 … Elias Knoll [Shawnee], State Group 3
17:41 … *James Clauson [Haddon Twp.], State Group 2
17:44 … Ethan Caprarola [Bishop Eustace], State Parochial B
17:47 … Zach Hutchinson [Ocean City], State Group 3
17:49 … *Milo Poerner [Cherry Hill East], State Group 4
17:50 … Sean Alemi [Paul VI], Shore Coaches
17:50 … Ryne Handley [Clearview], State Group 3
17:51 … Cam Koryga [Egg Harbor Twp.], Shore Coaches
17:51 … *Logan Bromley [Cherokee], Shore Coaches
17:51 … Joseph Dell’Aquila [Clearview], State Group 3
17:52 … Enzo Corona [Cherokee], Shore Coaches
17:53 … Sean Leahy [Camden Catholic], State Parochial A
17:53 … Joshua Baseshore [Washington Twp.], Shore Coaches
17:53 … Anthony DiBattista [Cherokee], State Group 4