The top South Jersey seniors in the girls XC Meet of Champions last fall were Cherokee’s Kerry O’Day and Paul VI’s Shaman McNally, who finished 10th and 11th overall, separated by only seven seconds.
Now, O’Day and McNally are teammates.
Both are freshman at Bucknell and both are listed on Bucknell’s women’s cross country roster.
O’Day ran 4:58.54 last year after that 18:44 at Holmdel County Park. McNally ran 18:51 at Holmdel and had a huge spring with 2:14.65, 4:45.91 and 10:18.93.
Bucknell is scheduled to open the season Saturday morning at the Father Bede Invitational at St. Francis University in Loretto, Pa.
With XC season set to begin this weekend, we came up with a list of every senior from South Jersey that finished in the top 100 at the Meet of Champions and where they’re attending college.
Many of these athletes will likely be red-shirting but several should be in action this weekend.
Any errors or omissions please let me know in the comment section ASAP! And would love to add Liam Dougherty’s college if he’s running this fall and anyone can help out with his plans!
BOYS TOP 100
Peyton Shute, Woodbury [2nd], Cornell
Nick Kuenkel, Cherokee [6th], Monmouth
Elijah Forrest, Collingswood [14th], Georgia Tech
Will Mrozinski, Paul VI [19th], Lehigh
Robert Poplau, Cherokee [59th], Rutgers
Matt Hoffman, Ocean City [66th], St. Joe’s
Liam Dougherty, Haddonfield [84th], NA
Raine Guidarelli, Cherry Hill East [91st], Rutgers [not listed on XC roster]
GIRLS TOP 100
Kerry O’Day, Cherokee [10th], Bucknell
Shaelan McNally, Paul VI [11th], Bucknell
Alyssa Boucher, Williamstown [28th], College of Charleston
Gillian Lovett, Mainland Reg. [30th], La Salle
Ava Thomas, Haddonfield [32nd], Columbia
Anya Kazemi, Bishop Eustace [63rd], Lafayette
Riley Slootsky, Haddonfield [65th], Elon
Michaela Schlemo, Egg Harbor Twp. [71st], Rutgers
Anna Stolarick, Haddonfield [74th], Holy Cross
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 