Junior Riley Austin, No. 1 runner on Haddonfield’s state Group 2 championship team last fall, opened her 2024 season with a win at a Colonial Conference batch meet Tuesday at Pennypacker Park in Haddon Township and Cherry Hill.
Austin covered what is listed as 5,000-meter course but was likely a two-mile course in 12:04, finishing 175 meters clear of the field.
Austin placed 3rd in the state Group 2 meet last fall and ran 2:16.87 indoors for 800 meters. She didn’t run in the spring, so this was her first race since the indoor Meet of Champions at Ocean Breeze six months ago.
Austin led a 1-2-3-4 Haddonfield finish with teammates sophomore Madison Kelsey [2nd in 12:45], junior Tylin Regan [3rd in 12:54] and sophomore Molly Mills [4th in 12:54].
Gloucester junior Emma Dick placed 5th, also in 12:54, and senior Dylan Melcher [6th in 12:55] and sophomore Devon Gervasi [7th in 12:55] of Haddonfield also broke 13 minutes.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 