Julia Flanagan recorded her first career cross country invitational win Saturday when she ran away from the field at the Ray Hoagland Invitational.
Flanagan, a Holy Cross junior, ran an all-course lifetime-best 18:54 over 5,000 meters at the Rancocas Valley Sports Complex in Eastampton, finishing 120 meters ahead of 2nd-place Nilaa Ponnappan of Camden Catholic, who was 2nd in 19:23.
Flanagan’s time is 3rd-fastest in course history and 17 seconds shy of the course record of 18:37 set by Cherokee’s Nicole Clifford at the 2021 County Open. Her previous all-course 5K PR was a 19:23 earlier this month at the South Jersey Shootout at DREAM Park in Logan Township.
Last spring, Flanagan ran 5:12.12 and 11:31.30 and placed 3rd in both the 1,600 and 3,200 at the state Parochial B championships at Stockton University in Galloway Township.
Delsea put its first four runners in the top nine to win the team title, 30-45, over 2nd-place Rancocas Valley, with Camden Catholic a close 3rd with 46 points.
For the Crusaders, senior Juliana Sieminski placed 3rd in 20:13, junior Isabella Moran was 5th in 21:14, Paige Mashburn 6th in 21:27 and junior Sofia Moran 9th in 21:57. Fifth runner freshman Gyann Trabosh took 18th overall in 24:57.
Also in the top 10: Delran junior Ashley Doyle [4th in 20:40], Rancocas Valley junior Mary Casano [7th in 21:30], R.V. senior Haley Wasson [8th in 21:47] and Camden Catholic freshman madison Golden [10th in 22:36].
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 