Junior Macy Huber and sophomore Grace Gutowski finished 1-2 and led the Paul VI girls to their first Camden County title since 2016 in Gloucester Township.
Huber ran 19:29 at Timber Creek Park and Gutowski 19:52, and the Eagles placed their five scorers in the top eight. Paul VI, ranked 5th in the state, scored just 22 points. That equals the lowest winning score since Paul VI won the 1987 race at Camden County College with 19 points. Haddonfield also scored 22 in 2020.
Freshman Payton Blake, freshman Morgan Kuzma and sophomore Kara Salamone were also in PVI’s scoring pack, Blake in 4th [20:42], Kuzma 7th [21:16] and Salamone 8th [21:22].
Paul VI also had a 1-2 finish in 2022 with Shaelan McNally and Huber.
Paul VI won 2016 with Annie Skiles and Bridget Lyons finishing 2nd and 3rd on the same course.
Camden Catholic senior Nilaa Ponnappan placed 3rd in 20:18, Haddonfield sophomores Devon Gervasi and Harper Benjamin ran 20:59 and 21:07 for 4th and 5th, Triton sophomore Emily Lutner was 9th in 21:34 and Haddonfield junior Elizabeth Pappas 10th in 21:39.
Others under 22 minutes were Haddonfield juniors Edith Green [11th in 21:45] and Lauren Hamblin [12th in 21:46], Paul VI freshman Johanna Trampe [13th in 21:49],Winslow senior Ava Millner [14th in 21:52] and Haddonfield junior Chloe Rusc [15th in 21:59]
Haddonfield, which rested a number of its regulars, finished 2nd with 41 points.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 