Great race between two of South Jersey’s best Wednesday, with Mainland senior Sofia Day edging Ocean City senior Maeve Smith at the Cape-Atlantic Championships in Egg Harbor.
Day and Smith both ran 18:25, with Day officially crossing the line in 18:25.18 and Smith 18:25.84.
That difference – 66-100ths of a second – is the equivalent of about 2 ½ meters in a 5,000-meter race.
Day and Smith also went 1-2 in last year’s race at Stockton.
After Day, the next four runners were from Ocean City, and the Red Raiders won the team title 23-61 over Egg Harbor Township, with Mainland Regional 3rd with 74.
After Smith, senior Chloe Care, sophomore Carly Godfrey and freshman Riley Tolson all finished virtually together, Care 3rd in 19:12, Godrey 4th in 19:13 and Tolson 5th in 19:13. Senior Zoe Zammit clinched the team title with her 9th-place finish in 19:53. They were backed up by 6th and 7th runners sophomores Lillian Flora and Peighton Clemens, 11th and 15th in 19:56 and 20:13.
Egg Harbor was led by sophomore Addison Lambert and junior Devyn Per, who both finished in the top 10. Lambert was 6th in 19:39 and Per 10th in 19:54.
Mainland sophomore Cecilia Foreman [7th in 19:49] and Vineland senior Kylee Black [8th in 19:52] also placed in the top 10.
Also in the top 20: Egg Harbor junior Paige Pacquing [12th in 20:00], Egg Harbor senior Bithania Andemariam [13th in 20:11], Hammonton senior Natalie Clauhs [14th in 20:11], Vineland senior Gabrielle Brown [16th in 20:25], Vineland sophomore Olivia Masucci [17th in 20:41], Middle Township junior Olivia Orton [18th in 20:42], Mainland senior Ava McDole [19th in 20:53] and Egg Harbor freshman Carlee Steet [20th in 21:07].
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 