Freshman Jack Tindall, sophomore Benjamin Realley and senior Liam Tindall swept the first three places and Cherokee broke the single-race team record at DREAM Park at the Olympic Conference Championships in Logan Township.
Cherokee packed its top five runners in 22 seconds and averaged 15:44.6, breaking the record of 15:48.1 set by Cherokee at the 2022 South Jersey Group 4 sectionals.
In a battle of two of New Jersey’s top programs, No. 5 Cherokee topped No. 6 Cherry Hill East 17-47.
Paul VI edged Shawnee 104-106 for 3rd.
The team title is Cherokee’s 4th straight and 17th since 1997. Either Cherokee or Cherry Hill East has won each of the last 12 Olympic Conference championships.
Tindall won the race in 15:32, breaking the freshman course record of 15:46 set at South Jersey Group 4 sectionals last year by Kingsway’s Ryan Duffy. His time is 11th-fastest in course history.
Really placed 2nd in 15:40, the 2nd-fastest time in course history by a sophomore. Woodbury’s Peyton Shute ran 15:28 at 2021 South Jersey Group 1 sectionals.
Tindall was 3rd in 15:45, junior Logan Bromley 5th in 15:52 and sophomore Sean Sooy 6th in 15:54. Sixth man Enzo Corona, a senior, took 7th in 15:57, and senior Benjamin Weiner ran 12th in 16:07. That’s seven finishers in a 35-second gap.
Two other Cherokee runners finished in the top 20: Anthony DiBattista ran 16:23 for 19th and Tate Midora 20th in 16:29.
The top nine finishers were all from Cherokee or Cherry Hill East. For East, Brandon Lyons placed 4th in 15:47, Alvin Lin 8th in 15:58, Brody Bogos 9th in 16:01, Will Nelson 11th in 16:05 and Cian Sherlock 15th in 16:16 backed up by Colin Moore and Milo Poerner in 17th and 18th in 16:22 and 16:23.
Also under 16:30 on the DREAM Park speedway: Paul VI Sean Alemi [10th in 16:04], Shawnee Noah Stapleton [13th in 16:14], Cherry Hill West Rex Takakjy [14th in 16:14] and Shawnee Simon Bernhardt [16th in 16:22].
Also under 17 minutes: Paul VI Caden Briggs [21st in 16:31], Paul VI Max Long [22nd in 16:32], Rancocas Valley Christopher Gray [23rd in 16:33], Shawnee Yanni Ekatomatis [24th in 16:33], Sickerville Tech Julian Rich [25th in 16:34], Shawnee Elias Knoll [26th in 16:35], Rancocas Valley Alex Kinney [27th in 16:39], Paul VI Chase Cooley [28th in 16:40], Winslow Dominic Bassey [29th in 16:45], Eastern Ryan Haefele [30th in 16:49] and Cherry Hill East Nikhil Raman [31st in 16:54].
Cherokee also won titles in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 