Macie McCracken became Wildwood’s first-ever sectional champion, and the Audubon girls, led by freshman Sophia Brassill, won their first South Jersey title in 43 years Saturday morning in Logan Township.
McCracken, a senior, ran 18:38 at DREAM Park and finished 70 meters ahead of defending state Group 1 champion Jordan Hadfield, who took 2nd in 18:54.
McCracken placed 2nd to Haddon Township’s Megan Lex at 2022 Group 1 sectionals and was 2nd to Hadfield last year and went to place 5th at the state Group 1 meet. Her 18:38 is 2nd-fastest ever at DREAM Park by a Group 1 runner behind Hadfield’s 18:33 at sectionals last year.
Audubon didn’t have a runner in the top six but won a wide-open team race by putting five between 7th and 17th in a 65-second gap.
Brassill ran 20:58 and placed 7th, and senior Josephine Albanese, sophmore Lydia Gravante, freshman Romina Macko and sophomore Sophia Rizzo took 11th, 13th, 16th and 17th in 21:24, 21:30, 22:02 and 22:03.
Audubon’s tight pack put the Green Wave atop a close three-way battle with 53 points to 66 for Haddon Township and 69 for Woodstown. Maple Shade was also in double figures with 94 points.
Audubon, led by Terri Endt in 2nd place and Shirley Tsonis in 7th, won on a 6th-runner tiebreaker with Manchester Township at Pennsauken in 1981 after they were tied at 55 through five runners. Karen Jackson placed 32nd for Audubon to beat Manchester’s sixth runner.
Haddon Township junior Blake Kemery and sophomore Tanner Lajoie placed 9th and 10th in 21:04 and 21:13, and Woodstown had sophomore Lilian Norman and freshman Abby Marino 5th and 6th in 20:26 and 20:43.
Also in the top 15 and advancing to the state meet: Maple Shade senior Crystal Benito [3rd in 19:44], Maple Shade sophomore Juliana Catalani [4th in 20:20], Wildwood senior Leiah Pawlus [8th in 21:01], Woodstown sophomore Anabel Schaal [12th in 21:29], Cape May County Tech junior Kirstyn McHale [21:36] and New Egypt junior Alana Burnett [15th in 21:47].
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 