Ocean City senior Maeve Smith edged Mainland Regional senior Sofia Day for the 2nd straight year, and the Ocean City girls placed four runners in the top five to win their 13th sectional title at the Group 3 sectionals at DREAM Park in Logan Township.
Smith ran 18:16 and Day 18:22 in the latest showdown between two of New Jersey’s top runners.
Smith becomes Ocean City’s first repeat champion since Brittany Sedberry won three straight from 2002 through 2004.
Ocean City – ranked 2nd in New Jersey and 1st among public schools – had four runners under 18:40 and averaged 18:41.83, 2nd-fastest in course history behind Haddonfield’s 18:19.90 at 2022 Group 2 sectionals. Haddonfield has yet to race Saturday.
Senior Chloe Care placed 3rd in 18:26, sophomore Carly Godfrey 4th in 18:37, freshman Riley Tolson 5th in 18:38 and senior Zoe Zammit 14th in 19:28 for the Red Raiders.
Care, Godfrey, Tolson and Zammit all ran lifetime 5K all-course bests.
Ocean City scored 27 points, and Moorestown packed five in 34 seconds and took 2nd with 50 points.
Senior Gabrielle DeJoseph and junior Lilliana Stack Maya placed 6th and 7th for the Quakers in 18:52 and 19:12.
Also in the top 15 and advancing to states (if their teams don’t qualify) are Delsea senior Juliana Sieminski [8th in 19:13], senior Hammonton Natalie Clauhs [9th in 19:14], Moorestown senior Noelia Reyes [10th in 19:20], Moorestown freshman Hope Edwards [11th in 19:21], Mainland sophomore Ceclia Foreman [12th in 19:23], Winslow senior Ava Millner [13th in 19:27] and Shawnee senior Paige Cline [15th in 19:32].
Others under 20 minutes: Moorestown freshman Makayla Zell [16th in 19:34], Highland senior Audrey Musmeci [17th in 19:37], Ocean City sophomore Lillian Flora [18th in 19:37], Clearview senior Lilla Porter [19th in 19:39], Highland junior Lyana Gutierrez [20th in 19:47], Moorestown junior Celia Frederico [21st in 19:50] and Delsea senior Laney Vecchio [22nd in 19:55].
Ocean City also won South Jersey Group 3 titles in 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1993, 2003, 2004, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2023.
The only New Jersey schools with more sectional championships are Ridgewood [28], Northern Highlands [16], Haddonfield [23] and Shawnee [15].
Previous Ocean City individual winners include Melody Sye in 1982, Mary Jo Dougherty in 1986 and 1987, Kelly Dougherty in 1988, Megan Hartman in 1992 and 1993, Abbey Hartman in 1995, Sedberry from 2002 through 2004, Bridget Flynn in 2013, Devin Grisbaum in 2014 and Alexa Palmieri in 2018.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 