It’s been 23 years since Mainland Regional took over Holmdel County Park and outraced CBA to win the Meet of Champions title.
Greg Hughes placed 2nd in 15:39, Jimmy Wyner 16:06, Joe Masters 18th in 16:22, Spenser Popeson 24th in 16:29 and Alex Palmentieri 66th in 17:02. For team scoring purposes, they went 1-8-10-13-36 and edged CBA 68-74.
After four runners, Mainland led 32-48, so Palmentieri’s sole purpose was to finish fewer than 15 spots behind CBA’s 5th runner, and he finished 10 spots behind him, locking up the win for the Mustangs.
Mainland averaged 16:19.12 per runner that day back in 2023 and here we are more than two decades later and despite faster shoes, a faster course and improved training methods, that 16:19.12 average still stands as the South Jersey single-race Holmdel County Park course record.
Haddonfield came very close with its 16:19.68 at the 2010 Meet of Champions but Mainland has stood up to every challenge.
Some very good teams will take aim at that 16:19.12 Saturday at states and a week from Saturday at the Meet of Champions. But for now, here’s the all-time South Jersey Holmdel single-race performance list. Corrections and additions are welcome!
Girls list coming later today!
16:19.12 … Mainland Regional, 2003 Meet of Champions [1]
16:19.68 … Haddonfield, 2010 Meet of Champions [2]
16:21.56 … Haddonfield, 2001 Meet of Champions [1]
16:21.40 … Haddonfield, 2021 Meet of Champions [3]
16:22.4h ….. Mainland Regional, 2003 Shore Coaches
16:22.94 … Kingsway, 2017 Group 4 [1]
16:25.00 … Mainland Regional, 2003 Group 4 [1]
16:26.05 … Cherry Hill East, 2014 Group 4 [1]
16:27.2h ….. Paul VI, 1988 [1]
16:28.60 … Haddonfield, 2021 Group 2 [1]
16:28.4h ..… Cherokee, 2022 Meet of Champions [3]
16:28.8h ..… Paul VI, 1984 Meet of Champions [1]
16:30.28 … Haddonfield, 2018 Meet of Champions [2]
16:30.72 … Cherokee, 2019 Meet of Champions [4]
16:31.30 … Cherry Hill East, 2014 Meet of Champions [3]
16:32.02 … Cherry Hill East, 2015 Group 4 [2]
16:33.46 … Haddonfield, 2019 Group 2 [1]
16:33.70 … Cherokee, 2019 Group 4 [1]
16:33.72 … Haddonfield, 2019 Meet of Champions [3]
16:34.58 … Kingsway, 2014 Group 4 [2]
16:35.00 … Cherokee, 2019 Shore Coaches A [3]
16:35.99 … Cherokee, 2000 Meet of Champions [2]
16:37.18 … Haddonfield, 2009 Group 2 [1]
16:37.52 … Haddonfield, 2009 Meet of Champions [4]
16:37.18 … Cherokee, 2022 Shore Coaches A [1]
16:40.54 … Haddonfield, 2015 Meet of Champions [4]
16:40.75 … Cherry Hill East, 2018 Group 4 [4]
16:41.20 … Cherry Hill East, 2019 Group 4 [4]
16:41.40 … Mainland Regional, 2002 Group 3 [1]
16:41.96 … Haddon Twp., 2014 Meet of Champions [10]
16:42.06 … Haddonfield, 2014 Group 2 [1]
16.43.38 … Cherokee, 2024 Shore Coaches
16:43.81 … Kingsway, 2014 Meet of Champions [4]
16:44.18 … Mainland Regional, 2002 Meet of Champions [1]
16:44.74 … Cherokee, 2004 Meet of Champions [5]
16:44.82 … Haddonfield, 2015 Group 2 [2]
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 