From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Rancocas Valley and Holy Cross placed 4th and 5th at the very first girls Meet of Champions, held at Holmdel County Park 52 years ago.

Red Bank Catholic [53], Franklin [128] and Hunterdon Cental [129] took the top three spots at the 1972 MoC, with R.V. 4th at 152 and Holy Cross 5th with 162 points. Haddon Township also raced as a team that day, placing 12th with 349 points.

R.V. was led by Cathy Young in 5th place with a 13:21 over two miles, teammate Cathy Christman was 7th in 13:37 and Patti Barnes took 22nd for the Red Devils.

Holy Cross had Sharon Fitzpatrick in 6th in 13:24, Millie Hunt 27th and then Cathy Devlin, Jean Jackson and Joanne McEntee 38th, 41th and 50th.

This year’s Meet of Champions on Saturday will feature three South Jersey teams – Cherokee, Paul VI and Ocean City.

This will be Cherokee’s 5th trip to MoC. Cherokee first qualified for the MoC in 2004, when the Chiefs placed 8th. They were 6th in 2010, then won it in 2021 and placed 9th last year.

Paul VI will be racing as a team at a Meet of Champions for the 17th time overall but first time since 2003, when they placed 12th. But PVI made 16 trips from 1982 through 2003 – 3rd in 1983, 8th in 1993, 3rd in 1984, 6th in 1985, 5th in 1986, 3rd in 1989, 2nd in 1990, 5th in 1991, 3rd in 1992, 5th in 1993, 7th in 1949, 8th in 1995, 7th in 1996, 12th in 1997, 13th in 2001 and 12th in 2003.

And Ocean City will be competing as a full team for the XXth time after placing 9th in 1986, 4th in 1987, 4th in 1988, 8th in 1990, 7th in 1993, 14th in 1994, 9th in 1995, 5th in 2003 and 14th in 2012.

Here’s a look at every South Jersey school that’s competed at Meet of Champions as a full team:

2023
5. Haddonfield 166
9. Cherokee 211

2022
2. Haddonfield 88
9. Clearview 209

2021
1. Cherokee 117
5. Haddonfield 179
10. Cherry Hill East 267

2020 [Holmdel Invitational exhibition]
1. Haddonfield 52
2. Cherokee 144

2019
4. Haddonfield 172
7. Kingsway 210
18. Schalick 464

2018
15. Shawnee 331

2017
2. Kingsway 126
5. Shawnee 190
14. Haddonfield 353

2016
3. Kingsway 132
4. Shawnee 179
9. Haddonfield 249

2015
7. Seneca 204
12. Haddonfield 310

2014
13. Haddonfield 356

2013
5. Haddonfield 164
7. Shawnee 176
10. Seneca 216
14. Pitman 352

2012
12. Seneca 254
14. Ocean City 328
16. Pitman 376

2011
14. Delsea 360
16. Moorestown 377

2010
6. Cherokee 220
12. Bishop Eustace 291
14. Haddonfield 307
17. Moorestown 324

2009
8. Delsea 222
11. Haddonfield 260
14. Seneca 309
20. Wildwood Catholic 500

2008
12. Haddonfield 314
15. Shawnee 358

2007
8. Haddonfield 221
10. Lenape 264
17. Haddon Township 460
18. Our Lady of Mercy 467

2006
7. Cherry Hill East 188
8. Lenape 190
10. Haddonfield 222
17. Wildwood Catholic 408

2005
6. Haddonfield 162
13. Moorestown 303
18. Bishop Eustace 588

2004
8. Cherokee 241

2003
1. Shawnee 119
5. Ocean City 178
12. Paul VI 309
16. Haddonfield 362
19. Gloucester City 439

2002
1. Shawnee 69
4. Moorestown 155
11. Paul VI 259
18. Bishop Eustace 477
20. Schalick 535

2001
1. Moorestown 88
3. Shawnee 142
13. Paul VI 330
19. Bishop Eustace 449
20. Schalick 564

2000
3. Moorestown 116
6. Shawnee 174
12. Bishop Eustace 300
19. Haddon Township 505
20. Gloucester City 540

1999
2. Moorestown 132
4. Shawnee 164
13. Woodrow Wilson 262

1998
4. Shawnee 164
7. Moorestown 211
16. Haddonfield 343

1997
1. Shawnee 99
12. Paul VI 264

1996
2. Shawnee 93
4. Bishop Eustace 138
7. Paul VI 208
11. Egg Harbor Township 245
16. Schalick 477

1995
2. Bishop Eustace 77
3. Shawnee 87
8. Paul VI 236
9. Ocean City 256
13. Haddonfield 333
17. Schalick 482
18. Maple Shade 517

1994
2. Bishop Eustace 77
5. Shawnee 108
7. Paul VI 208
13. Camden Catholic 341
14. Ocean City 363
15. Haddonfield 377

1993
4. Shawnee 125
5. Paul VI 157
7. Ocean City 210
9. Bishop Eustace 229
14. Haddonfield 350

1992
3. Paul VI 141
4. Bishop Eustace 142
6. Shawnee 159
11. Kingsway 267
14. Haddonfield 324

1991
1. Shawnee 99
5. Paul VI 138
8. Cinnaminson 195
11. Haddonfield 291

1990
2. Paul VI 136
5. Shawnee 165
8. Ocean City 189
9. Kingsway 194
10. Bishop Eustace 210
13. Haddonfield 361
16. Sacred Heart 382

1989
3. Paul VI 84
10. Kingsway 250
12. Bishop Eustace 261

1988
4. Ocean City 115
10. Bishop Eustace 232

1987
4. Ocean City 125
10. Kingsway 227
12. Bishop Eustace 269

1986
5. Paul VI 133
9. Ocean City 227

1985
6. Paul VI 192
11. Holy Cross 293
17. Gloucester Catholic 514

1984
3. Paul VI 107

1983
7. Shawnee 255
8. Paul VI 288
12. Holy Cross 324
22. Haddonfield 500

1982
3. Paul VI 169
14. Haddonfield 321

1981
None

1980
7. Holy Cross 170

1979
None

1978
None

1977
None

1976
None

1975
13. Rancocas Valley 399
17. Mainland Regional 420

1974
None

1973
4. Rancocas Valley 269
9. Gateway 349
16. Holy Cross 522

1972
4. Rancocas Valley 152
5. Holy Cross 162
12. Haddon Township 349