From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Alvin Lin, Cian Sherlock and Milo Poerner ran the 3^rd-, 6^th– and 11^th-fastest times out of more than 500 runners in three races, and the Cherry Hill East boys – ranked 5^th in New Jersey – won the team merge at the Battle of Ocean County Park Friday in Lakewood.

Lin ran 15:46 and placed 3^rd in the Snior Race, Sherlock ran 15:51 and took 2^nd in the junior race and Poerner ran 16:04 and was 7^th in the Senior Race.

Cherry Hill East outscored 2^nd-place St. Peter’s Prep of Jersey City, 122-129, to win the merge. Aneesh Rajagopal was 20^th in the Junior race in 16:53 and 38^th overall, and Jonathan Chalmers ran 36^th in the Junior race in 17:20 and 67^th overall.

Conan Poerner and Braden Sherlock ran 2^nd and 3^rd in the Freshman Race in 10:37 and 10:44 over two miles, but since the freshman race was not 5,000 meters the don’t count in the team competition.

Paul VI and Cinnaminson placed 3^rd and 4^th in the merge, giving South Jersey three of the top four schools overall.

PVI had an all-underclass top five of Chris Monaghan 13^th overall and 4^th in the Junior Race [16:16], Max Long 19^th and 9^th in the Junior Race [16:33], Jason Smith 28^th and 14^th in the Junior Race [16:43], Chase Cooley 31^st and 15^th in the Junior Race [16:45] and Caden Briggs 58^th and 30^thin the Junior Race [17:11], with Andrew Keane just out of the top five in 61^st at 33^rd in the Junior Race in 17:14.

Paul VI soph Nick Ablaza also had a top-10 finish, running 17:41 for 10^th in the Sophomore Race, and Kevin Huber ran 11:31 for two miles for 8^th in the freshman race.

Cinnaminson was led by Jacob Wickersham, who ran 15:44, the 2^nd-fastest time among all the races. Wickersham was 2^nd in the Senior Race, behind only Randolph’s Kennan Byers, who ran 15:23. And he was the only senior in Cinnaminson’s top five.

Also in the top 20 for Cinnaminson were Ryan Scaricaciottoli, who was 14^th overall and 7^th in the Junior Race [16:18] and Edward Abu-Adas, who was 17^th overall and 8^th in the Junior Race [16:27]. Owen Castanheira [62^nd overall, 34^th in Junior Race in 17:15] and Alexander Lonardo [72^nd overall, 38^th in Junior Race 17:26] were also in the Pirates’ top five.

Cherry Hill West’s Rex Takakjy of Cherry Hill West finished two seconds behind Wickersham in 15:44 for 3^rd place in the Senior Race and 4^th-fastest overall behind Byers, Wickersham and Lin.

Also running sub-17 were Eastern’s Timothy Shack, who was 11^th in the Junior Race in 16:36, 24^th-fastest overall, and Winslow’s Vincent Perri, 18^th in the Junior Race in 16:53, 38^th-fastest overall.