Williamstown senior Sophia Aldridge broke 19 minutes for a 2nd straight race and finished first in the Gold Championship Race Saturday at the South Jersey Shootout.
Aldridge ran 18:59 at DREAM Park in Logan Township, only five seconds off the Williamstown best at DREAM Park, an 18:54 by Alyssa Boucher two years ago, when she placed 2nd at South Jersey Group 4 Sectionals.
West Deptford senior Kayla Romanoski ran 19:49 for 2nd place in her second competitive 5,000 in her first year of XC. She trimmed 53 seconds off her only previous 5,000, a 20:42 at Pennypacker Park earlier this week.
Maple Shade junior Juliana Catalani broke 20 minutes for the first time, placing 3rd in 19:58.
Sophomore Makayla Zell finished 4th in 20:10, helping Moorestown win the team title with just 20 points . Clearview and Delsea both had 77 points, with Clearview’s 6th runner finishing one spot ahead of Delsea’s sixth for 2nd place.
Moorestown had five finishers in the top 12, with senior Celia Frederico 6th in 20:29, junior Catherine Hipple 8th in 20:41, junior Siyana Sheth 10th in 21:25 and freshman Juliet Stack Maya 12th in 21:28. All five Moorestown scorers finished in an even-numbered place.
Also in the top 10 were West Deptford junior Taylor Sierzega [5th in 20:16], Vineland junior Olivia Marucci [7th in 20:33] and Delsea freshman Brooke Mashburn [9th in 20:56].
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 