From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Senior Erik Preisner, junior Nathan Aschmann and junior Keenan Neuman all placed in the top 10 and the Ocean City boys won the Varsity B team title Saturday at the Six Flags Wild Safary Invitational in Jackson.

Preisner ran 15:40 and placed 2^nd to junior Timothy Claessens of Newark (Del.) Charter, who ran 15:27.

Aschmann was 8^th in 16:04 and Neuman 10^th in 16:26 for the Red Raiders, who outscored 2^nd-place Phillipsburg, 63-111, with Allentown 3^rd with 111 after the 6^th-runner tiebreaker.

Junior Michael Romano [21^st in 16:52] and sophomore Benjamin McCarthy [24^th in 16:53] were Ocean City’s 4^th and 5^th finishers. Sophomore Hayden Tarves [35^th, all-course PR 17:26] was the Raiders’ sixth runner.

Cherry Hill West senior Rex Takakjy placed 4^th in 15:58, and Highland senior Andrew Dopkin was 11^th in 16:26.

Ocean City sophomore Riley Tolson ran a big all-course 5,000-meter PR and recorded her first career invitational win Saturday at the Six Flags Wild Safari Invitational in Jackson, leading Ocean City to 2^nd place in the Varsity B race.

Tolson ran 18:16, breaking her 5,000 PR of 18:38 set at South Jersey Group 3 sectionals last October on the DREAM Park speedway in Logan Township.

Tolson finished 150 meters ahead of 2^nd-place Lucy Myers of Notre Dame Prep of Towson, Md., who ran 18:49. Notre Dame went 2-3-5-15-18 and topped Ocean City 43-61 to win the team title.

The Red Raiders placed five runners between 12^th and 26^th, with junior Lillian Flora 12^th in 20:03, senior Gabrielle Henry 16^th in 20:14, freshman Bella Cera 18^th in 20:16, junior Peighton Clemens 23^rd in 20:21 and 6^th runner freshman Isabelle Edwards 2th in 20:28.

Delran senior Ashley Doyle ran 19:47 and placed 6^th, followed by Highland senior Lyana Gutierrez in 7^th in 19:51.

In the girls C race, Maple Shade junior Juliana Catalani placed 7^th and ran an all-course PR of19:27.

In the D race, Holy Cross senior Julia Flanagan was 1^st in 17:58, her 2^ndstraight race under 18 minutes. More on her tomorrow.

Audubon senior Riley Fayer was 4^th in 18:29, her fastest 5,000 ever.