Junior Jason Smith led a top-five sweep and Paul VI raced to the team title Saturday at the Kiessling Invitational at DREAM Park, the unofficial South Jersey parochial championships.
Paul VI outscored 2nd-place Camden Catholic, 15-55. It was the first perfect 15-point performance in this meet since 1987, when Paul VI beat Camden Catholic, 15-52, at Newton Lake Park in Haddon Township.
Paul VI packed its five scorers in 18.41 seconds and averaged 16:46.01 per runner. PVI has now won six straight titles in the meet formerly known as Knights of Columbus.
Smith won in 16:36.18, finishing just over a second ahead of Chris Monaghan in 2nd. Chase Cooley was 10 sconds back with 16:47.90 in 3rd, Max Long took 4th in 16;53.74 and Andrew Keane ran 16:54.59 for 5th. All five Paul VI scorers are juniors
That group was backed up by junior Caden Briggs [7th in 17:07.25] and sophomore Nick Ablaza [11th in 17:19.69].
For Camden Catholic, Declan Walsh was 6th in 16:59.73. Braden McGee was 8th in 17:08.60, Jim Rotaeche 10th in 17:19.19, Sean Burns 12th in 17:20.20 and Kevin Dever 26th in 18:52.72.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 