Sophomore Joe Saicic became Glassboro’s 4th consecutive individual champion and led the Bulldogs to their 2nd straight South Jersey Group 1 title Saturday at DREAM Park in Logan Township.
Glassboro placed all five scorers in the top 10, with the Bulldogs taking each odd-numbered spot – 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th.
Glassboro topped 2nd-place Haddon Township 25-58. The 25 points are the fewest in Group 1 since Haddon Township scored 21 in 2011 and 3rd-fewest ever. The Group 1 record is 20 set in 2006 by Pennsville. Glassboro’s 25 points are also tied for 13th-lowest South Jersey sectional score all-time in any group.
Saicic ran 15:51.84, 3rd-fastest ever by a Group 1 runner at DREAM Park, and all three are from Glassboro. Elijah Whitaker ran 15:33.27 when he won the 2023 South Jersey Group 1 race and Ty Blackman ran 15:42.62 when he won last year’s race. Whitaker also won the 2022 title. Saicic is the first sophomore to win SJ-1 since Sebastien Reed of Pitman in 2017.
Haddon Township senior James Clauson finished 2nd in 16:05.00, nearly a minute and a half faster than he ran last year at sectionals on the same course.
Also in the top 10 for the Bulldogs were senior Jaeden Wesley [3rd in 16:07.92], sophomore Zacchaeus Harrigan [5th in 16:29.05], sophomore Aaron Johnson [7th in 16:43.89] and sophomore Gavin Rakitis [9th in 16:58.96]. Senior 6th man Jason Martin also finished in the top 20, taking 17th in 17:34.41.
Glassboro’s five scorers averaged 16:26.34, the fastest single-race time ever by a Group 1 school at DREAM Park and 4th-fastest among all the races Saturdauy, behind Cherokee [16:00.45], Ocean City [16:01.68] and Cherry Hill East [16:12.52].
The team title was Glassboro’s 3rd overall. The Bulldogs won 70-88 over Maple Shade in 1981.
In addition to Whitaker, Blackman and Saicic, Glassboro individual winners at sectionals are Tom Horne in 1993 and 1994 and Pat Ryan in 1995.
The top 15 individuals and top five schools automatically advance to states next Saturday at Holmdel County Park.
The rest of the top 15 looks like this: Haddon Township senior Shaun Maloney [4th in 16:13.17], Woodstown senior Jacob Marino [6th in 16:39.81], Audubon senior Logan Camm [8th in 16:47.05], Schalick senior Chase Riley [10th in 17;00.49], Pitman junior Rhys Blackman [11th in 17:01.56], Woodstown junior David Farrell [12th in 17:05.47], Woodstown sophomore Torsten Duva [13th in 17:11.85], Haddon Township senior Aidan Curran [14th in 17:18.88] and Schalick junior Collin Bittle [15th in 17:18.94].
After Glassboro and Haddon Township, the remaining auto team qualifiers are Woodstown [75], Schalick [117] and Audubon [127].
Lowest All-Time Group 1 Scores
20 … Pennsville, 2006
21 … Haddon Twp., 2011
25 … Glassboro, 2025
26 … Burlington Twp., 1966
27 … Haddon Twp., 1988
27 … Burlington Twp., 1967
28 … Haddon Twp., 2010
28 … Haddon Twp., 2012
28 … Haddon Twp., 2014
29 … Williamstown, 1971
29 … Burlington Twp., 1968
Lowest South Jersey Boys Scores
16 … Haddonfield, 2008 [Group 2]
17 … Haddon Twp., 1971 [Group 2]
20 … Pennsville, 2006 [Group 1]
20 … Haddonfield, 2018 [Group 2]
21 … Haddon Twp., 2011 [Group 1]
21 … Haddonfield, 2009 [Group 2]
22 … Haddonfield, 2023 [Group 2]
23 … Haddonfield, 2013 [Group 2]
23 … Haddonfield, 2019 [Group 2]
23 … Haddonfield, 2017 [Group 2]
23 … Highland, 1989 [Group 3]
23 … Ocean City, 2018 [Group 3]
25 … Mainland Reg., 2003 [Group 4]
25 … Ocean City, 2019 [Group 3]
25 … Glassboro, 2025 [Group 1]
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 