Holy Cross senior Julia Flanagan continued her string of sub-18 races with a near course-record win in the Kiessling Invite Saturday morning in Logan Township.
Flanagan ran 17:47.60 at DREAM Park, less than a second off the course record of 17:46.86 set at the Olympic Conference meet last month by Cherry Hill East sophomore Addison Weiss. She in turn broke Flanagan’s record of 17:53.44 from the South Jersey Open.
She’s the first Holy Cross girl to win the Kiessling race in 27 years, since Kathleen Porter ran 18:55.4 at Egg Harbor and won by more than a minute over teammate Deanna Kloss as the Lancers edged Bishop Eustace by one point for the team title.
Paul VI packed seven finishers in the top 10 to win its 3rd straight team title. More on them below.
Flanagan has also run sub-18 this year at the Battle of Ocean Park in Lakewood, Six Flags Wild Safari in Jackson, Burlington County Open at Crystal Lake Park in Medford, the BCSL Liberty Division meet at Palmyra Cove.
She’ll compete in the state Parochial B race on Saturday at Holmdel County Park bidding to become only Holy Cross’s second XC state champion. Kari Vigerstol won in 1993 and 1994. Vigerstol won the Meet of Champions 1,600 outdoors in 1993, edging Shawnee’s Liz Moore.
For PVI, junior Grace Gutowski and senior Giovanni Mantuano placed 2nd and 3rd, both well under 19 minutes. Gutowski was 2nd in 18:22.42 and Mantuano 3rd in 18:34.25.
Paul VI runners then placed 6th through 10th, with senior Macy Huber 6th in 19:08.01, sophomore Morgan Kuzma 7th in 19:20.74, freshman Isabella Suarez 8th in 19:47.49, sophomore Peyton Blake 9th in 19:55.69 and junior Kara Salamone 10th in 20:52.66.
Also running sub-22 were Camden Catholic sophomore Erin Callahan [11th in 21:11.69, Camden Catholic junior Maddy O’Neil [13th in 21:24.96], Paul VI freshman Riley Sheppard [14th in 21:34.19], Bishop Eustace freshman Charlotte Clinthorne [15th in 21:35.68] and Paul VI sophomore Francesca Cianfrani [16th in 21:53.57].
Paul VI finished with a 21-62 margin of victory over the Wilberforce School of Princeton, with Camden Catholic 3rd at 75.
Wilberforce senior Laura Sallade placed 4th in 18:39.21. Her father Chris ran for Shawnee and was the state Group 4 champ at 1,600 meters in 1990.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 