From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Despite missing a week of training with a lingering illness, Cherokee sophomore Jack Tindall placed 14^th in the Brooks Northeast Regional in Boston Saturday morning, missing a qualifying spot for the National Championships by just 12 seconds.

Tindall ran 15:43.8 over 5,000 meters at Franklin Park. The top 10 runners qualify for the national meet in San Diego next month, and 10^th place was 15:31.8.

Brooks is the continuation of the Foot Locker and Kinney meets, which began in 1979.

Tindall won the state Group 4 XC title at Holmdel earlier this month but fell ill soon after the race and was still sick when he ran Meet of Champions to help the team. He wasn’t certain he was going to run Brooks until late in the week and is still well below peak form. So running 15:43 on a challenging course and placing 14^thamong some of the best runners in the entire northeast is remarkable.

Tindall was the first sophomore finisher and the only soph in the top-30.

Tindall goes into the indoor season with PRs of 4:14.92 in the 1,600 and 9:11.73 in the 3,200.

He was the only runner from a New Jersey high school in the boys race and the only South Jersey runner in either the boys or girls race.

Here’s a look at all the South Jersey top-20 finishers at Kinney / Foot Locker / Eastbay / Brooks:

2025
Jack Tindall [Cherokee], 14^th [15:43.8]

2024
None

2023
Peyton Shute [Woodbury], 5^th [15:08]
Nick Kuenkel [Cherokee], 12^th [15:40]
Aiden Williams [Audubon], 21^st [15:59]

2022
None

2021
Not Held
2020
Seth Clevenger [Haddonfield], 12^th [15:42.3]

2019
Kevin Antczak [Mainland Reg.], 4^th [15:24.0]
Austin Gabay [Cinnaminson], 22^nd [16:07.4]

2018
Kevin Antczak [Mainland Reg.], 16^th [16:02.8]
Austin Gabay [Cinnaminson], 23^rd [16:16.3]

2017
None

2016
Josh Clark [Highland], 4^th [15:28.4]

2015
None

2014
Luke Petela [Haddon Twp.], 2^nd [15:33.4
Shawn Hutchison [Bishop Eustace], 10^th [15:45.7]
Dominick Munson [Timber Creek], 23^rd [16:03.3]

2013
Lou Corgliano [Hammonton], 9^th [15:40.7]

2012
Shawn Wilson [Cherokee], 3^rd[15:42.5]
Stephen Maine [Highland], 21^st [16:12.5]

2011
Nick Costello [Delsea], 19^th [16:26.5]
Shawn Wilson [Cherokee], 21^st [16:31.1]

2010
Miles Schoedler [Ocean City], 15^th [16:03.5]
Paul Szulewski [Williamstown], 20^th [16:19.1]

2009
Paul Szulewski [Williamstown], 13^th [16:23.2]
Michael Rankin [Paul VI], 24^th [16:37.4]

2008
Brett Johnson [Ocean City], 8^th [15:50.1]
Dave Forward [Shawnee], 16^th [16:09.7]

2007
Brett Johnson [Ocean City], 25^th [16:07.8]

2006
None

2005
None

2004
None

2003
Jon Anderson [Cinnaminson], 7^th [15:30.4]
Greg Hughes [Mainland Reg.], 17^th [16:04.1]

2002
Keith Krieger [Cherokee], 12^th [15:55.7]
Greg Hughes [Mainland Reg.], 23^rd [16:12.9]

2001
Marc Pelerin [Cherokee], 6^th [15:40.1]
Chris Platt [Haddonfield], 19^th [16:08.8]

2000
Marc Pelerin [Cherokee], 9^th[15:50.1]
Mike Myers [Eastern], 14^th [15:58.3]
Chad Lyons [Overbrook], 25^th [16:04.5]

1999
None

1998
Nate Miller [Highland], 5^th [15:49]

1997
Murad Campbell [Overbrook], 2^nd [15:27]

1996
Matt Ruhl [Triton], 18^th [16:37.0]

1995
None

1994
Kurt Wayton [Mainland Reg.], 16^th [16:07.1]

1993
*Kurt Wayton [Mainland Reg.], 223^rd [16:23]

1992
None

1991
Tom Keefer [Paul VI], 11^th  [16:20.0]
Keith O’Brien [Shawnee], 21^st [16:33.2]
Pete Fixler [Vineland] 23^rd [16:34.6]

1990
Pete Dougherty [Paul VI], 9^th [16:16.5]

1989
Mark Sivieri [St. Augustine], 11^th  [16:23.0]
Joe Cranston [Paul VI], 19^th [16:29.6]
Vince Cieslik [Paul VI], 25^th  [16:38.3]

1988
Jason DiJoseph [Paul VI], 1^st [15:17.6]
Jason Fiscus [Haddon Twp.], 12^th [15:58.3]
Urie Ridgeway [Bridgeton], 13^th [16:00.0]
Dave Donohue [Haddon Twp.], 20^th [16:10.7]

1987
Jason DiJoseph [Paul VI], 4^th [15:46.7]
Eric Lorenz [Holy Cross], 8^th  [15:49.4]
Urie Ridgeway [Bridgeton], 11^th [16:03.0]
Joe Shanahan [Haddonfield], 13^th [16:08.9]
Joe Magre [Paul VI], 25^th [16:22.1]

1986
Jason DiJoseph [Paul VI], 6^th  [15:55]

1985
Kevin Pumphrey [Highland], 2^nd [15:25.6]
Ron Faith [Paul VI], 6^th [15:46]

1984
Jeff Davis [Cumberland Reg.], 13^th [15:50]
Chris Hageman [Paul VI], 18^th [15:56]
Kevin Pumphrey [Highland], 20^th [15:59]
George Steinhoff [Paul VI], 23^rd [16:03]
Ron Faith [Paul VI], 25^th [16:07]

1983
Bill Stewart [Cherry Hill East], 11^th [15:53]

1982
None

1981
None

1980
Dan Owens [Absegami], 12^th [16:06.3]

1979 [qualifying held at St. John’s Invitational]
Jerry Andrews [Highland], 1^st [15:34.0]
Jim Smith [Haddonfield], 3^rd [15:48]