From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Holy Cross senior Julia Flanagan ran the 6^th-fastest 5,000-meter run in South Jersey history Thursday at West Philly Nationals.

Flanagan placed 12^th in 17:21.09, closing in 80.18 for her final 400 and 2:44.88 for her final 800.

It was Flanagan’s 1^st track 5,000 indoors or outdoors.

Flanagan was the state Parochial B champ in cross country and in the 3,200 indoors and outdoors. Her time is 19^th-fastest in state history.

The only faster girls from Burlington County are Northern Burlington’s Liliah Gordon, who ran 16:38.54 last June at the U.S. Under-20 Championships in Eugene, and Cherokee’s Megan Lacy, who ran 16:50.75 at a meet in Princeton in May of 2011.

All-Time New Jersey 5,000-Meter Run List
15:52.10 … Charlotte Bednar [The Lawrenceville School], 2021
16:34.66 … Alexa Westley [Warren Hills], 2019
16:38.27 … Allison Lee [Plainsboro], 2025
16:38.51 … Ashley Higginson [Colts Neck], 2007
16:38.54 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2025
16:45.86 … Megan Curham [Villa Walsh], 2013
16:50.75 … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2011
16:58.19 … Carleen Jeffers [Ridgewood], 2015
17:03.13 … Grace Dwyer [Nottingham], 2013
17:03.36 … Cayleigh Kaiser [Union Catholic], 2026
17:05.30 … Monica Hebner [Northern Highlands], 2018
17:07.92 … Chelsea Ley [Kingsway], 2009
17:08.01 … Maeve Smith [Ocean City], 2025
17:08.55 … Holly Bischoff [Bishop Eustace], 2011
17:09.82 … Isabel Hebner [Northern Highlands], 2018
17:13.56 … Camryn Wennersten [Ridgewood], 2020
17:13.86 … Caroline Kellner [West Windsor-Plainsboro South], 2012
17:17.02 … Mackenzie Barry [Mendham], 2013
17:18.68 … Miranda Lorsbach [Kent Place], 2020
17:21.09 … Julia Flanagan [Holy Cross], 2026
17:27.49 … Megan Venables [Highland], 2010