From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Cherokee packed five scorers in under 12 seconds and won its 8^th consecutive South Jersey Group 4 title Saturday morning in Logan Township.

Washington Township junior Trevor Szilier was the overall winner with Cherry Hill East senior Cian Sherlock 2^nd and Southern Jack Denn McLennan 3^rd, but Cherokee went 4-5-7-8-9, packing five runners between 15:37.88 and 15:49.55 and averaging 15:44.07, 3^rd-fastest in DREAM Park history.

Seniors Maximo Harada and Benjamin Realley led Cherokee in 4^th and 5^th, Harada in 15:37 and Realley in 15:39. Senior Gavin Danielewicz, sophomore Hamza Salahuddin and senior Sean Sooy placed 7^th through 9^th in 15:45, 15:47 and 15:49. Sixth man senior Leo Vyvyan was 13^th in 15:58.81, giving Cherokee six under 16 minutes.

The only faster times in course history are Cherokee’s 15:42.15 at 2024 Group 4 Sectionals and Ocean City’s 15:44.00 at 2024 Group 3 Sectionals.

Cherokee, ranked 7th in the state, outscored Cherry Hill East 33-88, with Southern Regional [119], Egg Harbor [139] and Kingsway [142] also moving onto the state Group 4 meet Saturday at Holmdel County Park.

Cherokee’s 33-point score is 6^th-lowest in South Jersey Group 4 history. Cherokee has won 16 sectional titles, most in South Jersey Group 4 history.

Szilier ran 15:12 and became Washington Township’s first sectional winner in 16 years, since Anthony Dentino won the 2010 title at Delsea. Szilier’s time – officially 15:12.58 – is 4^th-fastest in course history. The only other Washington Township sectional winners was Bob Rimkis in 1977 at Pennsauken.

Sherlock ran 15:31 for 2^nd and Denn McLennan was 3^rd in 15:36. Also in the top 10: Kingsway senior Ryan Duffy [6^th in 15:44] and Cherry Hill East senior Aneesh Rajagopal [10^th in 15:56].

Other South Jersey auto qualifiers for states in the top 15 were Egg Harbor senior Daniel Svec [11^th in 15:28], Bridgeton senior Dylan Benitez Gonzalez [13^th in 15:58] and Vineland senior Maximelio Giardino [15^th in 16:00].

Also in the top 20: Cherry Hill East junior Benjamin Dodulik [16^th in 16:02], Williamstown sophomore Brandon Basilio [17^thin 16:06], Gloucester County Tech junior Wyatt Evans [18^th in 16:08] and Egg Harbor juniors Timothy Rooney [19^th in 16:08] and Liam Aspenberg [20^th in 16:11].

Also under 16:30: Kingsway senior Payton Veilleux [23^rd in 16:18], Lenape junior Jayden Carn [24^th in 16:18], Cherokee senior Bruce Novoa [25^th in 16:18], Lenape junior Carmelo Carino [26^th in 26:19], Vineland junior Isaiah Strickland [27^th in 16:19], Cherry Hill East sophomore Conan Poerner [28^th in 16:25], Kingsway junior Michael Beaver [29^th in 16:25], Washington Township junior Ryan DeVecchis [30^th in 16:26] and Cherry Hill East freshman Jackson Grottini [32^nd in 16:28].

Lowest Scores in South Jersey Group 4 History
25 … Mainland Regional, 2003
26 … Kingsway, 2016
31 … Cinnaminson, 1971
32 … Cherokee, 2007
32 … Cherokee, 2024
33 … Vineland, 1965
33 … Cherokee, 2026
36 … Cherokee, 2023
37 … Toms River North, 2002

37 … Trenton, 1967
39 … Highland, 1994