Marquette freshman Zach Murray, a Haddonfield graduate, ran an indoor PR 49.00 Friday in his collegiate track debut.

Murray won his section of the 400-meter dash at the Blue & Gold Invitationalat Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., and finished 4th overall.

At Haddonfield, Murray had an indoor 400 PR of 49.24, which he actually ran in his last indoor meet, placing 4th in the emerging elite race at the New Balance Nationals at the Armory in March.

Murray broke 49 twice outdoors with a 48.45 to win the state Group 2 race and a 48.11 for 3rd in the Meet of Champions.

That 49.00 is No. 8 in Marquette indoor track history and fastest in eight years, since Kyle Winter ran a school record 48.30 in March of 2012, also at Notre Dame.

So one race into his college career, Murray is only 7-10ths of a second off Marquette’s school record.

Murray also split 48.6 on the second leg of Marquette’s winning 1,600-meter relay team, which ran 3:16.96. That’s No. 5 in school history.

Rakim Coyle, a Rowan sophomore from Wildwood Catholic, opened the season with an indoor long jump PR and a win at the Fastrack Invitational at Ocean Breeze.

Coyle jumped 22-8 1/4 on his first jump of the competition — his first jump of the season — and that held up to win the event over Jordan Moorer of St. Francis (N.Y.), who was second with a 22-2 1/2, also on his first jump.

Coyle, from Del Haven, in Middle Township, had four fouls in his series and went 22-3 1/2 on his only other legal jump, so he had the top two jumps of the competition on his only two measured attempts.

Coyle, the New Jersey Athletic Conference champion last spring, has an outdoor PR of 23-8 from the All-Atlantic Region Championships in Cortland, N.Y., last spring. He jumped 23-6 to win the NJAC meet last outdoor season at Stockton.

His previous indoor PR was a 22-5 1/4 from a meet this past February in Ithaca, N.Y.

Coyle was a two-time state Parochial B long jump champion at Wildwood Catholic.

 

In his first collegiate race, Rider freshman and Palmyra graduate Sam Aviles broke into the all-time Rider top-10 in the high hurdles Friday, winning the 60-meter highs at the Fastrack Invitational at Ocean Breeze in 8.11.

Aviles led all qualifiers with an 8.30 in the second of four prelims. He lowered that to 8.11 in the final, where he edged Jeremiah Richards of Rutgers-Newark by 7-100ths of a second.

Another freshman making his college debut, Kevin King of Rowan via Ocean City High, placed fourth in 8.51.

Aviles was the state Group 1 champ at 110 meters over the high school 39-inch hurdles last spring and was 4th in the Meet of Champions. College hurdles are set at 42 inches.

Here’s the all-time Rider top-10. Note that three of the top 10 are from South Jersey, Robinson from Moorestown, Hicks from Maple Shade and Aviles from Palmyra.

7.94 … Charles Lackey, 1989
7.95 … Justin Lindsey, 2000
7.96 … James Burroughs, 2013
7.99 … David Hightower, 2012
8.02 … Dwayne Robinson, 1992
8.07 … Bob Schultz, 1974
8.08 … Brandon Hicks, 2003
8.09 … Wilfred Asamoah, 2015
8.09 … Nate Bowie, 2017
8.11 … Sam Aviles, 2016, 2020

Aviles also placed 9th out of 76 entries in the 60-meter dash with a 7.01. That’s only 3-100ths of a second off the all-time Rider top-10.

Mainland’s Kevin Antczak has accepted an at-large invitation to race in the Nike Cross Country Nationals this weekend in Oregon.

Antczak, who has already posted the fastest times in 30 years by South Jersey runners at Holmdel and VanCortlandt – the two most iconic XC courses on the East Coast – didn’t run at NXN Northeast Regionals, which were held the same day as Foot Locker Regionals.

But he was offered and accepted an invitation to NXN Nationals, which will be held at Glendoveer Golf Course in Portland, Ore., on Saturday morning.

Antczak was 4th at Foot Locker Regionals, earning an auto bid to Nationals. Because Foot Locker Nationals are held the weekend after NXN Nationals, Antczak is able to compete in both. Foot Locker Nationals are scheduled for Dec. 14 at Balboa Park in San Diego.

The only other South Jersey boy to race at NXN since it moved to Glendoveer is Cherry Hill East’s Aaron Groff, who ran 15:48 at Glendoveer in 2015 and placed 44th. The Kingsway girls ran NXN as a team in 2017.

Nike Cross Nationals started in 2004 as Nike Team Nationals and became Nike Cross Nationals in 2008. It was held at at Portland Meadows Horse Racing Track until moving to Glendoveer Golf Course in 2014.

Nine New Jersey runners have broken 16 minutes at Glendoveer since the meet moved to the current course:

15:20 … Jack Stanley [Mendham], 2018
15:30 … Blaise Ferro [CBA], 2015
15:42 … Tim Bason [West Windsor-Plainsboro South], 2015
15:47 … Nikhil Pulimood [West Windsor-Plainsboro South], 2014
15:47 … Brian Hill [CBA], 2017
15:48 … Aaron Groff [Cherry Hill East], 2015
15:50 … Craig Corti [Wallkill Valley], 2014
15:53 … Luke Reid [CBA], 2017
15:58 … John McGovern [Somerville], 2018

Liam Murphy of Allentown, Antczak and Jack Jennings of Mendham finished 3rd, 4th and 5th at Foot Locker Northeast Regionals. All three accepted at-large bids to NXN and will race in both national meets.

It appears from the Portland Meadows venue all-time performance list that no South Jersey boys ever competed at NXN before it moved to its current home.

Add Mainland Regional to a remarkable list of New Jersey high schools that have now produced Foot Locker finalists in both the girls and boys races.

When Kevin Antczak placed 4th at Foot Locker Northeast Regionals Saturday at VanCortlandt Park in the Bronx, he joined Mainland’s Alyssa Aldridge as Foot Locker finalists representing the Mustangs of Lindwood, Atlantic County.

Aldridge, a top-20 placer at NCAA Regionals this fall as a Georgetown sophomore, was a two-time Foot Locker finalist, placing 23rd in 2015 and 13th in 2016.

Mainland is only the 11th New Jersey school to qualify both a boy and a girl for Foot Locker Nationals. Six of those 10 are from South Jersey.

Antczak will race at Foot Locker Nationals a week from Saturday at Balboa Park in San Diego.

The usual disclaimer: I could be missing a school. I may be missing a couple. Accurate results from the early years of Kinney / Foot Locker are difficult to find and incomplete. Please let me know in the comments section if I’m missing anybody!

Bernards
Boys
John Carlotti [32nd, 1982]
Girls
Meg Waldron [22nd, 1981]

Bishop Eustace
Boys
Shawn Hutchison [39th, 2014]
Girls
Holly Bischof [28th, 2011]

Cherokee
Boys
Marc Pelerin [25th, 2001]
Shawn Wilson [23rd, 2012]
Girls
Megan Lacy [24th, 2010]

Haddonfield
Boys
Jim Smith [5th, 1979]
Girls
Erin Donohue [17th, 1998]
Erin Donohue [17th, 2001]
Marielle Hall [18th, 2009]
Briana Gess [13th, 2013]
Briana Gess [29th, 2015]

Highland
Boys
Jerry Andrews [DNF, 1979]
Kevin Pumphrey [23rd, 1985]
Nate Miller [23rd, 1998]
Josh Clark [26th, 2015]
Girls
Megan Venables [5th, 2010]

Mainland Regional
Boys
Kevin Antczak [2019]
Girls
Alyssa Aldridge [23rd, 2015]
Alyssa Aldridge [13th, 2016]

Mendham
Boys
Jack Stanley [7th, 2018]
Jack Jennings [2019]
Girls
Laura Vigilante [16th, 2008]
Mackenzie Barry [27th, 2012]

North Hunterdon
Boys
Brad Hudson [7th, 1983]
Bill Babcock [5th, 1984]
Andy Martin [19th, 1984]
Brendan Heffernan [10th, 1991]
Brendan Heffernan [1st, 1992]
Matt McDonald [23rd, 2010]
Girls
Stacy Bilotta [24th, 1983]
Jodi Bilotta [10th, 1985]
Jodi Bilotta [17th, 1986]
Jodi Bilotta [22nd, 1987]
Anne Letko [19th, 1985]
Anne Letko [18th, 1986]
Eve Glassergreen [34th, 2014]

Ocean City
Boys
Brett Johnson [40th, 2008]
Girls
Brittany Sedberry [30th, 2003]
Brittany Sedberry [37th, 2004]

Pingry
Boys
Liam Mullet [15th, 2013]
Girls
Nicole Vanasse [32nd, 2018]

West Windsor Plainsboro-South
Boys
Brian Leung [15th, 2007]
Girls
Caroline Kellner [36th, 2011]

Ethan Wechsler placed 8th overall and Cherokee finished 6th overall at the Nike Cross Country Nationals Northeast Regionals Saturday.

Wechsler ran 16:09 on the 5,000-meter course at Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls, N.Y., and Cherokee – ranked 4th in New Jersey – edged No. 3-ranked Haddonfield, who placed 9th. Cherry Hill East was 11th, giving South Jersey three of the top 11 teams in an eight-state region.

Cherokee scored 203 points, Haddonfield 244 and Cherry Hill East 356. The Northeast Region is open to schools from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island and New Hampshire. New York State has its own regional held concurrently at the same site.

La Salle Academy of Providence, R.I., packed five in 49 seconds and won with 74 points, topping Christian Brothers Academy of Lincroft, 74-105.

Senior Chase Miller (29th in 16:46), junior Brett Shea (57th in 17:08), senior Michael Gavio (64th in 17:12) and freshman Daniel Boria (83rd in 17:23) rounded out Cherokee’s pack.

For Haddonfield, seniors Martin Riddell (19th in 16:34) and Andrew Gostovich (44th in 16:59), junior Caleb Clevenger (46th in 16:59) and sophomore Seth Clevenger (71st in 17:16) scored.

Cherry Hill East was led by senior Oliver Adler (18th in 16:34), junior Aidan Eyre (85th in 17:23), junior Gabe Rodriguez (97th in 17:29), sophomore Ethan Andrea (104th in 17:34) and sophomore Dylan Hagan (122nd in 17:50).

Wechsler’s 16:09 is fourth-fastest by a South Jersey runner at Bowdoin Park, behind Jon Vitez of Haddonfield (15:41 in 2009), Aaron Groff of Cherry Hill East (15:52 in 2015) and Jack Shea of Cherokee (16:05 in 2015).

 

Kevin Antczak is off to San Diego!

Antczak, a senior at Mainland Regional, placed 4th at Foot Locker Northeast Regionals Saturday morning at Van Cortlandt Park in 15:24 to earn a berth in the Foot Loker Nationals next month.

His time is No. 7 all-time at Vinny by a New Jersey runner.

Antczak’s time is second-fastest ever by a South Jersey runner at the legendary Van Cortlandt 5,000-meter course in the Bronx and the fastest since Jason DiJoseph of Paul VI won the 1988 race in 15:17.6.

He’s the first qualifier from Mainland Regional and the second from Atlantic County. Lou Corgliano of Hammonton placed 9th in the 2013 race. The highest previous Mainland finisher was Greg Hughes, who was 17th in 2003.

Antczak placed 16th in last year’s race. He’s the first qualifier from South Jersey since Josh Clark of Highland took 4th in 2016 and the 18th all-time.

Patrick Anderson won the race in 15:17.0. Meet f Champions winner Liam Murphy of Allentown and state Group 3 champ Jack Jennings of Mendham will also represent New Jersey at Foot Locker Nationals. Murphy was 3rd in 15:23.6 and Jennings 5th in 15:30.0.

Foot Locker Nationals are scheduled for Dec. 14 at Balboa Park in San Diego.

Here’s the all-time New Jersey Van Cortlandt Park list!

15:15.5 … Craig Forys [Colts Neck], 2006
15:17.6 … Jason DiJoseph [Paul VI], 1988
15:18.0 … Brad Hudon [North Hunterdon], 1983
15:19.8 … Cliff Sheehan [Westfield], 1980
15:20.5 … Edward Cheserek [St. Benedict’s], 2011
15:23.6 … Liam Murphy [Allentown], 2019
15:24.0 … Kevin Antczak [Mainland Reg.], 2019
15:24.8 … Tom Fischer [Manalapan], 1981
15:24.9 … John Carloti [Bernards], 1982
15:25.6 … Kevin Pumphrey [Highland], 1985
15:25.8 … Brian Leung [West Windsor], 2007
15:26.9 … Mike Mykytok [Bound Brook], 1988
15:27.7 … Murad Campbell [Overbrook], 1997
15:28.4 … Josh Clark [Highland],  2015
15:29.1 … Liam Mullet [Pingry Prep], 2014
15:29.9 … Brandon Jarrett [St. Benedict’s], 2006
15:30.0 … Jack Jennings [Mendham], 2019
15:30.2 … Jack Stanley [Mendham], 2018
15:30.3 … Andy Martin [North Hunterdon], 1984
15:30.4 … Jon Anderson [Cinnaminson], 2003
15:31.0 … John Coyle [CBA], 1988
15:31.4 … Joe Dragon [High Point], 2015
15:33.0 … Bill Babcock [North Hunterdon], 1984
15:33.5 … Matt Grossman [Millburn], 2015
15:33.4 … Luke Petela [Haddon Twp.], 2014
15:35.1 … Mohamed Khadraoui [JFK-Paterson], 2003
15:36.0 … Andrew Brodeur [Brick], 2007
15:36.6 … Tyler Udland [Millburn], 2008
15:37.0 … Iah Hahn [Lakewood], 1997
15:37.0 … Jeffrey Perrella [Westfield], 2005
15:37.0 … Damien Dilcher [Brick Twp.], 2018
15:38.2 …  Brendan Heffernan [North Hunterdon], 1991
15:38.2 … Liam Murphy [Allentown], 2018
15:39.0 … Greg Noll [Morris Catholic], 1980
15:39.0 … Scott Meehan [Pope John XXIII], 2013
15:40.1 …  Marc Pelerin [Cherokee], 2001
15:40.0 … Elliot Gindi [Ocean Twp.], 2016
15:40.7 … Loui Corgliano [Hammonton], 2013

Here are all the qualifiers from South Jersey:

2019
4th, Kevin Antczak, 12, Mainland Reg., 15:24
2015
4th, Josh Clark, 11, Highland, 15:28.4
2014
2nd, Luke Petela, 12, Haddon Twp., 15:33.4
10th, Shawn Hutchison, Bishop Eustace, 15:45.7
2013
9th, Lou Corgliano, 12, Hammonton, 15:40.7
2012
3rd, Shawn Wilson, 12, Cherokee, 15:42.5
2008
8th, Brett Johnson, 12, Ocean City, 15:50.1
2003
7th, Jonathan Anderson, 12, Cinnaminson, 15:30.4
2001
6th, Marc Pelerin, 12, Cherokee , 15:40.1
1998
5th, Nate Miller, 12, Highland Regional, 15:49
1997
2nd, Murad Campbell, 11, Overbrook, 15:27
1988
1st, Jason DiJoseph, 12, Paul VI, 15:17.6
1987
4th, Jason DiJoseph, 11, Paul VI, 15:47
8th, Eric Lorenz, 12, Holy Cross, 15:50
1986
6th, Jason DiJoseph, 10, Paul VI, 15:55
1985
2nd, Kevin Pumphrey, Highland Regional, 15:25. 6
6th, Ron Faith, Paul VI, (San Diego), 15:46
1979
N/A, Jim Smith, Haddonfield, N/A,
N/A, Jerry Andrews, Highland, N/A,

With Foot Locker upon us this weekend, I tried to put together an all-time South Jersey Foot Locker Northeast Regional top-25 list.

There are a lot of results missing from the early years of the meet, and at some point I can go through my old issues of Ed Grant’s New Jersey Track to fill in the blanks, but they’re all in boxes in the basement and it’ll be much easier if anybody out there can fill in some of the missing results!

Full results are available since 1995, but 1993 and 1994 results are missing as well as 1990 and most results from before 1983.

The meet started in 1979 as the Kinney Championships, and the Northeast Regionals have been at Van Cortlandt Park all 40 years since.

This year’s meet is scheduled for Saturday on the Vanny 5,000-meter course. There are 10 races in all, but the boys championship race is scheduled for 11 a.m. and the girls race at 11:50 a.m.

For a complete race schedule and other information, click here.

The top 10 finishers in each race advance to Foot Locker National Finals, scheduled for Dec. 14, at Balboa Park in San Diego.

Here are the all-time top-25 finishers at Foot Locker Northeast from South Jersey. If you notice any omissions or mistakes please let me know in the comments section!

Boys
2018
Kevin Antczak [Mainland Reg.], 16th [16:02.8]
Austin Gabay [Cinnaminson], 23rd [16:16.3]
2017
None
2016
Josh Clark [Highland], 4th [15:28.4]
2015
None
2014
Luke Petela [Haddon Twp.], 2nd [15:33.4
Shawn Hutchison [Bishop Eustace], 10th [15:45.7]
Dominick Munson [Timber Creek], 23rd [16:03.3]
2013
Lou Corgilano [Hammonton], 9th [15:40.7]
2012
Shawn Wilson [Cherokee], 3rd [15:42.5]
Stephen Maine [Highland], 21st [16:12.5]
2011
Nick Costello [Delsea], 19th [16:26.5]
Shawn Wilson [Cherokee], 21st [16:31.1]
2010
Miles Schoedler [Ocean City], 15th [16:03.5]
Paul Szulewski [Williamstown], 20th [16:19.1]
2009
Paul Szulewski [Williamstown], 13th [16:23.2]
Michael Rankin [Paul VI], 24th [16:37.4]
2008
Brett Johnson [Ocean City], 8th [15:50.1]
Dave Forward [Shawnee], 16th [16:09.7]
2007
Brett Johnson [Ocean City], 25th [16:07.8]
2006
None
2005
None
2004
None
2003
Jon Anderson [Cinnaminson], 7th [15:30.4]
Greg Hughes [Mainland Reg.], 17th [16:04.1]
2002
Keith Krieger [Cherokee], 12th [15:55.7]
Greg Hughes [Mainland Reg.], 23rd [16:12.9]
2001
Marc Pelerin [Cherokee], 6th [15:40.1]
Chris Platt [Haddonfield], 19th [16:08.8]
2000
Marc Pelerin [Cherokee], 9th [15:50.1]
Mike Myers [Eastern], 14th [15:58.3]
Chad Lyons [Overbrook], 25th [16:04.5]
1999
None
1998
Nate Miller [Highland], 5th [15:49]
1997
Murad Campbell [Overbrook], 2nd [15:27]
1996
Matt Ruhl [Triton], 18th [16:37.0]
1995
None
1994
N/A
1993
N/A
1992
None
1991
Tom Keefer [Paul VI], 11th [16:20.0]
Keith O’Brien [Shawnee], 21st [16:33.2]
Pete Fixler [Vineland] 23rd [16:34.6]
1990
N/A
1989
Mark Sivieri [St. Augustine], 11th [16:23.0]
Joe Cranston [Paul VI], 19th [16:29.6]
Vince Cieslik [Paul VI], 25th [16:38.3]
1988
Jason DiJoseph [Paul VI], 1st [15:17.6]
Jason Fiscus [Haddon Twp.], 12th [15:58.3]
Urie Ridgeway [Bridgeton], 13th [16:00.0]
Dave Donohue [Haddon Twp.], 20th [16:10.7]
1987
Jason DiJoseph [Paul VI], 4th [15:47]
Eric Lorenz [Holy Cross], 8th [15:50]
1986
Jason DiJoseph [Paul VI], 6th [15:55]
1985
Kevin Pumphrey [Highland], 2nd [15:25.6]
Ron Faith [Paul VI], 6th [15:46]
1984
Jeff Davis [Cumberland Reg.], 13th [15:50]
Chris Hageman [Paul VI], 18th [15:56]
Kevin Pumphrey [Highland], 20th [15:59]
George Steinhoff [Paul VI], 23rd [16:03]
Ron Faith [Paul VI], 25th [16:07]
1983
Bill Stewart [Cherry Hill East], 11th [15:53]
1982
N/A
1981
N/A
1980
N/A
1979
Jerry Andrews [Highland], N/A
Jim Smith [Haddonfield], N/A

Girls
2018
Isabella Turner [Shawnee], 22nd [19:03.0]
2017
None
2016
Alyssa Aldridge [Mainland Reg.], 1st [17:40.3]
2015
Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 5th [17:44.2]
Alyssa Aldridge [Mainland Reg.], 6th [17:47.8]
2014
Devin Grisbaum [Ocean City], 22nd [18:50.5]
2013
Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 5th [17:43.2]
2012
None
2011
Holly Bischof [Bishop Eustace], 4th [18:24.9]
Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 11th [18:44.4]
Dina Iacone [Washington Twp.], 22nd [19:16.3]
2010
Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 3rd [18:08.0]
Holly Bischof [Bishop Eustace], 16th [18:44.8]
2009
Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], 5th [18:36.4]
Megan Venables [Highland], 16th [19:13.3]
2008
Chelsea Ley [Kingsway], 5th [18:08.3]
Megan Venables [Highland], 15th [18:38.9]
Megan McGlinchey [West Deptford], 25th [18:50.9]
2007
Chelsea Ley [Kingsway], 10th [18:00.4]
2006
Theresa Cattuna [Cherry Hill West], 23rd [18:42.5]
2005
None
2004
Brittany Sedberry [Ocean City], 10th [18:33.0]
2003
Brittany Sedberry [Ocean City], 2nd [18:16.4]
Arianna McKinney [Highland], 22nd [19:07.3]
2002
None
2001
None
2000
None
1999
None
1998
Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2nd [18:08]
1995
Ann Klocke [Bishop Eustace, 14th [18:45.9]
1994
N/A
1993
N/A
1992
None
1991
None
1990
N/A
1989
None
1988
None
1987
N/A
1986
None
1985
N/A
1984
Mindy Rowand [Sterling], 10th [18:25]
1983
Lori Watson [Cherry Hill East], 11th [18:40]

For those who are interested in these things, here’s a look at the VanCortlandt Park 5,000-meter course:

Ethan Wechsler, Chase Miller and the Cherokee boys on Saturday ran the 8th-fastest team time ever at Holmdel by a South Jersey team.

Cherokee placed 4th at the Meet of Champions, the Chiefs’ best finish in 18 years.

Wechsler placed 4th in 15:41 and Miller was 21st in 16:18. Both are Holmdel PRs. Wechsler had run 15:51 at states and Miller’s previous Holmdel best was a 16:28 at states last year.

Wechsler’s 15:41 is 14th-fastest in Holmdel history by a South Jersey runner and No. 2 in Cherokee history behind Shawn Wilson’s 15:40 at 2012 Group 4 states.

Cherokee scored 136 points and finished behind only CBA (62), Mendham (119), Haddonfield (129).

Senior Tyler Jackson and junior Brett Shea crossed the line two seconds apart, Jackson in 60th in 16:47 and Shea in 62nd in 16:49, and senior Michael Gave was a few seconds back, 74th in 16:58.

For team scoring purposes, Wechsler was 4th, Miller 14th, Jackson 36th, Shea 38th and avid 46th.

This is the first time Cherokee has ever had five runners under 17 minutes in the same race at Holmdel County Park.

Juniors Daniel Boria [17:29] and Nico Grilli [17:31] rounded out Cherokee’s pack.

Cherokee’s 16:30 average breaks the school record for fastest average at Holmdel, where the current course has been used for Shore Coaches, states and the Meet of Champions since 1979. The Chiefs’ previous team best was a 16:33 last weekend at states.

Only CBA (16:15) had a faster average on Saturday.

Here’s a look at the 10-fastest team averages by South Jersey schools at Holmdel:

1:21.38 …….. Mainland Regional, 2003 Meet of Champions [1st] (16:19)
1:21:38.40 … Haddonfield, 2010 Meet of Champions [2nd] (16:19)
1:21.47.8 ….. Haddonfield, 2001 Meet of Champions [1st] (16:21 )
1:21.54.72 … Kingsway, 2017 Group 4 [1st] (16:22)
1:22.05 …….. Mainland Regional, 2003 Group 4 [1st] (16:25)
1:22.10.23 … Cherry Hill East, 2014 Group 4 [1st] (16:26)
1:22.31.39 … Haddonfield, 2018 Meet of Champions [2nd] (16:30)
1:22.33.6 ….. Cherokee, 2019 Meet of Champions [4th] (16:30)
1:22.36.50 … Cherry Hill East, 2014 Meet of Champions (16:31)
1:22.40.09 … Cherry Hill East, 2015 Group 4 [2nd] (16:32)

In all, Cherokee has now placed in the top 5 at Meet of Champions seven times, including a second place in 2000.

Cherokee’s all-time top-5 now has a 15:43 average at Holmdel, 4th-fastest ever behind CBA [15:33], North Hunterdon [15:37] and West Windsor-Plainsboro North [15:39].

15:40 … Shawn Wilson [Cherokee], 2012
15:41 … Ethan Wechsler [Cherokee], 2019
15:43 … Marc Pelerin [Cherokee], 2001
15:45 … Keith Krieger [Cherokee], 2002
15:46 … Jack Shea [Cherokee], 2015

Haddonfield continued its remarkable two-decade run with its 11th top-5 finish in the Meet of Champions Saturday and it’s 10th in the last 14 years.

Led by senior Martin Riddell, who broke 16 at Holmdel for the first time and placed 8th and all five scorers under 17, Haddonfield placed third, behind only CBA [62 points] and Mendham [119] and just ahead of Cherokee [136] and West Windsor-Plainsboro North [140].

It was the 12th top-5 finish for Haddonfield, which is incredible!

Riddell ran 15:58, and senior Andrew Gostovich was 30th overall in 16:28.

Sophomore Seth Clevenger and junior Caleb Clevenger came across three seconds apart in 48th and 55th in 16:43 and 16:46, and senior Stephen Kasko ran 16:53 for 70th.

Gostovich, Clevenger, Clevenger and Kasko scored 19, 28, 33 and 44 team points.

Grayson Fasolo and sophomore Tobias Janssen ran 17:27 and 17:37 to back up Haddonfield’s top 5.

Haddonfield has finished among the top seven at the Meet of Champions for seven consecutive years and 13th or 14 of the last 15 years.

They’ve recorded 19 top-10 finishes overall.

That’s a Group 2 school competing against all the top schools in the state year after year over a 40-year period since the 1970s!

Here’s a rundown of Haddonfield’s astonishing 34 team finishes in the Meet of Champions.

1st – Once
2nd –Twice
3rd – Three times
4th – Four times
5th – Twice
6th – Once
7th – Once
8th – Twice
9th – Once
10th – Twice
11th – Twice
12th – Twice
13th – Five times
14th – Twice
15th – Once
16th – Once
18th – Once
19th – Once

Let’s take a look at Haddonfield’s performance year-by-year since its first appearance at the Meet of Champions in 1978:

2019 … 3rd
2018 … 2nd
2017 … 6th
2016 … 4th
2015 … 4th
2014 … 5th
2013 … 7th
2012 … 13th
2011 … —
2010 … 2nd
2009 … 4th
2008 …4th
2007 … 3rd
2006 … 3rd
2005 … 13th
2004 … —
2003 … —
2002 … 13th
2001… 1st
2000 … 10th
1999 … —
1998 … 11th
1997 … 16th
1996 … 15th
1995 … 10th
1994 … —
1993 … 18th
1992 … —
1991 … —
1990 … 9th
1989 … 5th
1988 … 13th
1987 … 14th
1986 … 8th
1985 … 11th
1984 … 12th
1983 … 19th
1982 … 14th
1981 … —
1980 … 8th
1979 … 13th
1978 … 12th

This is an astonishing record of consistency at the highest level of competition, and it’s from a Group 2 school (that was Group 1 for a bit in there).

What a program!

Finally, Haddonfield’s 16:33 average is their 5th-fastest ever at Holmdel — a fraction of a second off their average from states — and No. 12 in South Jersey history.

Here’s a list of the fastest single-season team times ever at Holmdel by South Jersey schools:

1:21.38 …….. Mainland Regional, 2003 Meet of Champions [1st] (16:19)
1:21:38.40 … Haddonfield, 2010 Meet of Champions [2nd] (16:19)
1:21.47.8 ….. Haddonfield, 2001 Meet of Champions [1st] (16:21 )
1:21.54.72 … Kingsway, 2017 Group 4 [1st] (16:22)
1:22.05 …….. Mainland Regional, 2003 Group 4 [1st] (16:25)
1:22.10.23 … Cherry Hill East, 2014 Group 4 [1st] (16:26)
1:22.31.39 … Haddonfield, 2018 Meet of Champions [2nd] (16:30)
1:22.33.6 ….. Cherokee, 2019 Meet of Champions [4th] (16:30)
1:22.36.50 … Cherry Hill East, 2014 Meet of Champions (16:31)
1:22.40.09 … Cherry Hill East, 2015 Group 4 [2nd] (16:32)
1:22.47.31 … Haddonfield, 2019 Group 2 [1st] (16:33)
1:22.48.6 ….. Haddonfield, 2019 Meet of Champions [3rd] 16.33)
1:22.48.52 … Cherokee, 2019 Group 4 [1st] (16:33)
1:22.52.92 … Kingsway, 2014 Group 4 [2nd] (16:34)
1:22.55.00 … Cherokee, 2019 Shore Coaches [3rd] (16:35)
1:22.59.94 … Cherokee, 2000 Meet of Champions [2nd] (16:35)
1:23.05.92 … Haddonfield, 2009 Group 2 [1st] (16:37)
1:23.07.58 … Haddonfield, 2009 Meet of Champions [4th] (16:37)
1:23.22.69 … Haddonfield, 2015 Meet of Champions [4th] (16:40)
1:23.23.75 … Cherry Hill East 2018 Group 4 [4th] (16:40)
1:23:26 …….. Cherry Hill East 2019 Group 4 (16:41)
1:23.26.98 … Mainland Regional 2002, Group 3 [1st] (16:41)
1:23.29.78 … Haddon Twp., 2014 Meet of Champions [10th] (16:41)
1:23.30.28 … Haddonfield, 2014 Group 2 [1st] (16:42)
1:23.39.03 … Kingsway, 2014 Meet of Champions [4th] (16:43)
1:23.40.91 … Mainland Regional 2002, Meet of Champions [1st] (16:44)
1:23.43.72 … Cherokee, 2004 Meet of Champions [5th] (16:44)
1:23.44.08 … Haddonfield, 2015 Group 2 [2nd] (16:44)