From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Payton Falkenstein, an East Stroudsburg junior from Burlington Township, placed 4^th Saturday in the PSAC Championships in Edinboro and led the Warriors to their first team title ever.

That’s the best finish by an East Stroudsburg woman in 11 years, since Allison Decker ran 2^nd in the 2014 meet at Mansfield.

It was Falkenstein’s 7^th top-5 finish in a PSAC championship race indoors, outdoors or in cross country.

Falkenstein ran 22:41 over 6,000 meters at the Doug Watts course at Pennsylvania Western University in Edinboro. She finished just 24 seconds behind winner Emily Bowers from Gannon University in Erie.

Falkenstein placed 6^th in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference XC race last year in Kutztown. She was also 2^nd in the 5,000 at the 2024 Outdoor Championships at Lehigh, 1^st in the 2025 Indoor Championships at Lehigh’s Rauch Fieldhouse in the 5,000, 3^rd in the 3,000 and 5^th in the mile, 2^nd in the 10,000 and 4^th in the 5,000 last spring at Slippery Rock.

East Stroudsburg won its 1^st team title in the meet’s 45-year history on a 6^th-runner tiebreaker after East Stroudsburg and Edinboro both finished with 77 points. East Stroudsburg’s 6^th runner finished 33^rd overall and Edinboro’s was 62^nd.

Delsea graduate Noah Deckert, a senior at St. Joe’s, finished 1^st of 69 runners Friday afternoon at the Haverford Invite.

Deckert ran four miles in 19:58, finishing 45 meters ahead of unattached Bellamy Immanuel, formerly of Eastern Mennonite of Harrisonburg, Va., who was 2^nd in 20:06.

Junior Ian Romea of Haddonfield was St. Joe’s 2^nd finisher in 7^th place in 20:21, and freshman Christian Napoli from Paul VI took 19^th in 21:14. St. Joe’s alum Aidan Groff from Cherry Hill East, running unattached, placd 20^th in 21:18.

We have to mention St. Joe’s freshman Jackson Kane, who placed 13^th in 20:57. He’s not from South Jersey – he ran for Ridley High School – but his dad Mike used to work in the Eagles’ PR office years ago and is a good dude! So we’ll adopt Jackson as an honorary South Jersey runner.

In the women’s race, Jefferson’s Nina Ceccanecchio from Blackwood and Our Lady of Mercy placed 24^th in 22:41.

Holy Cross senior Julia Flanagan ran a big all-course 5,000 PR and Maple Shade won the team title Wednesday at the BCSL Freedom Division Championships in Palmyra.

Flanagan ran 17:37 at Palmyra Cove Park, lowering her all-course best over any 5K course from 17:53 from the Battle of Ocean County Park in Lakewood in September. Flanagan won last year’s race on the same course in 18:57.

Flanagan has won titles this fall at the Battle of Ocean County Park, Six Flags Wild Safari Invitational, Burlington County Open and BCSL Freedom Division meet.

Flanagan won by about 500 meters over junior Juliana Catalani of Maple Shade, who placed 2^nd in 19:28. She in turn finished about 500 meters ahead of 3^rd-place Johana Perez, her freshman teammate. Perez ran 21:42 for 3^rd place.

Maple Shade went 2-3-4-5-8 but scored a perfect 15 as the only school in the division to field a full team. After Catalani and Perez, junior Alyssa Arencibia took 4^th in 21:44, freshman Magaly Benito was 5^th in 22:25 and junior Yaide Robles was 8^th in 23:36. Sixth runner Valeria Bueno-Sosa also ran 23:36 for 9^th.

Also in the top 10 were Riverside junior Jully Arrabal [6^th in 22:42], Holy Cross sophomore Alexis Buonanno [7^th in 23:17] and Moorestown Friends sophomore E’lon Rodwel-Simon [10^th in 24:18].

Cherokee’s Jack Tindall won his 2^nd straight Olympic Conference title and ran the fastest time ever at DREAM Park by a sophomore Wednesday in Logan Township.

Tindall led five Cherokee scorers in the top 10 as the Chiefs won their 5^th straight conference title and 9^th in the last 10 years.

Cherokee outscored 2^nd-place Cherry Hill East 25-59, with Paul VI 3^rd with 83 points. This is the 4^th straight year and 7^th time in the last 10 years Cherokee and Cherry Hill East have finished 1-2. Cherry Hill East and Cherokee went 1-2 in 2015 and 2020 and Cherokee and Washington Township finished 1-2 in 2021.

Tindall is the first repeat winner since Cherokee’s Ethan Wechsler won in 2018 and 2019. He ran the 7^th-fastest time in course history and broke the sophomore record of 15:28 set in 2021 by Woodbury’s Peyton Shute at 2021 South Jersey Group 1 Sectionals.

Also in the top 10 for the Chiefs were juniors Ben Realley [3^rd in 15:51], Maximo Harada [5^th in 15:57], Sean Sooy [6^th in 16:01] and Gavin Danielewicz [10^th in 16:15].

Cherokee’s five scorers averaged 15:53.62 per runner, 5^th-fastest in course history behind last year’s Cherokee team at this meet [15:44.60], Cherokee at 2022 Group 4 Sectionals [15:48.06], Haddonfield at 2021 Group 2 Sectionals [15:52.43] and Haddonfield at 2022 Group 2 Sectionals.

Cherokee’s 6^th and 7^th runners both ran sub-16:30, senior Dominic Pileri 12^th in 16:24 and junior Leo Vyvyan 13^th in 16:29.

Cherry Hill East was led by senior Cian Sherlock and senior Alvin Lin, who both ran sub-16 at DREAM Park. Sherlock placed 2^nd in 15:31 and Lin 4^th in 15:54. Sherlock’s time is fastest ever by a Cherry Hill East runner at DREAM Park. Brandon Lyons ran 15:47 last year at the Olympic Conference meet.

Also in the top 10: Winslow Vincent Perri [7^th in 16:05], Eastern Timothy Shack [8^th in 16:10] and Cherry Hill West Rex Takakjy.

Others who ran sub-17: Paul VI juniors Max Long [11^th, 16:22] and Jason Smith [14^th, 16:33], Cherry Hill East freshman Braeden Sherlock [15^th, 16:34], Paul VI junior Chris Monaghan [16^th, 16:34], Cherokee Hamza Salahuddin [17^th, 16:35], Rancocas Valley senior Teddy Jones [18^th, 16:36], Cherry Hill East freshman Conan Poerner [19^th, 16:41], Paul VI junior Chase Cooley [20^th, 16:45], Cherry Hill East junior Aneesh Rajagopal [21^st, 16;46], Cherry Hill East senior Milo Poerner [22^nd, 16:48], Moorestown junior Ethan Taylor [23^rd, 16:50], Paul VI junior Caden Briggs [24^th, 16:54], Lenape sophomore Jayden Carn [25^th, 16:54], Lenape junior Aaron Smith [26^th, 16:54] and Seneca senior Dominic Lera [27^th, 16:59]

15:20.92       920.92
15:51.52       951.52
15:57.80       957.80
16:01.80       961.80
16:15.56       975.56           15:53.62
15:53.62

2024   Tindall 15:32           Cherokee 17, Cherry Hill East 47

2023   Kuenkle 15:50         Cherokee 24, Cherry Hill East 54
2022   Ditmars 15:40          Cherokee 42, Cherry Hill East 72
2021   Clewell 15:46          Cherokee 33, Washington Twp. 70
2020   Groff                          CHE 42, Cherokee 45
2019   Wechsler                   Cherokee 21, Cherry Hill East 38
2018   Wechsler                   Cherokee 20, Cherry Hill East 62
2017   Justin Kelly               Cherokee 18, Lenape 56
2016   Jack Shea                   Cherokee 22, Cherry Hill East 48
2015   Groff                          CHE 34, Cherokee 35 [American]

1000 seconds = 5000 meters
1 second = 5 meters
0.1 second = 0.5 meters
0.01 second = 0.05 meters
0.05 seconds – 0.25 meters

Maple Shade senior Michael Smith edged Moorestown Friends junior Arjun Khandhar by 5-100ths of a second to win the BCSL Freedom Division race Wednesday at Palmyra Cove Park.

But Khandhar led Moorestown Friends to a three-point team title over Maple Shade in its 3rd year in the BCSL.

Smith ran 17:46.80 and Khandhar 17:46.85, and the margin of victory was about 9 ½ inches.

That time is an all-course 5,000 PR for Smith, whose previous 5K best was 17:52 at the South Jersey Open at DREAM Park in Logan Township. Khandhar also ran a big all-course PR, dropping his best time on any 5K course from 18:34 from a meet last November at DREAM Park.

Moorestown Friends had three in the top 10, with seniors Jason Youssef and Zev Smith joining Khandhar. Youssef placed 6th in 18:48 and Smith ran 19:22 for 10th. Junior Aaron Linden [13th, 19:43] and junior Zicong Chen [17th, 19:47] rounded out Friends’ scoring group. Sophomores Nolan Youssef [26th, 20:34] and Stefan Grimmelikhuijsen [29th, 20:37] also ran for the Foxes.

Also in the top 10 were Maple Shade senior Ries Fox [3rd, 18:00], Palmyra junior John Hammond [4th, 18:27], Doane Academy junior Marlon Addison [5th, 18:42], Riverside junior Ronald McMahon [7th, 19:01], Pemberton senior Jeremy Allen [8th, 19:03] and Maple Shade sophomore Steve Guinansaca [9th, 19:04].

Grace Gutowski, Giovanna Mantuano and Macy Huber all placed in the top five and Paul VI rolled to its first Olympic Conference title since 2020 Wednesday in Logan Township.

Cherry Hill East Addison Weiss was the overall winner, covering 5,000 meters at DREAM Park in a course-record 17:46, but Gutowski was 2nd in 18:27, Mantuano 3rd in 18:34 and Huber 5th in 18:44 as PVI – ranked 9th in New Jersey – scored just 31 points in defeating two other top-10 teams, Cherry Hill East [46 points] and Cherokee [61].

Weiss, who ran 17:53 at DREAM Park earlier this month at the South Jersey Open, No. 2 in course history, broke the course record of 17:52 set at the 2018 South Jersey Shootout by Shawnee’s Isabella Turner.

Weiss, a 1st-year XC runner, has placed in the top three in every invitational she’s competed in this fall – 3rd at the Battle of Ocean Park and Shore Coaches and 1st in the South Jersey Open and Olympic Conference. She’s undefeated against South Jersey runners this year.

As for Paul VI, Isabella Suarez made it four in the top 10 for the Eagles, running 19:11 for 8th place. Peyton Blake [13th in 19:28] and Morgan Kuzma [15th in 19:33] gave Paul VI six runners in the top 15.

Paul VI averaged 18:52 for its five scorers, 3rd-fastest in course history and fastest prior to sectionals. Haddonfield averaged 18:19 at 2022 South Jersey Group 2 sectionals and 18:51 at 2021 sectionals.

Senior Ashley Doyle became Delran’s first individual winner in 12 years, and sophomore Kamiyah Vergo led Northern Burlington to the team title Wednesday at the BCSL Liberty Division meet at Palmyra Cove Park.

Doyle ran 19:16, becoming Delran’s first winner since Maddie Tattory won the Freedom Division race in 2013 at New Egypt.

Doyle won by 165 meters over Pennsauken sophomore Hope Edwards, who ran 19:55 for 2nd place.

Northern Burlington won its 5th straight title but first since All-America Liliah Gordon graduated. Vergo placed 3rd in 20:30, with three freshman teammates in the top 10. Abigail Leonhardt took 6th in 20:40, Willow McCadden was 8th in 21:30 and Adeline Floyd was 9th in 21:35. They were the top three freshmen in the race.

Junior Abigail Matalie, Northern’s 5th scorer, placed 12th in 21:56. Another freshman, Kelly Coughlin, was 17th in 23:27, and Northern’s 7th runner was sophomore Kiera Dyson in 20th in 23:49.

Northern finished with a 33-45 margin of victory over 2nd-place Pennsauken. Bordentown was 3rd with 73.

Others in the top 10 were Bordentown senior Katherine Kovac in 4th place in 20:38, Pennsauken sophomore Rai’ana Rucker in 5th place in 20:39, Pennsauken junior Natalia Sanchez in 7th place in 21:08 and Bordentown senior Hailey Benedict in 10th place in 21:39.

Five days after winning the Burlington County Open, Cinnaminson senior Jacob Wickersham won the BCSL Liberty Division race, leading five Cinnaminson runners in the top six.

Cinnaminson won its 2nd consecutive division title, outscoring Northern Burlington 18-59, with Medford Tech 3rd with 90 and Bordentown 4th with 95.

That’s the lowest winning score in meet history. Tbe previous low came in 2005, when Moorestown – led by a Ben Leonberg, Eric Holaday, Daniel Reinhart 1-2-3 sweep – won 19-51 over Northern Burlington.

Wickersham ran 16:09 at Palmyra Cove Park, finishing just ahead of junior teammate Edward Abu-Abas, 2nd in 16:10. Northern Burlington senior Jimmy Cataline broke up the Cinnaminson sweep in 3rd place in 16:13, followed by Pirate juniors Ryan Scaricaciottolo 4th in 16:26, Owen Castanheira 5th in 16:40 and Alexander Lonardo 6th in 16:55.

Cinnaminson packed its five scorers in 46 seconds and averaged 16:28 per scorer.

Also in the top 10 were Northern sophomore Trevor Johnston [7th, 16:57], Medford Tech junior Chris Davis [8th, 17:00], Bordentown sophomore Peter Tober [9th, 17:03] and Cinnaminson sophomore Lucas Fried [10th, 17:09].

Others who finished in under 18 minutes: Northern junior Kael Schilling [11th, 17:18], Medford Tech senior Marcos Paulino [12th, 17:20], Cinnaminson freshman Luke Feeley [13th, 17:20], Bordentown junior Nathan Krinsley [14th, 17:20] and Northern Burlington senior Keegan Fitzpatrick [15th, 17:55].

Bucknell sophomore Shaelan McNally from Paul VI placed 6^th out of more than 200 runners Friday at the ECAC Championships in the Bronx.

McNally ran 20:56 over 6,000 meters at Van Cortlandt Park and finished only 36 seconds behind overall winner Tayla Gunton of Iona, who ran 20:20. McNally was Bucknell’s first finisher.

University of Maryland Baltimore County junior Lexi Tepper from Cherry Hill East placed 16^th in 21:41 and was UMBC’s first finisher.

Delaware’s 2^nd and 3^rd finishers were Leah Clear from Camden Catholic and Kadence Dumas, who ran 22:07 and 22:19 and placed 32^nd and 41^st. That’s an all-course 6,000 best for Dumas, whose previous best over any 6K course was 22:48 at Lehigh last October.

St. Joe’s 2^nd finisher was freshman Chloe Care from Ocean City, who ran 22:28, matching her 6,000 best from State College last month.

Lafayette’s 3^rd runner was Anya Kazemi from Bishop Eustace. Kazemi placed 52^nd in 22:29. Ava Severino, a junior from Haddon Heights, was Lafayette’s 3^rd finisher in 68^th place in 22:44. Bucknell sophomore Kerry O’Day ran 22:58 and placed 91^st. LIU’s top finisher was Kaysie Luna, a freshman from Sterling. She ran 23:01

Senior Erik Preisner and juniors Nathan Aschmann and Keenan Neuman swept the first three spots and the Ocean City boys won their 7th straight Cape-Atlantic Conference Championship Tuesday at Egg Harbor Township High School.

Preisner, who won last year on the same course in 15:45, ran 15:32 this year. He’s the first repeat champion since Mainland’s Kevin Antczak in 2018 and 2019. Past results from this meet are incomplete and it appears it wasn’t held from 1983 through 1997, but from all available records Preisner is Ocean City’s first CAL XC repeat winner.

Aschmann was 2nd in 15:40 and Neuman 3rd in 15:57. Junior Michael Romano and sophomore Nevin Millstein were also in Ocean City’s top 5, Romano in 7th place in 16:10 and Millstein 10th in 16:21.

Sophomores Benjamin McCarthy [14th in 16:33] and Hayden Tarves [19th in 16:57] also ran sub-17 for the Red Raiders.

Ocean City topped 2nd-place Egg Harbor 23-59, with Cedar Creek edging Vineland for 3rd, 115-129 and Bridgeton 5th with 132.

Middle Township junior Jamar Mack placed 4th in 16:04 and Cedar Creek senior Sean Martino 5th in 16:08.

Egg Harbor placed its top five in 34 seconds, led by sophomore Liam Aspenberg in 6th in 16:09 and senior Matthew Reed in 8th in 16:12. Cedar Creek senior Vincenzo Vecchio placed 9th in 16:18.

Others under 17 minutes: Bridgeton junior Dylan Benitez Gonzalez [11th, 16:25], Egg Harbor junior Daniel Svec [12th, 16:28], Cedar Creek senior Ryan McCann [13th, 16:32], Bridgeton junior Alex Chavez Santiago [15th, 16:34], Egg Harbor sophomore Timothy Rooney [16th, 16:40], Egg Harbor senior Matthew McDevitt [17th, 16:43] and Vineland junior Maximelio Giardino [18th, 16:48].