From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Gateway senior David Houck finished first in a four-team Colonial Conference batch meet Tuesday at Pennypacker Park in Haddonfield and Cherry Hill.

This apears to be Houck’s first cross country race, and he won by 61 seconds. The MileSplit database shows him running track in past years but not XC, although last fall he wrote an eassy for the Gateway student web site on the challenges of cross country, so he was on the team a year ago. Just no record of him racing.

In any case, Houck, competing under the Gateway-Woodbury Co-op banner, ran 16:35 over 5,000 meters at Pennypacker and finished 1st among more than 50 runners.

Although Houck has no apparent history of racing on the trails, he did run 10:05.35 for 3,200 meters last spring and placed 4th at South Jersey Group 1 Sectionals.

Team scoring wasn’t kept, but Haddonfield runners took the next five spots and 15 of the next 17 places, with some of Haddonfield’s top runners chilling along in mid-pack.

Haddonfield, ranked No. 2 in New Jersey and No. 21 nationally, packed seniors Ryan Gibson, Michael Sinnes, Peter Simpson, Brandon Stoner and Aaron Keith 2nd through 6th all between 17:36 and 17:43, which means this was a workout more than a race for the Bulldogs.

The Haddonfield girls, ranked 9th in New Jersey, swept the top four spots and 12 of the top 14. Senior Riley Austin ran 20:12, followed by freshman Dylan Hosty [20:13], junior Molly Mills [20:14] and junior Madison Kelsey [20:16].

The West Deptford duo of senior Kayla Romanoski and junior Taylor Sierzega broke up the Haddonfield pack, taking 5th and 6th in 20:42 and 20:46.

Also in the top 10 were Haddonfield’s senior Elizabeth Pappas, junior Harper Benjamin, freshman Tatum Russo and junior Saya Sood, who all ran between 21:12 and 21:22.

Abigail Leonhardt of Northern Burlington won the freshman girls race Friday at the Run the Night Powered by – Insert Show Company Name Here – at Manalapan Recreation Center.

Leonardt ran two miles in 13:02 and won by 25 meters over West Windsor-Plainsboro’s Anita Bhatia, who was 2nd in 15:09.

Northern had five of the first 21 finishers in the freshman race, with Willow McCadden 8th in 14:09, Adelina Floyd 10th in 14:28, Kelly Coughlin 14th in 14:53 and Reilly Pullen 21st in 15:53.

All five were competing in their first high school race.

For team scoring purposes, Northern went 1-2-4-6-8 for 21 points and won the team title, 21-42, over Westfield.

Williamstown senior Sophia Aldridge ran an all-course 5,000 PR Tuesday and finished 1st out of more than 100 runners in a 17-team Tri-County Conference batch meet in Upper Deerfield Township.

Aldridge ran 18:53 at Cumberland Regional and finished 130 meters ahead of 2nd-place Audrey Bishop, a junior at Kingsway.

Aldridge’s previous 5,000 best was a 19:03 on the DREAM Park speedway in Logan Township when she placed 6th in November at South Jersey Group 4 sectionals.

Her time is fastest on any course by a Williamstown runner since Vickie Ajimoko ran 18:24 when she won 2013 South Jersey Group 4 sectionals at Delsea in 18:24.

There was no team scoring kept in the batch meet, which in addition to Williamstown and Kingsway included runners from Delsea, Gloucester County Tech, Woodstown, Washington Township, Clearview, Highland, Schalick, Triton, Pennsville, Timber Creek, Pitman, Glassboro, Wildwood, Salem County Tech and Cumberland Regional. Unofficially, Delsea scored 76, Washington Township 78 points and Clearview 101.

Also in the top 10: Woodstown sophomore Abby Marino [3rd in 20:29], Williamstown junior Julia Burgio [4th in 20:59], Williamstown sophomore Yazmire Bonhomme [5th, 21:18], Delsea freshman Brooke Mashburn [6th, 21:36], Delsea senior Olivia Mashburn [7th, 21:37], Gloucester County Tech sophomore Jordan Moczydlowski [8th, 21:37], Delsea senior Isabella Mordan [9th, 21:40] and Woodstown junior Anabel Schaal [10th, 21:43].

Williamstown seniors Dominic Burgio and Logan Pavelik went 1-2 in the boys race, with over 150 runners. Burgio won in 16:12 and Pavelik ran 16:14. Washington Township sophomore Trevor Szilier [3rd in 16:15], Kingsway sophomore Michael Beaver [4th in 16:35] and Highland senior Andrew Dopkin [5th in 16:36] also ran sub-17.

Also in the top 10: Woodstown senior Jacob Marino [6th, 17:00], Highland junior Colin Roznowski [7th, 17:08], Woodstown junior David Farrell [8th, 17:16], Gloucester County Tech sophomore Wyatt Evans [9th, 17:20] and Pitman junior Rhys Blackman [10th, 17:23].

No team scoring but unofficially, looks like Highland 67, Washington Township 81, Woodstown 87.

Two members of last year’s Haddon Heights cross country team enjoyed successful college debuts this past weekend.

Scranton freshman Owen James placed 9th in the Ranger Invitational in Clark and was Scranton’s 5th finisher overall.

James ran 17:33 at Oak Ridge Park, helping Scranton win the team title 17-47 over host Drew.

And Wilmington University freshman Reggie Hernandez of Haddon Heights, also in his first college XC race, placed 5th out of 81 runners Saturday at the Philadelphia Cross Classic.

Hernandez ran 29:26 over 8,000 meters on the challenging Belmont Plateau course in Fairmount Park.

Wilmington went 1-4-5-6-11 and won the team title, 27-48, over Jefferson of Philadelphia.

Hernandez placed 4th in the South Jersey Group 2 XC sectionals last fall at DREAM Park in Logan Township, helping Heights place 2nd overall.

Also racing for Wilmington were freshman Julian Rich, who ran cross country for Camden County Tech (and track for Winslow, Camden Counthy Tech doesn’t have track), and freshman Kevin Gonzalez from Bridgeton. They placed 11th and 15th overall in their first college races.

Jefferson’s 7th runner was senior Ryan Kopervos of Absegami, who placed 21st overall.

In the women’s race, Jefferson junior Amy Chomo and sophomore Angie Chomo, both of Schalick, placed 16th and 21st. Jefferson won the team title 19-66 over Wilmington.

In her first college race, Rhode Island freshman Jordan Hadfield of Schalick placed 7th out of nearly 100 runners at the Shawn M. Nassaney Invitational.

Hadfield ran 18:51 over 5,000 meters on Bryant College’s campus in Smithfield, R.I., the Patriots’ training camp site from 1976 through 2002.

Hadfield was a state Group 1 cross country champ at Schalick and eight-time South Jerey Group 1 winner in indoors, outdoors and cross.

At Smithfield, Hadfield was Rhode Island’s 2^nd finisher behind senior Lily Saul from Montoursville, Pa. She was the first freshman in the race, three seconds ahead of teammate Kearney Bayha from Pilgrim High in Warwick, R.I.

Host Bryant edged Rhode Island 36-47 for the team title.

Lafayette sophomore Anya Kazemi from Bishop Eustace placed 18th out of 72 runners at the season-opening Temple Owls Invitational at Temple’s Ambler Campus in Upper Dublin Township.

Kazemi ran 15:35 over 4,000 meters, and Lafayette placed 2nd with 45 points, behind only Villanova, who won with 26.

Also racing for Lafayette were junior Ava Severino from Haddon Heights [27th in 15:51] and freshman Megan Niglio from Cherokee [31st in 16:05].

Washington Township’s Chris Colavita opened his senior year of cross country at Florida Southern by placing 9th out of 119 runners at the University of Northern Florida Invitational.

Colavita ran 25:04 over 8,000 meters at Cecil Field in Jacksonville and was the Moccasins’ 2nd finisher, crossing the line less than a second behind sophomore Michael Toppi.

Colavita placed 2nd in the Sunshine State Cross Country Championships last fall at Holloway Park in Lakeland, Fla., and was 15th in the NCAA Division 2 South Region Championships in Huntsville, Ala.,

Indoors, Colavita is Florida Southern school record holder at 3,000 meters [8:26.76] and outdoors he’s 3rd at 10,000 meters [30:38.36], 4th at 5,000 meters [14:33.96] and 8th at 1,500 meters [3:54.70].

UMBC junior Alexis Tepper from Cherry Hill East won her 2025 XC opener in an eight-team meet at Mount St. Marys.

Tepper ran 18:29 over 5,000 meters in Emmitsburg, Md., and finished 40 meters ahead of Delaware’s Ella Peterson, who was 2nd in 18:40.

Camden Catholic’s Leah Clear, a junior at Delaware, placed 4th in 18:50 and was Delaware’s No. 2 runner. The Blue Hens won the team title, 30-54, over Maryland Baltimore County.

UMBC junior Katelyn Deal from Woodstown, a 2:14 half-miler last spring, ran 19:50 and finished 26th overall.

Madison Pratt, in her first lifetime cross country race, was Stockton’s 2^nd finisher in the Ospreys’ season-opening race at the Stevens Back to the Bowl Invitational Saturday.

Pratt, who didn’t run cross country at Absegami, placed 10^th out of 74 runners, covering 5,000 meters on the challenging Holmdel County Park course in 21:48.3.

Pratt ran track at Absegami with PRs of 5:46.21 for 1,600 meters and 13:31.09 for 3,200 meters. But she helped Stockton place 4^th Saturday out of 10 teams.

Stockton’s first four finishers are all from South Jersey high schools.

Moorestown graduate Paige McCabe, a sophomore with freshman eligibility, was Stockton’s first finisher, taking 8^th overall in 21:24. It was her first XC race since the 2023 state Group 3 meet over the same course. McCabe placed 6^th in South Jersey Group 3 sectionals as a senior at Moorestown.

Junior Sarah Rutledge from Egg Harbor placed 12^th in 21:52 and freshman Grace Wojciechowski from Cherokee was 13^th in 21:57.

Stockton is ranked 5^th in the USATFCCCA preseason Metro Region poll and 3^rd among NJAC schools, behind No. 2 TCNJ and No. 3 Rowan.

Several of Stockton’s top runners, including four-time All-America middle-distance runner Kayla Kass and Shawnee’s Maddy Valasek, the NJAC 5,000 and 10,000 runner-up, as well as Evelyn Austin and Guinevere Kennedy, did not race Saturday.

Delsea’s Matthew Littlehales and Holy Cross’s Julia Flanagan posted the fastest South Jersey times at the 30th annual Cherokee Challenge Saturday.

Littlehales ran 9:42 to place 2nd in the Senior Boys Race, and Flanagan ran 11:21 to take 3rd in the Senior Girls Race. Both were over 3,200 meters.

Littlehales’ time is fastest by a Delsea runner since Nick Costello ran 9:38 when he placed 2nd to Shawn Wilson of Cherokee in the 2012 Senior Race. Flanagan’s time is fastest ever by a Holy Cross girl.

Team scoring is determined by adding the top placer in each of the four races. If a school doesn’t have at least one runner in each race, they don’t have a team score.

Salesianum of Wilmington, Del., won the boys race with 45 points [5-9-4-27], followed by Allentown with 50 points [2-14-26-8], with Egg Harbor Township the top South Jersey school in 7th with 87 points [36-6-24-21]. Conestoga won the girls race with 37 points [12-17-6-2], followed by Penn Charter with 43 [1-35-2-5]. Top South Jersey school was Ocean City in 3rd place with 51 points [21-1-5-24].

In combined scoring, Pingry edged Germantown Friends 137-139 with Egg Harbor [160] and Cherokee [177] the top South Jersey programs in 4th and 5th.

Here’s a look at all the South Jersey boys who ran sub-11 and girls who ran sub-13.

BOYS
9:42 … Matthew Littlehales [Delsea], 2nd, senior race
10:07 … Rex Takakly [Cherry Hill West], 5th, senior race
10:08 … Shaun Maloney [Haddon Twp.], 6th, senior race
10:09 … Trevor Szilier [Washington Twp.], 1st, sophomore race
10:21 … Ryan Scaricaciottoli [Cinnaminson], 5th, junior race
10:26 … Hamza Salahuddin [Cherokee], 1st, freshman race
10:26 … Logan Pavelik [Williamstown], 12th, senior race
10:29 … James Clauson [Haddon Twp.], 14th, senior race
10:30 … Dominic Burgio [Williamstown], 15th, senior race
10:31 … Landon Forero [Collingswood], 16th, senior race
10:32 … Teddy Jones [Rancocas Valley], 17th, senior race
10:35 … Marcus Flagg [Gloucester], 19th, senior race
10:35 … Matthew Reed [Egg Harbor Twp.], 21st, senior race
10:37 … Aaron Smith [Lenape], 11th, junior race
10:38 … Vincent Kelly [Gloucester], 24th, senior race
10:40 … Edward Abu-Adas [Cinnaminson], 13th, junior race
10:43 … Liam Aspenberg [Egg Harbor Twp.], 6th, sophomore race
10:44 … Duke Snyder-Shellito [Gloucester Twp. Tech], 18th, junior race
10:44 … Logan Camm [Audubon], 28th, senior race
10:49 … Giovanna Fuchs [Sterling], 22nd, junior race
10:51 … Jaden Carn [Lenape], 10th, sophomore race
10:51 … Daniel Svec [Egg Harbor Twp.], 24th, junior race
10:52 … Timothy Rooney [Egg Harbor Twp.], 12th, sophomore race
10:53 … Gabin Danielewicz [Cherokee], 25th, junior race
10:54 … Dominic Lera [Seneca], 31st, senior race
10:55 … Vincent Dougherty [Haddon Heights], 27th, junior race
10:56 … Leo Vyvyan [Cherokee], 29th, junior race

GIRLS 
11:21 … Julia Flanagan [Holy Cross], 3rd, senior race
11:42 … Alyssa Suriano [Cherokee], 4th, senior race
11:42 … Riley Tolson [Ocean City], 1st, sophomore race
11:54 … Sophia Aldridge [Williamstown], 7th, senior race
11:59 … Madeline Meder [Cherokee], 8th, senior race
12:01 … Riley Fayer [Audubon], 9th, senior race
12:09 … Sofia Recinto [Cherokee], 10th, senior race
12:19 … Lillian Flora [Ocean City], 5th, junior race
12:29 … Devyn Per [Egg Harbor Twp.], 13th, senior race
12:31 … Juliana Catalani [Maple Shade], 8th, junior race
12:32 … Makayla Zell [Moorestown], 4th, sophomore race
12:35 … Ashley Doyle [Delran], 14th, senior race
12:37 … Lenna Driscoll [Ocean City], 5th, sophomore race
12:37 … Audrey McCorkle [Lenape], 10th, junior race
12:41 … Carly Godfrey [Ocean City], 11th, junior race
12:41 … Taylor Sierzega [West Deptford], 12th, junior race
12:42 … Kayla Romanoski [West Deptford], 15th, senior race
12:44 … Cecilia Foreman [Mainland Regional], 14th, junior race
12:50 … Erin Healy [Cherokee], 8th, sophomore race
12:52 … Addison Lambert [Egg Harbor Township], 17th, junior race
12:55 … Celia Frederico [Moorestown], 18th, senior race
12:56 … Juliet Stack Maya [Moorestown], 9th, freshman race
12:57 … Meghan Johnson [Egg Harbor Township], 19th, junior race
12:58 … Olivia Masucci [Vineland], 20th, junior race
12:58 … Lydia Gravante [Audubon], 21st, junior race

Washington Township’s Trevor Szilier ran away from the field to win the Sophomore Race at the Cherokee Challenge Saturday morning.

Szilier ran 10:09 over 3,200 meters, finishing 80 meters ahead of 2nd-place Nikhil Shah of Pingry School of Bernards Township, who ran 10:25.

Szilier is Washington Township’s 2nd winner at the Challenge and first in 22 years, following Carmen Cavella, who won the Senior Race in 2003 in 9:58.

Szilier was the 6th-fastest freshman in New Jersey last year with a 4:34.81 [converted from full mile at Greensboro Nationals] and the 4th-fastest freshman at 3,200 meters in South Jersey with a 10:03.58 at the Gloucester County Championships at Deptford.

Other South Jersey runners in the top 10 were Egg Harbor’s Liam Aspenberg [6th in 10:43] and Lenape’s Jayden Carn [10th in 10:51].