Nick Falk taking the hill. (I had too fun making this cover.) / Original Photo by RunningWorksPics
Nick Falk of Cherokee ran a 16:42 to win the Burlington County Open Championships on Friday! He becomes the first sophomore to win the race in its 45 year history!! This was a course and meet best for Nick, last year as a freshmen he ran 17:45 for 25th place. That day he was the fifth man in the top five, today he led the Cherokee boys with a one card and set the tone en route to a team championship! This was the first XC invitational win of his career, congratulations Nick!
The Cherokee boys took first overall with a team average of 17:19 and 54 points, their scoring line went 1-6-8-19-20. In 6th for Cherokee was senior Justin Detone running 17:05, a 22 second personal best for him on this course. Also scoring in the top ten was Jack Shea, another sophomore, he placed 11th at the South Jersey Open last week.
Rounding out the five for the Chiefs were Michael Zurzolo in 20th with a 17:46 and Steven Gravlin in 21st with 17:50.
On the individual front Isaiah Curbelo of Rancocas Valley Regional gave Nick Falk the closest competition at the finish in second with 16:47, about a 14 second drop from last year's run at this meet. Last week he placed 8th at the South Jersey Open. Racocas Valley Regional took fifth as a team with 130 points and a team average of 18:12.
The last athlete to break 17 minutes, Matthew Young placed third with a time of 16:52 for Maple Shade. The senior closed out his Burlington County Champs career with a course and meet best by 12 seconds.
|
Team Scores |
|
Place |
Team |
Points |
Scorers |
Times |
|
1 |
Cherokee HS |
54 |
1+6+8+19+20 (32+36) |
1:07 1-5 Split | 17:19 Avg |
|
2 |
Moorestown HS |
96 |
9+11+15+30+31 (40) |
1:11 1-5 Split | 17:51 Avg |
|
3 |
Lenape Reg. HS |
102 |
5+10+14+35+38 (41) |
1:46 1-5 Split | 17:53 Avg |
|
4 |
Shawnee HS |
124 |
13+16+22+26+47 (51+67) |
1:58 1-5 Split | 18:08 Avg |
|
5 |
Rancocas Valley Reg HS |
130 |
2+17+23+43+45 (46+63) |
2:34 1-5 Split | 18:12 Avg |
Here is a look at the Cherokee boys championship team.
Nina Bendixen of Shawnee runs the fastest girls time of the day while leading her team to victory. / Photo by RunningWorksPics
On the girls side NJ#10 Shawnee senior Nina Bendixen set the fastest time of the day to 19:26, an 8 second lead on the rest of the field! The first XC Invitational win of her career, she's been on a roll this season with four top four finishes. She led Shawnee who as a team scored 41 points to defeat Seneca, 59, and Moorestown, 71. Shawnee ran a team average of 20:16 with a score line of 1-5-6-12-17.
Shawnee had three top ten finishers, Kara Bonnor took fifth with a time of 20:02 and Morgan Arena 6th at 20:06. Finishing their top five was Georgia Larzelere in 12th with 20:45 and Cara Keevey 17th with 21:01.
The girls varsity race featured four girls under 20 minutes on the tough course. In second was Genevieve Cickavage of Moorestown with a 19:32, ten seconds later Joey Webb of Seneca crossed at 19:42. In fourth Camille Franklin of Lenape Regional cracked the 20 minute mark with a 19:51.
|
Team Scores |
|
Place |
Team |
Points |
Scorers |
Times |
|
1 |
Shawnee HS |
41 |
1+5+6+12+17 (31+40) |
1:35 1-5 Split | 20:16 Avg |
|
2 |
Seneca HS |
59 |
3+10+13+14+19 (25+26) |
1:27 1-5 Split | 20:36 Avg |
|
3 |
Moorestown HS |
71 |
2+9+15+22+23 (34+36) |
2:08 1-5 Split | 20:48 Avg |
|
4 |
Rancocas Valley Reg HS |
111 |
16+18+20+28+29 (30+51) |
1:11 1-5 Split | 21:31 Avg |
|
5 |
Cherokee HS |
151 |
21+24+27+38+41 (44) |
1:15 1-5 Split | 22:07 Avg |
Nick Falk taking the hill. (I had too fun making this cover.) / Original Photo by RunningWorksPics
Nick Falk of Cherokee ran a 16:42 to win the Burlington County Open Championships on Friday! He becomes the first sophomore to win the race in its 45 year history!! This was a course and meet best for Nick, last year as a freshmen he ran 17:45 for 25th place. That day he was the fifth man in the top five, today he led the Cherokee boys with a one card and set the tone en route to a team championship! This was the first XC invitational win of his career, congratulations Nick!
The Cherokee boys took first overall with a team average of 17:19 and 54 points, their scoring line went 1-6-8-19-20. In 6th for Cherokee was senior Justin Detone running 17:05, a 22 second personal best for him on this course. Also scoring in the top ten was Jack Shea, another sophomore, he placed 11th at the South Jersey Open last week.
