Westfield tops Kingston (JAM) in the COA 4x800 with a time of 7:39.73.  Potomac (MD) 4th in the COA 4x100m, first US team! (Photo by Don Rich)

No lead is safe. No lead is safe, at least when it’s Edward Cheserek.  The St. Benedict NJ junior didn’t disappoint the fans gathered at Franklin Stadium Friday night for the 118th Penn Relays Carnival. (Photo by Don Rich)

To some, winning a Penn Relays Gold Watch is a goal just as, and even sometimes moreso important than winning a national championship.  Watches are awarded only to the overall American winners in Championship of America events at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia, kicking off for the 118th time next Thursday at Franklin Field.  In some cases, most notably the sprints, it is harder to win a spot on the top of the medal stand than it is to win a national championship.  This fact is because of the international draw the relays bring to Philly; currently, there are 62 schools registered that are not from the United States, with Jamaica the most represented foreign country with 32 individual schools.  For some, winning a watch means beating the world. While the main events remain the short relays, specifically the 4x100m and 4x400m, the distance relays and open events are available on an invite basis.  And with the the high quality meet comes a high caliber field in each of the 4 invitational distance events.  We broke down the competition to help you see where the action may take place.

Quick recovery as CBA goes 10:08.8 in the DMR just two days after a 7:41.52 4x8! Baird and Baisden US#7/9 All-Time for 300 meters! North Shore 9:04.99 4x800! Fri: Malone, Cain win fast 1000's. Boys & Girls, Wakefield take fast 4x400 titles! 

Although they didn't bring briefcases with them, don't let that fool you. The US # 1 ranked Christian Brothers Academy cross-country team went to Oregon this weekend on a business trip.

Twenty-two of the nations' top teams and forty-five of the best individuals will make the trek to Portland, Oregon for Nike Cross Nationals. The teams are comprised of two winners from nine different regions and four “At-Large” berths, decided on by a team of Nike consultants. 

Read how one New Jersey XC team from Hunterdon County chose to honor this year's State Champs.

 

Jersey boys' measured approach wins

Edward Cheserek sets the CR at Vanny with a 11:55.39 clocking.  US#1 CBA boys win.  Jillian Fanning and US#1 Fayetteville-Manlius win for the girls.  (Photo by Charles Stone)

Perry King of Section 1/NYS Running submits his opinions on what appears to be one of the most competitve races all season thus far.

Edward Cheserek made New  Jersey XC History today and NJRunners was at Holmdel Park to see and report on it.  Coming up this evening, race recaps and overviews of all of todays action. Picture Galleries of most of today races.    

The first weekend of traditional format invitationals is upon us, and the state's best programs are scattered across four states as they search for ideal conditions to foster their development.

  PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Dan Mykityshyn said that it was the kind of thing that a runner stays up at night and dreams about.  (Photos by Don Rich)

George Kelly knew that his team didn’t give their best showing. And that’s the scary part.

  WAPPINGERS FALLS – West Windsor-Plainsboro North senior Jim Rosa and Edward Cheserek of St. Benedict’s Prep led the boys race throughout. That much was expected.

  CHRISTIAN BROTHERS CONTINUES ITS DOMINATION AS VOORHEES TAKES OVER AT THE TOP  

  HILLSBOROUGH GIRLS & CBA GUYS RETAIN GRIP ON TOP SPOTS!

NEW YORK – Shaker’s Mike Libruk remarked after the race how the similarities between his teammates are uncanny. They are around the same height and build. He said they have similar personalities.

  CBA CONTINUES TO DOMINATE / VOORHEES MOVES TO TOP SPOT

Many top teams will see head-to-head action this weekend

CHRISTIAN BROTHERS ACADEMY / WEST WINDSOR PLAINSBORO NO. AMONG NATIONAL ELITES IN THE 2ND EDITION OF "THE HARRIER' RANKINGS

THE SEASON IS UNDERWAY AND THE POLL IS IN GEAR. CHECK THE WEEKLY RANKING OF THE STATE'S TOP TEAMS  

      SO MANY QUESTIONS, SO LITTLE TIME!   THE 2010 XC SEASON TOES THE LINE IN ABOUT 2 DAYS. NJRUNNERS FINISHES UP IT'S  PREVIEWS TODAY & TOMORRROW. KEEP COMING BACK!

THE INTREPID XC "PANEL OF EXPERTS" TOES THE LINE FOR THE 5TH YEAR TO BRING YOU A WEEKLY SNAPSHOT OF THE STATE OF XC IN NEW JERSEY.  GIRLS PRESEASON WILL APPEAR SAT. 9/4.

  SEE WHO NEW JERSEY'S OWN MARC BLOOM HAS PICKED AS THE CREAM OF THE CROP  

DJ Thornton on his way to victory in the 4x800m relay

Carlton LaVong is not shy. He’s not quiet and he’s hardly reserved. The Methacton (Pa.) senior is boisterous and fun and inviting. And as soon as he hits the runway he’s on fire. There’s no spotlight that shines on the jumpers alone so he’ll make one.

One week from now, 44 teams will be in Portland, and each with the dream of contending for the national championship of high school cross country. Photo by Alan Versaw.

photo courtesy of Good Doggie Photo

  Photo courtesy: John Olson, South Carolina Runner's  

It's likely that on the weekend of the Manhattan College Invitational that that is where the NJRunners Athletes of the Week are going to come from.     photos by MaroonNews  

NEW YORK – They were going to have to wait for a little while. It wasn’t the kind of race that anyone was going to eyeball from the finish and proclaim the winner.  So everyone waited, knowing that they had fought the good fight until Christian Brothers Academy was crowned winners of the first real cross country battle royal of the season.

Post Shore Coaches Edition When the dust cleared on Saturday afternoon, it was clearer than ever that Joe Rosa had just done the historic and that twin brother Jim was also one of those once in forever athletes,What became less clear was the team scene on both the Boys and Girls sides as some "Oldies but Goodies" re- emerged and some teams that were not on the radar at the start of the season are now more than a blip. Coming up this weekend is the venerable Mannhattan College Invitational on a under construction Van Cortlandt Park.  "Laissez les bons temps rouler."   BOYS: Wk. 4               Last RANK TEAM VOTES 1ST PLACE Week 1 Haddonfield 88 7 1 2 CBA 82 2 2 3 Don Bosco 71   3 4 TRN 55   7 5 Westfield 37   N/R 6 Old Bridge 36   8 7 Millburn 31   N/R 8 E. Brunswick 27   N/R 9 So. Reg. 21   10 10 Ridge 19   4           Also Receiving Votes:       WW-P No. (15) WW-P So. (10) Cherokee (1)     The top 3 ranked teams did not change, with Haddonfield and CBA runnning mostly subs (Although CBA had am impressive 16:41 avg.)and Don Bosco bypassing Shore Coaches entirely,   The rest of the Top Ten underwent a huge shake up. an astounding 4 squads that were not in the rankings last week ended up there in Wk.4. Ridge dropped to #10 and three others fell out completely.   Click on Headline to View Girls Rankings

Randolph / Toms River North Girls in Flatfooted Tie. Haddonfield Boys are Unanimous Pick After Bowdoin Triumph.   BOYS: Wk. 3         Last RANK TEAM VOTES 1ST PLACE Week 1 Haddonfield 80 8 1 2 CBA 71   2 3 Don Bosco 61   3 4 WW-P No. 59   4 5 WW-P So. 44   5 6 Ridge 33   7 7 TRN 29   6 8 Old Bridge 21   8 9 RBC 17   9 10 So. Reg. 7   NR Also Receiving Votes: Bridgewater-Raritan (5) Ridgewood (4) Cherokee,  East Brunswick (3) Westfield (2) Shawnee (1)    The Bulldogs of Haddonfield  went to Wappingers Falls, NY for the Bowdoin XC Classic on Saturday and came away with the 3rd fastest team time ever on the home course for the New York State Federation meet and the NXN Northeast Regional event. Behind Jon Vitez' convincing 15:42 win, Haddonfield scored 54 points for the victory. CBA, which remains at #2,  placed 3rd in the same race, scoring 67 points despite an under the weather Mike Mazzaccaro. Southern Regional makes a return to the Top Ten with a solid 4th place at Bowdoin.   Click Headline for Girls Rankings 

Pre-Season Edition The New Jersey HS Cross Country Poll starts it's 5th year with it's pre-season edition. Follow the poll every week during the season as we track the progress of the top teams in the state. We will also showcase the Runner of the Week for both Boys and Girls.   BOYS               LY RANK TEAM VOTES 1ST PLACE MOC 1 Haddonfield 86 6 4 2 CBA 76 3 3 3 WW-P No. 65   1 4 TRN 45   DNC 5 Don Bosco 43   2 6 WW-P So. 41   7 7 Cherokee 27   10 8 Old Bridge 23   12 9 So. Reg. 20   8 10 Ridge 13   DNC           Also Receiving Votes:       Paul IV (12) Bridgewater-Raritan (9) Morris Hills (7) RBC (5) Shawnee (4) Ridgewood, Mendham (3)   Westfield, East Brunswick (2) Haddon Twp. (1)     Also touted as one of the top squads in the country, Haddonfield will start the season as the team to beat. Well coached and coming off of a banner Outdoor season, the Bulldogs are a NXN caliber team. Do not overlook CBA however, as they return top notch team leaders and always find quality guys from a great system. The question mark in the early season will be defending MOC champs, WW-P North. With arguably the best 1-2 punch in NJ, the Knights have some gaps to fill.    Click on Headline for Girls Pre-Season Rankings

A big weekend of competition generally means some major movement in the national rankings, and that is certainly the case this week.  Making the biggest leap is Tatnall (DE) (pictured by Brandon Miles), who after beating then U.S.#4 Collins Hill (GA) at the McDonald's XC Festival at Maymont jumps to US#8 in the girls rankings.

A lot of competitive invitationals took place last weekend, meaning that a few of the top teams in the country lost to unranked squads. With those loses comes new teams jumping into the week #4 MileSplit National Cross Country Rankings. See who's in and who's out in this week's edition.