The Ridgewood girls traveled to University Park, PA on Saturday morning to compete in the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational. The long trip was well worth it as the Ridgewood girls dominated for first overall as a team. They totaled 56 points with a 1-3-13-18-21-(37)-(39) spread! They also boasted a team average of 19:41. The second place team, Governor Mifflin from Pennsylvania, were 24 points behind with 80 total and a team average of 19:55.
Ridgewood was led by senior Carleen Jeffers who won the race individually as well. She posted a 19:04 for the 5000m course, a 6:09 mile average. Sam Halvorsen brought in the three card for Ridgewoo placing third with a time of 19:16. Both these girls placed top 30 overall at last year's Meet of Champions an look to be in great early season shape.
The Ridgewood after their team victory at the Spiked Shoe Invite. / Photo by David Beyerle for MileSplit
The great scoring did not end at third place however, the rest of the top five came through the chute within the top 25. Kelly Cleary, a senior for Ridgewood, finished 14th with a time of 19:53 to score 13 points. Olympia Martin placed 19th with a 20:01 finish, and Meghan Adams tok 22nd with a time of 20:08. The sixth and seventh runners had a good race as well, Abby Taylor was 38th with a time of 20:47, and Corina Cobb took 40th with 20:48. Here are the full results as Ridgewood also had many more girls run the meet.
All in all a one minute and four second split from first to fifth for Ridgewood in the opening season meet for their girls starting line-up. Others from the team as well as the boys squad competed in the Season Opener Invitational on Saturday located at Darlington Park in Mahwah, NJ.
The Ridgewood girls were ranked 2nd overall for the state in the NJ MileSplit Pre-Season Voters Poll. Things are looking good for the maroon and white as we head further into the season.
Carleen Jeffers won the race individually with a time of 19:04. / Photo by David Beyerle for MileSplit