XC is Back | Week 1 Highlights & Recaps

NJ Meet Recaps
Robert Kellert


Photo by RunningWorksPics for MileSplit

A quick note for each high school meet that happened involving New Jersey schools during opening weekend! Every meet title leads to their full results and if there was any further coverage of the meet I linked it underneath the meet's recap.

Friday

Backwards Bowl Invitational

Only in its second year the Backwards Bowl fielded five teams. Kevin Knoetig of Toms River South led the Boys 5Ks with an 18:09 and Erin Flynn of Wall ran 24:31 to lead the girls.

Saturday

Cherokee Challenge

The Cherokee Challenge marked its 20th anniversary on Saturday while teams from NJ, VA, DE, and PA all clashed on the two mile course. Alyssa Aldridge of Mainland Regional led NJ individuals with the fourth fastest time at 11:33. She had a rough start and managed to stay strong to win the sophomore race.

Voorhees boys team posted a great meet scoring 157 (10+16+27+49+55) in the merged results averaging 10:23. Ryan Rafferty of Jackson Memorial had the third fastest time of the day at 9:51 to lead New Jersey individually. Read the full meet recap right here!

You can watch every race as we recorded multiple camera angles, videos linked below.

Season Opener Invitational

The Indian Hills boys posted a 17:02 average to win the Varsity B in this race, the best team performance of the meet. Juliet Kohli ran the fastest 5K of the weekend with an 18:55 as the Montclair girls scored 1+2+5+6+12 (20) for 26 points and the win. Northern Highlands and Northern Valley Old Tappan gave them a run for it though. Read the full meet recap here.

Newark Academy Invitational

Caleb Shaia of Bergen Catholic ran the fastest boys time at 16:33, 19 seconds ahead of the rest of the field. That sparked a 28 point scoring run for the BC squad who went 1+3+7+8+9 (11+19) averaging 17:30.

On the girls side Giavanna Tabbachino of Immaculate Heart Academy had the best individual race at 20:03, followed by teammate Caitlin McPartland in second at 20:27. IHA rolled on from there scoring 27 points placing 1+2+6+8+10 (18+25) and averaging only 20:44!

Abington XC Invitational

A P Schalick's Samuel Gerstenbacher led New Jersey at this Pennsylvania meet with a fourth place 16:45. A P Schalick would place 10th as a team with 214 points. Lenape Regional put forth the best boys team performance for a NJ squad placing 5th averaging 17:53 and scoring 146 points. They were led by senior Craig Lauer in 17th with a time of 17:26.

For the girls New Jersey was led individually by Olivia Gerstenbacher of A P Schalick placing 19th with a time of 20:59. The girls of A P Schalick would place 13th as a team.

PTXC 7 - Presented by New Balance

Another PA meet with NJ attendance, North Hunterdon placed 10th as a team in the girls Gold Race. Led by Anna DiMarcello who placed 24th with a 20:09. The squad averaged 21:01 scoring 22+47+64+65+68 (69+82).

Randolph Cross Country Invitational - Cancelled :(

Unfortunately the Randolph Invitational was cancelled due to weather concerns, some decent talent was going too. The West Morris Central girls didn't want to hear anything about cancelling though and ran the course anyway!

Sierra Castaneda sent this in on Instagram.


"Even though the meet was cancelled yesterday, the rain didn't stop us from running at the Randolph Invitational!!"

Roxbury Invitational

We had an interesting duel occur at this meet in the Boys Fastest Four race. Drake Anzano, the Christian Brothers Academy Junior who won the Outdoor Meet of Champions last spring, was pushed to the line by newcomer freshmen Ronald Kigen of St. Benedict's Prep! Anzano crossed first running the fastest time of the meet at 15:49 but Kigen was right there at 15:50. This adds a whole new interesting story to the season with Ronald Kigen bursting onto the scene. Looking at a list compiled since 2002 for this meet Anzano and Kigen ranked as the fourth and fifth fastest times.

CBA as a team rocked the team scoring in that race and the Future Four race. In the merged results CBA finished with 9 of the top 15 spots of the meet averaging an impressive early 16:07 and scoring 1+3+4+5+6 (8+9) for 19 points. Westfield boys averaged under 17 minutes as well with a 16:59 average and 93 points. They were led by junior Jacob Triarsi who finished 9th in the Fastest Four race with 16:43.

On the girls side Roxbury dominated at their home meet with wins in both the Future and Fastest Four races. When looking at the merged results they averaged 20:40 for 56 points. Roxbuy also has their own freshmen sensation as Julia Herraiz ran the third fastest time of the meet at 19:32. Mendham had a great team showing as well averaging 20:46 on the merge led by Elizabeth Timoney and Lucy Jeffs who ran the fourth and fifth fastest times of the meet at 19:36 and 19:46.

The fastest individual girls time of the meet was run by Ally Schlosser of Parsippany Hills at 19:07, she held off Alexandra Christian of Mount Olive in the Fastest Four race who placed second with a 19:22.

St. Dominic Academy 21st Annual XC Invitational

Running the 5,250m course at Lincoln Park, Rumson-Fair Haven swept this meet team wise. On the boys side RF Haven scored 2+4+10+12+15 for 43 points averaging 18:40. They were led by Arthur Beyer who took second running 17:40, the winner was Kearny senior Mark Alves who finished at 17:35. RF Haven needed every point they could get as East Brunswick finished second as a team with 47 points led by junior Kenneth Mohs in third at 17:45.

On the girls side Rumson scored 36 points and their entire team finishing top 20, 2+4+9+10+11 (15+17). They averaged 21:34 led by senior Emily Hellman who placed second overall at 20:19. The winner of the varsity girls race was St. Dominic Academy senior Camille Bertholon who ran 20:14.

Warwick Valley Big Purple X-C Wave Mania

Teaneck, Pascack Hills and and Pope John XXIII all traveled to this 3 mile New York meet. The best NJ team performance came from the Pope John XXIII girls who placed third with 110 points scoring 7+20+21+29+33 and averaging 20:51. They were led by Anna Campbell in 9th with a time of 19:17, which was also the fastest NJ girls time of the meet. The fastest NJ boys time was run by Brian Walsh who placed 13th in his race with a 16:47.