Photo of Joshua Clark accepting his SJ Athlete of the Year Award by RunningWorksPics
Joshua Clark - Highlands Regional
Joshua Clark put together the best season of his running career in 2015 notching seven wins and running undefeated against New Jersey athletes. His only loss was a fourth place finish at Foot Locker Northeast Regionals where he advanced to Foot Locker Nationals running 15:28. Nationals will take place on December 12th in San Diego, California.
Clark finished with the second fastest Holmdel time of the season at 15:33, only 1 second off Matt Grossman's 15:32 in a different race. That 15:33 was the time that won him the Meet of Champions title. He also had the fastest recorded 5K of the season coming from the Brown Invitational in Rhode Island which he won with 14:59.
Clark was the first Highland Regional Group State Title winner since Jerry Franks in 1990, and their second ever Meet of Champions winner. He is your Boys Athlete of the Year.
Kevin Kilduff - Don Bosco Prep
In 2014 after going to the extra runner and just missing the Non-Public A title with Christian Brothers Academy at Group Championships the Don Bosco Prep boys set out in 2015 with a solid returning core. During the regular season Bosco posted a perfect score at the Bergen County Group Championships to win the Group A title. The following week at the Lou Molino Bergen County MOC they took on a talented Indian Hills squad to win with 55 points to their 61 and an average of 15:47. The team's great season didn't end there.
Moving onto states when the team needed to peak at the right time and knew they were gearing up for another showdown Don Bosco stepped up and upset the NJ#1 ranked Christian Brothers Academy 33 to 35. This was the schools fifth state team title and first since winning four straight years from 2006 to 2009. At the Meet of Champions they took a close second to CBA 87 to 92 in the scoring and running a 16:26 average. The team eventually ended their season placing fourth at Nike Cross Nationals Northeast Regionals.
Ronald Kigen - St. Benedict's Prep
With St. Benedict's Prep not competing in the NJSIAA state meets some may not have seen enough of Ronald Kigen in the spotlight this season. This is definitely a name you should become acquainted with however, as a freshmen Kigen had six top two finishes at varsity events including a NJCTC Championship win running 15:47 at Greystone. He has a Holmdel best of 16:25 from when he placed second in the Varsity E Race during the Shore Coaches Invitational, that ranks him 35th in the state and first among freshmen. He also finished his season 19th running 16:04 at Foot Locker Northeast Regionals.
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