For those who thought the Randolph girls would fall off the cross-country map after 2018 NJ XC Meet of Champions winner Abby Loveys graduated last spring, you should think again.
While losing Loveys, now running at Princeton University, is a huge hole to fill, Randolph showed over the weekend that it still has the firepower to be a contender for some major titles this fall.
Fueled by the powerful frontal attack of rising stars Maya Wilkins and Chloe Whiting, and steady veteran Meredith Finley, Randolph made its presence felt with a very impressive performance at Saturday's Wave Mania Invitational at Warwick Valley High School in New York.
Wilkins, a sophomore, and Whiting, a junior, have established themselves as two of the most improved and pleasant surprises in the state so far this season.
Wilkins, who ran 21:26 at Wave Mania last year and had a PR of 20:08 last fall, ran more than two minutes faster than she did at this meet last year by placing second in the three-mile race in 19:23. Whiting continued her huge drops this season by finishing fourth in 19:41. Last year, Whiting ran 22:23 at this meet. Finley, a senior, finished seventh in 19:53.
Randolph's firepower up front enabled the Rams to average 20:31 and place third with 136 points. Scarsdale of NY won with 79 points, and Goshen placed second with 131.
If Randolph can get its No.4 and No. 5 runners to steadily improve, the Rams could give NJ#5 and defending champions Mendham a run for their money at the Morris County Championships.
In the boys varsity race, Eion McClain was 21st in 16:39 to lead Pope John to a 13th place finish. Chris Gamgort placed 27th in 16:49.
OTHER NJ HIGHLIGHTS
- Kayla Jarski of Westwood finished 11th in 20:02 to help her team place ninth.
- Immaculate Heart Academy had a 1-5 compression of 37 seconds to fuel its sixth-place finish with 157 points.
- Miranda Luo of Pascack Valley placed 17th in 20:21
- Natalie O'Hearn placed 16th in 20:15 to lead Pope John to an 11th place finish