GET UR NJ XC ON!!!
GET UR GREYSTONE ON!!
The NJ XC Express has rolled into the hallowed (some would say haunted) grounds of Central Park in Morris County, site of the Greystone course where the 40th NJCTC Bernie Magee Meet will be kicking off at 9 a.m.
Why do some people feel this place is haunted? Well, the course is run on the site of the old Greystone psychiatric hospital!!! Let's just say lots of crazy stuff has happened here that I just can't write about here. LOL.
Anyways, for all of you that can't make it to Greystone today, have no fear, NJ MileSplit is here!!!!
I sure do love this place, but I miss the old course here. For those that don't know, a street now runs right through the area where the old start used to be, so since 2017 the course had to be significantly changed.
But it's still a great place for XC.
There are lots of top runners and teams that will be taking the line today, however I've been informed that two of the best runners, seniors Jack Jennings of Mendham and Gavin Richards of North Hunterdon won't be racing. Jennings was a bit under the weather this week, so he's being held out. Richards had a slight IT band issue that put him a little big behind in his training. He's reportedly healthy now and is scheduled to open his season at Bowdoin next week.
Course Records-15:09 by Jack Stanley of Mendham last year, and 17:07 by Abbey Loveys of Randolph last year. Both are now running at Princeton University.
UPDATES
8:35 a.m. I'm parked here next to the finish line and I'm jacked up to see some hot times and PR's on this perfect day for XC. You ever wake up and just say this day was made for XC?? I know, I know, you XC junkies say this just about every day this time of year. Anyways, today is one of those picture perfect XC days. Sunny and in the 60's right now. But it will be heating up for the later races. But there still should be lots of PR's on this fast, dry course.
8:40 a.m. The recording of the National Anthem has been completed. WHERE IS RICH BEVENSEE AND HIS VOCAL CORDS WHEN YOU NEED HIM!!!! Miss those crazy notes he hits!!!
8:50 a.m. Junior Girls is first race at 9 a.m.
8:53 a.m. 82 schools are here.
8:59 a.m. HERE WE GO!!!! The gun goes off for the Junior Girls race!!! GET UR NJ XC ON!!!!!!
9:18 a.m. Maria Laverde of Kearny throws her arms in the air as she crossed the line to win the girls Jr. race in 19:29!!!
Westfield wins the Jr. Girls team title, 19-38 over county rival Summit. The Blue Devils went 3-6-11 and averaged 20:14. Just three runners score in this class format.
9:25 a.m. Boys Junior race is off.
9:41 a.m. IT'S ALL ZACH HODGES!!!! The Mendham Jr. wins the boys race in a big way, crossing in 16:12, a new PR for Greystone. Hodges ran 16:15 here last year at the NJAC meet.
NORTH HUNTERDON ROCKED THIS RACE WINNING THE BOYS JR TEAM TITLE WITH A 2-3-6 FINISH!!!! NH's top 3 runners averaged 16:37
9:44 a.m. The Senior girls race is off.
9:45 a.m. Chloe Gonzalez of North Hunterdon, 2nd at the XC M of C last year and the winner of the 1,600 at the M of C last spring, isn't here today. She's visiting Villanova!
10:03 a.m. Laura Baeyens of Watchung Hills wins the girls Sr. race in 18:31!!! That's a Greystone PR for Baeyens. Her old PR was 18:48 from soph. year at sectionals.
Ridge wins the girls Senior Division team title, 15-39 over Union Catholic. Ridge finished 1-6-8 and averaged 19.33.
10:04 a.m. Remember what I wrote earlier about today being a great day for XC. Well, it's a great day for spectators, but with the temps are climbing fast here, the weather is becoming a big issue for many runners!!! It's in the high 70's now!!!!
10:08 a.m. The Boys senior race is off.
10:23 a.m. TJ Harkins of Immaculata runs a huge Greystone PR of 15:45 to win the boys Senior race. Look out for TJ this season! He put in huge mileage this summer and he's seeing that pay off.
Great team race between Mendham and Ridge in the Senior Boys race. Mendham averaged 16:37 and wins 24-28. Mendham finished 1-6-17 and Ridge averaged 16:43 went 5-9-14. Remember that the scoring and average is just for 3 runners. That's the rules here. So we'll have to wait for the merge to really see which teams performed the best here
10:39 am,. Girls Soph. race is on the course
10:48 am. Lucy Afanasewicz of Middletown South wins the girls soph race by a couple steps in 19:02.!!!! Miranda Lorsbach of Kent Place closed very fast to get 2nd in 19:03. Lorsbach should be a major contender at the Union County Championships.
Mendham goes 2-3-4-5-18 to win the girls Soph. title. Mendham averaged 19:48.
11:05 Boys soph. race is off!!
11:21 am. Jackson Barna of Ridge wins the boys soph. division title in 16:08. Big Greystone PR for Barna, who also scored a big win at the Roxbury Invit. two weeks ago.
11:25 a.m. Girls freshman race is off
11:38 a.m. HERE COMES RISING STAR REESE FAHYS OF MIDDLETOWN SOUTH!!! She wins the freshman girls race in12:20.6 over the 3,200-meter course. Fahys also won the freshman race at the Battle at Ocean County Park last week!!!!
Middletown South wins the girls freshman team title, 34-90 over Summit. Middletown South went 1-3-6-7-17 and averaged 13:21.0!!! FYI-The freshmen races are the only races that score five runners.
11:50 a.m. The freshman race is finishing now.
12:15 p.m. Roman Citro of High Point wins the boys freshman race in 11:19!!!
North Hunterdon wins the boys freshman team title, 68-91. NH went 2-7-9-12-38 and averaged 12:06 over the 3,200-meter course.
12:30 p.m. RIDGE SWEEPS THE OVERALL TEAM TITLES!!!!! The team titles are decided by adding the total scores for each team in the Soph. Jr. and Sr. races.
1:27 p.m. That's A wrap from Greystone!!! Check back for video interviews, race videos and results and more!!!!
1:28 p.m. CONGRATS TO EVERYONE THAT BEAT THE HEAT TODAY!!! THANKS FOR FOLLOWING ALONG!!!
1:28 P.M. GET UR NJ XC ON!!!!