Thompson Sweeps, Coyle, Scrudato Win at Middle School Champs


Girls individual winner Julia Scrudato speaks about her win. 

Full Results / Photos / Interviews and Race Videos

The New Jersey Middle School Championships took place on Saturday for the sixth time and its third straight year at Montgomery Upper MS in Skillman, NJ. Thompson MS swept for a second straight year and eighth graders Patrick Coyle and Julia Scrudato head out to high school cross as Champions. 

This meet series has provided a great preview into the future of New Jersey distance running with some names that have really made their mark at the high school level, even in Championships today. 

Boys Race Video / Girls Race Video

We'll start with the Girls Championship race, which brought us a split second finish for first between the winner Julia Scrudato of Montgomery Upper MS, 10:55.27, and second place Zui Chinchalkar of Community MS, 10:55.82. 

Chinchalkar had the race lead early on but Scrudato commanded the race most of the way from there. A late comeback surge by Chinchalkar made it an exciting finish but Scrudato, on her home course, answered and held her off for the win at the line. 

For Scrudato this race has been on her radar for a long while, ever since finishing second in 2018 to Thompson's Reese Fahys, this win meant a lot. For even more perspective on the talent level here, last year's winner, Fahys, just recently finished third at Shore Conference Championships as a freshman running for the NJ#3 ranked Middletown South HS girls

Scrudato is the second individual winner from Montgomery Upper MS, Caroline Mehlhorn did so in 2017, making them to the only school so far with two winners in the girls championship. 

In third was eighth grader Rose Shay of Thompson MS running 11:06.81, she finished fourth or better all three years running the Championship race also placing third in 2018 and fourth in 2017. 

Shay sparked what would become a meet record third straight team championship for Thompson MS at 44 points averaging 10:47 and splitting 1:09 one through five. Sophie Monahan brought in sixth place with her 11:25, Caitlin Brown 13th at 11:45.12, Skylar Miller  21st 12:01.70, and Abigail Gallagher closing their scoring five in 27th at 12:19.46. 

Second as a team was Montgomery Upper MS with 72 points and third John Witherspoon MS at 99. 

On the boys side Thompson MS made it a clean sweep for the team titles. Patrick Coyle earned his team the one card with his 10:08.09, a six second lead over the second place battle between Max Huang of Montclair Kimberley Academy at 10:14.18 and Braden Kontely of Mendham Twp MS at 10:14.44. 

Coyle was sixth at this race last season and dropped a solid 30 seconds off his time to earn the win this year, also coming off a victory at the Shore Conference All-Star meet just days prior.

This is the second straight year Thompson MS has taken home the team championship and Coyle is their first individual champion. Thompson is now tied with Southern Reg MS for the most titles won at two, Southern taking home the 2014 and 2015 Championships. 

Following Coyle's lead Thompson's attack this race was highlighted by Alex Kemp, ninth at 10:40.19, Dylan Passo, 12th 10:44.07, Charles Urbanowicz, 27th 11:05.41, and William DeMarco 40th at 11:17.59. 

Thompson outscored second place Southern Regional 53 to 81 and recorded an average of 10:47 with 1:09 one through five split. Community MS was third in the team scoring with 105 points. 

Caleb Brox of The Wilberforce School running 10:21.44 and Evan Roeber of Lacey Township MS, 10:30.39, closed out the top five individuals on the day.

The Rising Stars Race saw Kayla Devine and Andrew Burkitt earn the wins, both running unattached.

Burkitt, who finished fourth in this race last year, crossed the line with the lead clocked at 12:12.76. Just about four seconds behind in second was Nicholas Frank at 11:12.50, followed by William Van Etten 11:27.91, Chase Baker 11:30.02, and Christopher Yue at 11:33.87 making up the top five 

Boys Race / Girls Race

Kayla Devine also improved her placement with a win of her own moving from sixth in 2018 to gold in 2019. Her time of 12:12.76 led six girls under the 13 minute mark including, in order of placement, Jimmiea King at 12:18.20, Isabella Suarez 12:34.41, Lisette Zamichieli 12:44.52, Kayra Sement 12:48.46, and Quinlan Donahue 12:55.72. 


Past Results, Champions, and History

Below we've gathered this meet's history.

Team Champions

Boys

  • 2019 - Thompson MS - 53 pts 10:47.07 Avg, 1:09 split
  • 2018 - Thompson MS - 46 pts 10:53.28 Avg, 0:30 split
  • 2017 - Community MS - 49 pts 10:35.12 Avg, 0:51 split
  • 2016 - No Meet This Year
  • 2015 - Southern Regional MS - 62 pts 10:58 Average, 0:24 Split
  • 2014 Southern Regional MS - 59 pts 10:59 Average, 0:27 Split
  • 2013 Mountain View MS - 72 pts 10:54 Average, 1:54 Split

Girls

  • 2019 - Thompson MS - 42 pts 11:43.62 Avg, 1:12 split
  • 2018 - Thompson MS - 33 pts 11:38.96 Avg, 1:36 split
  • 2017 - Thompson MS - 40 pts 11:37.33 Avg, 1:17 split
  • 2016 - No Meet This Year
  • 2015 - Carl W Goetz MS - 66 pts 12:23 Avg, 0:43 Split
  • 2014 Montgomery Upper MS - 46 pts 12:12 Avg, 1:04 Split
  • 2013 Carl W Goetz MS - 39 pts 11:58 Avg, 1:30 Split


Individual Champions

Boys

  • 2019 - Patrick Coyle - Thompson MS - 10:08.09
  • 2018 - Brayden Seymuor - Unattached - 10:21.80
  • 2017 - Jackson Barna - William Annin MS - 10:01.88
  • 2016 - No Meet This Year
  • 2015 - Richard Gavin - Clinton MS - 10:08
  • 2014 - Acasio Pinheiro - The Wilberforce School - 9:39
  • 2013Paul Keyes - Southern Reg MS - 9:51

Girls

  • 2019 - Julia Scrudato - Montgomery Upper MS - 10:55.27
  • 2018 - Reese Fahys - Thompson MS - 10:58.43
  • 2017 - Caroline Mehlhorn - Montgomery Upper MS - 10:34.37
  • 2016 - No Meet This Year
  • 2015 - Catherine Wimmer - Unattached - 11:05
  • 2014 Jerika Lufrano - Renaissance at Rand MS - 11:12
  • 2013 Hope Tiboni - Mountain View MS - 10:42

Number of Championships

Boys Most Team Titles

  • Thompson MS - 2 (2019, 2018)
  • Southern Reg MS - 2 (2015, 2014)
  • Community MS - 1 (2017)
  • Mountain View MS - 1 (2013)

Girls Most Team Titles

  • Thompson MS - 3 (2019, 2018, 2017)
  • Carl W Goetz - 2 (2015, 2013)
  • Montgomery Upper MS - 1 (2014)

Boys Most Individual Champions

  • Thompson MS - 1 (2019)
  • Unattached - 1 (2018)
  • Willam Annin MS - 1 (2017)
  • Clinton MS - 1 (2015)
  • The Wilberforce School - 1 (2014)
  • Southern Reg MS - 1 (2013)

Girls Most Individual Champions

  • Montgomery Upper MS - 2 (2019, 2017)
  • Thompson MS - 1 (2018)
  • Unattached - 1 (2015)
  • Renaissance at Rand MS - 1 (2014)
  • Mountain View MS - 1 (2013)

Picture of the Goetz girls winning their second team championship in 2015, they won the inaugural meet back in 2013. 

Year by Year Winners and Coverage

2019 - Meet Page | Recap | Photos | Videos

  • Location: Montgomery MS - Skillman, NJ
  • Individual Boy | Patrick Coyle Thompson MS - 10:09
  • Individual Girl | Julia Scrudato - Montgomery Upper MS - 10:56
  • Boys Team | Thompson MS - 53 pts 10:48 Avg, 1:09 split
  • Girls Team | Thompson MS - 42 pts 11:44 Avg, 1:12 split

2018 - Meet Page | Photos 

  • Location: Montgomery MS - Skillman, NJ
  • Individual Boy | Brayden Seymour - Unattached - 10:21.80
  • Individual Girl | Reese Fahys - Thompson MS - 10:58.43
  • Boys Team | Thompson MS - 46 pts 10:53.28 Avg, 0:30 split
  • Girls Team Thompson MS - 33 pts 11:38.96 Avg, 1:36 split

2017 - Meet Page

  • Location: Montgomery MS - Skillman, NJ
  • Individual Boy | Jackson Barna - William Annin MS - 10:01.88
  • Individual Girl | Caroline Mehlhorn - Montgomery Upper MS - 10:34.37
  • Boys Team Community MS - 49 pts 10:35.12 Avg, 0:51 split
  • Girls Team Thompson MS - 40 pts 11:37.33 Avg, 1:17 split

2016 - No Meet This Year

2015 - Meet Page | Recap | Photos | Videos

  • Location: Six Flags - Jackson, NJ
  • Individual Boy | Richard Gavin Clinton MS 10:08
  • Individual Girl | Catherine Wimmer Unattached 11:05
  • Boys Team | Southern Regional MS 62 pts 10:58 Average | 0:24 Split
  • Girls Team | Carl W Goetz MS 66 pts 12:23 Average | 0:43 Split

2014 - Meet Page

  • Location: Six Flags - Jackson, NJ
  • Individual Boy | Acasio Pinheiro The Wilberforce School 9:39
  • Individual Girl | Jerika Lufrano Renaissance at Rand MS 11:12
  • Boys Team | Southern Regional MS 59 pts 10:59 Average | 0:27 Split
  • Girls Team | Montgomery Upper MS 46 pts 12:12 Average | 1:04 Split

2013 - Meet Page

  • Location: Six Flags - Jackson, NJ
  • Individual Boy | Paul Keyes Southern Reg MS 9:51
  • Individual Girl | Hope Tiboni Mountain View MS 10:42
  • Boys Team | Mountain View MS 72 pts 10:54 Average | 1:54 Split
  • Girls Team | Carl W Goetz MS 39 pts 11:58 Average | 1:30 Split

Meet Records by Venue

At Montgomery MS - 2017-2019

  • Individual Boys Time | (2017) Jackson Barna William Annin MS 10:01.88
  • Individual Girls Time | (2017) Caroline Mehlhorn Montgomery Upper MS 10:34.37
  • Boys Team Average |  (2017) Community MS 10:35.12 
  • Girls Team Average | (2017) Thompson MS 11:37.33 

At Six Flags Location - 2013-2015