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.

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
• 2013 - Paul Keyes - Southern Reg MS - 9:51

Year by Year Winners and Coverage

2016 - No Meet This Year