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The nicest word for this fall might be "different." In spite of all the challenges, though, some things have remained exactly the same, such as Christian Brothers Academy fielding an elite cross country team.
The NJ #1 Colts rolled to their 19th straight Monmouth County Championship title at Bucks Mill Park today, taking 6 of the top 10 spots in the Large School race for an easy win.
While the team title was to be expected, the individual race was in doubt until the last 50 meters. CBA's Chris DeSousa led the entire way through the flat 1st and 3rd mile as well as the up and down 2nd mile, but could never shake free from Colts Neck senior Matt Bogdan. The Cougars ace waited to make one final move in the last 100 meters, and overcame Desousa by a 15:53 to 15:54 margin.
Watch: Large School Boys Race
As was the case in yesterday's girls' race, the 2:00 start for the Large Schools featured bright sun and temperatures that were nice for watching and a little warm for racing. That did not deter the Colts, though, and didn't bother Freehold Township junior Daniel Valentino either, as he finished 4th overall in 16:06 for one of the best races of his career. He was just behind CBA's Ben Santos, whose 16:04 was part of the Colts 16:17 top five average.
"The work that the boys did on their own from March through July was really impressive and set us up for success," said CBA head coach Sean McCafferty, amidst the news that some other Monmouth County schools were shut down today "Every week we get at this point, every race, we're enjoying."
The advantage of two separate races, other than safety, in the opportunity for some different teams and individuals to see the front of the race.
"Best race of the season," said Small School race winner Brian Theobald of St. Rose (16:40).
"Best race ever," said teammate and 2nd place finisher Tyler Ferlise (17:02).
Their 1-2 finish helped the Purple Roses take 2nd as a team in the Small School division. The winner was another purple-powered team, though, as Coach Tim McLoone's Rumson-Fair Haven boys picked up the victory. Led by Gabe Lepage (17:24) and Michael Schroeder (17:28), the Bulldogs' depth was on full display, as they went 5-6-10-13-17 for the win.
In the merge of the two races for the overall title, CBA was on top with 26 points. The next 5 spots also came from the Large School race. Colts neck was 2nd overall with 87 points and a top-5 average of 16:54, the only other top-5 average under 17:00 on the fast but not easy Bucks Mill course. Rounding out the top five were Middletown South (117), Freehold Township (134) and Manalapan (196).
Most schools will squeeze in at least one more dual meet before heading to Sectionals next weekend. For CBA, the duals means a chance to extend their 377-meet winning streak. For all schools where athletics are happening in New Jersey, and it's an opportunity to keep on racing and getting better even in a year that's very different.