Meet preview courtesy of Meet Director Jim Schlentz.
The Six Flags Wild Safari Invitational enters year 11 after missing a year due to the pandemic. We changed the course in 2018 due to construction for the solar panels at Hurricane Harbor. We will stay with the new course that features more running in front of the spectators and less in the sandy Safari ground.
The course records are now Abby Loveys (Randolph, NJ) 17:39 for the girls and Sebastien Reed (Pitman, NJ) 15:39 for the boys.
This year's race features teams from just 4 states, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey. The continuing pandemic has prevented more states from competing.
More than half the teams are from out-of-state, as in the previous years, so everyone gets to race against teams they would normally not see. Remember, the fastest 7 boys and girls (The All-Six Flags Team) and the fastest boys and girls team get special awards in the park and then get a pass to cut the line at the ride of their choice.
There will be no awards ceremony (no one wanted to leave the ride line they were in), instead, teams and individuals can pick up these special awards at the end of the meet near the starting line or in the park, by the fountain, when you first enter, between 2:30 pm and 3:30 pm
Both the boys and girls races have outstanding individuals. Many will compete in different races so we will see who gets pushed enough to run the top time of the day. On the boy's side, we have 0 returnees from the two years ago All-Six Flags team.
The fight to make this year's All-Six Flags team will most likely come from the following: Myles Hogan (Fordham Prep, NY) 9:05 3200, Vicente Pena (Conestoga, PA) 9:30 3200, Alex Horgan (Ramapo, NJ) 9:34 3200, Ryan Johnson (Colts Neck, NJ) 4:20 1600, Jaden Ellis (Monroe, NJ) 4:22 1600, Owen Ritti (Ocean City, NJ) 4:25 1600, Quinn O'Dell (Delaware Military Inst, DE) 9:40 3200, Noah Bender (Fox Lane, NY) 9:42 3200, Harry Griff (Fox Lane, NY) 9:47 3200, James Corbett (Holy Ghost Prep, PA) 4:27 1600. As you look at the favorites in each division, you can see there are many more contenders.
The fight for the fastest boys team average should be wide open this year but the top could include Fordham Prep (#4 NY), Colts Neck, NJ (#10 in NJ), Fox Lane, NY (#14 NY), Cherry Hill East (#18 NJ) and Highland, NJ (#20 NJ).
The girls meet returns one girl from the two years ago All-Six Flags team. Angelina Perez (Lakeland Reg, NJ) was 2nd fastest that year and ran 10:20.25 in the 3200 last spring. She is currently ranked #5 in the National Milesplit ranking. Karrie Baloga (Cornwall, NY) is ranked #13 in those rankings. She ran 4:36/10:04 1500/3000 last spring. Others: Lilly Shapiro (Colts Neck, NJ) 4:40/10:18 1600/3200, Daphne Banino (Ursuline, NY) 4:34/9:56 1500/3000, Tiffany Herrera (St Mark's, DE) 5:00/10:42 1600/3200, Zariel Macchia (William Floyd, NY) 4:43/10:09 (1500/3000), Lilly Oliver (Toms River South, NJ) 4:59 1600, Stephanie Herrera (St Mark's, DE) 11:02 3200, Grace Wassell (Highland, NJ) 5:04 1600, Kayla Schramm (Goshen, NY) 4:44 1500, Rachel Miller (Mohonasen, NY) 10:25 3000. There are so many good girls this year.
(add 20 secs to 1500 to make 1600 time and 42-45 secs to 3000 to make 3200)
For the girls, we have some great teams. Lakeland Reg, NJ (#6 NJ), Colts Neck, NJ (#7 in NJ), Ursuline, NY (#7 NY), North Rockland, NY (#8 NY), Cornwall, NY (#16 NY).
We used NJ.milesplit, Tullyrunners and PA milesplit for rankings.
Let's look at each race and see who the top individual and teams are. The times next to the runners are either their best 2020 spring time or their personal best.
Varsity A
Boys: Vicente Pena (Conestoga, PA) 9:30 3200, Jaden Ellis (Monroe, NJ) 4:22 1600, Noah Bender (Fox Lane, NY) 9:42 3200, Harry Griff (Fox Lane, NY) 9:47 3200, Bruce Lenes (Fox Lane, NY) 4:29 1600, Zain Soherwardy (East Brunswick, NJ) 10:00 3200, John Juszynski (Quakertown, PA) 10:09 3200, Victor Osiemo (Edison, NJ) 10:11 3200, Mike McCurdy (Cherry Hill East, NJ) 10:11 3200,
Teams: Fox Lane (#14 NY), Cherry Hill East (#16 NJ)
Girls: Zariel Macchia (William Floyd, NY) 4:43/10:09 (1500/3000), Amelia Artz (Monroe, NJ) 11:27 3200, Madison McNiff (Cherry Hill East, NJ) 11:38 3200, Dhuvee Chaudhari (Hightstown, NJ) 11:48 3200, Morgan Eigel (Fox Lane, NY) 4:55 1500, Gianna Dellamedaglia (North Rockland, NY) 11:09 3000, Molly Ryle (Conestoga, PA) 11:54 3200, Jade Pazmino (North Rockland, NY) 11:19 3000,
Teams: North Rockland, NY (#8 NY), Syosset, NY (#22 NY)
Varsity B
Boys:, Myles Hogan (Fordham Prep, NY) 9:05 3200, Alex Horgan (Ramapo, NJ) 9:34 3200, Ryan Johnson (Colts Neck, NJ) 4:20 1600, Owen Ritti (Ocean City, NJ) 4:25 1600, Liam Meginniss (Smyra, DE) 4:27 1600, Christian Mariner (Colts Neck, NJ) 9:51 3200, Liam Dennehy (Fordham Prep, NY) 9:53 3200, Antonio Bravo (Iona Prep) 4:33 1600, Gavin Gallo (Highland, NJ) 10:02, Tommy Flynn (Iona Prep) 3200, Casey Winnington (St Mark's, DE) 10:04 3200, Darren Croke (Fordham Prep, NY) 10:09 3200
Teams: Fordham Prep, NY (#4 NY), Colts Neck, NJ (#13 NJ), Highland, NJ (#20 NJ)
Girls: Karrie Baloga (Cornwall, NY) #13 in the US. 4:36/10:04 1500/3000, Lilly Shapiro (Colts Neck, NJ) 4:40/10:18 1600/3200, Daphne Banino (Ursuline, NY) 4:34/9:56 1500/3000, Tiffany Herrera (St Mark's, DE) 5:00/10:42 1600/3200, Lilly Oliver (Toms River South, NJ) 4:59 1600, Stephanie Herrera (St Mark's, DE) 11:02 3200, Grace Wassell (Highland, NJ) 5:04 1600, Ava Wilmot (Colts Neck, NJ) 11:29 3200, Natalie Donaldson (St Mark's, DE) 11:30 3200, Presslie Mariner (Colts Neck, NJ) 11:33, Emily Pogozelski (Garden City, NY) 10:51 3000, Brianna Braver (Ramapo, NJ) 11:40 3200, Taylor Guthrie (Toms River South, NJ) 11:41 3200, Ava Capone (Deer Park, NY) 4:52/10:56 1500/3000, Olivia Petschauer (Colts Neck, NJ) 5:13 1600
Teams: Colts Neck, NJ (#7 NJ); Ursuline, NY (#7 NY), Cornwall, NY (#16 NY)
Varsity C
Boys: Quinn O'Dell (Delaware Military Acad, DE) 9:40 3200, Dylan Doskocil (St Joseph's by the Sea, NY) 9:57 3200, Owen Horevay (Lakeland, NJ) 9:58 3200
Teams:
Girls: Angelina Perez (Lakeland, NJ) 10:20 3200, Rachel Miller (Mohonasen, NY) 10:25 3000, Kayla Schramm (Goshen, NY) 4:44/10:54 1500/3000, Allison Lounsbury (Indian Hills, NJ) 11:25 3200, Abigail Horevay (Lakeland, NJ) 11:34 (3200, Caitlin Fahy (Lakeland, NJ) 11:46 3200, Lucia Kutner (Leonia, NJ) 12:06 3200
Teams: Lakeland Reg, NJ (#6 NJ)
Varsity D
Boys: James Corbett (Holy Ghost Prep, PA) 4:27 1600, Kayden Platania (Buena, NJ) 4:35 1600, Kiernan Cook (South Side, NY 10:07 3200
Teams: Dobbs Ferry, NY (#10 Class C NY)
Girls: Julia Schriefer (Wheatley School, NY) 4:50 1500, Emmie Keys (Wheatley School, NY) 11:04 3000
Teams: Wheatley School, NY (#10 Class C NY)