Perez And Brosnan Lead Strong Day For NJ At Eastbay Champs


Re-watch the full races from the live stream above. Girls started 1:15:45 into the video, boys race starts, 2:11:08. 

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On Saturday in San Diego, CA four of New Jersey's best high school cross country runners competed at the Eastbay Cross Country Championships. 

Angelina Perez of Lakeland Regional led the Northeast runners finishing second with a time of 17:19.7, splitting 5:23 at the mile and 11:03 at the two-mile mark.

This was after a valiant effort, teamed up with Jenna Mulhern of Pennsylvania who finished third, to run down race leader and National Champion Natalie Cook of Texas. Cook held off the late attack with a strong kick over the final stretch to win gold clocked at 17:15.0.

Perez is the highest New Jersey finisher at the meet since Kathleen Trotter of Red Bank finished second in 2002 and now ranks third all-time among New Jersey girls at Balboa Park behind the 16:44 by Janet Smith of J.P. Stevens in 1983, and the 17:18.4 by Christi Constantin of Kittatinny in 1988. Smith, who won in 1983, remains the only New Jersey girl to have won this title.

Colts Neck's Lilly Shapiro also cracked the top 20 finishing 19th with a time of 17:58.0. Shapiro split 5:33 at the mile and 11:26 at two miles.

The Northeast girls performed very well as a regional unit outscoring the other regions with 29 points to the Midwest's 54, West's 63, and South's 75. 

Perez crossing the line in second during the Eastbay Cross Country Championships.

On the boys side New Jersey saw a strong late charge by Shane Brosnan of Union Catholic who moved up from 13th at 2.5 miles to 7th crossing the finish line running 15:27.9. Brosnan, who split 4:49 at the mile and 9:54 at the two-mile, is the highest NJ finisher at this meet since Edward Cheserek of St. Benedict's Prep won his second straight title in 2012.    

Marco Langon of Bridgewater-Raritan, who had been running with the top 10 the entire race, finished ninth with a time of 15:28.1. He split 4:46 at the mile and 9:51 through two miles.

Riley Hough of Michigan won the National title crossing the finish at 15:11.4. As a unit the Northeast boys finished second compared to the rest of the regions scoring 49. Midwest led all regions at 32 points, West third at 53, and South fourth with 85.

All in all New Jersey had three top ten finishers and all four crossed the line in the top 20 of their respective races. A great cap to a competitive high school cross country season for the Garden State.