For everyone wondering just how strong Christian Brothers Academy's potent pack is, the Colts flexed their superior firepower by throwing down the greatest performance in course history and producing one of the most impressive races ever by an N.J. team at Saturday's 17th Bowdoin Park XC Classic in Wappingers Falls, N.Y.
With senior Joe Barrett igniting the charge with an epic run as he ran away with a dominating victory in a jaw-dropping 15:25, No. 3 all-time on the rugged layout, CBA, ranked No. 1 in NJ and No. 3 in the U.S., blitzed Bowdoin with a course record average of 16:00!
With lots of hype and anticipation, as CBA let it rip for the first time this season, the Colts unleashed their fury by jamming its five scoring runners in the top seven simply overpowering a very strong field in the Division 2 race.
Coach Sean McCafferty's CBA crew put its entire seven in the top 15, had a 1-5 compression of 54 seconds, and had a scoring combination of 1-3-4-5-7 for 20 points. Haddonfield, ranked NJ No. 4, was second with 73 and averaged 16:38, and No. 5 Union Catholic finished third with 148.
CBA's 16:00 masterpiece broke the course record average of 16:02.4 that Fayeteville-Manilus of N.Y. ran at the 2013 Nike New York Regional, and is seven seconds faster than CBA's previous best on the course, which came at this meet last year. Fayeteville-Manlius went on to finish fourth at the Nike Nationals in 2013 and won the National title in 2014.
The top five for CBA were Barrett, first in 15:25.5, junior Luke Hnatt, third in 16:01.6, senior Ryan Schmitt, fourth in 16:05.7, senior Alex Mastroly, fifth in 16:09.0, and sophomore Gavin Schmitt, seventh in 16:20.3.
Barrett's 15:25.5 makes him the second fastest runner ever on the course, which has been used for the Nike NE and New York Regional Championship layout for several years.
Only DJ Principe of LaSalle in Rhode Island has covered the Bowdoin trails faster than Barrett. In 2016, Principe ran the course record of 15:18 at the Nike Northeast Regional and 15:23.3 at the Bowdoin Invite.
The University of North Carolina-bound Barrett shaved 10 seconds off New Jersey's all-time record for Bowdoin, which Jim Rosa of West Windsor-Plainsboro North had held since he ran 15:35.5 to win the Nike Northeast Regional in 2010.
PERSPECTIVE ON PACE
For more perspective on just how fast Barrett's 15:25.5 and CBA's 16:00 are, Bowdoin Park runs about 20-25 seconds slower than Holmdel Park in New Jersey. Last year Barrett ran 15:50 to finish first at the Bowdoin Classic and dropped a 15:21 at Holmdel to win the Non-Public A state title.
So after his 15:25 on Saturday, Barrett certainly has the potential to make a run at sub-15 at Holmdel Park and could challenge the course record of 14:53 set by the legendary Edward Cheserek of St. Benedict's Prep in 2011.
As for CBA's pack, the Colts ran 16:07.8 at the Bowdoin Classic last year and proceeded to burn a course record average of 15:51.8 at Holmdel Park.
The 2011 CBA team that won the Nike Cross National title averaged 16:24 at Bowdoin. CBA has the potential to average in the low 15:40's or possibly even faster at Holmdel! They are that good!
While there's a long way to go, this has all the makings of a historic season for this CBA squad, who have as good a chance as any team in the country of winning the Nike National Championship in December.
UNION CATHOLIC GIRLS ROLL
The Union Catholic girls, ranked NJ No. 1 / US No. 7, also made a huge statement when the Vikings, despite not running at full strength, scored a convincing win over New York power Saratoga Springs in the Division 2 race, 35-93. Princeton, ranked No. 9 in N.J., finished a strong third with 96.
Sophomore Paige Sheppard fueled the attack for the Vikings with a runaway victory in 18:11.3, a second faster than she ran to win the Nike Northeast Regional Championship last November at Bowdoin. Sheppard's time is the second fastest by a New Jersey girl in course history, Charlotte Bednar of Lawrenceville ran 18:00.0 to win the NE Regional in 2019.
Sheppard's victory sparked a 1-4-5-12-15 finish for the Vikings, who averaged 19:30.0. The four other scorers for UC's all-underclassmen squad were sophomore Sophia Thompson, fourth in 19:25.4, junior Ella Solorzano, fifth in 19:37.0, freshman Jasmine Parran, 12th in 20:06.9, and junior Emmy O'Hearn, 15th in 20:14.1.
COLTS NECK BOYS WIN THRILLER / STEVENS GOES SUB 16
The boys' Division 1 race produced a great team battle as N.J. No. 7 ranked Colts Neck edged N.J. No. 9 Westfield for the team title, 126-130. N.J. No. 8 Manalapan was third with 158.
North Rockland of New York was fourth scoring 161, Don Bosco Prep was fifth with 178, and Bernards finished sixth with 207.
Colts Neck, who averaged 16:56, picked up eight points on Westfield at the No. 5 spot, to rally for the thrilling victory.
Manalapan junior Clay Stevens was second in the race in 15:56.9, joining Joe Barrett, Marshall Vernon (R.I.), and Nicholas Mazzeo (P.A.) as the only four runners to crack 16 minutes on the day.
HONIG WINS DIVISION 1 RACE
In the girls' Division 1 race, senior Sadie Honig of Manalapan finished first in 18:42.4.
The US No. 11 Bethlehem Central girls of New York won the Division 1 team battle scoring 25-96 over New Jersey's Ridgewood, No. 2 in N.J., Bethlehem averaged 18:57 and Ridgewood 20:08.
Manalapan, ranked NJ No. 5, was third with 130 points, La Salle Academy of Rhode Island was fourth with 140 points, and Haddonfield was fifth with 152.