Everything went as expected at Tuesday's Morris County Championship as all the favorites scored impressive victories on an unseasonably hot day on the Greystone course in Morris Plains.
CHATHAM AND PELOV WIN BOYS TITLES
The Chatham boys, ranked No. 12 in the state, averaged 16:31 and outscored defending champion and No. 18 Mendham, 62-99.
Chatham put together a scoring combination of 3-4-16-18-21 to lock up its third title in the last four years and its fifth overall. Chatham's previous four titles came in 2006, 2014, 2021, and 2022.
Chatham's top five were senior Finn Vali, third in 16:01, junior Marcus Valenzuela, fourth in 16:03, junior Brady Byrne, 16th in 16:43, senior Dylan DeCicco, 18th in 16:52, and junior Thomas Haines, 21st in 17:02.
Individually, Georgetown-bound Alex Pelov of Montville, fourth in both 2022 and last year, became the first boy from Montville to win the county XC title in 50 years!!!.
Pelov, who has now captured five major titles this season, ran 15:41 to win the race, finished seven seconds ahead of Mendham senior Tommy Jendryka. Pelov joins Bob Siehl, who won his second straight title in 1974, as the only boys in Montville history to win the county XC championship. Siehl also won the title as a senior at Morris Hills in 1976.
VILLA WALSH REPEATS, VAN HORN MAKES HISTORY
Maya Van Horn, second last year, reversed last years outcome and became the first champion ever from Morris Tech as the senior ran 18:41 to dethrone defending champ Blythe Dudley of Villa Walsh, second in 18:48.
But Dudley, a sophomore, also left as a champion by sparking Villa Walsh, ranked No. 19 in the state, to its second championship in three years. Villa Walsh ran away from defending champion Mendham, 56-85.
Villa Walsh averaged 19:57 and jammed three runners in the top nine!!!! The five scorers for Villa Walsh were Dudley, senior Maggie Boler, third in 18:57, senior Martha Smart, 9th in 20:08, junior Amelia Kleinle, 15th in 20: 38 and senior Ines Lemee, 27th in 21:18.
