Keira O'Cathain of Pascack Valley clocked the top time at Back to the Mountain with her Pod 1 Varsity winning 19:08. She's was coming off a victory at the Season Opener Invitational at Darlington Park where she ran 18:36, and followed up with another victory this week at a Big North National Division batch.
Mollie Horevay of Lakeland Regional, a sophomore, was second in that race and the second fastest in the overall merge with a 19:16. The Pod 2 Varsity winner from Montville Twp, sophomore Gabriella Pelov, ran a 19:49 and was third fastest on the day. Those three were the only ones to break 20 minutes on this tough course.
Team wise we look to Morristown's victory in Pod 2 Varsity where they won 77 to 81 in a close battle with Morris Knolls. Morristown led the merge as well scoring 141 just ahead of Pod 1 Varisty winners Montclair Kimberley Academy at 143 points.
Morristown averaged 21:59 and were led by junior Kaleigh Policano at 20:46, the sixth quickest on the day. The rest of their top five included Adriana Hummer, Lucy Mintz, Amalia Walsch, and Loretta Langlois.
MKA was led by Victoria Altirs running 21:06, ninth fastest overall, and Morris Knolls' number one runner was Julia Pirog at 20:17, the fourth fastest in the individual merge.
Not in this 5K merge but running the 3200m course was the freshmen division. Top time of the day was run by Zoe Brouillette of Morristown at 13:17.
