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NJ Shore Coaches Invitational

Ley, Rosa, West Windsor Plaisnboro North break into all time lists

October 4, 2008 - Holmdel Park, Holmdel NJ

John Nepolitan on site with Jim Lambert

 Previews
Girls
Boys

Race Schedule

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Boys Varsity
Girls Varsity



Course Distance: 5000 meters

Course Record:    Janet Smith  (North Edison)  17:35        1983
                                 Craig Forys  (Colts Neck)       15:15        2006

RESULTS  - BOYS VARSITY   BOYS SUB VARSITY   GIRLS VARSITY  GIRLS SUB VARSITY

Boys Race Report   Girls Race Report





Morning Highlights

  • Jon Vitez (Haddonfield) and defending State Meet of Champs winner Lanie Thompson(Voohees) record the fastest times so far running 16:05 and 18:14. 
  • Haddonfield boys and girls record the best team averages so far with times of 16:53 and 19:57.  The girls #1 ranked team Voohees has the next best time with a 20:06.

Afternoon Highlights

  • Kingsway junior Chelsea Ley starts off the afternoon with the #3 time ever on the Holmdel course and the fastest time in 25 years posting a 17:44 to take the "C" race.
  • Soph Joe Rosa takes down class course and meet records for the =#9 time ever crossing the line in 15:38  to lead his West Windsor Plainsboro North team to the fastest team time of the day with a 1:22.17 clocking, the #12 in course history (16:27.4 - 5 man average)


Jim Lambert's Boy's report


A DIVISION

Christian Brothers Academy, No. 4 in the state, No. 1 in the Northeast and No. 10 nationally, put on a great show in this one and Ryan Garvin of Lenape captured the closest race of the day.

CBA won with its usual tight pack jamming between places three and 16 with a gap of 40 seconds between No. 1 and No. 5,  and averaged 16:42.8, the second best of the meet behind West Windsor North’s 16:27.4.

Sophomore Mike Mazzaccaro was first across for coach Tom Heath’s Colts, third in 16:20.

CBA, West Windsor North, and Don Bosco Prep, the top team in the state which didn’t run yesterday, will be lined up against one another this Saturday in the Eastern States Championship race on the 2.5-mile course at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx. That’s when we’ll finally see who the top team in New Jersey and the Northeast really is.

In a dramatic individual battle, Garvin edged Joe Kotran of Toms River North as both runners came across the line in 16:14.

 B DIVISION

 Joe Rosa was warming up for his race when he and his teammates jogged over the to finish line to catch a glimpse of Brett Johnson’s winning time as he came across.

Johnson, a senior at Ocean City, had just run his eye-popping 15:44, the top time of the meet up to that point, to win the C Division race.

``When I saw Johnson’s time I really wanted to go out there and beat it,’’ said Rosa.

The West Windsor-Plainsboro North sophomore did just that, delivering in spectacular fashion.

Rosa, who ran 5:20 and 5:03 for the first two miles, cranked out the final 1.1 mile in 5:15 and roared across the finish line first in the B Division race in 15:38,  a new sophomore course record, the second fastest time in meet history and tied for No. 9 in course history. The current 3.1 mile course at Holmdel has been used since 1979.

Rosa’s time shattered the sophomore course mark of 15:46.2 set in 2006 by Doug Smith of Gill St. Bernard's. Only Ben Massam of Chatham (15:36 in 2005) has ever run faster than Rosa at this meet, and Rosa’s 15:38 is faster than 22 of the 29 winning times run at the Meet of Champions, all run at Holmdel, since 1979.

``If I didn’t have the fastest time of the day, then Johnson would have that mental edge over me when we meet again at the state meet,’’ said Rosa, whose previous best at Holmdel was 16:16, one second off the freshman course record.’’

Led by Rosa, West Windsor North, No. 2 in New Jersey and the Northeast and No. 15 in the nation, turned in the top team performance of the day  as the Knights won the B race with 43 points , an average of 16:27.4, the fastest of the day and tied for No. 12 in course history.

West Windsor-Plainsboro South was second in the B race with 84 points and a 16:54 average, the fourth fastest team average in the six races.

After Rosa crossed, West Windsor North’s remaining scorers were Jim Rosa (Joe’s twin), fourth in 16:17, Ryan Sleeper, seventh in 16:33, Stephen Ellwood, 15th in 16:54, and Jon Squeri, 16th in 16:55.  Tyler Corekdale, running his first race of the season after coming back form an injury, was 23rd in 17:06.

West Windsor South was led by Kevin Foy, fifth in 16:29, and Sam Macaluso, ninth in 16:36.

Rosa now owns three records on the young season. He broke the course marks at the Knights Invitational (9:38 for 3,200 meters), and at the Briarwood Invitational in Philadelphia (15:33).

``The Briarwood race gave me so much confidence,’’ said Rosa. ``But there is a long way to go in the season. ``It’s great to run one of the fastest times ever here, but I have to get faster because I know guys like Brett Johnson will.’’
 
C DIVISION


Brett Johnson vs. Tyler Udland was being hyped all week as the race of the day.

And the two titans certainly didn’t disappoint.

Knowing he had to get away from the great speed that Johnson possesses, Udland,  a junior at Millburn, went through the grueling first mile in a brisk 5:13. But Johnson,  a senior at Ocean City, was stalking in his shadow the whole time.

When they came out the famed bowl near the midway point of the race, Johnson had a four second gap on Udland that he maintained to the two-mile mark, hitting it in 10:23. Udland gamely tried to close the gap, but Johnson never let him get much closer.

When they hit the downhills in the final half mile, Johnson poured it on and came charging down the final straightaway to win in a personal best 15:44, tied for No. 17 in course history. Udland was second in a personal best 15:48.

Johnson’s is No. 4 in meet history and Udland’s is No. 5.

The race featured a pair of Meet of Champions from the outdoor track season. Johnson won the 1,600 at the M of C and owns a 4:08.51 mile (a state junior class record). Udland, whose previous best at Holmdel was 16:21, won the M of C in the 3,200 last spring in 9:04.80.

``It was a toss up race and I’m a little surprised it was that fast,’’ said Johnson, whose previous best at Holmdel was 16:03. ``He took it out fast, but I was able to stay right there and get a little gap out of the bowl. I go by sound a lot when I run, and his breathing seemed like it was getting a little further and further away when we came out of the bowl.’’

Johnson, who missed a week of training two weeks ago with a sore hamstring, ended any doubt about the outcome by blazing through the down hills before hitting the finishing straightaway.

``I always seem to run faster than most people on the downhills no matter how tired my legs feel,’’ said Johnson, who left for a recruiting trip to Virginia after the meet where he’ll be joined by Manalapan All-State distance star Robby Andrews. ``It’s a great win for me, but there’s still work to do. This dose not make me feel confident about winning the Meet of Champs, because I’ve never beaten guys like Doug Smith and Andrews in cross-country. So until I do, I have to keep training hard to get faster.’’

Despite losing, Udland was very satisfied with his 15:48 runner-up  performance as he led No. 9 Miilburn to the team title with 72 points. 

``I’m thrilled,’’ said Udland, whose time is tied for No. 23 in course history. ``Sure I wish I won, but to run that fast with so much of the season left is great. I know I am only get faster, so I can’t wait so to see what happens at the end of the season.’’

Udland and Johnson will meet again this Saturday over the 2.5-mile layout at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx at the Manhattan Invitational. Andrews will also be in that one.


D DIVISION

Pat Schellberg is back.

After two subpar races, Schellberg, a junior at Delbarton, bounced back with the best performance of his career when he used a big surge at the start of the second mile to create a gap on his way to victory in 16:20.

Schellberg not only got redemption, but he also got some revenge on Chris Johnson of Gov. Livingston, second in 16:26.

Johnson won the Group 2 race at Garret Mountain last Saturday at the Passaic Coaches Invitational in 15:47 and Schellberg was fourth in 16:31

``I had two bad races in a row and really wanted to come here and make a statement that I belong with the top runners in the state,’’ said Schellberg, who also had an off day at the Suffern Invitational two weeks ago. ``I did a workout 8x800) two days before the race last week and my legs were pretty sore, but I was ready for this one.

Schellbeg and Johnson were together at two miles, hitting that mark in 10:48.

``My plan was to wait until the tennis courts (near the 2.5 mile mark), but I felt so good I figured why wait,’’ said Schellberg, who ran 5:27 for the opening mile. ``I was surprised he didn’t come back on me because he’s such a strong runner. ‘’

Schellberg’s previous best time at Holmdel was 17:02.

``I needed this one,’’ said Schellbereg. ```This really helps my confidence.’’

 

Summit, No. 18 in the state, had just a 19 second spread between its first and fifth man and averaged 17:26.4 as it ran away with the team title with 63 points. It’s the first time Summit has won a race at this meet. 

Senior Michael Schaffer led the way, placing ninth in 17:19, and rising sophomore Thomas Chin was 12th in 17:23.

E DIVISION

This race went exactly as predicted with Haddonfield, No. 3 in New Jersey and No. 9 in the Northeast, steamrolling its way to its third straight E Division title. 

Junior Jon Vitez led the assault with a personal best win in 16:05 as coach Nick Baker’s pack jammed six runners in the top 14 , had a five-runner average of 16:53.6, and scored 36 points.

Vitez, who hit the first mile in 5:23 and two miles in 10:37, came in with  Holmdel best of 16:11, which he ran to place 10th at the M of C last year.

Haddonfield also received personal bests from sophomore Ben Potts, fourth in 16:56, sophomore Matt Nussbaum, eighth in 17:04, and junior David Twitchell, 12th in 17:13. Junior Ray Schlitt ran 17:10 to place 11th. Colin Baker, Haddonfield’s No. 6 man in 17:21, was running as the No. 2 runner on the team until he caught a cramp with about a half mile to go.

``We wanted to come in here and run a good strong race and get ready for the Eastern race next week at the Manhattan meet,’’ said Coach Baker. ``We dug in there and did what we need to do.’’

Junior D.J. Thornton of Union Catholic finished second to Vitez in 16:20, a personal best on the Holmdel layout by 37 seconds. 

F DIVISION

All eyes and watched were on Doug Smith as he made is season debut. But things didn’t go the way the senior at Gill. St. Bernard’s. Sure Smith won, but his time of 16:29 was way off what he was hoping for.

``Yeah, I’m disappointed,’’ said Smith. ``I was hoping to get my p.r. (15:43.8 when he won the state Non-Public B title last November), but I just never got into a good rhythm out there for some reason.’’

Smith hit the first mile in 5:28 and the second in 10:47.

``I had no idea the pace was that slow at the start,’’ said Smith. ``I wanted to pick it up, but I never really got going. It was a poorly executed race on my part. I guess it’s just a first race thing and I have to work out the kinks. I’m just not race sharp yet.’’

Smith has been running 80 plus miles since the beginning of the summer.

``All that mileage just hasn’t kicked it yet,’’ said Smith. ``But I’m not concerned. I know I’m fitter than I was last year.’’

Last fall, Smith got sick during the Meet of Champions race and had to drop out near the midway point.

``Hopefully I have a season that’s the reverse of last year and I’ve gotten my bad race out of the way,’’ said Smithy. ``Last year, I started off real fast but didn’t finish the season the way I wanted.’’

Last fall, Smith got sick during the Meet of Champions race and had to drop out near the midway point.’’

Smith will be back in action on Oct. 18 at the Section One Coaches Invitational in New York.
 
Pennsville, the state Group 1 runner-up last year, packed its top five runners within 17 second spread and averaged 18:05.4  to win its third straight titlte,  52-95, over runner-up Pingry. Justin Schmid was Pennsville’s No. 1 runner, placing 10th in 17:57.


John Nepolitan's girl's race report

Things have not been sitting well with Chelsea Ley (Kingsway).  At the 2007 State Meet of Champs she was third behind Lanie Thompson (Voorhees) and Jillian Smith (Southern Regional), then at the start of the 2008 season Ley lost her meet and course record at the Cherokee Challenge to Smith.  That same weekend Thompson was winning the Bowdoin Classic on the NXN NE Regional site, Bowdoin Park.  Meanwhile Ley was logging 70 miles per week, after averaging 85 during the summer, building for a chance to show her rivals what she truly has.  That chance came in a big way today running 17:44, the #3 time ever at the Holmdel Park course just 8 seconds off the course record which has stood since 1983.  Early in the day Thompson ran a very controlled looking 18:14 taking the “D” race and leading her top state ranked Voorhees to the win.  After a mid day break in the varsity action for junior varsity and freshman races, Ley got the varsity races off with a shocking performance.  Taking the pace out fast, Ley was alone and just kept on pushing all the way through the line running hard, but still not straining.  “I just wanted to come in and show what I had and I think I showed to everyone that I am ready to race” said Ley. 

All eyes then turned to the final girl’s varsity race of the day to see what Smith, the NON 800 meter champ and Millrose mile champ, could throw down.  Smith who had only started running cross country last year, after spending the first two years of high school playing soccer in the fall, had learned the ins and outs of the sport and had proven her fitness in her first race erasing Ley’s Cherokee mark.  As Smith came into view of the finish line, with about 20 seconds or running remaining, it was clear that she was not going to match Ley’s time.  Quickly the experts and old timers began to speculate about what may be a classic  State Meet of Champs race at the end of November.  Could the course record finally be under threat?  Ley admits she will have to force the pace in an attempt to break the other two, “I don’t have a kick like the others so I have to rely on my strength”.  There is no doubt that Thompson and Smith will not give up easy and the three could come out of the meets signature feature “The Bowl” together and with Ley and Thompson trying to get away from Smith’s 2:05 800 speed, a runner may break the current course record and not win the state title. 

The top team award also had people buzzing as they stood on long lines for shuttles to remote parking lots.  Voorhees, the current state #1 and defending state champions, had been out done by Haddonfield 20:03 to Voorhees 20:06 5 runner average.  Haddonfield was led by “G” race winner Marielle Hall who was pushed all the way to the line by Julie Mark (Delaware Valley) just pulling ahead in the final meters for the 18:54 – 18:53 win.  The battle for the state title is in no way a 2 team battle as there were 8 other teams with 36 seconds of the winners 5 runner average.

Battle lines have now been drawn for the State Meet of Champs on November 22nd, Ley vs Thompson vs Smith  and a host of teams with a chance to knock off Thompson’s Voorhees team.


BOYS PREVIEW


Doug Smith of Gill St. Bernard’s makes his long awaited season debut. A couple of Meet of Champions winners on the track, Brett Johnson of Ocean City and Tyler Udland of Millburn, will square off. Super sophomore Joe Rosa of West Windsor-Plainsboro North will seek to continue his blistering start to the season, and several of the state’s top teams will be hammering away on the Holmdel Park trails on Saturday at the Shore Coaches Invitational.

Among those missing in action will be Don Bosco Prep, New Jersey’s top ranked team and No. 12 in the nation, and Morris Hills, No. 5 in the state and No. 19 nationally. Both teams are skipping the meet to focus on the Eastern States Championship race at the Manhattan Invitational on Oct. 11 at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx.

Here’s a look at the six boys varsity races.


F Division (9:30 a.m.):

This race is all about Smith as he races the clock in his first return to Holmdel since crashing to the ground midway through the Meet of Champions last November and failing to finish due to illness.
Smith, a senior who took a college visit to Georgetown last weekend, comes into this race with a Holmdel best of 15:43.8, which he ran to win the state Non-Public B last year. No one else in the state has broken 16 at Holmdel.
Smith is reluctant to throw out a time goal, which is out of character for him. ``I want to see how fit I am, go out hard and finish hard and the time should show how strong I feel,’’ said Smith. ``What would satisfy me is to run as fast as I can for the shape I’m in. I’ve been above 84 miles per week since the summer and I’m not backing off that. I am fitter than I was last year so we’ll see how fast I can run. I’m pretty excited about getting out there and racing. It’s been awhile.’’
Smith didn’t race in September because he wants to make sure he’s sharp and healthy for the state championship and regional cross-country races in November.
Smith is seeking his first M of C title this fall. He’s come agonizingly close over the last couple years, including dramatic runner-up finishes in the 3,200 both indoors and outdoors last year.
``I try not to get frustrated and instead I use it to motivate me even more,’’ said Smith. ``Of course I want to be No. 1 in the state, but I have to go out and earn it and that’s what I’m focused on doing this season.’’
Team wise, Pingry, defending champion Pennsville, Mater Dei, and St. Benedict’s Prep appear to be the head of the class.

E Division (9:50 a.m.)

There won’t be any drama in the team competition in this one as Haddonfield, No. 3 in the state and No. 9 in the Northeast, will runaway with its third straight title. The only question is whether its five-man average will hold up as the fastest of the day.
Coach Nick Baker’s young and talented pack is led by junior Jon Vitez, the state Group 2 champion last year who ran 16:11 to place 10th at the M of C.  Vitez should get a strong challenge for the top spot from a pair of junior stars, Union Catholic’s D.J. Thornton and Verona’s Dave Oster. Also keep an eye on Spotswood senior Peter Thorpe, one of the most improved runners in the state.
 The battle for second should be an interesting one as state Non-Public B contender Roselle Catholic and Verona, the state Group 1 runner-up last year, clash.

D Divison (10:10 a.m.)
 
Several of the state’s top Group 2 teams will clash and Chris Johnson of  Gov. Livingston will seek to continue his torrid start in this one.
No. 18 Summit, No. 20 Cinnaminson, a rapidly rising Chatham squad, Matawan and Pope John will square off for the top spot. Summit edged Chatham by just one point for second behind Millburn at the Stewart Memorial last week, while Cinnaminson has been one of the hottest teams in South Jersey so far.
Individually, Johnson, one of the state’s most pleasant surprises this season,  and Pat Schellberg of Delbarton will meet for the second straight week while Todd Campbell of Cinnaminson and Rumson’s Max Sparshatt should also be right in the thick of things.
 Johnson is coming off a personal best victory in 15:46.5 in the Group 2 race last week at the Passaic Coaches Invitational at Garret Mountain. Schellberg was with Johnson at two miles in that race, but fell back and crossed fourth in 16:30.    


C Division (3:28 p.m.)

This has all the makings of the individual showdown of the day as Brett Johnson of Ocean City and Tyler Udland of Millburn hookup up in a race that also includes standout George Galasso of Holmdel.

Udland, Johnson, and Galasso are all in Group 3, so this race will serve as preview of things to come at the state meet next month.

Johnson, who won the Meet of Champions 1,600 and ran 4:08.51 in the mile last spring (a state junior class record and No. 5 in state history), is the defending state Group 3 cross-country and has a personal best of  16:03 at Holmdel, which he ran to place fifth at the M of C last fall.
Udland, a junior, has a Holmdel best of 16:21, but that came before his breakout spring when he ran 9:04.80 to edge Smith for the M of C 3,200 crown.

Johnson missed nearly a week of training in late September with a tender hamstring, but showed that he’s just fine now with a course record 15:50 at Ocean City this past Tuesday in a tri-meet.
``I’m feeling so strong right now and I can’t wait to see what I can do at Holmdel,’’ said Johnson, who will be headed on a recruiting trip to Virginia after the meet. ``My coaches told me not to go after the record the other day and I really wasn’t trying for it, but it just happened. I’m not saying I was jogging, but I really wasn’t pushing it all. So that’s a good sign that I am in great shape. ‘’

Johnson’s increased fitness level is due to a bigger commitment to training over the summer. He got up to 55 miles a week in August and ran with several Division 1 runners, including former Ocean City star John Richardson.
``It was a very pretty high class of runners I was running with everyday and they made me work hard. I can’t wait to see how much it pays off. Last year, I was lucky if I ran a couple days a week and came up with every excuse to not go on those long runs.  But now I love to train.’’
As for Saturday’s race, Johnson isn’t sure what his strategy will be.
``I really don’t know how I’m going to run this race,’’ said Johnson. ``I might try to hang back for the first three quarters and see how I feel. I mean, even if I am behind, I don’t mind chasing. I know those guys (Udland and Galasso) will be ready to run, so it’ll be interesting. ’’
Udland knows that to come out on top, he needs to create some separation before the final quarter mile because of Johnson’s superior closing speed.

``If it’s neck and neck near the end it might be tough to beat him, so I’d like to start pushing it maybe at the two mile mark and try to pull away and try to get out of the woods with a lead. With so many good runner in this race, I think there is a good chance that it could be close to 16 minutes and maybe even under. But no matter what happens, this is good practice for later in the year because I’ll see these guys again at the group meet.’’

After a subpar junior year by his standards, Galasso, who ran 16:36 at Holmdel last fall, has come out of the gates flying this fall. In his last two races, he won the Senior Division in 16:14 at the Bernie Magee Class Meet over the 3.19-mile course at Warinanco Park, and most recently ran 15:48 to capture the Cougar Invitational last Saturday, No. 9 or 10 in Buck Mill Park history.
The team battle should come down to No. 9 Millburn, No. 19 Holmdel, and No. 24 Moorestown.

A Division (3:46 p.m.)

All eyes will be on a defending champion Christian Brothers Academy, No. 4 in the state and No. 1 in the Northeast and 10 in the nation, to see if it can top Haddonfield’s team average from earlier in the day.
But there are plenty of other talented teams looking to spring the upset, including Chereokee, No. 7 in the state, No. 11 Toms River North, No. 16 Westfield, No. 17 Randolph, and No. 23 Hunterdon Central, Washington Township. and an up and coming East Brunswick team.
Individually, there doesn’t look like a clear favorite. Among those trading strides up front should be Daniel Rondon of North Bergen, Ryan Garvin of Lenape, Joe Kotran and Aaron Leskow of Toms River North, Mike Mazzacarro of Christian Brothers, Xavier Fraction of Washington, Hank Ashforth of Hunterdon Central and Jordan Magath of Hillsborough.

B Division (4:04 p.m.)

It’s very possible that the fastest team and individual time of the meet will come from this race as defending champion Joe Rosa and his high powered West Windsor-Plainsboro North team take the line in the final race of the day.
No runner in the state has gotten off to faster start than Rosa. Rosa won the Sophomore Race at the Knights Invitational in 9:38 (3,200 meters) and the Briarwood Invitational in 15:33, both course records.
And Rosa’s team comes into the race ranked No. 2 in both New Jersey and in the Northeast, and No. 15 in the nation.
``My goal is to win the race and help the team get the fastest average,’’ said Rosa. ``We’d like to make a statement.’’
Rosa, who missed the freshman course record at Holmdel by one second last year when he ran 16:16, doesn’t want to make any prediction, but does feel he’s fit enough to go pretty low.
``I do want to break 16, and it might be in the back of mind to run the fastest time of the day if I get a gap on the rest of the field,’’ said Rosa, who is capable of  breaking Holmdel’s sophomore class course record of 15:46.2 set by Doug Smith in 2006.
Rosa’s chief competition should come from another young and talented harrier, junior David Forward of Shawnee, and seniors Taro Shigenobu of Ridgewood, and Phi Wood of Lacey. Forward ran 16:15 last year at the state Group 3 meet to place fifth, one place and one second ahead of Rosa.

West Windsor North will have its hands full in the team competition as it clashes with crosstown rival West Windsor South, No. 8 in the state, No. 10 Ridge, No. 21 Ridgewood, and No. 25 Livingston.


GIRLS PREVIEW
Each year The Shore Coaches Invitational brings together most of New Jersey’s cross country teams for a “Pre-State” meet and a race over the Holmdel Park 5000 meter course.  Over the past few years talk during the summer has centered on the possible move of the State Meet of Champs from Holmdel to another site and each year the future strength of the Shore meet is in doubt, but once again many of the best teams and individuals will gather at the central New Jersey park.  Not all of New Jersey’s runners will be at Holmdel, some teams will pass up the race entirely while others will have their lineups effected by the SAT’s being held this weekend.

Here is a brief look at what fans should look for in the varsity girls races.

Varsity “F – 10:25 am - Eastern Christian’s Kristen Traub will be the focus of the opening varsity race of the day.  Already the winner of 2 invitational the freshman this summer ran a 4:47 1,500 meters and a 5:08 1,600. She also ran a pair of 5-Ks this past summer in the 19:40 range, while her best is 19:09.   Traub is no stranger to Holmdel having run here many times in age-group races before entering high school.

Varsity “E
”  - 10:45am - #10 ranked Pope John should be the class of field

Varsity “D” – 11:05 am – The action starts to heat up as current state #1, NE #6 and defending State Champions Voorhees takes to the course lead by Lanie Thompson.  Thompson won the 2007 Meet of Champs title in 18:02, No. 8 at Holmdel all-time, and won the outdoor track M of C 3,200 title in a meet-record 10:17.18, No. 3 in state history.  Challenging Voorhees will be state # 9 Monsignor Donovan and #11 Holmdel.

Varsity “C” – 2:34pm – One of the state individual title contenders Chelsea Ley, Kingsway, takes to the course.  Ley placed third at the 2007 Meet of Champs in 18:08 and chalked up three of the state's eight fastest Holmdel Park times last fall. She ran the 3,200 in 10:27.90, No. 3 in the state last spring.  Top teams should be Ridge (NJ #7) and Holy Angeles (NJ #19).

Varsity “B” – 2:52pm – As the day starts to come to a close the action will heat up as 3 of the states top ranked teams will toe the line.  State #4 Immaculate Heart Academy led by  Sarah Pagano who  seventh at the 2007 Meet of Champs in 18:39, last fall. She turned in a 10:29.79 for the state's fourth-fastest 3,200 last spring.  Joining IHA in the race will be #12 West Windsor Plainsboro South led by Katie Kellner who ran an 18:47 at Holmdel as a junior last fall to place 11th at the Meet of Champs and posted state's seventh-fastest 3,200 (10:45.08) last spring. Mile personal best of 5:05.28.  Also included in the race will be current state #17 Ridgewood who is sure to be in the mix.

Varsity “A” – 3:10pm – Without a doubt the “packed” race of the day bringing together 4 of the state’s top 13 teams includingNE #5 and NJ #2 Toms River North, #5 Randolph, #6 Southern Regional and #13 South Brunswick.  Individually this could should be a battle between Toms River North’s Angela Rugino, Joelle Amaral, Randolph, who ranked as the 10th fastest at Holmdel last fall with an 18:43, which she ran to place ninth at the Meet of Champions as a freshman and Jillian Smith, Southern Regional, who paced second as a junior in the cross-country Meet of Champs in 18:03, No. 9 all-time at Holmdel, and in outdoor track she won the Nike National 800-meter title in 2:05.24, No. 2 in state history.


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