PREVIEW
The defending champions and state's No. 1 teams, Christian Brothers Academy and the Red Bank Catholic girls, will put those rankings on the line, while Blaise Ferro of CBA and Marin Warner of Holmdel could make a run at the course records at Thursday's Shore Conference Championships.
Action starts with the freshman race at 3:30 p.m. at Ocean County Park in Lakewood. Perfect day for some XC and for some very fast times!!!!
LIVE BLOG WILL BE DOWN BELOW
CBA, which set the CR of 15:04.4 last year (a N.J. record and No. 2 in U.S. history), is hoping to put together the type of race is feels it's capable of after some subpar efforts by its standards.
CBA has won seven straight titles and a Shore Conference record 33 overall.
Finding the best combination of a top seven has been tricky for CBA this season. For this race is till go with juniors Ferro, Brian Dengler, Nick Trigani, Sean Martinek, Jon Dooling, and seniors John Morris and Tom Dengler.
There will be not holding back for the Colts in this one. CBA coach Tom Heath likes to let his boys run for time in this one to see how the compare to his past teams.
Will this be the race that CBA runs to its potential and throws down something crazy??
Ferro, who didn't run at the Monmouth County meet last week, is already No. 3 in course history after his 14:51 for third place last year in one of the fastest cross-country races in U.S. high school history. Could he make a run at the CR of 14:43 set last year bby CBA's Mike McClemens? He certainly has the talent, but may have to push himself to do it.
Among those looking to push Ferro and try to score the upset will be Ocean County champion Kyle Mueller of Brick Memorial and Monmouth County champ Aaron Barlev of Holmdel.
In the girls race, defending champion Warner should runaway with her second straight title and has the talent to challenge the CR of 17:14 set in 2010 by Molly McNamara of RBC. Warner won last year in 17:28.7, No. 3 in course history.
Warner's biggest competition was supposed to come from Monmouth County runner-up Lauren Sapone. But Sapone will not be running for an undisclosed reason, according to Red Bank coach Chris Desiere. Desiere also mentioned that Sapone will be back to race at the state sectional meet on Nov. 8.
Without Sapone in the race, Ocean County champion Lauren Zodl, Rachel Lehnert of Rumson, and Mary Kate McNamara of RBC fingure to battle it out for second-place.
Team-wise, RBC should roll to a repeat title and its fourth championship in the past five years and its 11th Shgore Conference title overall. Look for RBC, which ran 19:36 at Holmdel last week at the county meet, to throw down something very hot.
SCHEDULE
3:30 P.M.- Freshman Boys
3:45 -Freshman Girls
4:00 P.M. - Varsity Boys
4:20 P.M. - Varsity Girls
4:40 P.M.- J.V. Boys
5:00 PM - JV Girls
HIGHLIGHTS
I just rolled into OCP at around 2:30. There couldn't be a better day for XC!!!!
The second fastest course in the state IMO (Brookdale is faster IMO) + temps in the high 50', slight breeze and dry courses=A PR PARADE!!!!!
The sked has changed, so check above.
First race is still 3:30-but it's Freshman Boys first!!!
FRESHMAN BOYS ARE ON THE LINE
CBA GOES 1-3-4-8-17 AND WINS THE TEAM TITLE, 25-74 OVER JACKSON!!
BRIAN HILL OF CBA WINS IN 10:10!
GIRLS FRESHMAN WILL GO OFF AT 3:45
GIRLS ARE OFF
MAEVE KELLY OF TRINITY HALL WINS!!
TRINITY HALL WINS, 59-66 OVER HOLMDEL!
BOYS VARSITY IS NEXT!!!
FERRO PULLS AWAY IN THE 2ND MILE AND WINS BIG IN 15:05!!!
CBA ROLLS
BOYS COURSE RECORDS ARE SAFE THIS YEAR
CBA GOES 1-3-4-5-8-10-14 FOR THE WIN WITH 21 POINTS.
COLTS NECK 2ND WITH 117 AND MIDDLETOWN NORTH 3RD WITH 130
CBA AVERAGES 15:22.8 WITH 29 SECOND 1-5 SPLIT
AARON BARLEV OF HOLMDEL IS 2ND!!!
GIRLS VARSITY RACE IS OFF
MARIN WARNER OF HOLMDEL AND RCB WIN BIG!!!
WARNER FIRST IN 17:39
RBC IS LED BY MARY KATE MCNAMARA, WHO RALLIED TO GET 2ND IN 17:56!!!!!
RBC AVERAGES 18:22.6-MIGHT BE A COURSE RECORD??
Rachel Lehnert of Rumson 3rd in around 18:13.
BOYS JV RACE
CBA JUST WENT 1-12!!!!
AIDAN DURNEY FIRST IN 15:38
CONGRATS TO CBAA, RBC, FERRO AND WARNER!!!!
GET UR SHORE CONF. XC CHAMPS ON!!!
Jim Lambert may be reached at jlambert@njadvancemedia.com . Follow him on Twitter @lambo2126 . Like NJ.com HS sports on Facebook .
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