Tight finishes at Big North Patriot Championships by Paul Schwartz of The Record
MAHWAH – In Friday’s Big North Patriot race at Darlington County Park, three runners battled down the final straightaway and finished in nearly identical times, with junior Dillon Jensen of Pascack Hills edging soph John Fontana of River Dell and junior David Perry of Ramsey running 16:30.
And remarkably the team battle was even closer with Westwood’s sixth man, Andrew Hill edging the Pascack Hills #6 by one place and three seconds to earn the Cardinals, third place at the earlier batch meet, a tie breaker win when both teams finished with identical five man scores of 54. River Dell, undefeated in dual meets, was third with 71 points, creating a three-way title for the overall championship.
“I was way behind those guys early in the race,’’ said Jensen who hasn’t beaten his own teammate Peter Skibin at Darlington until Friday and recorded a 47 second personal best in the win. “But then I caught them as we came out of the woods and we all kept pushing.’’
United boys
When Don Bosco finished fifth in the Stewart Invitational at Greystone Park two weeks ago, the Ironmen’s season looked lost.
“It was our low point and it was pretty low,’’ said senior Pat Donnelly after winning the individual title in 16:18, and leading Don Bosco to a 20-40 win over Bergen Catholic and a 22nd straight league championship. “But the whole team met with the coaches and we talked it out and thought two days off would help.”
Apparently it did, as the Ironmen enjoyed their best race of the year up front with Kieran Ungemach (16:34), Michael Dua (16:39) and Ryan Nicholson (16:45) joining Donnelly, who edged Braedon Fiume of Bergen Catholic by about 5 meters.
“Our main goal is to win the Bergen Meet of Champions again,’’ said Donnelly.
Patriot girls
Two years ago River Dell came within four points of a surprise berth in the State Meet of Champions.
After injuries and illness hampered the Golden Hawks last year, that again is the goal this season.
“We’re focused on making the State Meet of Champs,’’ said Kellie O’Donnell, who finished second in the race to Shannon Goria as River Dell took four of the top seven spots on the way to a dominating 25-52 win over Ramsey. “We have to be smart, take it step by step and trust our coach and the process that’s been set up.’’
Goria won her fourth straight league title, breezing in 19:11. And freshman Maggie Mircovich was third in 19:34, top freshman time at Darlington this year.
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American boys
Justin Merkovsky surprised even himself by defeating Lisandro Perez of Cliffside Park by 50 meters to become Dumont’s first league champion in 26 years, running a huge personal best in 17:35.
“I was hoping to get third but when I got to the final hill I was first and I just wanted to make it to the finish,’’ said Merkovsky. “This is exhilarating and gives me a real boost.’’
Cliffside Park took five of the top 12 to hold off Fort Lee, 38-52, to win its seventh title in eight years.
United girls
Mackenzie Hughes bounced back from a frightening fall at last Saturday’s Shore Coaches Invitational race and showed she was completely healthy going into the championship part of the season, winning by more than 250 meters over teammate Olivia Mandella in a season’s best 18:26 as Holy Angels dominated IHA 25-38, to win its first league title since 2013.
“By Sunday I was still a little sore but I knew I’d be able to run today,’’ said Hughes, who still sports a 2” square bandage covering a cut on her left leg, suffered when she went down on the “rollercoaster” hills of the Holmdel County Park course. “After that happened I definitely wanted to go hard and get a good race in before the really important meets start.
American girls
Cynthia Aguero of Fort Lee became the Bridgewoman’s second league champ in the last 20 years, joining 2012-2013 titlist Melanie Plattner as race winners with a five meter win over Cliffside Park freshman Kelsey Pereira with CP soph Veronica Calderon another 25 meters back.
But the Red Raiders took 2-3-5-8-9 to continue their domination of the division, earning a sixth straight win, 27-47, over Fort Lee.