Cross Country
The best teams in South Jersey, regardless of sport:
1. Eastern field hockey: Vikings made a statement with an emphatic victory over second-ranked Washington Township the other day. It was classic Eastern: The Vikings were fired up after a WIN over Washington Township earlier in the season because they dominated everywhere but the scoreboard. So they made sure this time. Iowa-bound Kelsey Mitchell is on the verge of the state record for career goals.
2. Haddonfield boys cross-country: Ever ride through downtown Haddonfield around 6:30 p.m. on a week night? There always are runners stretching outside the Haddonfield Running Club, preparing to go a few miles. It's not in the water in that town. It's in the air.
gary miles
If North Catholic and Cardinal Dougherty must close at the end of the school year, we won’t let them go quietly.
Send your sports memories and favorite photos about those schools to Gary Miles at gmiles@phillynews.com, and we’ll celebrate the Falcon and the Cardinal in the paper and online.
They may be going, but North and Dougherty will never be forgotten.
The best teams in South Jersey, regardless of sport:
1. Eastern field hockey (11-1): Iowa-bound forward Kelsey Mitchell is tied for the lead in South Jersey in goals with 29. The Vikings beat two Olympic American opponents last week by 10-0.
2. Haddonfield boys’ cross country (10-0): Senior Jonathan "Boo" Vitez won the Manhattan College Invitational Saturday at Van Cortland Park in New York, covering the 2.5-mile course in 12 minutes, 25.60 seconds. The Bulldogs were third in team scoring.
Sandy Spieczny
At Rose Tree Park in Media, the Cardinal O’Hara boys’ team won the title of the 46th annual Delco Road Runners Club Championships and Haverford High senior Ed Donnelly took first place.
Donnelly covered the 3.1-mile course in 16 minutes, 16 seconds to take the title after finishing 17th and 23d the previous two years.
Notre Dame took first place in the girls’ race for the first time.
Sandy Spieczny
Jonathan Vitez of Haddonfield won the premier event at the Manhattan College Invitational at Van Cortlandt Park, covering the 2.5-mile course in 1 minutes, 25.60 seconds, and helped the Bulldogs finish third in team scoring.
In the Varsity A meet, David Forward of Shawnee finished first and was joined at the front of the pack by teammates Connor Herr (eighth) and Peter Murray (ninth).
Sandy Spieczny
Felicia O’Donnell took second place in the girls’ race and Brady Deckert was third in the boys’ competition, helping Delsea sweep the Division 2 team titles on its home course Saturday in the South Jersey Open cross-country championships.
The Crusaders posted 39 points in the girls’ event, which was won individually by Holy Spirit’s Emily Casey.
St. Augustine’s Philip Fanz crossed the finish line first in the boys’ meet in 16 minutes, 9 seconds, the fastest winning time among the three boys’ races.
M ZEBE
Cross-CountrySolebury School placed four runners in the top 10 and cruised to the team title at the Valley Forge Invitational.
The host Cadets boasted the top individual, Seth Lachman, who covered his home course in 18 minutes, 36 seconds. Lachman’s brother, Josh, running for Church Farm, finished sixth (20:32).
Solebury’s top finisher was Nick Carugati, whose third-place finish (19:31) was behind only Seth Lachman and Perkiomen School’s Chris Meade (19:27).
Sandy Spieczny
Meghan Malloy of Cinnaminson set her school’s course record with a time of 19 minutes, 30 seconds, and the Pirates swept four opponents to clinch the Burlington County League Freedom Division championship in Tuesday's cross-country action.Mentioned: Cinnaminson High School
Sandy Spieczny
Delran won meets against Trenton Catholic (15-50) and host Cinnaminson (22-37), and clinched the Burlington County League Patriot Division championship.
Cinnaminson’s Dylan Tooher won the six-team batch meet in 16 minutes, 50 seconds.
Sandy Spieczny
Bishop Shanahan had the best girls' team and Boyertown had the best runner at the 45th annual Steel City Cross-Country Invitational in Coatesville Saturday.
Shanahan placed two of the top four runners behind individual winner Elizabeth Simpson of Boyertown (19 minutes, 47 seconds). The Eagles’ Kayla Lampe (20:00) was second and teammate Maria Stickley (20:44) fourth.
Sandwiched in between those efforts was Exeter’s Sarah Brzostek, who finished third, also in 20:44.
Mentioned: Unionville High School | North Penn High School | Bishop Shanahan | Boyertown | Council Rock North | Glen Mills | Owen J. Roberts
