Haddon Township triumphs in state cross-country

As the presentations were made to the top individual finishers after the Group 1 race at the NJSIAA State Cross-Country Championships on Saturday, Haddon Township senior Tim Kenna stood in the middle of his teammates and put things in perspective.

"We're more team-oriented," Kenna said. "We don't worry where we finish as individuals. We run as a team."

That attitude paid huge dividends as Haddon Township captured the Group 1 team title with 74 points, despite having only one runner finish in the top 10. It was the first team championship since 2008, and the seventh overall for the Hawks.

"We run as a pack," Kenna said. "Today, our 1-2-3 runners ran pretty much together. I've finished anywhere from being our first to our fifth finisher. It doesn't matter who finishes where - it's all about the team."

Trey Thatcher, Andrew Shaw, and Kenna finished 10th, 11th, and 13th, respectively, with Jim Nolan's 18th place and Luke Kessler's 31st place sealing the victory.

"Kessler is a first-year runner, and he came up big today for us," Kenna said. "It's really satisfying to win the championship after five months of hard work. Everybody stepped up today."

The only other area team to win a team title was Bishop Eustace, which, behind a third place by Eric Franklin, took the Non-Public B crown for the second straight year.

Individually, Cherokee's Shawn Wilson and Shawnee's Connor Herr continued their season-long rivalry and were the only other area runners to finish second or third. The pair has gone head-to-head four times this season, each winning two of the encounters.

In Group 4, Wilson put on a blazing kick in the last 100 meters to take second place in 16:03 to Herr's third place in 16:04.

"The key to my race today came at the bowl [section of the course]," said Wilson, a junior competing in cross-country for the first time after two years playing soccer.

"I took 10 hard steps and made my move on the straightaway. Nearing the finish line, I just sprinted. I have a good finishing kick, and it paid off. Last week [at the sectional meet], I went out too fast. Today, I felt more in control of my race."