Cross Country
By: Mike Molaro
It was business as usual for the Hopewell Valley Central High School boys and girls cross country squads this week as the Bulldogs solidified their positions as one of the best male and female units in the state.
The boys defeated Steinert, 20-35, Ewing, 19-40, and Trenton, 15-50, on Sept. 20 at Washington Crossing. The squad then raised its record to 7-0 by knocking off Notre Dame, 16-39, and Princeton, 15-50, Tuesday.
The Bulldogs also placed second with 55 points last Saturday in the Group II race at the Passaic Invitational won by Delbarton with 25 points.
The girls defeated Steinert, 20-35, Ewing, 19-40, and Trenton, 15-50, on Sept. 20. The girls also upped their record to 7-0 with victories over Notre Dame, 15-50, and Princeton, 18-45, on Tuesday.
The Lady Bulldogs finished second last Saturday with 69 points in the Group II race at the Passaic Invitational won by Moorestown. The HoVal team defeated third-place Voorhees, which was ranked fourth in the state going into that race.
Junior Joe Davidson led the Bulldogs against the Spartans, Blue Devils, and Tornadoes by placing first in 17 minutes, 38 seconds, while seniors Mike Seiler (18:11) and Alex Hannay (18:59) were fourth and seventh, respectively, and freshman Derick Jablonski was ninth (19:31).
Freshman Leo Capserri was 11th (19:47), senior Matt Burd was 19th (21:03), juniors Dave Martin (21:04) and Brian Yaros (21:05) were 20th and 21st, respectively, sophomore Alex Mayberry was 22nd (21:06), and freshman Gus Davidson was 25th (21:55).
Junior Natalie Jones paced the girls on Sept. 20 with a winning time of 20:45 while senior Whitney McNeese was second (21:37), sophomore Kate Willever was fourth (23:31), junior Emily Forbes was sixth (23:59), freshman Carley Schlamowitz was eighth (24:48), freshman Maddie Webber was 10th (24:34), and junior Jen Riley was 15th (27:49).
Davidson was fifth overall in the Group II race last Saturday in 17:10 while Seiler was 10th (17:21), sophomore Kent Long was 13th (17:58), Hannay was 14th (17:59), and Jablonski was 19th (18:18).
"Kent (Long) and Derick (Jablonski) have improved every race and did a great job in finishing fourth and fifth," said Bulldog head coach Aaron Oldfield. "We are only going to be as good as our fifth runner. The guys are coming along nicely and learning quickly."
Jones won the girls Group II race in 19:21 and McNeese was fourth (19:53). Willever had a time of 21:46, Webber clocked in at 22:13, Schlamowitz finished in 22:24, and senior Jackie Muscente was 22:56.
"The girls are inexperienced but they are improving each week," Oldfield added. "Katie (Willever) is making tremendous strides and has unlimited potential. Maddie (Webber) and Carley (Schlamowitz) are running well. This was a great meet and a great day for the girls."
Seiler (16:33) and Davidson (16:50) went 1-2 for the Bulldogs on Tuesday, as Hannay was fourth (17:11), Long placed fifth (17:25), Jablonski was eighth (17:38), Burd was 19th (18:27), Capserri was 20th (18:40), Mayberry was 31st (19:44) freshman Chris Harley was 34th (20:15), freshman Mike Doyle was 36th (20:18), and junior Mike Ambrose was 44th (21:17).
Jones again was first for the girls on Tuesday with a clocking of 18:54 while McNeese was second (19:47), Willever was fifth (21:18), Schlamowitz was sixth (21:46), Muscente was eighth (21:56), and Forbes was 10th (22:13). Webber placed 12th (22:20, sophomore Natasha Hanssen was 19th (23:34), Riley was 25th (24:31), junior Bethany Allen was 26th (25:12), and sophomore Sarah Newport was 28th (27:52).
The question on the minds of many around the Colonial Valley Conference is: can anyone stop HoVal?
The county championships are coming up in four weeks and that question will be answered then. One thing is for sure: when the Bulldogs on, they’re just about unstoppable.