North Brunswick boys shine at Cougar meet

Holmdel’s George Galasso drew first blood. Saturday’s New Balance Jersey Shore Cougar Invitational at Bucks Mill Park in Colts Neck was the first time that Galasso and Colts Neck’s Mark Leininger, two of the best runners in the state, hooked up this fall, and it was the Hornet harrier who carried the day on Leininger’s home course.

JEFF GRANIT staff Kazuki Yamada, of South Brunswick, heads the ball over Woodbridge’s Mike Ajala to teammate Kwadwo Darkwa-Anto during a Sept. 24 game at home. The Vikings went on to defeat Woodbridge 4-2. Galasso, a junior, toured the Bucks Mill Park’s 5K layout in 15:48.58 ahead of Leininger’s 15:53.5 to win the Boys Championship race. Their times are the ninth and 10th fastest in course history (Colts Neck’s Craig Forys holds the record at 14:58).

Leininger’s teammate Mike O’Dowd was fifth (16:15.64)

There will be bigger titles to shoot for later this year like the Monmouth County and Shore Conference championships for Galasso and Leininger, but, for now, round one went to the Hornet by a close decision.

North Brunswick won the Large School title with 45 points. Kyle Davis (17:21.29) and Zach Spiegel (17:27.77) led the Raiders, running third and fourth.

Freehold Borough’s Cody O’Flaherty won the Boys Varsity Large School race in 16:46.82. The Colonials were second in the team competition (92).

A talented field chased after the boys championship team title. The competition featured four of the top 20 teams in the state-spirited host Colts Neck, Holmdel, Westfield and Mendham.

Mendham led by Michael Franklin, fourth overall (16:09.76) and third in team scoring, beat Colts Neck, 40-67. Westfield was third (79) just ahead of Holmdel (82).

Colts Neck’s Briana Jackucewicz won the girls championship race after a duel with Toms River North’s Angela Rugino. Jackucewicz, now a senior, posted an 18:21.64 while Rugino clocked 18:26.51. Those marks are the second and third fastest ever at Bucks Mill, trailing only the 17:34 turned in by Colts Neck’s Ashley Higginson.

The powerful TRN Mariners won the team title handily with 32 points. Behind their No. 1 Rugino, the Mariners stacked their next six runners all in a row from sixth through 11th.

Colts Neck was second (48). Rachel Morris was second across the line for the Cougars in fourth place (19:49.76).

It was a three-way race for the Girls Small School championship between St. John Vianney, Rumson and Raritan. The Lancers edged RFH, 64-69, with Raritan at 73.

A tradition of the Cougar Invitational is to award green jackets to the fastest boy and girl finishers in the varsity races who, this year, were Galasso and Jackucewicz.

Saturday for the harriers, it’s on to Holmdel Park for the Shore Coaches Invitational, the first major meet of the season the site of the Nov. 22 Meet of Champions.