10 boys run X-C race
by Rudy Brandl, Sports Editor
Head cross country coach Jim O’Connor loved the look of 10 Manville High boys together on the starting line for last week’s quad-meet at Delaware Valley.
Numbers have always been a struggle for the MHS cross country program, but opposing teams wouldn’t know it after seeing the Mustangs break into double figures for participation for the first time in O’Connor’s four years at the helm. The injury-riddled MHS girls sent only one runner into competition at Del Val, but not even another pair of defeats could dampen O’Connor’s enthusiasm for the large group of Manville boys on the course.
”It was the most impressive and deepest team race we’ve had since I’ve been here,” O’Connor said. “We had nine kids under 23 (minutes) and some newcomers filled in the top five. All in all, it was a very good day.”
Junior Eddie Yakobchuk returned from a two-week injury hiatus to lead the Manville boys. He was the only Mustang to finish in the top 10, placing sixth in a time of 18:40 on Del Val’s 3.1-mile course.
”I don’t know if he ran well because he was relatively fresh, but he ran well,” O’Connor said. “He was fresh and he finished nicely. There were three Del Val kids and two Belvidere kids in front of him and that’s it.”
Considering 61 boys ran in the race, Yakobchuk finished in the top 10 percent of the field. His younger brother, Ernest Yakobchuk, placed 20th in 20:08.
Sophomore Matias Gualtieri and junior Paul Gruskza made sparkling debuts, finishing in the 3-4 slots for the Mustangs. Gualtieri was especially impressive, finishing 27th in 20:50.
”That gives me hopes,” O’Connor said. “He had an appendectomy in August and he’s not even fit yet and he never raced before. He’s still a complete novice. Where would he be if started training when the season began? It’s remarkable considering he has no running background or base.”
Gruszka placed 39th in 22:04 and led a pack of six Mustangs within a 44-second group. Senior Dan Kirkaldy (40th, 22:15), freshman Nick Galaini (42nd, 22:21), sophomore Randy Gomez (45th, 22:31), junior Charlie Burkoski (46th, 22:35) and sophomore Joey Veglatte (49th, 22:48) stayed close and senior Andrew Franko (57th, 25:11) capped the team’s 10-man effort.
O’Connor had been resting some of his boys because of injuries but they all came ready to run at Del Val. Gruszka had never raced before and performed well against a bunch of runners who are in mid-season form.
”I had no idea what he could do,” O’Connor said. “He’s been struggling with shin splints and he just started feeling better in the last week. I didn’t want to have a situation where every step was in pain. He went out there in his first race ever and did very well.”
Del Val used its home course advantage to sweep the meet, defeating the Mustangs by a 17-42 score. Manville was very competitive with South Hunterdon but fell 25-34.
”It was as close a meet as we’ve had,” O’Connor said. “You flip a few things around and it could have worked out for us. They just had a little too much for us.”
The MHS girls couldn’t compete as a team since senior Kate Harodetsky was the only runner in the race. Harodetsky didn’t enjoy the benefit of running with the boys but found herself in a huge 60-girl field. She finished 22nd in 23:56.
O’Connor felt the course will serve as good preparation for his athletes as they head into the post-season meets on tougher terrains. A few of the early meets were held on flat layouts, but Del Val presented a few more challenges.
”It’s a tough course, up and down, with some long rolling hills,” O’Connor said. “It was a good hill workout for us.”
While he’s hoping to put all five girls back on the line for a big meet before the end of the season, O’Connor has the luxury of extra athletes on the boys’ team. This week’s regular-season finale at Watchung Hills will determine which seven boys make the varsity field for the Somerset County (Oct. 24) and Skyland Conference (Oct. 30) championship meets.
”They’re starting to run as a pack and they’re running together and moving up as the race goes along,” O’Connor said. “We have some depth and that creates competition for the top seven.”

