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ROBBINSVILLE: Robbinsville boys reach MOC

Kroepfl, Murphy also advance

By Justin Feil, The Packet Group
   Patrick Buonamassa started wheezing 100 meters into the Group II state championship race Saturday at Holmdel Park.
   Despite the asthma attack, the Robbinsville High School senior wasn’t going to drop out of the race.
   ”I had a job to do,” Buonamassa said. “Not many people are available to run now. Our team was deep when the season started. A lot of people are injured.”
   The ones that are left are good ones, and Buonamassa didn’t want to let down a cross country team that has been dreaming big all season. So he fought as best he could to run as well as he could for the team, just as he had worked himself into shape to be in their top five.
   ”I walked into the season knowing this is a team that wants to place in Meet of Champs and maybe win groups,” Buonamassa said. “I knew I had to work hard.”
   The Robbinsville High School boys finished third overall in the Group II race with a 16:52 average. The Ravens scored 102 points. Haddonfield had 77 to win and Voorhees scored 83 for second place.
   ”It was a great race, a gutty race that the guys ran,” said Ravens head coach Mike Walker. “We are looking at it that we do have a little more room for improvement. We haven’t had all seven guys click on the same day.
   ”It’s one of those things you look at the results, and you’re really happy. You don’t race to just win these things, it’s to put yourself in position and see what happens.”
   Christian Roberts was eighth in 16:21. Zach Michon came in 15th in 16:43. Bobby Hastie ran 16:52 for 19th. Richie Kasper was 23rd in 16:57. Buonamassa closed out the scoring in 47th in 17:29. Ryan Gross was 60th in 17:42 and Dan Milo ran 17:43 for 63rd. Their third-place finish automatically qualified them to run in the Meet of Champions on Saturday at Holmdel.
   ”We’re glad that we’re moving on,” Buonamassa said. “We really wanted to win the state title. It’s just unfortunate that some people like me — some things happen. I’m sure (Voorhees’ top runner) Chris Thompson wasn’t planning on running 17-flat (Saturday). Things happen, you just have to deal with them.”
   Buonamassa dealt with his breathing issue as well as could be expected. It was inspirational to his teammates.
   ”It was a gutty race for him,” Walker said. “He’s had a hard time breathing in cold weather. That was brutal for him. He took an inhaler before the race, an inhaler after the race. I give him credit. He’s fought through that.”
   Buonamassa is looking forward to another chance at Holmdel when he’s feeling better. The Ravens will return for the MOC 11 a.m. Saturday.
   ”The original plan was to put everything in for states to win the title,” Buonamassa said. “Now that we got third, now we want to try to beat Haddonfield and Voorhees to make up for it. We want to make the podium.”
   The Robbinsville girls were sixth overall in the Group II state championship. The Ravens averaged 21:03 per runner and scored 194 points. Voorhees won with 51.
   Lauren Kroepfl ran 19:22 for 10th place. The sophomore qualifies automatically for the Meet of Champions. Gabby Manto was 48th in 21:17. Erin Holzbauer was just behind in 49th in 21:18. Enlin Carow ran 21:26 for 58th and Makenzie Bayless finished off the Ravens’ scoring in 72nd in 21:53. Casey Hopkins was 80th and Caitlyn Krueger was 109th.
   ”For the seniors, all my thoughts go to them, it’s the last time they put on the uniform and race together,” Walker said. “It’s a reverse of last year where had one guy make it and the girls team. We have one girl and the guys team. Lauren had a great race. I think she was seven seconds off Megan Flynn’s school record. I was excited for Lauren, but it’s the seniors that I was thinking about.
   ”They were still sixth in the state,” he said. “That’s not too bad. That’s the price you pay for setting the bar so high. You have to live with those disappointments and move on and get ready for the next season. Those girls, they’re ready and want to prove something in track.”
   Allentown was 20th in the Group III boys race with 428 points and an 18:04 average. Conor Murphy was third overall in 16:08, six seconds back of first place. Andrew Fortier ran 17:36 for 69th. Hunter Mulryne was 119th, Nathaniel Byrnes was 134th, Vincenzo Ferriola was 138th, Matthew Gregor took 139th and Matthew Kaminstein was 144th. Murphy advances automatically to the MOC as a top-10 finisher individually.
   ”It’s definitely the most competitive race of the whole year,” Murphy said. “My goal is to place as high as I can. I’m looking to break 16 minutes and run a PR too.”
   Murphy just missed out on breaking 16 minutes. It gives the senior something to eye, along with a podium finish. He goes into the race with more motivation than he took with him last fall.
   ”Last year, my biggest goal at the end of the season was to make it to Meet of Champs,” Murphy said. “I was satisfied with my season. I wasn’t as motivated. I was stuck in a pack with 50 guys, and I learned from my mistakes. I have to go out in a good spot, get some space to make some moves. I have to use it to my advantage running with all these fast guys in the most competitive race of the year to help me run as fast as possible.”
   Murphy is looking forward to seeing what he can do in an even more competitive field. He earned a new personal record at the group meet.
   ”It’s only helpful,” Murphy said. “There will be someone pushing me the entire race. There’s no time to relax. It’ll push me to run as fast as I possibly can.”
   Allentown High School girls were 20th in Group III with 466 points. Mimi Crawford led the Redbirds in 23rd place in 20:06. Sarah Gutter was 101st in 21:49. Jesse Bragger ran 22:12 for 116th. Samantha Tendler was 138th in 23:46. Michele Foley was 143rd and Joanna Ricci was 144th.
   Buonamassa is looking to put together his best race in his last chance at Holmdel. He would like to run sub-17 minutes, and is hoping he won’t have to deal with another asthma attack.
   ”I’m fine with gambling and running through it,” Buonamassa said. “Right now, we have five guys that potentially can go under 17. That’s what it’ll take to place at Meet of Champs so I have to be there regardless of how I’m feeling.”
   Buonamassa’s improvements are a reason that the Ravens have come this far already. He joined cross country in eighth grade, and he has seen steady development through his career.
   ”He’s the key,” Walker said. “He’s basically the guy we’ve been looking for. When we found out that Ryan Gross had his issues, Pat was starting to round into form. That’s the key to a team that can make it at this level. Pat took it upon himself to run hard.”
   With Michon’s health better and his fitness catching up again, and Kasper expecting a better race along with Buonamassa, Robbinsville doesn’t think it’s a stretch to get one of the top eight podium spots. The merged results from the group meets last week show they would have placed 10th on a day that wasn’t perfect.
   ”I’m just happy that I’m the one that had the biggest issue during the race,” Buonamassa said. “I think I can do something about it. Because I’m in control and I can do something, and Zach is on his way back, I think Saturday will be a great race as long as I can get it together.
   ”We just need one race where we can get 100 percent out there,” he added. “We’re hoping for that to be Saturday.”