Howell High School’s Niamh Hayes finished second at the Monmouth County Cross-Country Championships held Oct. 20 at Holmdel Park. Hayes ran a Holmdel personal best of 18:58 in the race. STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER ERIC SUCAR There’s always a disappointment in finishing second. However, for Monmouth County cross-country runnerup Niamh Hayes of Howell High School, there was the consolation of turning in a personal best at the county championships held at Holmdel Park Oct. 20.
“I did everything I could today,” Hayes said after finishing second to Red Bank Regional High School’s Lauren Sapone.
Hayes dipped under 19:00 for the first time (18:58), drawing closer to the school record of 18:55 held by the legendary Lindsey Gallo.
Hayes dueled with Sapone over the entire 5K course. They were in the lead pack at the first hill, and by the mile, they were the leaders.
“I wanted to run consistently in the beginning,” Hayes said. Sapone continued to push the pace in the second mile, making a surge that gained some separation between herself and Hayes.
As Sapone began to pull away, Hayes did not give up the chase.
“I was going to go as fast as I can,” she said.
The reward was her first sub-19:00 performance at Holmdel behind Sapone’s time of 18:44.
Hardly deterred by the second-place finish, Hayes pointed out that the competition pushes her to do better.
Hayes added she is really looking forward to her next race against Sapone Oct. 29 at the Shore Conference Championships at Lakewood’s Ocean County Park. Ocean County Park is a flat course that historically produces very fast times.
Howell finished 11th in the team standings with 289 points, qualifying for the conference meet as a team.