JEFF HUNTLEY AHEAD OF THE PACK — Point Pleasant’s Barbara Moldoch crosses the finish line first in Sunday’s Freehold Area Running Club’s Summer Race Series 5K for Women on Sunday. The race featured runners from throughout Middlesex and Monmouth counties.
Freehold Township High School grad Brian Brach won the Freehold Area Running Club’s Summer Race Series 5K last Wednesday night.
While Brach was running off with the overall title, Monroe’s Jamie Kerstetter paced the women.
Brach, coming off a senior year in which he was one of the best distance runners in the Freehold District, toured the Battlefield State Park in 17:27 to win comfortably over Fred Touati of Manalapan, who ran a 17:51. Adam Thomas of Point Pleasant, the previous week’s winner, was third in 17:56. Touati (40-49) and Thomas (15-19) did win their respective age group divisions.
Old Bridge’s Kevin Zindell was fourth in 18:11 and first in the 20-29 age group, and former Manalapan High star Eric Costello, was fifth (19:06).
Rounding out the Top 10 were: Jack Anderson, Toms River (19:19); Robert Schwartz, Manalapan (20:05); Ben Brennessel, Freehold; Jerry Devlin, Mount Holly (20:27, first 50-59); and Tom Antus, Freehold. Age group winners were: Eric Jusinski, Piscataway, 29:40 (U-15); Rich Johnston, Freehold, 21:11 (30-39); Ralph Garfield, Manalapan, 22:22 (60-69); and Jim Robbins, Eatontown, 30:46 (70-79).
Kerstetter had the park to herself winning by more than a minute. Tina Strauss of Manalapan was second in 22:12 (first 20-29) and Freehold Township High School’s Erin Coye was third after a 22:47 (first, 15-19). Lauren Fackelman of Manasquan was fourth (23:05) and Maya Levy, another former Manalapan High star, was fifth (23:25).
Rounding out the Top 10 were: Leslie Grider, Pompton Plains, (24:10, first 30-39); Elizabeth Hughes, Manalapan (24:18); Debbie Devlin, Mount Holly (24:44, first 40-49); Laura Carpenter, Millstone (24:47, first U-15); and Megan Kenny, Manalapan (24:48). Rosalie Lidzbarski, Monroe, won the 50-59 age group (28:03).
Ben Ottmer, Lakewood (35:09), and Joan Venslavsky, Mercerville (35:08), repeated their wins of the previous week in the racewalking division. Ottmer has finished first among the men in every race this summer.
The series continues tonight with the 5K race at 6:50. Kids’ races will start the activities at 6. For more information on the Summer Race Series or other FARC events, call 431-2727.