Sophomore runs 18:24 to win Varsity B race

By Kevin Cranston
Runningco.com Writer

HOLMDEL

There’s no denying that Chelsea Ley turned in an awesome performance on Sept. 15 at the Cherokee Challenge. It was at that meet – the first of the season – in which the Kingsway High School sophomore ran 10:55 for 3,200 meters and cut 30 seconds off a course record previously held by Southern great Danielle Tauro.

But for as good as Ley was that day, she was even better on Saturday at the Shore Coaches Invitational.

Floating up and down the hills of Holmdel Park on an extremely hot afternoon, Ley covered the 3.1-mile course in 18:24, winning the girls’ Varsity B race by 43 seconds over Roxbury senior Lauren Penny (19:07), the defending B race winner. Randolph freshman Joelle Amarel was third in 19:26.

Ley’s 18:24 is the fastest winning time at Shore Coaches since 1998, when Middletown South’s Cate Guiney ran 17:59 to win the Varsity B race.

“I wanted to run between 18:20 and 18:30 and I did that,” Ley said.

Ley grabbed the lead right from the start of the race and held a two-second advantage over Penny through the opening half-mile. Penny hung within a few strides of Ley until the 1-mile mark, before Ley gradually pulled away until it was her running against the clock.

“At the mile mark, I thought (Penny) was going to come up on me,” Ley said. “I threw in a surge then and just kept going with it.”

Ley ran her first mile in 6:12 and her second in 6:03.

“I heard Dave (Welsh, SJ Running Company Owner) say I was on 18:40 pace,” Ley said. “Once I heard that, I knew I needed to get back on the pace I set out to run.”

Ley did, and she was able to finish well under 18:40.

“Today was an eye-opener for me,” Ley said. “I know now I have a chance to be in the top three at the Meet of Champs.”

No. 2 Haddonfield

put its first five runners in the top 22 as it easily won the girls’ Varsity E race for the second consecutive year with 46 points. Pope John XXIII (95) and North Warren (161) were second and third, respectively.

The Bulldawgs team average of 20:24.8 was South Jersey’s best and third-fastest from all six races.

“We wanted to see where we were at today,” said sophomore Marielle Hall, who took second in 19:57. “We wanted to take today seriously and see where we can improve on this course for when we come back at the end of the year.

“I think everyone ran real well today. It was real exciting to finish and look back and see the rest of the team all right behind me.”

For Hall, who ran in second for essentially the entire race, she was with eventual winner Julia Mark (19:43) of Del Val for a little more than half the race.

“We were together until the bowl (during the second mile) and she just got away from me at the top of it,” said Hall, who ran the first mile in 6:40 and was at 13:04 after 2 miles.

After Hall, the Bulldawgs’ top five, which had a spread of 1:06, consisted of freshman Mia Spinelli (third, 20:04), juniors Jackie Sikkema (20:22) and Lizzy Sikkema (12th, 20:38) and junior Monica Ramstad (22nd, 21:03).

No. 1 Lenape

took places 9, 13, 15, 16 and 44 to capture the girls’ Varsity A title – the program’s first-ever Shore Coaches title – with 97 points as the Indians beat Howell (147) and Southern (156). The team’s five-girl average of 20:37.6, though, was South Jersey’s second-fastest after Haddonfield’s 20:24.8 in the E race.

“When I started this program in 1992, I never thought we would be up here winning at Holmdel,” coach Mike DiBenedetto said. “This is a definite confidence booster for the kids.”

Senior Miya Johnson led the way for Lenape on Saturday as she took ninth in 19:59. Within 35 seconds of her, the Indians had their top four through the line. After Johnson was sophomore Caitlin Orr (20:15) and seniors Moira Cunningham (20:29) and Erika Griffith (20:34). Rounding out the team’s top five was junior Alivia Royds, who came in at 21:51.

“Not a lot of teams have a pack like we do,” Griffith said. “Running together during races helps us pace off each other.”

Cherokee senior Alison Weeks

was South Jersey’s top finisher in the girls’ Varsity A race as she took second in 19:38. Southern junior Jillian Smith won the race in 19:24.

“It was slower than I ran last year at Holmdel (19:21), but I can’t complain about second place,” Weeks said. “I was glad I was able to pass a girl on the stretch to get second.”

Weeks went out in 6:21 and followed that up with a 6:24. By then, she was in a group of three for the final mile. It was until the last 250 meters that she passed Hunterdon Central’s Rashmi Singh to grab second.

Overall in the A race, South Jersey runners took 14 out of the top 19 places.

Moorestown senior Brianna Rogers

led No. 4 Moorestown to a second-place finish in the girls’ Varsity C race by placing third overall in a PR of 19:53 (previous Holmdel best was 20:06). Voorhees easily won the title with 24, while No. 3 Timber Creek was third with 92.

With Voorhees junior Melanie Thompson (first in 19:02) jumping out to big lead early, Rogers ran in second most of the way. She hit the 1-mile mark in 6:23 and the 2-mile mark in 12:50. Mendham sophomore Laura Vigilante then passed her for second during the last half mile.

Our Lady of Mercy Academy junior Jena Peacock

shaved 16 seconds off her previous Holmdel best as she finished second in the girls’ Varsity F race in a PR of 19:59. Peacock ran in second the entire race, going 6:30 through the first mile and 6:37 through the second. Mount Saint Mary senior earned the title in 19:34.

“I never felt more prepared for a race than today,” Peacock said. “Last year, I just came (to Holmdel) to see what I could do. Today, I came here feeling confident that I could run well.”

With Peacock as their first finisher, the Villagers, ranked No. 15, took third with 131 points.

No. 7 Paul VI

took third in the girls’ Varsity D race with 114 points. Msgr. Donovan won the title with 37, while Red Bank Catholic was second with 94.

Top runner for the Eagles was junior Karen Wojciechowski, who was 11th in 20:32.