Date: Sun, 09 Nov 1997 15:45:51 -0500
From: Ryan Grote <runnj@injersey.com>
Subject: t-and-f: Jersey High School Cross

There will probably be a more informed and detailed post from the 
source of all NJ high school knowledge, Ed Grant, but I thought I'd get 
things started from what I could gather in today's Star-Ledger.  

     Yesterday was the big day for statewide sectionals, and the last 
day that any races are held anywhere other than Holmdel Park.  For those 
savages who do not live in New Jersey, the state is broken up into 4 
sections, and each section has 4 groups from large (group 4) to small 
(group 1).  In addition there are Parochial A (large) and B (small 
divisions).  Yesterday the top five teams and top 10 individuals moved 
on to next Saturdays State Group championships at Holmdel.  There will 
be a race for all six categories for boys and girls, and the top teams 
and individuals from those races will move on to the all-encompassing 
Meet of Champions.

     Before I get into yesterdays results featuring local teams who all 
have one thing in common, I'll mention the Prep results from earlier in 
the week.  Pingry, the alma mater of the superstar Brothers Lear, swept 
the team titles and blew out the boys field which included Delbarton 
(ranked 5th in the S-L preseason poll).  They move on to Parochial B at 
Holmdel next week and should win again to advance to the M of C.  The 
duo of Justin Manly and Andrew Gruel went 1-2.

     Other local schools, including my alma mater, made out well and 
will run again next week.  Like Pingry, the schools I am about to 
mention all have had the sense to buy their shoes from an 
all-knowledgeable source of runnning wisdom.  Bernards may not be back 
at its pre-Grote, Wetmore/Mather era glory days, however the girls squad 
led by defending Group 1 champ Laura Nann scored a scant 21 points to 
win the Central Jersey Group 1 race.  The boys were 2nd with 78 points, 
and both stand a good chance to make it to the M of C.  

     The most spectacular patron is no doubt Ridge's Ricky Gibson.  
Yesterday Gibson led Ridge to the CJ Group 2 title, winning in 16:44 at 
Holmdel.  Earlier Gibson ran 16:18 at Holmdel and 12:36 at Van Cortland, 
and he has yet to lose to another Garden Stater.  Next week he will be 
tested by Manchester's Ian Hahn, who won his South Jersey sectional.  
The Ridge boys blew out Somerville to win 66-126, and have a good shot 
at winning the Group 2 meet, as well.  They have had a breakthrough 
season, much of it attributable to good shoes and sound advice.  The 
Ridge girls also moved on placing 2nd. 

     Bridgewater, whose alums include Stanford's Monal Chokshi and some 
fine hoopsters such as Eric Murdock and Lance Miller, pulled off a big 
upset winning the CJ Group 4 race.  The girls also barely advanced 
placing 5th.  Hunterdon Central's Jon Fasulo, a junior, ran the fastest 
time of the day at Holmdel, a 16:29.  

     Returning M of C winner Steve Slattery again beat Morristown's Tom 
Del Sordo to win his 4th straight North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 title 
in 16:07.  Mo'town, whose alums include a coaching prodigy named Vig, 
easily won the team title and remains the only potential threat to the 
reign of CBA, whose alums include Nick McDonough among others.  

     The Garden State is quite strong this year.  In my factless 
opinion, there are at least 6 boys who stand a shot at making it through 
to Foot Locker nationals.  Slattery is the favorite to win but may be 
pushed by Overbrook's (Ron Dayne an alum) Murad Campbell and possibly 
Ridge's Gibson.  The other top individuals in no particular order are 
Morristown's Del Sordo, HC's Fasulo and Manchester's Hahn.  All six have 
decent chances at placing top 8 in the FL NE meet.  I'll bet that at 
least three of them make it.  

     As for the girls, frosh Erin Donohue should blow out the M of C, 
but according to Mr. Grant will not run the FL meet because of hoops.  
Yesterday she was bothered by the flu and only ran 18:30 to win her 
South Jersey Group 1 section.  Three other girls ran slightly faster, 
but Donohue herself set the course record of 17:07 a few weeks ago.

     That should do it for today.  Like I said yesterday, it is a slow 
weekend with no division one cross action.  I felt compelled to post 
again, so I did.  Tomorrow is the amazing and spectacluar Grote Regional 
Preview.  

     Actually, today is the PNAC meet at Woodland Park in Seattle which 
should provide some interesting results.  Dan Browne, Brad Barquist, Rob 
Cook, and a few other nationally competitive guys were slated to run, as 
were some current and former Pilots.  I am sure that Mike Scott will 
grace us with the results ASAP (not a hint or a request--really).  
Whether I get them before I leave at 5:00 remains to be seen.  

     The New Jersey Nets are still the team even after last night's loss 
to the Bulls.  They played without Van Horn and Kittles, just wait.  
Someday everybody will be jumping on the Nets bandwagon when they assume 
the NBA throne.
Grote
Runners Pace
"In the long run the truth does not matter."  Wallace Stevens