NJ Meet of Champions ends with North Jersey boys track taking home huge gold medal haul (2024)

PENNSAUKEN -- The late Steve Adams of St. Joseph Regional High School became North Jersey's first champion at the first New Jersey Meet of Champions in 1969. Five years later Vanessa Hugley of Glen Rock and Jane Green of Ridgewood became North Jersey's first girls champions at the first girls edition of the meet.

North Jersey has won titles in every subsequent edition of the meet but five and in every version since 1991. That streak continued early Friday as the Demarest boys won the opening event, the 4-x-800 relay and by the end of the meet North Jersey boys had won six titles, many in record-breaking fashion. Combined with wins by Abigail Dennis (100 hurdles) and Layla Giordano (discus) of Old Tappan, North Jersey athletes earned eight gold medals, tying the all-time area best.

Here's an in-depth look at all six area titles in chronological order:

Norseman boys keep composure, take 4-x-800 relay win

It was apparent early that the Demarest quartet of seniors Maxim Gilbert and Enrico Parrella and juniors Ivan Timochko and Luke Davis were the best 4-x-800 relay the Norsem*n had ever had.

They set the school record at Penn Relays running 8:04.60 but never were able to run the same foursome until Parrella rejoined the team at the state group 2 meet two weeks ago. The result was impressive, a 7:55.00 win by nearly 50 meters over a very good River Dell team.

At the Meet of Champions they were a little surprised to be given the #1 seed after Westfield chose not to compete. But as the race unfolded, it was clear they were the best team in the field.

"Every single one of them ran their own race,'' said distance coach Mike Ippolito, part of the previous school record holding team. "Every other team would get out fast on the first lap of every leg and our guys stayed composed and would reel them back in and stay in position.''

Each one of the Demarest runners knew their role and did their job. Gilbert was seventh at the first handoff in a steady 2:01.38 but avoided trouble. "I was just focused on getting away cleanly and getting us into position to let our fast guts do their jobs,'' he said.

Perrella followed with a more aggressive approach than he had the previous race, running a personal best 1:58.42 split to cut early leader Ridge's lead from about 20 meters to about 12 and bring the Norsem*n into second.

"I knew I had to make my move earlier than last week and executed our plan to get the stick to our great 3-4 guys,'' he said.

Then Timochko, the self described "running nerd" followed suit. He went out quickly but not as quickly as the Ridge third leg and runners from Bridgewater Raritan and West Windsor Plainsboro North, slipping to fourth about 25 meters off the pace. But while the top three teams paid a price for their over zealous first 400, Timochko, who had researched his opposition, held his form and his speed, passing two of the three teams and coming within a step of catching Ridge while running a strong 1:58.00 leg.

"I knew when I got the baton to Luke that we were winning this thing,'' he said, smiling broadly.

Spot on.

Davis went out hard, but sat on the Ridge anchor's shoulder as the two pulled away from the rest of the field.

"I couldn't let my teammates down and I knew I was in for a treat because everyone was going out too fast,'' said Davis, who waited until 300 meters to go before launching a definitive move that took him to the finish. "I thought I should wait until I felt him losing something, so when he did I went."

The result -- a huge 1:53.30 split and a 12 meter win over Bridgewater Raritan, which got a fine anchor leg and caught Ridge for second. Demarest's winning time was 7:51.08, fastest time by a Bergen County team since River Dell won the 2016 Meet of Champs title.

"It feels amazing to be the state champion,'' said Gilbert. "It's more than we could have dreamed of.''

Pash sets 1,600 record after making tough decision

It wasn't a foregone conclusion that Luke Pash was going to run the 1,600 meters at the State Meet of Champions despite being the only individual race he qualified for.

The Ridgewood junior had run a personal best 4:09.00 in winning his first outdoor group 4 title the previous week, but was slated to run in the seeded two mile race at the New Balance Nationals on June 14 in Philadelphia and anchor the Maroons for the second straight year at the distance medley at the same meet two days later. There was no chance he would run all three races.

"I'm still not totally sure why I picked the 1,600,'' said Pash Wednesday after he set a meet record and ran the fastest 1,600 meter race in New Jersey history, a stylish 4:04.49 to earn Ridgewood's first victory in any event at the meet since Steve Pierce won the 2006 javelin title. "I've been running the 1,600 really well and I know how to run and I thought I had a chance to win.''

"I was still a little iffy after I made the choice (on Monday) and I knew had to be 100% committed to the race to succeed,'' he said. "It was hard because I've never run an individual race at nationals before and I'd like to be an All-American on my own one day.''

Pash is a two-time All-American as part of Ridgewood's successful outdoor and indoor distance medley and won the state 3,200 meters last winter.

Once Pash found out that speedy milers like Peyton Shute of Woodbury and Hunter Cepulka of Colts Neck would also be running, he committed.

And on the track he delivered.

Shute took the race out hard, in 60.66 seconds with Pash tucked in behind at 60.98. When the duo, joined by Celupka and Matt Remishofski went through the 800 in 2:01.83, a fast race seemed assured.

"I heard 2:01 when we went by the 800 and I thought -- we're a little quick,'' said Pash with a smile. But things never slowed.

As they went down the backstretch in the third lap, Pash and Shute broke away and with 500 to go, Pash made another tough decision.

"That's what I've been doing all year, going with 500 or 600 to go so I went with it,'' he said. "I could have waited for 300 to go but I was committed.''

He had the lead as the bell for the final lap rang in 3:03.13 and extended out to nearly 10 meters before Shute made a late surge to finish about six meters.

Both Pash and Shute took seconds off the previous meet record of 4:07.31 set by Chris Marco of Toms River South in 2012. Ironically, Marco, who later ran at Notre Dame, was at the meet and presented the medals after the race.

Marchan brings Leonia its first title

In his spectacular high school track and field career, Leonia senior Jaden Marchan set one record after another for the Lions.

• First Bergen Meet of Champions title in 20 years -- his 1992 400 win as a sophom*ore.
• First Leonia State Meet of Champions medal ever in the 400 -- eighth place in 1992.
• School record in the 400 -- first set on May 12, 2023 at the Bergen County Red Littler group championships and broken five times after that. Previous record was set in 1962.
• First Leonia athlete to win two State Meet of Champions medals -- second in 2023 SMOC 400.
• Broke the school record in the 400 hurdles by more than two seconds, the FIRST time he ever ran it -- 54.49 at Jack Yockers Bergen County Relays on April 19.
• First Leonia to athlete to win three straight Bergen Meet of Champions title (also first to win two).
• First three-time winner of BMOC 400 in the 54 years the event has been held.
• Bergen County record in 400, first under 47 seconds in the event -- 46.35 at sectionals on June 1.
• Broke the school record set in 1961 at 200 meters -- 21.50 at sectionals on May 31.
• First Leonia double winner at state groups since 1962.

But perhaps the most important first for Marchan, who completed one of the great high school careers in North Jersey career with a third place finish at the New Balance Nationals 400 on Saturday, was his impressive win at the State Meet of Champions 400 three days earlier, the first gold ever won by a Lions athlete at the state's biggest meet.

"This race hurts so much more than the 400 hurdles,'' said Marchan, who beat one of the fastest fields in meet history en route to running 46.93 for the win. "I run the hurdles six seconds slower than I run the 400 so it has to hurt more.''

It was Marchan's third straight battle with rival Julio Tatis of Parsippany Hills, who had edged ahead in the state rankings before their first matchup at sectionals and each one was a little different.

"I took the first one out hard and never saw him because he was in the lane behind me,'' said Marchan of his sectionals race. "Then he took the next one out really hard and I had to go after him. (Today) we both it took it a little slower early and got to the 300 mark at the same time before I finished as fast as I could. It was more of a tactical championship race.''

Next up -- Georgetown University and the next big challenge.

Emotional Galvez gets his hard won title

Raynier Galvez crossed the finish line in the boys 800 and looked around to see if he had won. A frantic final 50 meters had seen the Passaic Tech senior pull away from his perceived main competition, state indoor champ Luke Schagelin of Morris Knolls, but there was an athlete in a blue uniform coming up hard alongside him as the pair neared the finish line.

"He pushed and I just pushed harder,'' said Galvez, who hadn't recognized CBA's Jack Falkowski as his pursuer. "Then he sort of dove and we finished. I looked at the cameraman and he didn't know so I kept waiting for someone to tell me.''

Moments later came the answer. Galvez had prevailed in 1;51.63, just .02 ahead of Falkowski and after a momentary look of disbelief, he broke into tears, clearly overcome by the emotion of the moment.

"It feels great,'' he said. "I worked so, so hard for this and I went through some anxious times and doubting myself. I know I have a good chance every time I run. But I still wasn't sure.''

Galvez, fourth in this race last year and second in the indoor 800 to Schagelin, suffered a groin injury early in the spring, which added to his anxiety as the season got closer to the end. But several great performances at the Passaic County meet on May 21 and 22 put him back on the right track physically and mentally and each race after was better than the one before.

"I stayed with Luke the first lap today and the clock said we went through in 56 seconds, but it felt a lot faster,'' said Galvez. "Then we had a negative split (faster on the second leg). I still think I can do better.''

Winning Passaic Tech's first ever boys Meet of Champions title is a pretty good start.

Seeking a 24 foot long jump, Paneque goes a foot further

Since he set foot on the Demarest High School track as a freshman, Liam Paneque has been a jumper to watch. He's won numerous titles in the high jump, triple jump and 110 hurdles, including state group titles in the first two events.

"But long jump is my thing and I'm very passionate about it,'' said Paneque, who has won a pair of spring long jump group titles and was the state indoor long jump champ last winter.

So after a 23-10 1/2 jump in his first attempt at the State Meet of Champions, after a sixth place finish earlier in the triple jump, he took exception when Rece Englehardt of Moorestown leaped 23-11 3/4 on his second attempt.

"It lit a fire under me and it pumped me up,'' said Paneque who responded immediately with a huge 25-2 leap that broke the 29 year old meet record by William Spearman of Woodrow Wilson (Trenton) of 25 feet and took former Rutgers and Indian Hills All-American Corey Crawford out of the Bergen County record book at the same time. Crawford had leaped 25-0 1/2 at the Aviator Relays in 2010. "I ran the fastest I ever have down the runway, hit the board perfectly and then tried to get as much out of it as I could.''

Paneque had jumped over 23 feet in six of his previous eight meets but 24 feet seemed to be a barrier until his prodigious meet."I knew right away that the jump was a really good one,'' said Paneque, who has been working on his hitch kick preparing for the meet. "I knew I was in the right position on that jump to jump the 24 feet I needed. I had the speed and the height and when got out of the pit, I saw it was 13 feet to the front and I thought I had enough.''

He had other incentive as well after watching the Norsem*n win the opening event, the 4-x-800 relay.

"If I didn't win I'd never hear the end of it from these guys,'' said Paneque, a junior. "I had to win it.''

One last setback for Shue leads to an historic victory

When Joshua Huisman threw a bomb on his fifth throw to take the lead on his way to win his second straight win in the shot put on Wednesday, Benji Shue had to be forgiven if for a moment he wondered what else could stand in the way of his long awaited State Meet of Champions title.

"I felt a little jinxed,'' said the Bergen Catholic junior after his fifth near miss at a throwing title since his first attempt in 2022. "I caught a right handed throwers wind as a freshman in the discus as a freshman and then Fabian (Gonzalez) threw a PR to beat me in the discus last year.''

It didn't help when he was called for a questionable foul on his throw right after Huisman threw 67-3 3/4 to overtake Shue's 65-10 1/2 leading throw.

"I was called for a foul at the back of the circle for pushing off that isn't in the rule on a throw that was close to the 70 foot line,'' said Shue, who had set a Bergen County record of 69-2 five days earlier. "But after I lost the shot I had an hour to clear my head.''

Taking his now traditional walk away from distractions, he came back to warm up for the discus. Then he threw 184-6 on his first throw which would have been enough to take the title. But as usual with the discus, Shue didn't stop there, throwing 191-8 on his second throw, more than 10 feet further than anyone else in the state has all year. On his final throw of the trials, he threw a personal best of 205-4, extending his own Bergen record for the seventh time, and moving to fifth place on the all-time New Jersey list.

Another thing to check off the to-do list.

"One thing I didn't have was a State Meet of Champions title and now I have one,'' said Shue. "It's something I'd never done and finally to get a title is redeeming.''

"After what happened in the shot I was spent emotionally and I was still able to PR in the discus and get a win. It's satisfying.''

Winners and North Jersey athletes

Boys

100: 1. Malachi James, Burlington City, 10.28 (state and meet record, old meet record, 10.44 by Dennis Mitchell, Edgewood, 1983; old state record, 10.35 by Jamar Ervin, Camden, 2013); 4. ANDREW JEREMIAH BOAKYE, BERGEN CATHOLIC, 10.81 (10.73 IN PRELIMS). ALSO: 9. Justin Griffin, Passaic, 10.96; 18. Alijah Abraham, River Dell, 11.18; 22. Omar Brown, Leonia, 11.22.

200: 1. Malachi James, Burlington City, 21.08. ALSO: 11. Adam Kaufman, Demarest, 22.11; 14. Marco Bozza-Caballero, Rutherford, 22.23; 18. Noah Traverso, West Milford, 22.53.

400: 1. JADEN MARCHAN, LEONIA, 46.93; 6. SEVEN GARCIA, HACKENSACK, 48.33; 8. RYAN TROCOLAR, PEQUANNOCK, 48.85. ALSO: 9. Adam Kaufman, Demarest, 48.88.

800: 1. RAYNIER GALVEZ, PASSAIC TECH, 1:51.63; 8. RYAN WELCH, RAMAPO, 1:55.91. ALSO: 9. Liam Schwabik, River Dell, 1:56.14; 10. Patrick Kurtz, Pascack Valley, 1:57.51.

1,600: 1. LUKE PASH, RIDGEWOOD, 4:04.49 (meet record, old record, 4:07.31 by Chris Marco, Toms River South, 2012). ALSO: 13. Ryan Locicero, Don Bosco, 4:33.94.

3,200: 1. Jimmy Wischusen, Union Catholic, 9:06.57. ALSO: 9. Joshua Tejada, Teaneck, 9:22.36; 12. Aidan Morrow, Hasbrouck Heights, 9:31.20; 19. Jimmy Hernandez, Bergenfield, 10:05.14.

110 HH: 1. Yashahya Brown, Washington Township, 13.56. Also: 10. Victor Souza, Ridgewood, 14.37.

400 IH: 1. Jason Meza, Morristown, 52.50. Also: 9. Tavi Victoria, Passaic Valley, 54.81; 11. Kyle Keyes, Lakeland, 55.05; 13. Corey Sanders Jr., Paramus Catholic, 55.55; 14. Maximus Daniels, Indian Hills, 55.98.

Shot put: 1. Joshua Huisman, St. Rose, 67-3 3/4; 2. BENJI SHUE, BERGEN CATHOLIC, 65-10 1/2.

Discus: 1. BENJI SHUE, BERGEN CATHOLIC, 205-4 (Bergen County record, old record 201-11 by Shue, 2024); Also: 16. Bradley Weiner, Ramsey, 161-10; 20. Brandon Veneziano, Passaic Valley, 153-11.

Javelin: 1. Nick Vanatta, Pope John, 201-22; 6. BRADY SHINE, HASBROUCK HEIGHTS, 180-0. Also: 10. Colin Krause, Pascack Valley, 170-3; 12. Evan Brooks, Old Tappan, 168-6; 17. Brian Winge, River Dell, 160-10; 18. Jordan Alston, Passaic Tech, 159-3; 21. James Alati, Rutherford, 156-5; 23. Aaron Lee, Pascack Hills, 154-8; 29. Julius Catuogno, Midland Park, 146-0.

High jump: 1. Rolando Simpson, Rahway, 6-8; 8. JORDAN RUSSELL, WEEHAWKEN, 6-4. Also: 15. Brendan Alef, Demarest and Jordan Larosiliere, Garfield, 6-2; 24. Carlos Barista, Don Bosco and Lasana Darboe, Ridgefield, 6-0. Baxter Clark, Demarest, No Height.

Long jump: 1. LIAM PANEQUE, DEMAREST, 25-2 (meet and Bergen County record, old meet record, 25-0 by William Spearman, Woodrow Wilson, 1995. Old Bergen County record, 25-0 1/2 by Corey Crawford, Indian Hills, 2010); 4. JOSHUA YOON, CRESSKILL, 22-10 3/4. Also: 16. Anthony Santana, Lyndhurst, 21-3; 23. Derek Luttenberger, Pequannock, 20-8 1/2; 24. Matt Kispert, Kinnelon, 20-8.

Triple jump: 1. Rece Englehardt, Moorestown, 47-7 1/4; 6. LIAM PANEQUE, Demarest, 46-3 3/4. Also: 10. Adam Shaw, Pascack Valley, 44-5 3/4; 12. Joshua Yoon, Cresskill, 44-2 1/2.

Pole vault: 1. Ryan Merlino, Oakcrest, 16-0; 3. OWEN KEATING, Pompton Lakes, 15-0 (ties own Passaic County record). Also: 14. Ben Mandler, Pascack Hills, 13-0.

4-x-100 relay: 1. Toms River North, 41.70; 3. BERGEN CATHOLIC (ETHAN COHALL, XAVIER JACKSON, NICHOLAS SHORTRIDGE, ANDREW JEREMIAH BOAKYE), 41.96; 8. PARAMUS CATHOLIC (JAMES DELY, ANTONIO COLON, CICAI JARAMILLO, COREY SANDERS JR.), 42.37.

4-X-400 relay: 1. Toms River North, 3:14.61; 7. PASSAIC TECH (RAYNIER GALVEZ, AVERY ZIEGLER, JORDAN LAWTON, ESMEIDY ORTIZ), 3:19.34. Also: 9. Hackensack, 3:20.50; 18. Passaic Valley, 3:25.26; 21. Pequannock, 3:26.96.

4-x-800 relay: 1. DEMAREST (MAXIM GILBERT, ENRICO PERRELLA, IVAN TIMOCHKO, LUKE DAVIS), 7:51.08; 6. RIDGEWOOD (DJ MURPHY, CHRIS BRADY, RYAN HOLMES, JACK MCKENNA), 8:00.96. ALSO: 15. RIVER DELL, 8:10.66.

Girls

100: 1. Sianni Wynn, Pennsauken, 11.36 (meet record, old record, 11.54 by Wenda Vereen, Trenton, 1983). Also: 23. Lauren Albino, Ramapo, 12.68.

200: 1. Sianni Wynn, Pennsauken, 23.34; 2. KYLIE CASTILLO, RIDGEFIELD, 24.34; 7. ABBY DENNIS, OLD TAPPAN, 24.70. Also: 17. Jordan Myers, Paramus, 25.82.

400: 1. Natalie Dumas, Eastern, 53.16; 2. GINA CERTO, HOLY ANGELS, 54.70; 4. AYANNA CHAPE, HACKENSACK, 56.37; 6. KYLIE CASTILLO, RIDGEFIELD, 56.53.

800: 1. Reagan Moore, Oak Knoll, 2:09.43; 7. BRIDGET CANNON, RAMAPO, 2:13.19.

1,600: 1. Emma Zawatski, Freehold Twp., 4:50.15; 5. CHRISTINA ALLEN, RIVER DELL, 4:57.19. Also: 9. Kara Langbaum Wayne Hills, 5:00.23.

3,200: 1. Rosemary Shay, Middletown South, 10:32.98; 8. MIKA TAMPADONG, BECTON, 10:56.01.

100 HH: 1. ABBY DENNIS, OLD TAPPAN, 14.14; 6. JENNA MONACO, DUMONT, 14.65 (14.30 in trials). Also: 10. Sandra Vitolo, Ramapo, 14.93; 15. Iza Samu, Glen Rock, 15.13; 17. Kailey Attali, Demarest, 15.36; 19. Ellie Shkreli, Hasbrouck Heights, 15.48; 20. Kendall Hall, Leonia, 15.74.

400 IH: 1. Natalie Dumas, Eastern, 58.98; 3. ANNA BRYAN-JONES, NORTHERN HIGHLANDS, 61.88. Also: 16. Casey Noonan, Passaic Tech, 65.01; 17. Elizabeth Burgess, IHA, 65.45.

Shot put: 1. Jessica Oji, Livingston, 48-3 1/2; 2. LAYLA GIORDANO, OLD TAPPAN, 46-4 3/4. Also: 12. Eliott Eddy, Hasbrouck Heights, 38-10 3/4; 17. Afua Anyadike, Bergen Tech, 37-9 1/4; 24. Grace Gilbert, Ramapo, 36-0; 25. Isabella Andriulli, Lakeland, 35-7 1/4; 26. Alia Moreira, Pascack Valley, 33-6; 27. Julia Sobilo, IHA, 29-9 1/4.

Discus: 1. LAYLA GIORDANO, OLD TAPPAN, 171-7; 7. JULIA SOBILO, IHA, 134-4. Also: 13. Elizabeth Dankwa, Wayne Hills, 130-3; 19. Alia Moreira, Pascack Valley, 115-5; 20. Elliot Eddy, Hasbrouck Heights, 115-3; 23. Maya Mikay, Demarest, 110-7; 26. Isabel Hacker, River Dell, 106-6; 30. Afua Anyadike, Bergen Tech, 97-9.

Javelin: 1. Isabella Frattura, Sparta, 139-3. Also: 12. Evelyn Roman, IHA, 113-5; 14. Jess Stubbs, Kinnelon, 111-4; 15. Charlotte Papin, Ridgewood, 110-5; 22. Clarissa Guerriero, Westwood, 105-9; 23. Olivia Russo, Westwood, 104-11; 25. Janaya Cobbinah, Paramus Catholic, 99-7.

High jump: 1. Addison Inge, Williamstown, 5-6; 8. MACKENZIE BEAZLEY, PASSAIC VALLEY, 5-4. Also: 11. Taylor Peters, Butler, 5-2; 14. Grace Dalgetty, Dwight-Englewood and Brianna Burrell, Paramus Catholic, 5-2; 20. Deborah Amoh, Clifton, 5-2; 26. Caroline Ognibene Old Tappan, 5-0; Analise Feliz, Becton and Brooke Wichmann, Westwood, No Height.

Long jump: 1. Saniyah Evans, Rahway, 19-2 1/2; 6. JULIA TOZDUMAN, LYNDHURST, 18-0 1/2; 7. CALYSE VILLANEUVA, PASSAIC TECH, 18-0; 8. LEXY SAMPERI, HASBROUCK HEIGHTS, 17-9 1/4. Also: 10. Grace McQueeney, River Dell, 17-6 3/4; 11. Brooke Wichmann, Westwood, 17-4 3/4; 16. Iza Samu, Glen Rock, 17-2; 17. Olyvia Burrell, Emerson, 17-1 3/4; 20. Abby Romero, IHA, 16-9 1/4; 21. Emma Hsu, Dwight-Englewood, 16-8 1/2; 22. Kaitlyn Shelley, Cliffside Park, 16-7 1/2.

Triple jump: 1. Ma'Syiah Brawner, Winslow Twp., 40-5 3/4. Also: 13. Kailey Attali, Demarest, 36-1; 14. Calyse Villaneuva, Passaic Tech, 36-0; 16. Olyvia Burrell, Emerson, 37-7 3/4; 27. Olivia Rothstein, Demarest, 32-7. Yasemin Ugurlu, Lyndhurst, no mark.

Pole vault: 1. Hannah Byrd-Leitner, Moorestown, 13-5 1/2 (meet record, old record, 13-5 1/4 by Hayley Horvath, Notre Dame, 2018); 6. Isabella Formoso, Bergen Tech, 11-6; 7. Jamie Kim, Old Tappan, 11-0. Also: 12. Allie Tuite, Old Tappan, 10-6; 18. Dylan Golden, Tenafly, 10-6; 19. Emai Hanada, Ridgewood, 10-6; Salome Sanchez, Old Tappan, no height.

4-x-100 relay: 1. Timber Creek, 46.23; 4. PARAMUS CATHOLIC (JOLI JOYNER, GABRIELLE SNELL, BRIANNA BURRELL, SYDNEY DUNGEY), 48.43; 5. IHA (PIPER PORTACIO, ABBY ROMERO, PAIGE BURGESS, SOPHIA DITCHFIELD-AGBOH), 48.79; 21. Ridgewood, 49.93; 22. River Dell, 50.25; 26. Holy Angels, 54.12.

4-x-400 relay: 1. Eastern, 3:49.01. Also: 12. Ramapo, 3:56.38; 16. Holy Angels, 3:58.83; 17. Northern Highlands, 3:58.86; 19. Ramsey, 3:58.99; 25. Demarest, 4:02.13.

4-x-800 relay: 1. Hillsborough, 9:15.15; 5. RIDGEWOOD (CELLINA RABOLLI, MAEVE SCHOLLER, AYLA COOKE, AVERY SHERIDAN), 9:26.98; 6. RAMSEY (KATE MARIE MONACO, EMMY BENDER, JAMIE GORMAN, KATIE RUBIN), 9:29.83. Also: 14. Northern Highlands, 9:40.74; 20. Weehawken, 9:56.60.