By John Spinelli
Although many enjoy the ocean’s summer breezes, there is one group that can’t wait for the cooler autumn temperatures to return: local runners, who have been training in the heat all summer for events such as the Sandy Hook Half Marathon in October and the New York City Marathon in November.
With school starting soon, so has fall sports, including cross country. A number of Two River area high school runners have a shot at being the best in New Jersey this year, even representing on the national level. Late autumn is when the state championship memories happen, right here at Holmdel Park. Here are just a few of the runners to keep an eye on this season.
Junior Rosemary Shay and the Middletown South team anticipate an exciting year. Last year as a sophomore Shay led the team, placing 23rd individually. This year the team is could to finish in the top eight; last year they took 12th.
South’s local competitor Colts Neck will be the team to beat. Last year as a team comprised mostly of underclassmen, the Cougars, led by then-sophomore Elizabeth Scarpa, finished ninth overall at states with Scarpa finishing 15th individually with a time of 20:11.
The Cougars, coached by Jim Schlentz, are known for excellence in cross country. Throughout his career, Schlentz has coached more than 10 athletes to county, Group 3 states, and Meet of Champions titles.
Cross country also means something special for runners in Oceanport, Sea Bright and Monmouth Beach. For Jacqueline Gifford, the lone senior on the Shore Regional team, this last season means the world to her.
“During my time, we won state sectionals, 2021 and 2022,” Gifford said. “This year we have a good group of girls, we get along and work well together, but our main goal is to get that title for a third time.”
Coach Jack Tarpey agrees with those goals and believes the team’s hard work now will pay off soon. “This group has had a lot of success over the years. We’re not a big team, but we’re a talented one. If we stay healthy and work together, I absolutely think that this title will happen,” Tarpey said.
On the Navesink River side of things, Red Bank Catholic (RBC) coach Rob DeFilippis expects a lot of from his team this year, predicting qualifying for the Shore Conference finals and a “Top 10 finish in the Non-Public A state meet come November.”
“The boys’ team with senior Patrick Coyle should give us a low score every time out,” DeFilippis said. “He will be backed up by juniors Connor DeFilippis and Andrew Sweeney who are both coming into their own after a successful sophomore spring track season.”
DeFilippis said sophomore Nate Hogg and newcomer Glenn Popes will also help the boys’ team this fall. Returning to the championships would end a nine-year drought; the last time the RBC boys team ran at the Shore Conference was in 2014.
RBC’s women will have to fill a leadership position left by the graduation of Cate DeSousa, an incoming freshman at the University of Virginia. Last year, she won the individual state title and led the team to third place at Holmdel Park. Senior Avery Hargis and junior Rhiannon Hill are stepping up.
“Following those two will be juniors Ava Baraglio, Charlotte Heaton, sophomore Savannah Salsman, with incoming frosh Grace Heaton showing some early promise,” DeFilippis said.
“Our competitor Union Catholic is a strong team, but I believe it’s possible the women’s team could win a ticket to the Meet of Champions if we are Top 2 or 3 as a team.”
Last year, Christian Brothers Academy went almost undefeated, winning their division, county, Shore Conference, Non-Public A and the Meet of Champs team titles. The team placed 18th at the Nike Nationals in Portland, Oregon.
Now junior, Joe Barrett, who ran 15:44 at Holmdel Park, will lead the team.
“Our goal this year is to win every meet we go to this year – including nationals,” said head coach Sean McCafferty.
“We lost three seniors from our Top 7 – Nick Sullivan, Lucas Ward and Zach Shroba. But we have a solid group of athletes returning and should be better than last year,” McCafferty said. “We have won 391 dual meets in a row, dating back to 1974. “We plan on keeping that up.”
On the junior collegiate level, another Lincroft team, Brookdale Community College cross country, has a shot at winning its third Northeast Regional title in a row. Coached by former successes at now closed Mater Dei Prep, Mike Tursi and Dennis Flynn are in their third year at the college and ready to take on the challenge.
Nationals is still a focus for Brookdale’s team; potentially conquering regionals three years in a row and winning nationals has never been done in the college’s athletic history and could happen this year.
The article originally appeared in the August 17 – 23, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
