ED GRANT'S REPORT ON THE MEET OF CHAMPS
Michigan-bound Craig Forys of Colts Neck and Danielle Tauro of Southern Ocean
Regional scored repeat victories in the 35th annual New Jersey all-group cross-country championships
today (Nov. 18) at Holmdel County Park.
Forys also shattered the course record as he won the boys’ race by 150 yards from
Matt Ciambriello of Old Bridge in 15:15.2, a second faster than Jason DiJoseph of Paul VI had run in
the Parochial A race in 1988. Tauro was eleven and a half seconds off the girls’ mark of 17:35.5 set
by Janet Smith of North Edison in 1983, the year she won the Footlocker (then Kinney) national title.
Next step for both youngsters is the Footlocker Northeastern trials at Van Cortlandt
Park next Saturday. Tauro qualified a year ago an ran sixth in the nationals, the begging of a junior
campaign which saw her win the Millrose, Penn Relays and National outdoor interscholastic miles
and then take the National Junior title which qualified her for the world championships in China in August.
Because of this late finish to her outdoor season, Tauro had skipped the first seven
weeks of this cross-country season, returning to win the sectional and group titles the last two weekends.
The race today was a repeat of her Gr. IV victory last Saturday over Ashley Higginson of Colts Neck,
who again finished a close second in 17:50.
The race saw a record 16 girls finish at 19:00 or faster. Theresa Cattuna of Cherry Hill
East followed Higginson over the line, 150 yards back in 18:19, trailed by Amanda Marino of Jackson
in 18:22, Parochial A champ Lara Heigis of Pope John in 18:27, Higginson’s sophomore teammate,
Brianna Jackucewicz in 18:30 and Gr. III champ Melanie Thompson of Voorhees in 18:35.0
Colts Neck had an easy team win, 80-146, over Voorhees with an average of 19:11.2, three
seconds off the record set by Roxbury a year ago. Voorhees, the Gr. III champion, was followed by Red
Bank Catholic, Roxbury and Pope John, the last two having qualified last week as “wild cards,” placing
fourth in their group races.
Forys got involved in another time controversy as his official time was rounded up to 15:16.
A month ago, in the Manhattan Invitational he had broken the 23-year-old record for the Van Cortlandt
Park 2.5-mile course, running 12:10.8, only to have Tom Gruenewald of Fayetteville-Manlius run 12:10.7
in a subsequent race. There was no rounding of times at that meet.
Ciambriello caught Gill St. Bernard’s sophomore Doug Smith just before the finish line to finish
second in 15:46 and Tom Poland of Delbarton as another second back in fourth. Christian Gonzalez of
Franklin, the most improved runner in the state, placed fifth in 15:55, just ahead of Kris Carle of Jackson
who led his team to a surprisingly easy win over Don Bosco, 67-135.
The key to the Jackson triumph---like Colts Neck a first-time winner--- was the 17th place
finish of Ryan Fenimore who had taken sick in the middle of the Gr. IV race last week, costing his team
heavily in a loss to Old Bridge. His team place today was fourth, the race being thoroughly dominated
by individual entries who do not count in the scoring. Haddonfield finished third with two freshmen in its
lineup, followed by Ridge and Christian Brothers, the defending champion.
The individual finishes were very much according to pre-race form. The first six boys and first
seven girls were sure-shot all-state choices before the gun was fired in either race. A seventh certain
all-state boy was not present, Brandon Jarrett of St. Benedict’s, who is the state prep school “A” champion
and not eligible for this
Meet as only an affiliate member of the NJSIAA. He will join the others this Saturday in what
promises to be a big day for New Jersey runners at Van Cortlandt.
GO TO GIRLS RESULTS
GO TO TOP TIMES FROM ALL GROUPS - BOYS -- GIRLS
GO TO TOP TIMES IN ALL 5000m RACES RUN AT HOLMDEL PARK FOR 2006 - BOYS -- GIRLS
GO TO TOP TIMES EVER RUN AT HOLMDEL PARK
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