Rumson girls are first at cross country invitational

BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

CHRIS KELLY staff Red Bank Catholic's Caitlin Dorgan competes in the Fourth Annual Cougar Invitational at Bucks Mill Park in Colts Neck on Friday. Rumson-Fair Haven had a dilemma.Three of its top seven scorers are freshmen, and at Friday's New Balance Jersey Shore Cougar Invitational, coach Tim McLoone decided to let them run in the Freshman division race, leaving the varsity without its regular lineup.

The RFH girls proved that they may be one of the best-kept secrets in Shore area cross country running by winning the Small School division championship anyway. The Bulldogs edged Raritan, 58-60.

Sara Robinson led the Bulldog effort, posting a 20:17 for the 5K Bucks Mill Park layout in Colts Neck (host of the meet) and finishing in third place overall. Hannah Satzke (21:17) and Ashley Hopkins (21:34) were seventh and eighth. Ali Cherasia (22:25) was 16th. Fifth-place scorer Taryn Berry (23:49) saved the day for the Bulldogs. Although she was 33rd overall, she passed several runners late in the race. Those points may have made the difference in the two-point win.

In team scoring, the Bulldogs were 2-6-7-24-29.

"It was great for the girls, they are thrilled," said McLoone, who coaches the team with friend and running partner Henry Mercer.

The Bulldogs' team average for its five runners was 21:54.0.

The freshmen did all right for themselves as Samantha O'Brien finished first in 12:47, one second under the meet record for the 3,200-meter race.

Rumson won the Freshman title, edging Red Bank Catholic by two points, 38-40. Caroline Saba (13:21) and Katy Hellman (13:24) finished sixth and eighth.

As it turned out, the Bulldogs got the best of two worlds, splitting the team up front.

Red Bank Catholic's girls confirmed that they are one of the best teams in the state by taking third place (89) in the Championship division behind the state's No. 1 team Colts Neck (51) and Kentucky power Assumption (69).

Erin Lunny had her best race of the year, clocking 19:30 and finishing eighth overall. Behind her, the Caseys stacked the rest of their scorers within 19 seconds of each other. Janine Louie (19:45), Caitlin Dorgan (19:55), Emily Rooney (19:59) and Michelle Savarese (19:59) rounded out the team's scorers and all broke 20:00. RBC's team average was 19:49.60.

On the boys' side, Rumson was second in the Small School division (102), trailing Point Pleasant Boro (61). Ryan Krystopowicz paced the Bulldogs in 13th place (17:45). Eric Cohen was 20th (18:02) and Kevin Berry, 21st (18:09).

Next up for the local harriers is tomorrow's Shore Coaches Invitational at Holmdel Park.