CBA wins, RBC 4th in SC x-country
BY TIM MORRIS Staff Writer
The Shore Conference Cross Country Championships had as many peaks and valleys as the Holmdel Park course itself.

In one of the tightest competitions in the history of the meet, Monsignor Donovan's girls prevailed in a remarkable fiveteam race on Monday afternoon.

The Griffins, who were upset by Southern Regional and Toms River North at the Ocean County Championships, reemerged as the conference's top squad. Mon Don edged defending champion Colts Neck by six points, 129-135.

Among the five teams in the race for the title was Red Bank Catholic. The Monmouth County champions were in a three-way tie for third place with TRN and Southern. By the sixth runner tie breaker TRN was third and RBC fourth.

"It was a very strong meet with only 10 points separating one through five," said RBC coach Mary Banks. "Any one of the five could have won.

"We had a chance," she added. "We're disappointed we let an opportunity go by."

Sophomore Michelle Capozzi and freshman Molly McNamara continued their fine mid-season form. Capozzi was seventh (19:22) and McNamara, 10th (19:37). Those times were both Holmdel Park personal bests for the underclassmen.

Janine Louie, was RBC's third scorer in 36th place overall (20:28). Katie Andree had a course pb 20:40 in placing 43rd and fifth scorer Emily Rooney, was 46th ((20:45). In team scoring, the trio was 35- 42-45.

Banks said that after the Monmouth County victory, the fourth place in the SC was a 'great reality check' for her harriers.' She said that Louie told her teammates that is was 'going to get us to refocus.'

Still, the result from a meet that featured six of the best teams in New Jersey, was not reason to panic. Banks noted that there is still room for improvement.

"We're very excited about the rest of the season," she said.

Rumson-Fair Haven, led Hannah Satzke's 17th place (19:53), had a solid showing finishing eighth (288). Samantha O'Brien was 34th overall for the Bulldogs (20:24).

Southern Regional's Jillian Smith won the battle of county champions out-running Colts Neck's Briana Jackucewicz over the last half of the 5,000-meter race for the individual title. Smith turned in a pb 18:15 while Jackucewicz posted an 18:35.

Form held in the boy's races with Christian Brothers regaining the conference title over defending champion Jackson Memorial, 80-89, and Brick Memorial's Andrew Brodeur winning the individual title (16:00).

Led by Vin Ferrer's 10th place (16:39), the Colts were able to beat the Jags by getting their fifth runner home before Jackson's fourth and fifth.

Kyle Havard (16:44), Brendon Pierson (16:53) and Ben Horel (17:00) were 12-15- 19 in team scoring and fifth runner Brendan Swan clinched it finishing 26th overall (17:07) and 24th in team scoring. The time gap between CBA's top five was just 28 seconds.

CBA's team average of 16:52.60 is the best in the state for '07.

RBC's boys proved they are among the conference's best by finishing fifth (193). Bobby McGann led the Casey's in 14th place overall (16:50). Nick Bond was 31st (17:11) and James Galatola, 39th (17:23).

Shore Regional's Zach Collier was 30th (17:12) as the Blue Devils finished 18th in the conference (420).

Brodeur, the Ocean County champion and pre-race favorite, beat Monmouth County's winner, Robby Andrews, 16:00- 16:11.

The run to the NJSIAA Meet of Champions begins tomorrow with the Central Jersey State Sectional Meet at Thompson Park in Jamesburg. The top five teams and top 10 individuals from each of the four groups will advance to the Nov. 10 State Group Championships back at Holmdel Park.

For RBC, CBA and the parochial schools, Saturday in the Catholic Conference Championships at Warinanco Park in Elizabeth. RBC's girls will again meet up with Monsignor Donovan.