MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Columbia High School senior Keira Monagle finished 39th out of 159 runners in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s girls cross-country state Meet of Champions on Saturday, Nov. 15, at Holmdel Park in Holmdel.
Monage clocked 19 minutes, 14 seconds on the 5,000-kilometer course.
On the boys’ side for Columbia at the Meet of Champions on the same day and same course, senior Leo Klint finished 87th in 17:03 out of 161 runners, and junior Levi Taber-Kewene placed 145th in 18:16.00.
The three Columbia runners qualified for the Meet of Champions based on their performances at the NJSIAA’s Group 4 state championships on Saturday, Nov. 8, at Holmdel Park.
Monagle competed at the state Meet of Champions for the second year in a row. Last season, she finished 78th in 20:19.
It marked the first time in program history that Columbia had more than one boys cross-country runner at the state Meet of Champions. The last time a CHS boy competed at the Meet of Champions was Jared Pangallozzi in 2016.
The CHS boys team qualified for the Group 4 state championships after placing fifth at the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 state championships on Saturday, Nov. 1, at Greystone—Central Park in Morris Plains.
At the Group 4 state championships, the CHS boys team finished 12th out of 20 teams. Monagle was the lone CHS girls runner at the Group 4 state championships, finishing 17th out of 145 runners in 19:44.
The CHS boys team had a great season, as the Cougars won the Super Essex Conference—American Division Championships and the Essex County Championships, both for the third year in a row. Monagle won the girls title at the Essex County meet for the second straight year.
Photo Courtesy of Columbia HS Cross-Country
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