Columbia HS girls cross-country runner Keira Monagle advances to state Meet of Champions

Columbia junior Keira Monagle is shown after taking third place in the girls sectional meet and also qualified for the group meet.

HOLMDEL, NJ — Columbia High School junior Keira Monagle took 22nd place out of 146 runners at the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Group 4 state championships at famed Holmdel Park in Holmdel on Saturday, Nov. 9. 

As a result, Monagle, who clocked 20 minutes, 09.00 seconds, earned a wild-card berth at the NJSIAA’s state Meet of Champions on Saturday, Nov. 16, at Holmdel Park. 

Monagle was the lone CHS girls runner at the meet. 

The CHS boys team, under head coach Alex Simon, also competed at the Group 4 state championships. The Cougars finished in 10th place out of 20 schools. 

Leo Klint, a junior, placed 56th out of 153 runners to lead the Cougars. He clocked 17:18. Other CHS runners were junior Christian Caravetta, 69th in 17:31; sophomore Levi Taber-Kewene, 71st in 17:32; sophomore Abe Hoffmann, 79th in 17:47; senior Dylan Little, 99th in 18:13; sophomore Julius Marshall, 102nd in 18:14; and senior Samuel Medd, 119th in 18:46.

The CHS boys team and Monagle qualified for the Group 4 meet based on their performances at the NJSIAA’s North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 State Championships at Greystone-Central Park in Morris Plains on Saturday, Nov. 2.