BLOOMFIELD, NJ – On Friday, October 28, in blustery conditions, the entire Seton Hall Prep cross-country team had a strong performance at the Essex County Championships, securing second place finishes in the Varsity, Junior Varsity and Freshman races at Brookdale Park in Bloomfield/Montclair. The Varsity squad (67 points), under head coach Chris Barnitt, was second to Columbia High School (53 points), but kept the race close with 35 points apiece through four runners. The Pirates were led by senior captain Malik Kosanovich (fourth place, 16:00, Brookdale Personal Record), junior Dan Gizzo (fifth place- 16:01- PR), junior Mike DiDonato (12th place-16:24- PR), junior Saverio Kaufman (14th place- 16:26- PR) and senior Sean Theoclitus (32nd place- 17:20- Brookdale PR). The team of seven was rounded out by junior Matt Martins (17:23- Brookdale PR) and senior Ben Groppe (17:53- Brookdale PR). The Prep’s team average of 16:26 was its best since 2004.
In an exciting JV race at the close of the day, Seton Hall (38 points) raced to an impressive second place finish behind Montclair High School (26 points). Seton Hall Prep was led by sophomore Louis Constable (third place – 18:05- Brookdale PR), senior Andrew Deditch (fifth place – 18:06- Brookdale PR), sophomore Gus Kern (seventh place- 18:16- PR), senior Phil Sprague (10th place- 18:23- Brookdale PR), and senior Felipe Cambeiro (13th place- 18:26- PR).
The SHP Freshman squad (39 points) finished a close second to Newark Academy (31 points). They were led by a blazing effort by Nolan Orr (first place- 17:10), and scoring rounded out by TJ Martynowicz (seventh place- 19:25), Cristiano Ribeiro (eighth place- 19:32), Dylan Coffin (14th place, 19:55) and Will Spies (16th place- 20:07). Orr’s time of 17:10 is the fastest time clocked in the County Championship in either the JV or Freshman race since at least 1999.
The Prep will take on the tougher terrain of Greystone Park in Morris Plains in the NJCTC Championship on Saturday, Nov. 5.
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