The Montclair Kimberley girls cross country team beat out both Montclair and Columbia to take the county title.
Along with the MKA team title, Cougars senior Maggie Horn defended her Essex County Championship individual title with a time of 18:13.31, far ahead of the second-place finisher, Columbia’s Mae Dowling (18.57.96). Montclair senior Avery McAdams took home third with a time of 19:35.04 on Oct. 23 at Brookdale Park in Bloomfield.
The Montclair Kimberley team victory even surprised their head coach, Tim White, who was aiming for a top five finish in the team standings.
“I’m definitely excited and surprised,” said White who also gave credit to assistant coach Sarah Bradley, an MKA alum. “The girls have been working very hard and all the girls registered PRs [personal records]. I guess that ate up the points enough for us to win.”
It was the first time Montclair Kimberly girls cross country team had won an Essex County team championship. The Cougars boys won the county title in 2000.
“I can’t believe it,” said White. “It’s always been a dream to win counties. We didn’t know it was going to happen today.”
It was Horn’s first time running the Brookdale course. Last season’s ECC was held at Branch Brook where Horn won the Super Essex Conference American Division title.
“My strategy today was a little different,” said Horn, compared to running the SEC American race. “The first race was a little bit to get a sense of things. In the ECC race, I actually kicked at the mile instead of the two mile.” When McAdams took the lead at the start of the race, Horn stayed with her.
It was only a little less than two weeks ago that Montclair Kimberley took fourth in the team standings of the Super Essex Conference American Division race with the Mounties, Millburn and Columbia, from first to third respectively ahead of them. Montclair Kimberley was 43 points behind Montclair who took home the crown. The Mounties also won the SEC American regular season crown.
Montclair had two runners who did their part in senior Avery McAdams (19:35.04) and junior Corinne Stewart (20:29.11) who came in third and fifth place respectively.
The next finishers for the Mounties were senior Maya Kim (21:44.67) and senior Madeline Duncan (22:01.33) who went across the finish line down at 20th and 22th respectively.
The Cougars has junior Natalie Ewing (21:16.12), senior Olga Shandarivska (21:38.25) and freshman Victoria Altirs (21:43.52), who finished before Kim and Duncan in 10th, 16th and 19th respectively.
Against Columbia, MKA had four runners finish in the top 20 while Columbia had three top 20 finishers.
On the boys side Montclair could not repeat the team title they secured in last season’s county championship.
For this season Montclair came in seventh with 218 points while the Montclair Kimberley boys finished right behind the Mounties at eighth place with a score of 237.
Between the two local teams only Montclair senior Sean Overton had a top 20 finish at sixth place (16:47.93).
Senior Stephen Hatfield was the top Montclair Kimberley boys runner and came in 25th (17:53.72).
After Overton, freshman Miles Smith had the next best finish for the Mounties with a 22nd place finish (17.49.26)
Essex County Championships
Girls
1. Maggie Horn, senior, Montclair Kimberley, 18:13.31
3. Avery McAdams, senior, Montclair, 19:35.04
5. Corinne Stewart, junior, Montclair, 20:29.11
10. Natalie Ewing, junior, Montclair Kimberley, 21:16.12
16. Olga Shandarivska, senior, Montclair Kimberley, 21:38.25
19. Victoria Altirs, freshman, Montclair Kimberley, 21:43.52
20. Maya Kim, senior, Montclair, 21:44.67
22. Madeline Duncan, senior, Montclair, 22:01.33
27. Milena Kwapniewski, freshman, Montclair Kimberley, 22:38.94
29. Maren Wheeler, sophomore, Montclair Kimberley, 22:42.47
34. Estelle Svenson, senior, Montclair, 22:52.03
42. Keral Kim, junior, Montclair, 23:15.05
57. Elizabeth Giordano, senior, Montclair, 24:08.76
82. Olivia Olson, freshman, Montclair Kimberley, 26:12.96
Boys
6.Sean Overton, senior, Montclair, 16:47.93
22. Miles Smith, freshman, Montclair, 17:49.26
25. Stephen Hatfield, Montclair Kimberley, 17:53.72
42. Aidan Maas, senior, Montclair Kimberley, 18:35.06
52. Nathan Hubert, sophomore, Montclair Kimberley, 18:43.50
55. Martin Ajayi, sophomore, Montclair Kimberley, 18:53.63
58. Lucas Grisafi, junior, Montclair, 18:59.81
61. Fynn Coolican, sophomore, Montclair, 19:02.91
67. Tyler Ho, sophomore, Montclair Kimberley, 19:25.64
79. Holden Adams, senior, Montclair, 19:58.62
80. Tyler Rizzo, sophomore, Montclair Kimberley, 20:01.59
100. Matthew Kwon, sophomore, Montclair Kimberley, 20:57.12