Basking Ridge Cross Country Teams Sweep Sectional

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Ridge’s girls and boys cross country teams both won the Sectional at Greystone Park, with each team posting a large margin of victory and setting records in the process.

The meet took place at Greystone Park, described in the source as one of the fastest championship courses.

In the girls race, Jennifer Friedman finished first in 18:13 and won by more than half a minute.

Isabella Beaudry, Rachel Ellis, Lily-Josephine Stephen and Maia Zalmover placed second, third, fourth and seventh, giving Ridge control of the front of the race and helping secure the team title.

The average time of Ridge’s top five girls was 18:53, a new fastest time for Greystone Park. Keiko Hou and Maya Glover finished 10th and 13th, and all of Ridge’s girls ran a sub-20 5K and placed in the top 15.

The boys team also set a new fastest course average, finishing with a 16:00 average and winning by a 46-point margin.

Owen James placed second in 15:38, while Andrew Bandrowski, Nishank Shivapur and Ernan Nargotra all finished in the top 10.

Those four runners added to the top 15 times at Greystone Park. Matias Valle, Jeffrey Chen and Rehaan Wadhwani finished in the top 20, adding to a deep Ridge performance on the boys' side.

The sectional meet produced two team victories along with new individual and team records for Ridge.

Next up for Ridge is the State Group Championships. The team will compete there in a week at Holmdel Park.

— Submitted by By Keiko Hou