Mendham Runner Reaches Podium at Cross Country Meet of Champions

Mackenzie Barry finished her senior season on the cross country course by taking to the championship podium this weekend.

Barry, the only runner to represent Mendham High School’s girls team at the state’s Meet of Champions in Holmdel, came in third place out of a field of 177 runners from around New Jersey.

The senior finished the 3.1 mile race in time of 18:12, with a 5:52 per mile split. She notched the same time but was just edged out as the second place runner, Josette Norris, a senior from Tenafly who was regarded as the competition’s athlete to beat.

Haddonfield freshman Briana Gess won the race with a time of 17:45 with per mile splits of 5:43. Gess is just the third freshman to ever win the Meet of Champions 5K event.

Barry committed to Providence College earlier in the season, according to nj.com.

The Mendham native is a two-time Meet of Champions winner in the 3,200 ­– one time indoors, another outdoors – and was a Foot Locker National finalist last year in cross country, nj.com reported.