Westfield Cross Country Wins County Championship

On the Westfield boys cross country team, any one of its top seven runners has the potential to lead the pack.

And, on Wednesday, for the first time this year it was senior captain Jack Leahy’s turn. Not only did the talented runner capture his first county championship race, but he did it in the third-fastest time ever.

Leahy’s winning time of 15:50 helped lead the Blue Devils to their third consecutive Union County championship at Warinanco Park in Elizabeth. Westfield has also won six of the last seven titles.

“I’m so excited now,” Leahy said just moments after completing the race.

It was his fastest time on the course. Last year, he finished third in his previous best time on the course, which was 16:24.

Teammate John Kirna, one of Westfield’s other three senior captains, placed third in 16:14.

At last week’s Union County Conference-Watchung Division race at Warinanco, Kirna led the way in 16:27, while Leahy was second in 16:31.

“John and I work off each other,” Leahy said. “My coaches asked me if I wanted the course record and, of course, I said 'yes.'”

Leahy explained that he began to separate himself from the pack near the park’s soccer field.

“That’s where I broke it up a bit,” Leahy said. “My goal today was to win. At least I pushed myself. If I had another chance (meaning one more year) I would try to break the record.”

“I think the second mile was the key mile,” Westfield head coach Jack Martin said.

Initially, Leahy, Kirna, New Providence senior Everett Price and Union Catholic senior Allen Eke were bunched together. Eke won last week’s UCC-Mountain Division race in 16:45.1 and Price captured the UCC’s Valley Division race in 16:31.2.

“Jack and John train well,” Westfield head coach Jack Martin said. “John pulled away last week and Jack did today. They’re a pretty good 1-2 punch.”

Price was not one bit disappointed that he finished second for the second consecutive season and was very proud of his time, which might fall in the county’s top 10 all time.

“Jack’s move surprised me a little bit,” Price said. “He had a good surge, though, and he can run a 15:50.

“I beat Jack last year (Price finished in a time of 16:20) and this year he beat me, so we flip-flopped.”

Westfield also had the winner last year, with senior Andrew Kirna leading the way in 16:14.

“Jack and all the Westfield runners are really strong, so I consider it an honor to finish second to Jack,” Price said. “Because of all the Westfield runners I knew it was going to be a stacked race. Running with the Westfield kids, it’s incredible to see what they do.”

Price was hospitalized with a stomach illness just one day after last week’s division races.

“There was no way I was going to miss this race,” Price said.

Both Leahy and Price agreed that the weather was perfect for much faster times. Initially, rain was in the forecast. Gray skies in the morning gave way to sunshine in the afternoon, while the temperature rose back up into the 60s.

“The weather was definitely great,” Leahy said. “It was a little cool, but no wind.”

“This was undoubtedly the best weather to run a race in,” Price said.

While it has been an accomplishment for Westfield to have captured the Watchung Division and Union County races, there’s plenty more at stake.

“Winning the county is nice, but we have bigger fish to fry,” Leahy said.

Westfield had six of its top seven runners finish among the top nine. The seventh Blue Devil finisher, Thomas Edwards, was 23^rd in 17:30.

The only Westfield runner to not post a personal-record time was Ingram, who still finished strong in 16:57 for ninth place. In the Watchung Division race, Ingram was third in 16:42.

“Our goal now is to win the section (North 2, Group 4), then the group (Group 4) and then hope for the best (in the Meet of Champions),” Martin said.

SUMMIT’S McILROY CAPTURES GIRLS’ RACE IN 19:28

Like the boys’ winner Leahy, Summit’s Gillian McIlroy was second in her division race last week at Warinanco. McIlroy finished last week’s girls’ UCC-Mountain Division race in 19:57.3 to place second behind teammate Isabella Yozzi, who edged her in a time of 19:57.0.

On Wednesday, McIlroy was not to be denied. She easily outdistanced teammate Devin Lawler, who finished second in 19:53. Lawler was fourth in last week’s Mountain Division race in 20:17.5, so both her time and McIlroy’s was an improvement.

They were the only two girls’ runners to finish in under 20 minutes Wednesday, leading Summit to the team title with 25 points. Yozzi placed sixth in 20:27.

UNION COUNTY CROSS COUNTRY RACES

AT WARINANCO PARK, ELIZABETH

BOYS’

TEAMS: 1-Westfield 20. 2-Cranford 116. 3-Summit 131.

4-Union Catholic 132. 5-Oratory Prep 134. 6-Roselle Catholic 138.

7-Rahway 205. 8-New Providence 232. 9-Gov. Livingston 233.

10-Elizabeth 259. 11-Scotch Plains 300. 12-Linden 313.

13-Union 345. 14-Dayton 368. 15-Plainfield 420.

TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS:

1-Jack Leahy, Westfield, 15:50.

2-Everett Price, New Providence, 15:59.

3-John Kirna, Westfield, 16:14.

4-David Carville, Westfield, 16:53.

5-Evan Tarlow, Westfield, 16:38.

6-Allen Eke, Union Catholic, 16:46.

7-Kevin Smith, Westfield, 16:50.

8-Matt Boscia, Roselle Catholic, 16:52.

9-Kevin Ingram, Westfield, 16:57.

10-Cormac Rada, Oratory Prep, 17:02.

GIRLS’

TEAMS: 1-Summit 25. 2-Gov. Livingston 94. 3-Westfield 100.

4-New Providence 143. 5-Cranford 169. 6-Kent Place 173.

7-Oak Knoll 198. 8-Elizabeth 208. 9-Johnson 209. 10-Scotch Plains 270.

11-Dayton 294. 12-Union 309. 13-Plainfield 340. 14-Linden 366.

15-Benedectine Academy 462.

TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS:

1-Gillian McIlroy, Summit, 19:28.

2-Devin Lawler, Summit, 19:53.

3-Brianna Palumbo, Gov. Livingston, 20:02.

4-Brigid Alvarado, Roselle Catholic, 20:13.

5-Courtney Connolly, New Providence, 20:21.

6-Isabella Yozzi, Summit, 20:27.

7-Johanna Mermer, Westfield, 20:31.

8-Caitlin Glynn, Plainfield, 20:31.

9-Anna Baumeister, Summit, 20:39.

10-Kirsty Gargiulo, Summit, 20:45.