Newtown High Runners Compete In Invitational

Newtown High School’s varsity and junior varsity cross country teams participated in the biggest high school meet, the Reebok Manhattan College Cross Country Invitational this past weekend.

Almost 10,000 high school runners from across the country descended on Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, NY, to compete on the oldest continuously run cross country course in the United States.

The Course is a unique 4,000 meters (2.5 miles) compared to the typical 5,000 meter (3.1 miles) course found at most meets.

In the Eastern States Championship Race, comprising 32 of the top teams across the country, Newtown’s boys’ varsity squad, led by senior captain Jake Feinstein, finished in 17th place. Feinstein, competing against an elite field of some of the best 215 cross country runners in the country, finished in 13th place in an exceptional time of 12:41. He was followed by Paul Mangiafico (74th in 13.25), Mitchell Russo (76th in 13:29), Rob Russo (146th in 14:23), Joey Whelan (149th in 14:26), Nate Steinebrey (166th in 14:52), and Tom Floros (168th in 15:00).

In the junior varsity E race, Newtown also ran well, led by sophomore Jason Ferrari who finished in 22nd place, followed by Kyle Mangold (52nd); Kevin Gorman (64th); Nick Swenson (77th); Ethan Berg (100th), and Grandon Smith (110th).

In the girls’ varsity B race, Newtown was 11th among 22 teams. Newtown’s Hannah Schwartz was 27th among roughly 170 competitors, in a time of 16:22.2. Other NHS varsity results are as follows: 40 Brianne Moulder 16:43.9, 59 Talia Fappiano 17:04.9, 89 Kelly Coughlin 17:55.2, 94 Laura Hornby 18:01.2, 122 Kiera Elkow 19:06.3, and 127 Julia Faxon 19:15.5

The girls’ JV squad ran in the D race and finished 11 among 32 teams featuring more than 200 runners. Emily Peters was 51st in a time of 18:28. Other NHS JV race results are as follows: 67 Kathryn D’Allessandro 18:44, 69 Sarah Mawdsley 18:46, 71 Bethany Dubois 18:47, 82 Kristen DeGirolamo 18:59, 90 Anna Pinckney 19:09, and 98 Valerie Kadysheva 19:24.

Doug Russell, coach of the NHS girls, said this was a great warm-up race before the South-West Conference Championships, scheduled to take place in Bethel on Thursday (after The Bee went to press).

“These girls work so hard and it has really been paying off. I have seen so much improvement with this group and am very excited about the possibilities (at the SWC race),” Russell said.

The girls’ varsity team’s lineup has been altered from the start of the campaign due to a combination of the emergence of up and coming runners and injury. Reagan Cerney is sidelined with a strained Achilles tendon and is resting for the upcoming indoor track campaign.