Higginson ties record, Jackucewicz returns
Colts Neck girls repeat as SC champions
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

Bri's back. That was the good news for the Colts Neck girls cross country team at the Shore Conference Championships on Oct. 30.

The Cougars have remained the No. 1 team in the state all season even though they've been without Briana Jackucewicz, a FootLocker National Finalist in '05, for all but two races (none that had a bearing on the state rankings). The sophomore returned just in time to help make the difference for the Cougars in a very close race with Ocean County champion Monsignor Donovan, 53-56. The meet was held at Ocean County Park in Lakewood.

Jackucewicz seemingly came from nowhere to place second behind teammate Ashley Higginson. The one-two finish at the top paved the way for the Cougars to win their second straight SC title.

With Jackucewicz's return, the Cougars clearly have the state's best one-two tandem. Without her, Higginson has been shouldering the load up front for the Cougars all year - and has done it flawlessly. In the process, with Southern Regional's Danielle Tauro yet to race this fall, Higginson has become the best harrier in the state. She confirmed it at the conference championships by destroying Jackson's Amanda Marino, the only other contender for the top spot.

Higginson used an opening mile in 5:35 to serve notice to Ocean County's best that this would be no walk in the park. Marino was struggling from the start to prevent Higginson from pulling away from her, but to no avail. She was not ready for such a quick early pace and was passed by Jackucewicz on the second loop around the park.

In torching the field and the OCP course, Higginson had something else in mind besides a win - the course record of 17:32 set two years ago by Jackson's Jen Clausen. She ended up tying it.

"I ran as well as I could have," she said, after winning her first SC cross country title. "I wanted the course record. I was going for it."

The course record meant very little to Higginson, especially when she looked back at the end of the race to see who was coming in second.

"I was so excited to see Bri," she said. "I was so psyched. Bri's back."

For her part, Jackucewicz was happy to be back contributing again.

"I don't know where it came from," she said of her race. "I didn't expect to be in the front."

Jackucewicz was looking to use Molly Kempton of Monsignor Donovan as someone to pace herself with during the race, figuring that Higginson and Marino would be battling it out up front. But, to her surprise, halfway through the race, she was running with the Jackson star.

"When I saw Marino, I said 'go for it,' " she remarked. "My big motivation was that it was one more point for the team and I wanted to hold my position."

She did, running a 17:44, while Marino fell farther back in third, posting an 18:02.

Jackucewicz praised her teammates with helping her through a difficult period as she slowly worked her way back from a hip injury that felled her during the outdoor track season. There was never a panic to return too soon.

"They are my motivation," she said. "Every day in practice they would tell me that I'm getting better. I'm so glad that the team was able to hold their own without me."

Now that she's back and running great, the Cougars are on track to win their first Meet of Champions title.

However, the close call with an improved Monsignor Donovan team, which was running on its home course, served notice that no one is going to just hand the MOC title over to them.

"It's great to win the Shore Conference," said Higginson. "We have to keep working hard if we want to get to where we want to be."

Allison Donaghy gave Colts Neck three girls under 19:00 on the OCP layout. She was 11th in 18:49. Her twin sister Erin Donaghy was the team's fourth scorer in 17th (19:06), and the fifth scorer was Allie Floot in 22nd (19:17).

Monsignor Donovan did get its fifth runner to the finish line ahead of Colts Neck, but the 1-2 finish at the top was too much for the Griffiths to overcome.

The Cougars' team average of 18:29.60 shattered the old team course record of 18:46 set by Jackson last year.

Howell, competing without injured Sarah Nelson, still finished fifth (198). Lindsey Lambert was the Rebels' top finisher in 10th place (18:48). She was followed by Lauren Wiemken (19:26) and Lauren Rome (19:47), who were 29th and 40th.

Freehold Township's Allyson Moskal had her best race of the season, finishing 15th and dipping under 19:00 with her 18:59. Charlotte Walsh was 37th (19:43) as the Patriots placed 13th (325).

Marlboro was 20th (497) led by Suzanne Raspa (20:05).

Jackucewicz, Higginson one-two in course record at state sectional

Jackucewicz's return was no mirage. Saturday she and Higginson ran side by side at the Central Jersey Group IV Championships with the sophomore getting the win in a new course record 18:10.1, with Higginson second at 18:10.2. The duo destroyed the old mark of 19:10:11 set by Kaite Kellner of West Windsor South set earlier this year. Kellner was fourth in 18:44.9. The top 10 finishers were all under the old course record.

With that one-two finish, the Cougars easily won their third straight state sectional tile with 47 points. Jackson was second (107), and Howell was third (134).

The Rebels' top finisher was Lindsay Lambert in eighth (18:59.9).

Colts Neck averaged 18:59.0 (a meet record) with Allison Donaghy, 11th (19:17), Erin Donaghy, 14th (19:26) and Morgan Clark, 19th (19:50).

Lauren Wiemken, 18th (19:44) and Lauren Rome, 25th (20:01) were Howell's other high placers.

Other area runners in the top 25 were Freehold Township's Allyson Moskal (19:39) and Charlotte Walsh (19:51).

The top five teams and top 10 individuals at the state sectional advanced to Saturday's NJSIAA State Group Championships at Holmdel Park.

Freehold Borough's Megan Paterson qualified for the Group Championships via a ninth place in Group III, running a 20:35.