Pellegrino wins Sheehan Classic

Apair of former high school champions who are now training partners took over the roads in Red Bank at the George Sheehan Classic on June 6.

Marlboro High School graduate Nick Pellegrino wins the George Sheehan Classic in Red Bank. Marlboro High School graduate Nick Pellegrino, who starred at Monmouth University, won the 5-mile race around Red Bank in a time of 24:58.55.

Not far behind Pellegrino was former Holmdel High School standout Craig Segal, who is also a Monmouth University alumnus. Segal clocked 25:27.11 in finishing second.

Segal was just ahead of Mike Roke of Maplewood (25:34.46) and Robert Cavanaugh of West Long Branch (25:45.61).

Pellegrino, who has been battling injuries the last couple of years, put in the training mileage, but was not certain if he was race sharp. A workout with Segal, who won the Spring Lake race earlier this year, let Pellegrino know that he was ready for the Sheehan Classic.

"Craig is a good buddy of mine," said Pellegrino. "He's a training partner. We knew we could run under 25:00. The first mile was 5:02, which was too slow. I took off and he (Segal) came with me."

Segal, having what Pellegrino called "a bad day," gradually fell back, leaving Pellegrino all by himself for the final 2 miles.

The victory in one of the premier road races in the shore area was bittersweet for Pellegrino because his hamstring tightened in the final mile and he had to slow down. His final time was not indicative of how fast he could have run, but still, a win is a win.

Pellegrino is hoping that there will not be any lingering effects from the hamstring tightness and that he will be able to compete in the Belmar 5-Mile Run on July 11. That could be one of his last races in the area. In August he will be going to Nevada to do post-graduate work in American intellectual history at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Completing the Sheehan Classic top 10 were: Shane Kimmins, Shrewsbury (26:13.91), Gerardo Avila, Fort Monmouth, (26:25.26), Luciano Deoliveira, Long Branch (28:07.30), Solomon Too, New Milford (28:24.07), Dave DeMonico, Ocean Township (28:33.10), and Sam Murray, Tinton Falls (28:53.76).

Toms River's Noel Brock won the women's championship in 28:52.48 by averaging 5:47 a mile. Red Bank's Cate Robbie, a former Middletown South High School state champion, was close on Brock's heels in second place (29:13.53). Caitlin Dorgan, also from Red Bank, was third (31:13.21).

Completing the women's top 10 were: Christine Clifton, Highlands (31:19.92), Amber Hart, Belmar (32:24.65), Gabby Barrett, Freehold (32:36.66), Sherry Sikota, Red Bank (32:38.80), Dactilia Booth, Long Branch (32:46.29), Marissa Alberti, Monmouth Beach (33:03.32), and Kiernan Delaurier, Atlantic Highlands (33:03.49).

More than 1,500 runners finished the race.

The Sheehan Classic is part of the Jersey Shore Running Club's five-race Jersey Shore Golden Grand Prix Races, which offers prize money to the top five finishers at each race and to the series' overall points leader after the conclusion of the five races.

The Belmar 5-Mile Run will be the third race of the series. The final two events are the Asbury Park 5K on Aug. 8 and the CPC/Pier House 5K in Long Branch on Sept. 7.

Segal, who won the series opener, the Spring Lake 5-Mile Run, is the current overall points leader. Brock, who has won both races thus far, is the women's points leader.