Memory Lane

This Saturday Mike Paustian and TJ Harkins have earned the right to compete at the most prestigious running event in all of New Jersey High School Running: The Cross Country Meet of Champions. In the summer and early season every runner trains relentlessly with the dream of taking the line at the Meet of Champions. Only 193 runners actually will (21 teams and 46 individuals) and we have 2 of them. Not bad for a team of 5 guys. So now that Mike and TJ have become the 12th and 13th different runners in Immaculata history to earn a bid, let's take a walk down memory lane and see how the first 11 fared.

(Fun fact: Since its inception in 1972, the Meet of Champions has been at Holmdel Park all but 4 years. In 1972 it debuted at Ocean County Park before moving to local Bridgewater West in 1973. It stayed local in 1974 at Buccleuch Park in New Brunswick, jumped to Pennsauken in 1975 and then found it's permanent home at Holmdel in 1976)

1. 1977: Kevin Dyer - Kevin qualified for the MOC with an 8th place finish and time of 17:30 at the Group Meet (note the course was 3 miles then and the Bowl was run in reverse). But get this. At the time there was a Non-Public C!!! And we were in it. And thus Kevin became the first runner in school history to qualify. Sadly, 1977 was a long time ago and the internet only has results from the top 25 at MOC, so there is no record of his time and place at the Big Dance.
2. 1991: Blair Witkowski - Blair finished 6th in the Non-Public A Group Meet with a time of 17:02 to make MOC. He then improved the following week and ran 16:53 to capture 27th place at MOC. It was a local affair that year as North Hunterdon's Brendan Heffernan won in 15:31 and Somerville HS legend Jon Clemens finished 23rd in 16:51 (Clemens went on to have a decorated collegiate and post-collegiate career, and get this -- a few years ago in San Diego he randomly crossed paths with and briefly coached Mr. Heibell. It took weeks until they realized Somerville was both of their original stomping grounds). As for Blair, he transferred to Hunterdon Central in 1992 and missed making MOC, finishing 14th in Group 4 in 17:04.
3. 2000: Immaculata Girls Team - That's right, the entire girls team qualified by getting 3rd place in Non-Public A to be the lone team in school history to make it.  At the Group Meet Erin Geiger led the way with a 4th place finish and time of 20:25 as a junior. Following her were: Bridget Skeuse (16th, 21:30), Lizzie Geiger (17th, 21:41), Mary Shea (29th, 22:25), Mellanie Pellowski (41st, 22:52), Becca Hancock (58th, 23:41), and Megan Varela (78th, 26:15). The team went on to finish 16th at MOC with Lizzie Geiger leading the way with a 68th place finish in 20:50, and Kelly Mulligan replacing Megan Varela as the 7th runner.
4. 2001: Erin Geiger and Lizzie Geiger - The twins both made the trip to Holmdel for MOC in their Senior season. First it should be noted the twins had a season for the ages this year, highlighted by a 1-2-3 showing at the Somerset County Championships with Bridget Skeuse as the third girl. At the Group Meet, the Geiger's finished 2nd and 3rd, with Erin nabbing 2nd in 19:46 and Lizzie 3rd in 19:52. Despite this, the team placed 4th and just missed earning a trip back. At MOC, Erin finished 23rd in 19:56 with Lizzie a few steps back in 20:09, good enough for a 40th place finish.
5. 2002: Bridget Skeuse - Bridget stepped into the spotlight her Senior year and did not disappoint. With the Geiger's gone, it was Bridget's time to shine. She took down the Non-Public A Meet by running 19:46, a 22 second victory over 2nd place finisher and frenemy Leah Brogan of Monsignor Donovan. She then stepped it up again at MOC. She ran 19:28 (Holmdel school record) to finish 6th place -- the highest ever MOC finish by an Immaculata runner. The best part is, no lie, she almost didn't run at MOC because she got to Holmdel only to realize she left her spikes at home. Luckily freshman Anthony Grina was there to cheer her on and inexplicably had his spikes on hand despite not racing himself that day. And the shoe fit, Bridget wore them, finished 6th, and the rest is history. Thus concluded the Golden Era of Girls XC at Immaculata.
6. 2004: Chris Heibell - Some may call Chris the best looking runner to ever make MOC, but that's not why we're talking about him here. Fueled all season by a disappointing 2003 State Meet, it was MOC or bust for him in his Senior season. The week before Groups, Coach Robinson pulled him out of school early to make a special trip to Holmdel for a joint workout with Piscataway. This gave Heibell the edge he needed as he finished 9th at the Non-Public A Meet with a time of 16:52 to book his trip to the Show. The next week he dropped 10-seconds on his way to a Holmdel school record time 16:42 and a 43rd place finish. 
7. 2008: Erin James - Erin was the last Immaculata runner before this season to earn a bid.  In this her Junior year, Erin ran 20:03 to secure a 10th place finish at the Non-Public A Group Meet and punch her ticket to MOC. She ran 20:07 the following week to earn a 63rd place finish at MOC.  Erin went on to have a successful collegiate career at St. Joe's (PA) running 17:16 for 5k and 10:38 for 3k Steeple.

And there you have it folks. Now we look ahead to Saturday. How will Mike Paustian and TJ Harkins fare? Will they challenge the Holmdel school record of 16:42? When the dust settles, where will they be remembered in Immaculata history? Can't wait til' Saturday to see what these 2 have up their sleeves. Catch it live at 11:45am at Holmdel Park!!!