Cross country: DeSousa, Kyvelos impress at Monmouth County Championships
HOLMDEL – After winning the most competitive county meet in New Jersey, Red Bank Catholic cross country standout Cate DeSousa didn’t celebrate.
She walked over to runner-up Emma Zawatski, who was flat on her back with exhaustion, to help her up.
Such is the mutual respect between DeSousa, Zawatski and third-place finisher Tilly O’Connor, who are three of the best girls distance runners in the state -- if not the three best.
“We’re all friends; we all talk,” DeSousa said. “We know we’re making each other better. It’s definitely a friendly competition. Of course we each want to win, but whatever place I get, I’ll always be happy for them.”
DeSousa covered Holmdel Park’s 3.1 miles in 18 minutes and 36 seconds Tuesday, just 10 seconds slower than her personal best on the hilly course. The senior, who will compete at the University of Virginia starting next fall, roared from 25 meters back over the final mile. She passed Zawatski, a Freehold Township junior who clocked 18:53, with about a quarter-mile left. O’Connor, a Saint Rose senior, finished third in 19:18.
This is DeSousa’s first county title in cross country. She placed second last fall behind Colts Neck star Lilly Shapiro. She’s also the first Red Bank Catholic girl to break the tape in this meet since Molly McNamara in 2010.
“I’m super excited,” DeSousa said. “This will build some confidence going into the championship season.”
DeSousa’s goal is to win the NJSIAA Meet of Champions. She finished second in the 1600 meters in track & field last spring, behind Zawatski (O’Connor took third).
“Winning MOC is something every runner in New Jersey wants,” she said. “I would love to break 18 minutes here, but the goal is first place. In a state like this, in order to win it has to be fast.”
Surprise winner in boys race
Stephen Kyvelos has a theory about racing at Holmdel Park.
“Holmdel’s always been a fun course when you do well,” the Manalapan junior said. “When you don’t do well, it’s atrocious.”
Last year, he finished 15th at this meet with a time of 17:07. On Tuesday he won in 16:23.
“That was fun,” he said of the latter.
Kyvelos is the first Manalapan boy to strike gold in this meet since future Olympian Robby Andrews in 2008. He did so by a wide margin, taking the lead midway through and coming home unchallenged. Ocean Township senior Mark Viggiano placed second in 16:43.
“Instead of the usual tactic of running hard up the hills, I decided to push it on the downhills,” Kyvelos said.
Last year, his best time at Holmdel was 16:44. His big breakthrough came in spring track, when he clocked 9:14 in the 3200. A strong summer of training, which topped out at 60-mile weeks, helped set the tone for his emergence on the trails. Still, he didn’t know what to expect in this meet.
“This was surprising,” he said.
CBA, Freehold Township win team titles
Christian Brothers Academy captured its 20th straight Monmouth County boys team title despite running just two of its seven varsity regulars. Coming off Saturday’s runaway Eastern States triumph at the prestigious Manhattan Invitational, the Colts rested their usual top five.
No matter. Senior Zach Shroba (third place, 16:44), sophomore Alex Mastroly (12th, 17:03), sophomore Ryan Schmitt (14th, 17:10), senior Matthew Mastroly (23rd, 17:39) and junior Conor Clifford (28th, 17:56) tallied 80 points and a 17:18 average.
Manalapan finished second with 86 points. This marked the Braves’ third straight second-place showing at the meet.
On the girls’ side, Freehold Township built on its impressive showing at the Shore Coaches Invitational to capture the first county crown in program history.
Beyond Zawatski, junior Ava Biemuller (11th place, 20:16), sophomore Leah Rutledge (16th, 20:43), junior Heather Feinstein (18th, 20:45) and sophomore Sophia Briggs (22nd, 21:03) did the scoring.
The Patriots tallied 68 points and a 2020 average. Rumson-Fair Haven finished second with 83 points.
Top finishers
Top boys teams: 1. Christian Brothers 80; 2. Manalapan 86; 3. Howell 107; 4. Colts Neck 107; 5. St. Rose 162.
Top boys individuals: 1. Stephen Kyvelos (Manalapan) 16:23. 2. Mark Viggiano (Ocean Township) 16:43; 3. Zach Shroba (CBA) 16:44; 4. Christopher Shay (Middletown South) 16:51; 5. Jacob McNamara (Colts Neck) 16:53; 6. Aaron Guensch (Middletown North) 16:54; 7. Luka Nigro (Howell) 16:55; 8. Patrick Coyle (Red Bank Catholic) 16:56; 9. Leo Kurtz (Colts Neck) 16:56; 10. John Shapiro (Colts Neck) 16:58.
Top girls teams: 1. Freehold Township 68, 2. Rumson-Fair Haven 83; 3. Middletown South 137; 4. Red Bank Catholic 143; 5. Manasquan 160.
Top girls individuals: 1. Cate DeSousa (Red Bank Catholic) 18:36; 2. Emma Zawatski (Freehold Township) 18:53; 3. Tilly O’Connor (St. Rose) 19:18; 4. Julia Shanes (Rumson-Fair Haven) 19:23; 5. Megan Donlevie (Shore Regional) 19:30; 6. Rosemary Shay (Middletown South) 19:45; 7. Rhiannon Hill (Red Bank Catholic) 20:03; 8. Elizabeth Scarpa (Colts Neck) 20:05; 9. Dylan Clancy (Manasquan) 20:08; 10. Emma Luo (Marlboro) 20:09.
Ramales, Oliver win in Ocean County
Southern’s Fabian Ramales and Toms River South’s Lily Oliver captured the gold medals at Friday’s Ocean County Championships in Lakewood.
Ramales covered Ocean County Park’s 3.1-mile course in 15:40 to break the tape in the boys’ race, 13 seconds ahead of runner-up and teammate Andrew Bowker.
Southern rolled to the team title with 26 points and a 16:09 average as Santino D’Amelio (fourth place, 16:06), Jack DeHart (sixth, 16:21) and Christian Shiattarella (13th, 16:43) rounded out the scoring.
In the girls’ race, Oliver clocked 17:49 to edge Toms River North’s Jessica Abbott (17:51) for first place.
Toms River North captured the team title as Olivia Nickelsen (seventh, 19:51), Adriana Escaleira (eighth, 19:59), Jed Juliano (13th, 20:23) and Sabrina Roselli (18th, 20:44) rounded out the scoring. The Mariners tallied 48 points, seven more than runner-up Point Pleasant Boro, which was paced by third-place finisher Anna Heras (19:13).
Top boys teams: 1. Southern 26; 2. Manchester 90; 3. Point Pleasant Borough 112; 4. Jackson Liberty 124; 5. Toms River North 135.
Top boys individuals: 1. Fabian Ramales (Southern) 15:40; 2. Andrew Bowker (Southern) 15:53; 3. Nicholas Loffredo (Manchester) 16:04; 4. Santino D’Amelio (Southern) 16:06; 5. Jared Voorhees (Brick Memorial) 16:17; 6. Jack DeHart (Southern) 16:21; 7. Cleatus Oakes (Point Pleasant Borough) 16:26; 8. Sean Haggerty (Barnegat) 16:28; 9. Ryan Macom (Toms River East) 16:31; 10. Will Ashton (Manchester) 16:36.
Top girls teams: 1. Toms River North 48; 2. Point Pleasant Borough 55; 3. Southern 67; 4. Toms River South 103; 5. Brick Memorial 121.
Top girls individuals: 1. Lily Oliver (Toms River South) 17:49; 2. Jessica Abbott (Toms River North) 17:51; 3. Anna Heras (Point Pleasant Borough) 19:13; 4. Ivy Slavinski (Point Pleasant Borough) 19:21; 5. Ryan Kelly (Brick Memorial) 19:45; 6. Mia Mastrogiovanni (Southern) 19:48; 7. Olivia Nickelsen (Toms River North) 19:51; 8. Adriana Escaleira (Toms River North) 19:59; 9. Molly Lloyd (Point Pleasant Borough) 20:15; 10. Madison Rehman (Southern) 20:20.
Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Cross country: DeSousa, Kyvelos roll at Monmouth County Championships
