Coach Martin Optimistic for Meet of Champions

After capturing Watchung Conference and Union County championships at Warinanco Park in Elizabeth, the Westfield boys’ cross country team had a bit of misfortune in the North 2, Group 4 race there, with some Blue Devil runners getting tangled up in the beginning of the race.

To Westfield’s credit, the Blue Devils came back from that eventual second place finish to Ridge to capture last Saturday’s Group 4 championship race at Holmdel Park in Holmdel, outscoring second-place Ridge 133-160.

Now Westfield is preparing for the 3.1-mile course again, this time as a state champion for the first season since 1996. Westfield has won state championships in cross country 13 times, the third highest amount in New Jersey history.

The Blue Devils will be seeking to finish among the top teams that qualified for this Saturday’s Meet of Champions race at Holmdel Park. The Blue Devils have won one MOC title, in 1976.

The girls’ race commences at 10 a.m. and the boys’ race at 10:45.

“At a minimum we would like to get a top five finish,” said Westfield coach Jack Martin, at the helm of the Blue Devils since 1983.

Westfield’s top seven runners in the Group 4 meet placed 14th to 74th. Sophomore Jack Leahy, 14th in 16:26.55; senior Ryan Scrudato, 16th in 16:30.62; junior Andrew Kirna, 33rd in 17:01.01 and junior Zach Lizmi, 46th in 17:10.37 all ran times that placed them on the all-time list at Westfield.

Runners have to turn in times 17:18 or less to make that list, according to Martin.

Senior Mike Kelley, who finished 60th in 17:20.59 and fifth for Westfield made the list with the time he had in this year’s Shore Coaches Invitational race.

Martin said the top teams for this Saturday’s MOC race include Non-Public A champion Don Bosco Prep of Ramsey, Group 2 winner Haddonfield, Non-Public A runner-up Christian Brothers Academy of Lincroft, Group 3 champ West Windsor-Plainsboro North, Group 4 runner-up Ridge and Toms River North, which placed third in Group 4.

The Holmdel Park course was, of course, muddy from all the rain that fell the two days before and during the races last Saturday. There’s rain in the forecast for Thursday and Friday this week, but not Saturday.

“I don’t think the course will be as sloppy this weekend,” Martin said.

This has been a special season for Westfield, which is not a senior-dominated team. That bodes well for the future.

“Even going into the section race we thought we had a good chance to win the Group 4 race,” Martin said. “The kids came through pretty well.

“In addition to winning, running fast is important. We’ll try to finish the season with a fast time.”

Leahy excelled as a freshman last year and has continued to make great progress this season.

“Jack had a very good freshman year, so we figured he would be a top kid,” Martin said. “So far he has been outstanding and beyond what we thought he could do.”

Leahy was Westfield’s second finisher in the section and county races behind senior Ryan Scrudato.

“Jack set himself up to have a pretty good high school career,” Martin said. “He’s got some good confidence now and works hard and you put those two things together and you have some good improvement.”

Scrudato did well to place second in the section race in 16:23.03, second in the county race in 16:44 and  third in the conference race in 16:53.00.

“They’re performing,” Martin said. “We talked to the kids last year and told them that they had a chance to be among the top teams. All of their hard work has paid off and here we are.

“Their times and performances have shown their toughness. They are a pretty solid group. They deserve everything they get.”

WESTFIELD BLUE DEVILS

Group 4 state champions

North 2, Group 4 runner-up

Union County champions

Watchung Conference champions

NOV. 14: GROUP 4 RACE AT HOLMDEL PARK

Westfield runners:

Jack Leahy, sophomore, 16:26.55 – 14th

Ryan Scrudato, senior, 16:30.62 – 16th

Andrew Kirna, junior, 17:01.01 – 33rd

Zach Lizmi, junior, 17:10.37 – 46th

Mike Kelley, senior, 17:20.59 – 60th

John Kirna, sophomore, 17:26.71 – 69th

Tyler Cusick, senior, 17:31.55 – 74th

Westfield won with 63 points.

Total time: 1:24:29.14. Average: 16:53.83.

NOV. 7: NORTH 2, GROUP 4 RACE AT WARINANCO PARK

Westfield runners:

Ryan Scrudato, senior, 16:23.03 – 2nd

Jack Leahy, sophomore, 16:26.00 – 6th

Andrew Kirna, junior, 17:07.10 – 18th

Zach Lizmi, junior, 17:18.94 – 21st

Tyler Cusick, senior, 17:19.67 – 23rd

Mike Kelley, senior, 17:38.96 – 30th

John Kirna, sophomore, 17:45.88 – 35th

Westfield was second with 33 points, with Ridge first with 25.

Total time: 1:24:2.74. Average: 16:54.95.

OCT. 29: UNION COUNTY RACE AT WARINANCO PARK

Westfield runners:

Ryan Scrudato, senior, 16:44 – 2nd

Jack Leahy, sophomore, 16:52 – 3rd

Mike Kelley, senior, 17:00 – 8th

Zach Lizmi, junior, 17:05 – 9th

Westfield won with 33 points.

OCT. 23: WATCHUNG CONFERENCE RACE AT WARINANCO PARK

Westfield runners:

Ryan Scrudato, senior, 16:53.00 – 3rd

Andrew Kirna, junior, 17:03.00 – 5th

Tyler Cusick, senior, 17:05.00 – 6th

Andrew Marra, 17:08.00 – 7th

Mike Kelley, senior, 17:22.00 – 10th

Zach Lizmi, junior, 17:27.00 – 11th

Ross Tucker, 17:54 – 19th

Westfield won with 19 points.

Total time: 1:25.31.00. Average: 17:06.20.