Scores of young runners eagerly laced up sneakers, donned school jerseys and toed the chalk line at the start of the 8th annual Mercer County CYO Cross-Country meet held Oct. 26 in Mercer County Park. When the last child had completed the course, boys and girls from Trenton Catholic Academy, Hamilton, and St. Paul School, Princeton, ran home with eight of the 12 awards for the fleetest of foot.

More than 50 students hailing from seven Catholic schools in the diocese embraced their inner Edwin Moses or Jackie Joyner-Kersee that fall morning as they competed for trophies and their names in the record books. Junior varsity boys and girls in grades three through eight ran a 1.25-mile course, while competitors aged 13 and up in the seventh and eighth grades ran an additional mile lap for a total of 2.25 miles. Students placing first through third in each category were awarded trophies.

In the girls junior varsity division, Emily Steege and Kate McCann from St. Ann School, Lawrenceville, took home first and third place trophies with times of 8:38 and 9:31 respectively. Molly Hart of St. Paul School ranked second amongst her peers with a time of 9:27.

Nolan Brody (7:27) and Will Kelleher (7:42), both of St. Paul School, came in one-two in the boys junior varsity division; St. Gregory the Great Academy, Hamilton, student Tyler Kostin followed close behind at a time of 7:57 for his third place finish.

A pair of St. Paul School girls, both named Emily, topped the girls varsity competition; Emily Ryan was first with 17:19, and Emily Clark crossed the finish line with a time of 19 minutes flat. St. Ann School runner Caroline Barkley followed close behind at 19:31.

Three TCA students swept the boys varsity competition: Johnathan Torres was first with 13:48, Evan Harris earned second place with 15:34, and Jose Agudo came in with a respectable 15:49.

Other competitors at the meet hailed from Our Lady of Sorrows-St. Anthony, Hamilton; St. Raphael-Holy Angels, Trenton; and Villa Victoria Academy, Ewing.