SOUTH JERSEY SHOOTOUT RESULTS
Alyssa Boucher is gearing up for the biggest cram session of her life.
A member of the Williamstown High girls’ cross-country team, Boucher has decided she wants to run at the collegiate level. She made the decision to ditch soccer and try to convince college coaches to take a shot on her with just one fall senior season and a couple of indoor and outdoor campaigns under her belt.
“I am kind of nervous about that,” Boucher said of her limited cross-country resume. “I know these people I am racing against have experience. I know that they know these courses. They have an upper hand, and I really don’t. It is kind of about me studying the courses and my friend helping guide me. So I am a little bit nervous about that. That is what makes it 10 times harder. I just want to see myself succeed and push to the next level.”
Perhaps her inbox will be in little more flooded with inquiries following her victory Saturday at the South Jersey Shootout. Boucher ran a personal-record time of 19:19.20 to win the Herb Lorenz Gold race at the Delaware River Equestrian, Agriculture and Marine (DREAM) Park in Logan Township.
“I’m really committed to running in college,” Boucher said. “I kind of grew that desire over the year. I had been doing soccer for like the last 10 years of my life. My intention is to work hard, because all of these girls are experienced. I just have to work a little bit harder than them.
“I have already had some college interest. I have also been reaching out, updating my times and saying, ‘Hey, I am really excited, and I really want to run.’ Some have gotten back and said, ‘Your times are (higher) than we need.’ So that gave me the determination that I needed. I don’t want to get rejected, so I’ve got to keep pushing. Some of them say I have potential. That has guided me through this.”
Boucher’s gold-medal effort sparked the Braves to the team title as they finished with 41 points. Sterling placed second with 68 points. Delsea (78), Clearview (79) and Haddon Township (92) comprised the top five.
“I really enjoyed it,” said sophomore Sophia Aldridge who was sixth in a PR time of 20:05. “I knew that we were going to place. I really felt it, but I didn’t know where. All of us are just pushing each other really hard. I am a little surprised that we won but not too much. I knew that I was going to be in the front, and all of a sudden, Alyssa pushed me. The rest of us all kind of pushed each other. So I knew we all would be up there.”
Junior Delaney Harbison (21:41.90), freshman Julia Burgio (21:44.5) and Paige Franklin (22:16.8) packed it in by finishing 23rd, 24th and 25th, respectively. Williamstown averaged 21:02 with a total time of 1:45:08.
“I think we are a good team,” Aldridge said. “I hope that we can win (the Gloucester County Championships). I want to go to (the group championships). We just have to keep pushing each other and have to have a positive mindset, just never giving up.”
Camden Catholic junior Nilaa Ponnappan was second in 19.22.10. Schalick junior Jordan Hadfield came in third in 19:27.40. Sterling junior Jonalee Adames placed fourth in 19:36.10.
“I kind of lost the love for the sport (of soccer),” Boucher said. “I was always doing running with my soccer stuff that I needed to on my own. My friend kind of pushed me to join the cross-country team. She was like, ‘I think we have a chance to win this year, and you would be a great addition to the team.’ I was like, ‘OK.’ I really wasn’t feeling it last year, so I guess I might as well try something new. So I kind of went with this.
“I kind of like it that it clears my head when I am running. I have a love for passing people and feeling, ‘Oh my. I can do this. I can do this.’ That’s when it gets so fun that I’m like, ‘I’ve got to give everything I’ve got.’ That kind of sparked my love for cross-country.”
Anthony Coleman can be reached at hssports@njadvancemedia.com
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