Michael Weinhoffer, Staff Writer
On Saturday morning, September 27, 2014, the upper school cross-country team participated for the first time in the Six Flags Wild Safari Invitational 5K Race held at the Six Flags Great Adventure theme park in Jackson Township, New Jersey. The Varsity team finished in 5th place out of 19 schools with an average time of 18:02 for the 5K (3.1 miles) race. There were 132 runners in the Varsity D Race. The members of the Varsity team who obtained a medal by finishing in the Top 35 of the race were: junior co-captain Andrew Vita (17:05, 2nd), senior co-captain Brendan Mairs (18:11, 33rd), and senior Max Hubbauer (18:12, 34th). In the junior varsity race, the team finished in 2nd place out of 17 schools. There were 223 runners in the junior varsity C Race. The members of the junior varsity team who obtained a medal by finishing in the Top 35 of the race were: freshman Mike Cantaluppi (17:57, 1st), senior Brian McReynolds (18:59, 5th), junior Brendan Lawlor (19:25, 12th), sophomore Brendan Mooney (19:39, 15th), junior Tim Hartnett (19:57, 25th), sophomore Chris McMahon (19:59, 27th), and junior Mike Weinhoffer (19:59, 28th). Season bests were obtained by: junior John Kolassa (18:27), junior Brendan Lawlor, freshman John Lally (23:50), junior Andrew Lee (22:44), sophomore Adam Lewis (18:17), sophomore Chris McMahon, senior Brian McReynolds, freshman Billy Skinner (21:56), sophomore Mark Trella (20:57), junior Andrew Vita, and senior Phillip Worster (22:03). The junior varsity team obtained a plaque for the school to recognize their 2nd place team finish. Although the course was hilly and physically challenging, especially in the safari section of the race, the team dominated and enjoyed the invitational and is excited for what lies ahead for the rest of the 2014 upper school cross-country team season.