CN's MOC (NJ All-Group) Champions

Team     Individual

This will be an ongoing project as we add every CN MOC (NJ All-Group) Champions to this page.

Team

#1 2006 Girls Cross Country Team, 11/19/06

Individual

#1 Ashley Higginson, Indoor 3200m, 2/27/05

#2 Craig Forys, Outdoor 1600m, 6/08/05
#3 Craig Forys, Cross Country, 11/19/05 #4 Craig Forys, Indoor 1600m, 2/19/06
#5 Ashley Higginson, Indoor 3200m, 2/19/06 #6 Craig Forys, Indoor 3200m, 2/19/06
#7 Craig Forys, Outdoor 3200m, 6/07/06 #8 Craig Forys, Cross Country, 11/18/06
#9 Ashley Higginson, Indoor 3200m, 2/25/07 #10 Craig Forys, Indoor 3200m, 2/25/07
#11Craig Forys, Outdoor 1600m, 6/06/07 #12 Ashley Higginson, Outdoor 3200m, 6/06/07
#13 Craig Forys, Outdoor 3200m, 6/06/07 #14 Allison Linnell, Outdoor 1600m, 6/04/08
Team MOC Champions

#1 2006 Girls Cross Country Team, 11/19/06

#1  Meet of Champions (NJ All-Groups Champions), Holmdel Park  Nov 19, 2006  

From the left, Ashley Rizzo, Alyssa Morgan, ??? head, Morgan Clark, Allison Linnell, Briana Jackucewicz, Kristen O'Dowd, Ashley Higginson, Erin Donaghy, Allie Flott, Allison Donaghy

 After winning their 2nd straight State Group Championship the team now wanted their 1st All-Group Championship.  They were ranked #1 in NJ and #5 in the Northeast.  They needed to focus on just winning and not the Nike Team Nationals (NTN) which weighed heavy on their minds.  It went perfect!  Ashley Higginson finished 2nd, just 3 secs out of 1st, becoming the #4 girl in NJ history with her 17:50.  Briana Jackucewicz was 6th in 18:30, Allison Donaghy ran a big PB of 19:31 in 35th, Allie Flott broke 20:00 for the 1st time with her 19:55 in 52nd place and Erin Donaghy ran 20:10 in 5th to complete the scoring.  The team scored 80 pts to win by 66 pts and become the school's 1st All-Groups Champion.  The average time was 19:11.2 which was the 2nd fastest ever for NJ just behind the 19:08.4 by Roxbury the previous year.  More importantly, the team found out the next day that they had moved up to #2 in the Northeast and had been selected to go to The Nike Team Nationals set for two weeks later in Portland, Oregon.  see below
MOC 2006 dyestat story CN website race result
MOC full results 2006 season summary
Girls MOC Results: (1st 3 teams)

1 Colts Neck 80 pts   average 19:11.2

2 Voorhees 146 pts   average 19:43.6

3 RBC  159 pts   average 20:01.6

 

Northeast NTN rankings before Shore Conference 10/27/06 Northeast NTN rankings after State meet 11/17/06
Northeast NTN rankings after Shore Conference 11/3/06 Final Northeast NTN rankings 11/23/06 
Northeast NTN rankings the week before State meet 11/10/06 Final NTN Selections 11/26/06
& 4th place in Nike Team Nationals, Portland, OR  Dec 9, 2006

In Portland, Oregon, from the left, Erin Donaghy, Morgan Clark, Kristen O'Dowd, Ashley Higginson, Allison Donaghy, Allie Flott, Allison Linnell, Briana Jackucewicz

 

 The first day was hectic.  The team left at 6 am, arrived at Portland, got to the hotel, changed for a run, took a bus to Nike headquarters, ran 3 miles in the dark and then showered and raced to the opening ceremonies, the last team to get there.  The team got back to the hotel around 10 pm (1:00am eastern standard time).  Excited but tired the team jogged the course and then practiced the hay bales.  When they looked up, they realized they were the only team left on the course.  They were focused!  Race day was mid 40s with a cold breeze.  The course was a total mud pit with big puddles (check the pictures)  The team went out slow and after 1000m they were in 12th place (out of the invited 20 teams) with 311 pts.  They were still in 12th at 2000m but had moved up to 7th with 217 pts at 3000m (just short of 2 miles).  At 4000m they were 6th with 206 and then it was time to get tough.  In the last 1000m, Ashley Higginson moved up from 3rd to win the whole race, Briana Jackucewicz moved up 2 into 11th, Allison Donaghy holding her 40th place, Kristen O'Dowd running the race of her life moved up 1 place to 67th and Erin Donaghy moving up 1 spot to 81st for a total of 200 pts and 4th place in the US.  They had moved up 78 places in the last 3000m!  What a team performance!  It is still the highest place any NJ team has finished including boys and girls teams.
NTN Northeast Preview   11/30/06
NTN Champs story NTN results
NTN blog of NTN race 2006 NTN full race video
2006 NTN team points at each 1000m 2006 NTN race pictures
Girls NTN Results: (1st 4 teams)

1 Fay-Man, NY 128 pts   average 20:18.02

2 Hilton, NY 178 pts   average 20:32.62

3 Carroll, TX  187 pts   average 20:35.4

4 Colts Neck  200 pts   average 20:33.3 

The CN girls at NTN skit night.

Individual MOC Champions 

#1 Ashley Higginson, Indoor 3200m, 2/27/05

#2 Craig Forys, Outdoor 1600m, 6/08/05
#3 Craig Forys, Cross Country, 11/19/05 #4 Craig Forys, Indoor 1600m, 2/19/06
#5 Ashley Higginson, Indoor 3200m, 2/19/06 #6 Craig Forys, Indoor 3200m, 2/19/06
#7 Craig Forys, Outdoor 3200m, 6/07/06 #8 Craig Forys, Cross Country, 11/18/06
#9 Ashley Higginson, Indoor 3200m, 2/25/07 #10 Craig Forys, Indoor 3200m, 2/25/07
#11Craig Forys, Outdoor 1600m, 6/06/07 #12 Ashley Higginson, Outdoor 3200m, 6/06/07
#13 Craig Forys, Outdoor 3200m, 6/06/07 #14 Allison Linnell, Outdoor 1600m, 6/04/08

#1  Ashley Higginson (Indoor 3200 meters), Princeton,  Feb 27, 2005 

Ashley (#2) has the lead after one lap.  She would settle back and take the lead much later.  picture courtesy of Gary Glasgall

 

 She was a sophomore, coming off her 1st cross country season.  During this magical season, she had become CN's first winter track girl to win a Monmouth County, Shore Conference or State individual title.  She came into the meet seeded 2nd behind Jen Clausen from Jackson, the defending champion who, according to NJ historian Ed Grant, was a sure bet to repeat.  Ashley led the first lap and then Karen Guthrie of Mendham took over.  Jen Clausen took the lead just before the 1200 when the lead pack included 10 runners.  By the mile in 5:31.8 it was down to 5 runners.  The pace continued to pick up until there was only 3 runners left with 4 laps (800m) to go.  With 3 1/2 laps to go, Ashley took the lead and ran 2:37.4 for her last 800 to win by just over 6 secs.  Guthrie would finish 2nd with Clausen 3rd.  Ashley's final 1600 was 5:20.9 for a final time of 10:52.72.  This was the #9 time in the US for 2005 at that time and a new school and Freehold District record.  Click below for a full video of the race.

Ashley would go on and run 10:51.08 for 2 miles at the National Scholastic Champs in NYC which would be good for 4th place to become our 1st individual All-American.

400m Splits:

81.9 2:44.8 (82.9) 4:09.1 (84.3) 5:31.8 (82.7)
6:53.3 (81.5) 8:15.4 (82.1) 9:35.3 (79.9) 10:52.72 (77.5)
last 800 2:37.4 last 1600 5:20.9
new school and Freehold District records
3200 meter run
Meet Record: 10:38.87  2003 Amanda Trotter  Red Bank
1. Ashley Higginson soph Colts Neck 10:52.72
2.Karen Guthrie senior Mendham 10:59.12
3.Jennifer Clausen senior Jackson 11:06.22
4.Erin Reddan senior Brick 11:10.69
5.Kathleen Henry senior Ridge 11:11.64
6. Cathy Van Horn senior Triton 11:14.01
7. Laura Gallo soph Cranford 11:17.29
8.Kristen Stevens junior Roxbury 11:19.56
full race result Ed Grant's meet report race video, go to 2005 and click on Indoor Meet of Champions 3200
CN website race result 2004-05 season summary

#2  Craig Forys (Outdoor 1600 meters), South Plainfield,  June 8, 2005 

Craig leads Bryon Williams (Ridgewood) with 300m to go.  courtesy of Toby Nygaard

Boys 1600 meter run
Meet Record: 4:09.20 John Richardson, Ocean City
1. Craig Forys     soph Colts Neck 4:11.27 NJ State sophomore record
2. Bryon Williams   junior Ridgewood 4:12.71
3. Anthony Kelhower senior Lenape 4:15.73
4. Josh Davis senior Phillipsburg 4:17.58
5. Anthony LaMastro junior Pope John 4:17.66
6. James Kavaliaukas senior Highland 4:18.13
7. Kevin Brown junior Cranford 4:18.67
8. Matt Dahl senior Raritan 4:18.73
Craig had finally become a State Group Champion the weekend before.  Actually he became one twice as he won the 1600 meters in 4:17.55 in the rain on Friday and ran a 3200 personal best of 9:11.49 in warm, humid weather on Saturday.  It was now Wednesday.  It was a tough choice of which race to run but it came down to simply wanting to get one last fast individual 1600.  He would be running the 4 x 800 relay on Sat (where they would set a new NJ State record of 7:39.54) and then, the following week, a 2 mile on Friday and a Distance Medley Relay on Saturday at the Nationals.  This would be his last chance at an individual 1600.  Craig came into the race seeded #1 but had to race Bryon Williams of Ridgewood and Josh Davis of Phillipsburg who were big kickers.  He would have to take the sting out of their kicks before the last 200m.  The race went out slow and Craig was forced to lead.  They were only 63.4 at the 400 and 2:08.0 (64.6) at the 800 before Craig started to crank up the pace.  The only person to go with him after the 800 was Williams.  He ran 62.9 for the 3rd 400 (3:10.9) before ratcheting up the pace one more time.  Williams was still there with 150 meters to go but Craig had sapped the kick out of him and pulled away over the last 100 meters to win by 1.5 secs in a new State sophomore record of 4:11.  He had run the last 400 in 60.4 and the last 800 in 2:03.3.

Click here for a full video of the race.

Craig would finish the season running a 1:54.5 800 anchoring the 4 x 800 meter relay team to a state record.  The following weekend he would run a 9:07.38 2 mile with a new state sophomore record of 8:29.85 3000 meters along the way and then come back the next day to run 4:12.8 in the anchor leg of the Distance Medley Relay that would finish 2nd in the National Championships.

400m Splits:

63.4 2:08.0 (64.6) 3:10.9 (62.9) 4:11.27 (60.4)
first 800 2:08.0 last 800 2:03.27
new school and state sophomore record
full race result Ed Grant's meet report race video
CN website race result 2004-05 season summary