Junior Bridget McGrath (center) leads a pack of Warren Hills Cross Country runners Nov. 6 at the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Sectional Championships Nov. 6 at Oak Ridge Park in Clark, NJ. McGrath, the first finisher for the Blue Streaks, placed 25th out of about 100 runners in the North 2, Group 3 competition with a time of 20:59 for the 5,000-meter (3.1 miles) course. McGrath was named the Warren Hills girls’ team’s Most Valuable Player for the fall 2021 cross-country season. The boys’ MVP was senior Ryan Shulman, whose Top-Ten Sectional finish qualified him for the NJSIAA State Group Championships Nov. 13 at Holmdel Park in Holmdel, where he finished 40th with a 5,000-meter time of 17:35. The Coaches Awards for the year went to senior Grace Tirabassi, junior Rich McDonald, sophomore Nico Giovannetti and freshman Morgan Salmon. The Warren Hills Cross Country program experienced a drawback in the middle of the season when Coach Bob Carroll left to take a teaching and coaching job in Florida. “Athletes were sad, but they still have the ability to reach out to him [Carroll] if needed,” said Cross County Coach Elise Tooker. When asked about the freshman athletes on the team, Tooker said, “It looks very promising, and I am looking forward to seeing how they advance in their running careers here at Warren Hills.” (Photo courtesy of Elise Tooker)