~ CHEROKEE ALUMNI NEWS, 2007 - 2008 ~





This page provides updates on the running/field accomplishments of our athletes who have graduated from Cherokee High School. Please send additional Alumni information to Coach Shaklee or to the Webmaster.







Seasons

The seasons follow in chronological order. Click on the desired season or on the "most recent entry:"

Cross Country, 2007
Indoor Track, 2008
Spring Track, 2008
. . . most recent entry




Cross Country, 2007


-- On August 30, 2007, Alum James Maneval ('05) of the University of North Carolina, Charolette, opened his Cross Country season at the USC Gamecock Cross Country Invitational 5K at Hilton Field on Ft. Jackson, South Carolina. While his team secured the first 6 places in the race and took 1st place overall, James took 8th place on his team and 13th overall with a time of 16:36.15. Complete information on the meet at: Gamecocks Sports. GO JAMES!

-- On September 1, 2007, Alum Paul McFadden ('04) of Salisbury University participated in the Sea Gull Opener at Winter Place Park in Salisbury, MD. Paul completed the 8K course in 28:30, taking 9th on his team and 36th overall. His team finished 2nd behind Navy in a nine-team race. Results at: Salisbury Sports. GO PAUL!

-- On September 8, 2007, two of Cherokee's Alums were racing:


-- On September 15, 2007, two Alums, Paul McFadden ('04) of Salisbury University and Rich Nelson ('06) of The College of New Jersey traveled to the famous VanCortlandt Park in NY City for the 12th Annual New York University Cross Country Invitational. Paul ran in the 5 Mile Open Race, finishing 111th against a 238-man field, and 10th on his team, in 29:18.2; while Rich ran the 5 Mile Regional Preview Race, finishing 105th against 253 other runners, and 13th on his team, in 27:38.9. Complete results at: Elite Racing Systems.


-- On September 20, 2007, Alum Rich Nelson ('06) of The College of New Jersey competed in Haverford College's Mainline Invitational, a 4 mile race on campus. Rich took 64th in the highly-competitive race while clocking 22:23.90. Complete results at: TCNJ Sports.


-- On September 28, 2007, two Alums, Tom Yersak ('05) of Princeton University and Rich Nelson ('06) of The College of New Jersey participated in the Paul Short Run at Lehigh University. Tom and Rich were in the College JV 8K with 441 other finishers! Tom clocked 26:13, finishing in 27th place, while Rich clocked 27:39, finishing in 137th. Complete results at: Paul Short.


-- On September 29, 2007, Alum Paul McFadden ('04) of Salisbury University stayed at home for the Don Cathcart Invitational. Paul's team took 4th place in the event, with Paul finishing the 8K race in 63rd place, clocking a 27:47. Complete results at: Fighting Seagulls.


-- On October 13, 2007, Alum Rich Nelson ('06) of The College of New Jersey traveled to DeSales University in Allentown, PA for the DeSales University XC Invitational. Showing its strength, TCNJ sent one squad to a meet in Wisconsin and a second to DeSales. Rich went with the second group and helped his team win the meet! In the 8K race, Rich took 4th on his team and 24th overall, finishing in 28:07.29! The "Fighting Seagulls" of Salisbury University also attended this meet, finishing in 2nd place, but Alum Paul McFadden was not among the runners. Too bad: we missed a battle between former Cherokee teammates! Complete results at DeSales Athletics.


-- On October 20, 2007, Alum Rich Nelson ('06) of The College of New Jersey accompanied his school's Varsity squad to the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey in Pomona for the NJAC Cross Country Championships. Rich competed in the 6K Open Race finishing in 5th place in 23:12.66. Complete results at: TCNJ Athletics.


-- On November 3, 2007, Alum Ryan Elliott ('06) of York College of Pennsylvania reported on a chance meeting with Alum Paul McFadden ('04) of Salisbury University. Ryan attends York College while Paul was there to compete for Salisbury in the 2007 CAC Cross Country Championship at the John Rudy Park in York, PA. Paul ran the 8K race, crossing the line in 29:39.64 and finishing in 41st place. His team won the event scoring 26 points against their closest competitor, Mary Washington College, with a close 33 points! Ryan had his camera and sent this picture! Complete results at: York College

Paul McFadden after CAC Champs


-- On November 3, 2007, Alum Rich Nelson ('06) of The College of New Jersey was part of a second team -- the first team will compete next week at the NCAA Regionals -- representing TCNJ at the 2007 ECAC Division III Cross Country Championships in Williamstown, Massachusetts. The team took 5th overall in the competition with Rich finishing 5th on his team -- 61st overall -- in 28:09. Complete results at: Finish Right Results


-- On November 10, 2007, Alum Mike Candy ('05) of Philadelphia Biblical University stopped by the NJ Group State Championships at Holmdel to support the team and, while there, reported on his racing at PBU. Mike helped to restore the cross country program at PBU, which had been deactivated since 1995, and he competed in six meets this season. His best performance, on what was probably the most challenging course of the season, was at the Cabrini Invitational on the famous Belmont Plateau in Philadelphia. There he ran the 8K in 28:59 and helped his team finish 10th out of 23 teams. The picture below shows Mike jogging the course at Holmdel, perhaps reliving those "glory days!" His team's website is at: PBU Cross Country.


Mike Candy at Holmdel, 2007


-- On November 17, 2007, a contingent of Alums -- several we haven't seen in years -- stopped by the New Jersey State Meet of Champions to lend their support to the Varsity squad. And several, judging from their lush beards, appear to have other roles beyond mere academic pursuits . . . Elizabethan actors, perhaps. Although some suggest the "Alumni Jinx" played a role in the outcome of the race, the team and coaches still appreciated the support! In the picture below, from left to right: Bryan O'Rourke, '03; Tom Yersak, '05; Joe Stewart, '03; Dan Shekhtman, '02; Nick Freeman, '04; Kevin Cuneo, '04; Vin Marziano, '06. Thanks guys! Joe Halin '00, was also at the site but he was cheering for the Moorestown guys . . . NO WAY, DUDE! . . . way!

Alums


-- On November 23, 2007, Alum Aaron Boucher ('99) competed in his first marathon, the Philadelphia Marathon, and finished in 35th place in 2:40.18! In the late 90s, Aaron was part of two state championship teams, running 16:37 at Holmdel (12th on the Cherokee All-Time list), and 1:56 and 4:20 in track (4th on both Cherokee All-Time lists). Last year, he clocked a 1:16 in the Half-Marathon; and, this May, he ran the Newport 10K in 34:36 and the Breakneck 5 Miler in 27:48. All of that, a prelude to this excellent Marathon effort! Also, only a week separated his Marathon performance from the birth of his daughter, Sarah Ann, but Dad is holding up well! See the tiny pictures available for sale -- Aaron's bib number is 21047 -- and the results at: Philadelphia Marathon.



Indoor Track, 2008


-- On December 8, 2007, Alum Joe Halin ('00), graduate of Appalachian State University and now manager of the Moorestown Running Company and a volunteer coach at Moorestown High School, was seen at the Pineland Striders Holiday 4 Miler in Medford, NJ. It was a miserable day but Joe won the race in 21:49.

-- On January 19, 2008, with little happening on Alumni running schedules, Alum Marc Pelerin ('02), graduate of Villanova University and now in a Master's program at George Mason University, stopped by the Levino Relays at The Lawrenceville School to check out this year's team. Still working on an injury, Marc hopes to run in the 2008 Penn Relays. Stay tuned . . . maybe we can get Krieger and Halin back at the same time for a Spring Slam?!

Pelly at Lawrenceville

-- On February 2, 2008, Alums Will Andes ('06) and Vin Marziano ('06), now both of LaSalle University, opened the winter season at the University of Delaware's Thomson Invitational in Newark. Will, who transferred from George Mason this year, took 10th in the Division I 800m race (2:03.75); while Vin, who has been plagued by injuries at LaSalle, ran the Division I 3K, finishing in 9:21.40 for 8th place. It's good to see them back! Complete results at: U of Delaware.



Spring Track, 2008


-- On March 3, 2008, Alum Vin Marziano ('06), of LaSalle University, seen working out at a Cherry Hill gym, reported that his teammate Alum Will Andes ('06) competed in a "last chance" meet -- the NYU Fast Track Invitational at the NYC Armory -- on February 29, 2008. Will continued to improve his 800m performance, this time winning his heat and finishing in 1:59.03. Vin also reported that both he and Will are doing well in their training and looking forward to the Spring season! For complete results from the meet: NYU Fast track at MileSplit.

-- On March 15, 2008, Alum Joe Halin ('00), now representing the Haddonfield Running Company, participated in a very fast Haddonfield Adrenaline 5K where nine guys ran under 15:00 (the winner crossed in 14:34) and 24 ran under 16:00! That's "barn-burning" for a relatively small, local roadrace! Joe did well, finishing in 20th place, while clocking a 15:34! For complete results check out: South Jersey Running Companies.

Joe Halin at Haddonfield Adrenaline 5K Joe Halin at Haddonfield Adrenaline 5K Joe Halin at Haddonfield Adrenaline 5K Joe Halin at Haddonfield Adrenaline 5K

-- On March 28, 2008, Alum Will Andes ('06) of LaSalle University, participated in the Danny Curran Invitational at Widener University. Will ran the 800m, finishing in 8th place out of 46 competitors, while clocking a 2:00.21. Complete results at: Widener University Results.

-- On April 5, 2008, Alum Will Andes ('06) of LaSalle University, competed in the Penn Invitational at The University of Pennsylvania's Franklin Field. Will again ran the 800m, finishing within less than a second of his last 800m outing at Widener in March: 1:59.99. Complete results at: Penn Athletics.

-- On April 26, 2008, Alum Will Andes ('06) of LaSalle University, competed in the Lion's Invitational, 2008 at The College of New Jersey in Ewing. Will ran against 68 others in the 800m Run, finishing in 13th in 1:59.63. For a full report: Go Explorers.

-- On April 26, 2008, Alum Joe Halin ('00), of the Moorestown Running Company, won the Commodore Barry Bridge 10K Run in a reported 32:16 but Joe confessed that this was an error and, though he won, he actually crossed the line in 33:24! (How you make an error of that magnitude is tough to figure unless the race is directed by NJSIAA officials!) The results, complete with the 1st place time error, are posted at: Run the Day.

-- On May 13, 2008, Alum Will Andes ('06) of LaSalle University, participated in the Last Chance Meet at Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, PA. Will ran the 800m again, this time finishing in 2:01.68. For complete results: Go Explorers.

-- On May 17, 2007, Alums Joe Halin ('00) and Aaron Boucher ('99) competed in the Breakneck For FAS 5 Miler, a roadrace in Sewell, NJ. Joe finished 3rd overall in 26:40, while Aaron took 8th in 28:47. The word is, that Joe had the advantage in this race because Aaron is still get used to his role as father of a 6-month old child! For results: L & M Sports Results.

-- On June 7, 2008, Alum Joe Halin ('00) experienced the joy of running on the bucolic, tree-lined streets of Moorestown, NJ in the Scott Coffee Rotary 8K. Unfortunately, it was about 90 degrees and very humid! Still, he pulled through it, crossing the line in 3rd overall in 25:57! Complete results at: Coffee 8K



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