Dominant Distance Group Leads WJ to 1st MoCo Title Since '03

Photo by Brandon Miles

It's not often that a team can ride dominance in the distance races to a major team title on the track, but that's exactly what happened on Wednesday. They scored 59 of their 74 points in four events (4x800, 1600, 3200 and 800) and won by 19 points over the runners-up from Seneca Valley.

Standing out above the rest was senior Jenna Goldberg. The XC state champion and Foot Locker Nationals qualifier had long established herself as one of the top distance runners in recent Maryland history, but on Wednesday she was able to reach a new level by winning all three distance events. Goldberg led off the Wildcats' 4x800 relay to kick off the meet that set a new season best and MD #2 time of 9:49.51. Shortly thereafter she, along with Isabelle Senfaute and Ella Gaul (all of whom ran the 4x800), went 1-2-3 in the 1600. Finally, in a showdown with Charlotte Turesson in the 3200 (who had yet to run a race), Goldberg led the entire race and pulled away late, running 10:52.99 in her third race of the day.

The aforementioned Senfaute and Gaul racked up plenty of points on their own as well. Senfaute was the runner-up in both the 800 and 1600, and Gaul finished third in the 1600 and eighth in the 800. Senior Katherine Weaver completed the final piece of their distance puzzle on Wednesday, picking up a point in the 3200.


We'll recap the rest of the best performance from Wednesday's meet later in the week when we review all of the county and conference championship action from Monday-Thursday.