Kids & Family

For West Deptford Eagles Cross-Country, a Season of Firsts

The state championships are over, but the Eagles will compete against top teams in the Northeast at the Nike Cross Nationals regional on November 30.

Submitted by Kimberly Shinkle.

In 2010, West Deptford High School cross-country coach Mark Drummond told many of the incoming freshmen if they wanted to be successful on the West Deptford cross-country team, they should start running over the summer.

On November 9, 2013, the boys cross-country team placed second in the South Jersey Sectionals race at Delsea Regional High School. All seven runners made the top 50, with seniors Kevin Cianfarini and Ray Parsons in the top 10.

After that performance, coaches Bob Cooper and Tim Campbell took the Eagles to the state championships in Holmdel, NJ, with an opportunity to do something that had never been done before. 

On Saturday, the boys placed fifth in the state for Group II cross-country, making them the highest-ranking cross-country team in the history of the high school.

  • Kevin Cianfarini (Class of 2014) placed 15th, with a time of 16:54.
  • Ray Parsons (2014) placed 28th, with a time of 17:12.
  • John Ladner (2014) placed 36th, with a time of 17:17.
  • Dale Johnson (2014) placed 47th, with a time of 17:29.
  • Mitch Wileczec (2016) placed 60th, with a time of 17:44.
  • AJ Kilpatrick (2016) placed 115th, with a time of 18:41.
  • Matthew Shinkle (2014) placed 125th, with a time of 19:21.

Impressively, Johnson rehabbed an early-season injury to make it back in time to rejoin his teammates at Holmdel.

Freshman Ryan Zuzulock, who ran competitively all season, until an injury sidelined him for the final races, also helped the team earn its playoff berth.

The 2013 year was a season of firsts for the Eagles runners, as they took second place at the Briarwood Invitational and in the the South Jersey Shootout, both the best finishes the team has ever turned in there.

The same group also took first place at the Salesianum Invitational in Delaware and nabbed the top spot on the podium at the South Jersey Open, a race against its local peers. 

Dedication and hard work from all members of the team made these milestones possible. The team ran together on their own and as a group every day through heat, snow flurries, and on mud-covered trails. The boys ran every day of their summer vacations and even while away with their families.

The season ended on a high note for the seniors in particular, who have cemented a place in the school's record books—at least until the upcoming team decides otherwise.

But practices haven't ended yet because the boys have been invited to participate in the Nike Cross Nationals Northeast Regional, in Wappingers Falls, NY, on November 30. The best teams from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont and Rhode Island will be there—another first for Eagles cross-country.

Congratulations on a successful 2013 season!


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here