Prior to this year, simply due to the fact that he was still in his homeland of Kenya, the national high school scene knew little about St. Benedict’s (N.J.) Prep sophomore Edward Cheserek.
That’s no longer the case.
Since arriving in the states in June, Cheserek has quickly made a name for himself and has steadily climbed the national rankings. On a breezy Saturday afternoon, the 16-year-old phenom was at it again, claiming the overall title at the annual Brown University Northeast Championship.
Leading from gun to tape in the top-level regional meet, Cheserek coasted over the generous five-kilometer terrain at Goddard State Memorial Park in a winning time of 15 minutes, 0.8 seconds. Competing in the Championship Division, the St. Benedict’s star posted a 35-meter win over second-place finisher John Murray, a senior from Shrewsbury (Mass.) High. Murray crossed the line in 15:05.2. Senior Steven Sollowin of Weymouth (Mass.) High, was third at 15:10.4.
The fourth fastest time of the day belonged to Delbarton (N.J.) School senior Morgan Pearson, who posted a 40-second victory in the Varsity One race, winning with a fast time of 15:13.4.
Bishop Feehan (Mass.) High senior Viviana Hanley copped the elite girls’ race with a personal best 17:45.7 clocking. Ward Mellville (N.Y.) High senior Alisha McAdams was the runner-up at 17:54.8.
For Hanley, a ninth-place finisher (17:53) at the Great American Cross-Country Festival in N.C. at the start of the month, it was her second time on the Goddard Park layout. Last year she cracked 19 minutes for the first time by placing tenth at the New Balance Ocean State Invitational, held at the popular site a few weeks before the Brown meet.
“It was nice,” she said. “It was a little windy today, but the course is real flat and the temperature was real nice. I ran this course last year at Ocean State so I kind of knew what I was getting into. That was my best race last year.”
Hanley trailed McAdams and was in third after a mile, which she went through in 5:32. She passed McAdams right around the midway point and maintained her lead position to the finish line.
“I was just trying to bring her in, bring her in,” she said. “When I finally caught up to her, I just felt good so I just went.”
Not knowing how much of an advantage she built over McAdams during the final mile of the race, Hanley used the reaction of the spectators to push her along.
“I had no idea where she was. I was kind of running scared because I knew she was behind me,” she said. “I didn’t look back so I didn’t know where she was. I was kind of judging from the crowd. I really didn’t know where she was. I was kind of running scared and getting motivation from the crowd.”
Bothered by a stress fracture at the beginning of the season, the gifted Cheserek has had quite the month since coming back from his injury. He won the Independent Schools Championship at the Great American with a quality time of 15:24.2. Just a week before competing at the Brown Invite, he finished second to West Windsor-Plainsboro North (N.J.) High senior Jim Rosa in the Eastern States race of the Reebok Manhattan Invitational, running the 4K distance at Van Cortlandt Park in 12:34.5 to Rosa’s 12:28.7.
”We are impressed with how he is running,” said St. Benedict assistant coach Geoffrey “Chelule” Ngetich.
Cheserek assumed control once the gun was fired. He blazed through the first mile in 4:38.
“That was a little fast,” Ngetich said. “I wanted him to run about 4:45. He had about a 100-meter lead after the first mile.”
Cheserek’s winning effort topped the performance of former St. Benedict’s standout Brandon Jarrett, who won the race in 2006 with a time of 15:12.
“We kind of thought he would win the race,” Ngetich said. “What we were looking for is a time. We were thinking about a 15:05.”
Led by a fifth-place finish (15:18.4) from junior Wesley Gallagher, Pembroke (Mass.) High captured the team title in the Championship race with an 84-121 win over Sachem East (N.Y.) High. Pembroke averaged a time of 15:57.5 from its varsity runners. Northport (N.Y.) High took the girls’ plaque, defeating second-place St. Anthony’s (N.Y.) High, 87-92. Bridget Brennan’s fourth-place finish (18:29.5) was the top placement for Northport, which averaged a time of 19:09.9.
