Blair hosted the NJSIAA State Prep Championships as it has done for over forty years, giving the top private school runners in New Jersey the chance to test themselves on our hilly and challenging course. As such, despite just 49 runners entered from eight different schools, the racing was fast and relentless.
Blair’s top two girls - Maia Frank '26 and Marie Sharp '28 - went out in the top group but eventually pulled back due to an unexpected late-October heat. Natalie Kislin '25, Emily Tierney '25 and Ashley Hur '26 then went head to head against the Peddie School’s pack the entire race, with Natalie and Emily duking it out with Peddie’s second and third runners, while Ashley went to the line with Peddie’s fourth girl. The stirring, competitive racing left both teams wanting more, which will happen both this upcoming Saturday at the MAPL Championships and the following week in a dual meet on Peddie’s home course. Paige Celley '25, battling injury and Chandler Wildrick '25, rounding back into form after a two week-hiatus with the crew program, acquitted themselves well with solid strategic races in the final varsity spots.
After the conclusion of the race, Blair celebrated its senior runners with a short “Senior Day” ceremony. Underclass students delivered personal emotional messages to the seniors as the team and their parents bore witness to the contributions they have made to the team's success over the years. Thanking them for their leadership and roles in developing the inexperienced runners drew strong emotions from both the seniors and the younger girls, highlighting the key role that team sports can and do play in the lives of so many students at Blair. It was a beautiful way to end a great day.