2002

My tenth consecutive Alumni Run was also the 20th anniversary of the event, and race organizers planned to celebrate in style, moving the post-race party from its traditional home above the Bear Mountain Inn to the more upscale catering hall Nicole's in Highland Falls. (Why hold the Rockland County Alumni Race party outside Rockland County? Who knows.) On tap--other than the open bar--a highlight video commemorating the first 20 years of this ridiculously sublime event. But before everyone could go get a nice Saturday-afternoon buzz, there was racing to be done.

Among a field of 260 runners--then the fourth-highest total in race history--our North men toed the line vying for our second straight title. Coming off his 2:32 effort in Chicago one month earlier, Tom McCarney ran a PR to spearhead our effort, and we got unexpected performances from Taroon Amin and Tom Dillon to round out our scoring. The 71 points tied our own record for highest score by a winning team, but it was enough for our third victory in four years, and fifth straight top-two finish.

Even more surprising was the performance of the North women. After having never finished in the top three in the first 19 years of the race, the Lady Rams (what does that make them? Ewes?) scored their first ever Alumni win. For only the third time in race history, one school swept the men's and women's titles; for only the second time ever, that team also took the participation title (Pearl River in 1992 and 1984 were the other "sweepers").

Men's Top 30

1. David Dominguez (NR '93) 15:13
2. Justin Romaniuk (Suff '01) 15:23
3. Eric Furst (Gosh '99) 15:42
4. Tom McCarney (CN '93) 15:47
5. Rich Friedrich (Gosh '98) 16:01
6. Mike Kohlbrenner (PR '76) 16:04
7. Matt Kohlbrenner (PR '79) 16:07
8. Jamie Kempton (AM '76) 16:13
9. Pat Driscoll (CN '98) 16:14
10. Keith Johnson (Hirschi, Wichita Falls, Texas '79) 16:24
11. Jered Haag (MW '89) 16:25
12. Preston Smolinski (MW '98) 16:28
13. Mike Morris (CN '96) 16:30
14. Andy Kohlbrenner (PR '81) 16:34
15. Bill Swick (MW '92) 16:44
16. Jamsel Reyes (NR '01) 16:46
17. Frank Visingardi (Nan '86) 16:48
18. James Attle (Suff '98) 16:59
19. Shawn Gallagher (St. Nathy’s, Ireland '78) 17:16
20. John Trotta Jr. (Wash '02) 17:23
21. Matt Cullen (Yorktown '99) 17:31
22. Jason Friedman (CN '93) 17:34
23. Taroon Amin (CN '02) 17:35
24. Daniel Neenan (MW '02) 17:42
25. Tom Dillon (CN '97) 17:45
26. Pat Gruber (CS '98) 17:46
27. John Zarella (Suff '00) 17:49
28. Sean McCormick (Suff '00) 17:50
29. Zack Berbitt (Suff '96) 17:51
30. Dave McGovern (CN '83) 17:51
    

Women's Top 10

1. Lauren Tuchband (Nan '98) 18:16
2. Heidi Everett-Powers (Warwick '95) 18:30
3. Meghan Howell (Suff '99) 19:29
4. Suzanne La Burt (MW '81) 20:14
5. Erin Haugh (Nan '97) 20:47
6. Elaine Heimers (Warwick '02) 20:49
7. Kerry White (CN '00) 20:59
8. Katie Barnes (CN '01) 21:46
9. Jean Larkin (PR '77) 21:56
10. Patti Zoda (Nan '88) 22:36
    

Total Number of Runners: 260

Team Participation: 1. (tie) Clarkstown North and Pearl River 30, 3. Monroe Woodbury 27, 4. Suffern 24, 5. Albertus Magnus 21, 6. North Rockland 19, 7. Clarkstown South 17, 8. Nanuet 16, 9. (tie) Nyack and Goshen 7, 11. Tappan Zee 6, 12. Spring Valley 4, 13. Warwick Valley 3, 14. (tie) Burke Catholic, Mepham, Ramapo, Rosary Academy, Washingtonville 2

Men's Team Scoring

1. Clarkstown North 71 (McCarney, Driscoll, Morris, Friedman, Amin)
2. Monroe Woodbury 96
3. Suffern 104
4. Pearl River 153
5. North Rockland 164
6. Clarkstown South 206
7. Goshen 260
8. Albertus Magnus 319
9. Nanuet 456
10. Nyack 495
11. Tappan Zee 695
    

Women's Team Scoring

1. Clarkstown North 66 (White, Barnes, Driscoll, Driscoll, Luscher)
2. Nanuet 91
3. Pearl River 114