Robby Andrews conquered the elements as well as a very strong field to capture the Central Jersey Group IV cross country championships.

The stormy skies opened up just as the Group IV race went off Saturday at Thompson Park in Jamesburg, adding an additional challenge for the harriers.

As he has throughout this championshipladen season, Andrews ran up front with the leaders and waited until the final stages of the race to unleash his finishing kick.

"The course was slick, especially on the downhill," said Andrews. "The West Windsor runners [Sam Macaluso and Kevin Foy] took it out. I worked with Mark [Leininger of Colts Neck]."

When the time came, Andrews attacked at around 600 meters from the finish line.

"At the top of the hill I made a move," he said. Andrews quickly opened up daylight on the lead pack, with only Leininger responding. But the Cougar had no answer either.

"I worked to close the gap so he'd pull me to second," noted Leininger.

Despite the pouring rain and slick course, Andrews broke 16:00 posting a 15:56. This was the second straight week he added a title that had eluded him last fall (it was the Shore Conference on Oct. 30). Saturday, he'll try to win his first cross country state Group title back at Holmdel Park.

Leininger did get second, in 16:01. His teammate Mike O'Dowd ran another solid race in sixth (16:40).

Behind O'Dowd, Freehold Township's Eric Dynarski was coming through with his breakthrough race. He finished seventh (16:43) and qualified for Saturday's NJSIAA Group State Championships at Holmdel Park for the very first time.

The Manalapan Braves easily advanced to Saturday's Group IV meet with a third place (106) behind West Windsor-Plainsboro South (52) and Old Bridge (66).

Gary Sparapani was Manalapan's No. 2 runner, finishing 14th (17:05). Kingsley Prophet (17:24), Matt Gabor (17:26) and Kyle Schneider (17:28) ran within four seconds of each other, finishing 28-21-32.

The top five teams and top 10 individuals at the sectionals all advance to the Group meet.

Colts Neck is also going. Riding the 2-6 finish of Leininger and O'Dowd, the Cougars were fifth (167). Corey Rubin (17:39), Kevin O'Dowd (17:46) and Mike Blaskovich (18:18) completed the Cougar scoring, placing 41-46-72.

Freehold Township was eighth (212) and Howell was 10th (279). Keenan Huggins- Filozof was 24th (17:18) for the Pats and Howell was led by Aansh Mehta, who was 38th (17:36).

Colts Neck's Briana Jackucewicz ran in one of the most anticipated races of the day, featuring some of the state's leading harriers that included WW-P South's Katie Kellner, Hillsborough's Ashley Smolinka and Montgomery's Jillian Prentice.

Kellner set the pace from the gun with Jackucewicz in hot pursuit. Smolinka and Prentice would have nothing to do with the pace set by the two, and it quickly became a two-runner race.

Jackucewicz held on as long as she could, but Kellner was able to gradually slip away and turned it on over the second half of the race. She would win in 18:15 with Jackucewicz holding on for second (18:45).

Jackucewicz's second place helped the Cougar girls advance with a fourth-place finish (99). Rival Howell also moved on, taking fifth (127).

Eva Wimberley followed up her smashing 2008 debut at the SC with a 12th place (20:16) and was the Cougars' No. 2 runner. Rachel Morris (21:02) and Casey Corley (21:07) were 24th and 25th and Allie Flott was 36th (21:26).

Howell bundled its top five from 21st to 34th led by freshman Jamie Hand, who was 21st (20:56). She led a trio of Rebels across the line. Tara Nealon (20:56) and Jacquie (20:59) were 22nd and 23rd. Laura Kochenash, another frosh, was 27th (21:14) and Alyssa Pinney was 34th (212:25).

Freehold Township's Chelsea Thorsheim was 20th (20:54) and the Pats were ninth (271).

At Saturday's Group Championships, the top three teams and top 10 individuals will automatically qualify for the Meet of Champions on Nov. 22 at Holmdel. There will be 10 wild card berths for the 10 fastest nonqualifying individuals as well as two at-large team (non-placing teams with the best total times of all the fourth-and fifth-place teams).

The first race will go off at 10 a.m. on Saturday.