Cheresek pulls off 9:02/4:07 performance

By Christopher Hunt

For lap after lap, Edward Cheresek followed Jim and Joe Rosa of West Winsor-Plainsboro North (N.J.) while the Rosa twins tried to break him.

Cheresek, of St. Benedict’s Prep, stuck right behind. He moved when they moved. He surged when they surged. And when Joe Rosa faltered, just a little, Cheresek latched on to Jim Rosa, who tried his best to bury Cheresek.

But he didn’t budge. Cheresek was as close to indestructible as a high school athlete gets. With two and a half laps to go, and an incredible race already in his legs, Cheresek dropped the Rosas and everyone else to win the 2-mile in 9:02.40 at the Eastern States championships Tuesday, the third fastest time in the country this season.

“I felt good,” Cheresek said. “I was trying to let them set the pace.”

It was the s...