Cross-country: A look at the State Sectionals
There are big changes in the state series this year, mostly in qualification for the State Meet of Champions. More on that next week, but the most popular change happens Saturday at four sites throughout New Jersey when the top 15 individuals advance to the state group meet Nov. 5 at Holmdel along with the top five teams in each group in each section. That's potentially five more individuals in each race and up to an additional 20 runners at each group race.
Here's a look at each race that impacts North Jersey teams.
North 1
at Garret Mountain, Woodland Park
BOYS
Group 1
Time: Noon
2021 champions: Kinnelon and Aidan Carroll, Glen Rock.
Top teams: Glen Rock, Kinnelon, Mountain Lakes, New Milford, Park Ridge-Emerson, Pequannock, Saddle Brook
Returnees in top 15 last year: Andrew Garcia, Kinnelon (5th); Joseph Capuzzo, Waldwick (7th); Max Kahn, Mountain Lakes (8th); Ben Raser, Glen Rock (9th); Kyle Kasprenski, North Warren (11th); Marshall Carver, Waldwick (12th); Zach Haase, North Warren (15th).
Other North Jersey contenders: Kyle Bjornson, Kinnelon; Ben Habler, Glen Rock; Jayden Hur, Kinnelon; Michael Martinez, Park Ridge-Emerson; Patrick Tallman, Park Ridge-Emerson; Xavier Trinidad, Pequannock.
Predicted North Jersey outlook and qualifiers: Even though they lost a large portion of last year's team to graduation, Kinnelon should have little trouble retaining the team title for the third straight year. Glen Rock, Mountain Lakes and Park Ridge should be in the top 5 with Pequannock, Saddle Brook and New Milford qualifying for the final team spot in fifth.
Garcia, Hur, Capuzzo and Kahn are the ones to watch individually, with the nod to Garcia on experience at the higher level. Capuzzo and Trinidad will qualify individually if their teams don't qualify and Waldwick's Marshall Carver could also an individual qualifer for states.
Group 2
Time: 10 a.m.
2021 champions: Demarest and Owen Horevay, Lakeland.
Top teams: Demarest, Indian Hills, Lakeland, Mahwah, Morris Tech, Old Tappan, Pascack Valley
Returnees in top 15 last year: Horevay (1st); Brayden Lowe-Massi, Mahwah (2nd); Nathan Caldwell, Lakeland (5th); Colin Menier, West Milford (7th); Michael Pizzella, Pascack Valley (9th); Sabastian Montalvo, Newton (11th); Ivan Timochko, Demarest (12th); Ethan Kalajian, Demarest (13th); Dan Phillips, Indian Hills (14th). (Matt Malora, Old Tappan was 14th in group 2 last year).
Other North Jersey contenders: Raffi Buchakian, Indian Hills; Andrew Kroczynski; Jay Ramirez, Pascack Valley; Divine Crilly, Lakeland.
Predicted North Jersey outlook and qualifiers: Demarest took a three point win last year in an upset win over Lakeland. The two are strong again this year but Indian Hills should have enough depth and skill to defeat Lakeland and a resurgent Pascack Valley team in a tight three way battle. Morris Tech and Demarest should grab the last two spots.
Horevay should have little trouble repeating and should approach 16 minutes at Garret, a milestone that less than 20 Passaic County runners have achieved. Lowe-Massi is the next closest and Caldwell, Menier and Buchakian should complete the top 5. Kroczynski and Malora should both qualify individually.
Group 3
Time: 12:30 p.m.
2021 champions: Northern Highlands and Ryan Melendez, Mount Olive.
Top teams: Montville, Mount Olive, Morris Hills,, Morris Knolls, Northern Highlands, Randolph, Teaneck, Wayne Valley
Returnees in top 15 last year: Melendez (1st); Alex Pelov, Montville (5th); Matt Califf, Wayne Valley (6th); Albin Mullan, Morris Hills (7th); Jackson Vogel, Northern Highlands (12th).
Other North Jersey contenders: Freddie Liljegren, Northern Highlands; Sean Matthews, Wayne Valley; Joshua Tejada, Teaneck; Bryce Teto, Paramus.
Predicted North Jersey outlook and qualifiers: In the 56 previous years of the sectionals, only the 1992 group 1 championship Bogota team has won a North 1 sectional with over 100 points. The winner here is likely to be the second winner in meet history to hit triple digits. On paper, Highlands is a slight favorite to repeat, despite losing No. 1 runner Jeff Sohn for the entire season as he recovers from a collapsed lung. But five other teams including Teaneck, which has never made a state group meet since sectionals began in 1965 could also claim the crown and one of those six won't even advance to states.
The Highlanders are the shakiest pick of the day and the odd team out will be Randolph. But nothing would surprise here. Even Wayne Valley could advance if things break right.
Pelov makes choosing a winner much easier and the son of former Saddle Brook star Diana Lana is one of the top 11th graders in the state. Teto, Matthews and Califf will easily advance as should Vogel, Liljegran and Tejada even if their teams don't. The intriguing question here is can Johannes Rivera of Bergenfield become the first Bear to qualify for states in 21 years. The numbers say maybe. I say yes.
Group 4
Time: 10:30 a.m.
2021 champions: Clifton and Jacob Heredia, Clifton.
Top teams: Bergen Tech, Clifton, Hackensack, Ridgewood, Montclair, Morristown
Returnees in top 15 last year: Dylan Decambre, Bergen Tech (5th); Sean Overton, Montclair (8th); Hisham Ettayebi, Clifton (9th); Markus Corredor, Montclair (13th).
Other North Jersey contenders: Moses Barrera, Hackensack; Trevor Kane, DJ Murphy, and Luke Pash, Ridgewood; Lamarr Olive, Clifton; Eashaan Magoon and Sebastian Toro, Bergen Tech.
Predicted North Jersey outlook and qualifiers: Clifton stopped Ridgewood's record-setting victory streak at 11 last year, but the Maroons should take the title back from the Mustangs comfortably after their upset loss at the Lou Molino Bergen Meet of Champions last week. Clifton, Montclair and Bergen Tech will compete for the runner-up spot and Hackensack should hold off Morristown for the final qualifying slot.
Bergen champ Decambre looks to ready to roll and to become the first Knight champ since 2007 and the first Knight ever to double BMOC and sectionals. Pash, Ettayebi, Murphy and Kane should all be in or near the top five.
GIRLS
Group 1
Time: 1 p.m.
2021 champions: Park Ridge/Emerson and Grace Mougalian, Kinnelon.
Top teams: Cresskill, Glen Rock, Kittatinny, Mountain Lakes, Pompton Lakes, Saddle Brook.
Returnees in top 15 last year: Danielle Tilp, Cresskill (2nd); Hope Sirinides, Kinnelon (6th); Molly Riva, Kittatinny (10th); Grace Ruitenberg, Pompton Lakes (12th); Sophie Walder, Park Ridge/Emerson (13th).
Other North Jersey contenders: Lily McNair, Glen Rock; Emma Leishear, Glen Rock; Skyler McGuire, Saddle Brook.
Predicted North Jersey outlook and qualifiers: Defending champion Park Ridge/Emerson graduated so many seniors, it can't field a full team and Kinnelon, a perennial contender has so many injuries (including the defending sectional champ) it might not either. That opens the door for a very good Glen Rock team, with a fine No. 1 in McNair and a tight, cohesive pack to win its first sectional since 2003, before any of these girls were born. Kittatinny is a likely second and Saddle Brook, Pompton Lakes and Cresskill should battle for the two remaining team slots.
Mougalian beat Tilp at the finish line last year, so even if the Kinnelon girl were to run, Tilp should grab her first sectional title. Walder and McNair should be next with Sirinides
Group 2
Time: 11 a.m.
2021 champions: Lakeland and Angelina Perez, Lakeland.
Top teams: Demarest, Indian Hills, Lakeland, Old Tappan, River Dell, West Milford.
Returnees in top 15 last year: Christina Allen, River Dell (2nd); Ashley Crane, Sparta (5th); Morgan Uhlhorn, Lakeland (6th); Zoe Merryman, Mahwah (9th); Madison Sovak, Ramsey (10th); Reaghan Lomascola, Lakeland (13th); Brianna Fahy, Lakeland (15th). (Kristen Johnson, Old Tappan was 2nd in group 3 last year; Kate Meeks, Old Tappan was 8th in group 3 last year).
Other North Jersey contenders: Lily Dipple, Demarest; Summer Myrhen, Indian Hills; Rachel Mills, River Dell; Alyssa Maybeck, Indian Hills; Rowan Leddy, Old Tappan.
Predicted North Jersey outlook and qualifiers: This could be the closest meet on the day and could come down to a tiebreak between Lakeland and Old Tappan, both sectional winners last year. Indian Hills is a great race away from also being in the title mix. If it does come down to a sixth girl finish, Old Tappan may have the edge. Demarest, West Milford and River Dell will battle for the last team spots.
Allen has won a State Meet of Champions outdoors at both the 800 and 3,200, and is one of only 20 girls in state history to break 18 minutes at Holmdel and one of just 17 girls to break 18 minutes at Darlington. Yet she doesn't have a state sectional title in cross-country. Of course, that's because she had the misfortune the last two years to be matched against Perez, who holds the course record at Darlington and the New Jersey record at Holmdel.
Perez is off to the University of Florida and Allen will finally get her sectional title, although Uhlhorn will give her a battle as she attempts to go under 19 minutes. If River Dell doesn't qualify, Mills should also move on as an individual along with Merryman and Sovak
Group 3
Time: 1:30 p.m.
2021 champions: Brianna Braver, Ramapo and Old Tappan (Old Tappan is now in group 2).
Top teams: Morris Hills, Morris Knolls, Mount Olive, Northern Highlands, Ramapo, Randolph.
Returnees in top 15 last year: Braver (1st); Rebecca Maclaren, Northern Highlands (4th); Allison Rambo, Mount Olive (10th); Carly Griffin, Ramapo (13th); Lauren Soehnlein, Montville (14th).
Other North Jersey contenders: Alison Courtney, Sadie Meloro and Autumn Ritter, Northern Highlands; Mary Daclan, Paramus; Amelia Keogh, Ramapo; Kara Langbaum, Wayne Hills.
Predicted North Jersey outlook and qualifiers: Northern Highlands has won 10 times since 2005 and had a five year streak stopped at the hands of Old Tappan (now in group 2). The Highlanders should start another streak Saturday, although Morris Hills and Ramapo are both capable of pulling the upset.
The list of North 1, group 3 sectional winners includes more than a dozen girls who went on to excel at Division 1 schools, like Boston U., Brown, Duke, Georgetown, George Washington, Rutgers, Stanford, Texas, and USC, just in the last 25 years. But no one has won three straight titles in this group since Passaic Valley's Jesse Mizzone (a Boston College grad) won from 2000-2002.
Braver, who seems always to run her best at the sectionals, has a good chance to become the next triple winner but it won't be easy with Ritter, Maclaren, Courtney, Keogh and Ivory Piskula of Morris Hills all capable of winning. Daclan, Langbaum and Sophie Cheesman of Tenafly are favorites to advance from the individual side.
Group 4
Time: 11:30 a.m.
2021 champions: Ridgewood and Remy Dubac, Clifton.
Top teams: Bergen Tech, Clifton, Livingston, Montclair, Morristown, Ridgewood.
Returnees in top 15 last year: Dubac (1st); Avery McAdams, Montclair (6th); Maya Kim, Montclair (8th): Avery Sheridan, Ridgewood (9th); Grace DelGIorno, Morristown (10th); Madeline Duncan, Montclair (11th); Sophia Yan, Livingston (12th); Nicole Lesiczka, Bergen Tech (15th).
Other North Jersey contenders: Katie Adams, Ayla Cooke, Eva Jacqueline, Eilat Kissil and Cellina Rabolli, Ridgewood; Viktoria Green, Clifton.
Predicted North Jersey outlook and qualifiers: Kearny had its day in the 1980s, Roxbury its day in the 2000s and Randolph won four times in the 2010s, but this group has always been about Ridgewood and even though just one runner remains from the team that won four straight titles, a record 28th title will go to the Maroons with a probable all-underclass lineup. Clifton should advance comfortably even though Dubac, fighting illness, may not be at her best. Bergen Tech needs some help to crack the top five.
Dubac looked to be a shoo-in to go back-to-back. But if she's not 100%, DelGiorno and Rabolli enter the mix for a title. Lesiczka has a solid shot at a top 15 finish.
North 2
at Oak Ridge Park, Clark
BOYS
Group 1
Time: Noon.
2021 champions: Hasbrouck Heights and Evan Morrow, Hasbrouck Heights.
Top teams: Hasbrouck Heights, McNair, Ridgefield, Secaucus, Verona.
Returnees in top 15 last year: Younes Abada, Secaucus (2nd); Ian Zalewski, Verona (3rd); Keanu Ray, Weehawken (4th); Aidan Morrow, Hasbrouck Heights (5th); Brody Yoo, Whippany Park (10th); Andrew Curry, Secaucus (12th); Aidan Daura, Cedar Grove (13th); Dillon Benipayo, Bogota (14th); Zak Klardie, Warren Tech (15th).
Other North Jersey contenders: Ayaan Modak, Hasbrouck Heights; Josh Unsay, Secaucus.
Predicted North Jersey outlook and qualifiers: Hasbrouck Heights is good but McNair is just a little bit better and will dethrone the Aviators. Ridgefield should make its first group meet since 2010 and Secaucus its seventh straight.
Abada, Ray and Morrow should be the class of the individual field with Ray earning an individual slot in the group meet
Group 2
Time: 10 a.m.
2021 champions: Voorhees and Adam Angelone, Madison.
Top teams: Bernards, Hanover Park, Leonia, Madison, Parsippany, Parsippany Hills, Rutherford, West Morris Central
North Jersey Returnees in top 15 last year: Tadael Mihret, Rutherford (7th); Joshua Gelayder, Leonia (12th).
Other North Jersey contenders: none.
Predicted North Jersey outlook and qualifiers: Leonia and Rutherford will battle with two other teams for the last team bid, but Mihret and Gelayder should advance regardless. Aaron Tyagi of Parsippany seems to be the only capable of beating the Rutherford star, but Mihret has been brilliant all year and should prevail.
GIRLS
Group 1
Time: 1 p.m.
2021 champions: Hasbrouck Heights and Tara Smurla, Cedar Grove.
Top teams: Bogota, Hasbrouck Heights, McNair, Verona, Weehawken, Whippany Park.
North Jersey Returnees in top 15 last year: Haley Nowak, Secaucus (3rd); Amandine Fernandez, Bogota (4th); Astrrid Taffarello, Weehawken (5th); Mackenzie Bua, Hasbrouck Heights (7th); Lexi Powers, Hasbrouck Heights (8th); Kali McDonald, Weehawken (9th); Isabel Michel, Bogota (11th).
Other North Jersey contenders: Tiki Dunn, Weehawken.
Predicted North Jersey outlook and qualifiers: If Bogota is fully healthy, the Bucs should dethrone Hasbrouck Heights. But if not Heights or Whippany Park can triumph. Weehawken tries to advance for the second time.
Group 2
Time: 11 a.m.
2021 champions: Voorhees and Tara Kibbe, Lyndhurst.
Top teams: Bernards, Caldwell, Leonia, Madison, Parsippany Hills, Rutherford, Voorhees.
North Jersey Returnees in top 15 last year: Katharine Cottone, Passaic Valley (2nd); Sasha Raskin, Leonia (11th).
Other North Jersey contenders: Jodi DeSalvo, Rutherford; Keirstyn Klingner, Leonia; Kyla Groh, Becton.
Predicted North Jersey outlook and qualifiers: Voorhees, Parsippany Hills and Bernards will finish 1-2-3 and Madison is likely fourth. That will leave Leonia and Rutherford to battle Caldwell for the last qualifying spot.
Freshman Daphne Roskowski of Voorhees is the favorite to win here. But Cottone loves Oak Ridge Park and could surprise. Look for DeSalvo and Klingner to advance even if their teams don't.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Cross-country: A look at the State Sectionals
