Looking ahead to the State Group Cross-Country championships
The NJSIAA has been hosting state group championships since 1919. At various periods between 1922 and 1938 there were several years in which races were broken up by public and non-public schools. In 1946, the current makeup was established, with Group 4 running alone and the other three public groups combined until 1957, when Group 3 also began running alone. Since 1966, there have been four public group races. The girls group races were added in 1976 and the non-public two group division was permanently established in 1979 (although from 1976-1981 and 1986-1992, there were four groups total with the non-public girls integrated with the public girls).
The meet cycled from Weequahic Park in Newark to Warinanco Park in Elizabeth and others (including Garret Mountain once in 1973 and then settled at Holmdel Park in 1976. The current 5,000 meter course was established in 1979,
The winning team from each of the four public and non-public groups qualify for the Saturday Nov.11 State Meet of Champions along with eight wild card teams from a merge of the other non-winning teams from all groups.
Runners in the top 10 in each group advance as individuals to the SMOC. Then the next fastest 30 runners from all six groups who have not already advanced as a member of a qualifying team also advance to the 11 a.m. girls race and noon boys race on Saturday, Nov. 11, also at Holmdel.
Here's a closer look, group by group:
Boys
Group 1
TIME: 3:00 p.m.
NORTH JERSEY ENTRIES: Bogota, Glen Rock, Hasbrouck Heights, Kinnelon, New Milford, Park Ridge/Emerson, Secaucus; Chase Zalfino, Pequannock; Marshall Carver, Waldwick.
2022 Champions: Kinnelon and Keanu Ray, Weehawken.
Returning TOP 10 finishers: AIDAN MORROW, Hasbrouck Heights (6th); Elijah Whitaker, Glassboro (8th); Aiden Williams, Audubon (9th); Ian Zalewski, Verona (10th).
Predicted North Jersey Meet of Champions qualifiers: Aidan Morrow, Hasbrouck Heights, Ben Raser, Glen Rock, Ben Habler, Glen Rock, Kyle Bjornson, Kinnelon.
NOTES: Glen Rock has a very good chance at a top 3 podium finish and could contend for the title with McNair and Metuchen. Elijah Whitaker of Glassboro is the individual favorite, but don't count out Morrow. Bogota's Emmanuel Marin, Park Ridge/Emerson's Patrick Tallman and William O'Donovan and Carver could also contend for the top 10 and an automatic berth.
Group 2
TIME: 1:00 p.m.
NORTH JERSEY ENTRIES: Demarest, Indian Hills, Leonia, Old Tappan, Pascack Hills, West Milford; Max Thorn, Becton, Karl Andre III, Dumont, Aidan Noguiera, Lyndhurst, Marcus Koshy and Patrick Kurtz, Pascack Valley.
2022 Champions: Haddonfield and George Andrus, Haddonfield.
Returning TOP 10 finishers: Elijah Forrest, Collingswood (9th).
Predicted North Jersey Meet of Champions qualifiers: Patrick Kurtz, Pascack Valley, Dan Phillips, Indian Hills.
NOTES: Indian Hills should battle Madison and Point Pleasant Boro for third place behind powerhouses Haddonfield and Bernards and has an outside shot at a wild card to the SMOC. Colin Menier of West Milford has the best chance at grabbing a wild card.
Group 3
TIME: 2:30 p.m.
NORTH JERSEY ENTRIES: Wayne Valley; Jimmy Hernandez, Bergenfield; Ryan Welch, Ramapo; Joshua Tejada, Teaneck.
2022 Champions: Summit and Micah Lawson, Rahway.
Returning TOP 10 finishers: Peyton Shute, Gateway/Woodbury (2nd).
Predicted North Jersey Meet of Champions qualifiers: Josh Tejada, Teaneck; Matt Califf, Wayne Valley.
NOTES:
Group 4
TIME: 10:30 a.m.
NORTH JERSEY ENTRIES: Bergen Tech, Hackensack, Ridgewood; Lamarr Olive, Clifton; Aidan Soukas, Fair Lawn.
2022 Champions: Cherokee and Lucas Reguinho, Elizabeth.
Returning TOP 10 finishers: Nick Kuenkel, Cherokee (5th); Avery Keith, Westfield (6th).
Predicted North Jersey Meet of Champions qualifiers: Ridgewood; Lamarr Olive, Clifton; Michael McGinnity, Hackensack.
NOTES: Three of the six best teams in the state and maybe five of the top 11 are in this race with nationally ranked Westfield the heavy favorite. Cherokee and Ridgewood can give the favorites a scare and will easily qualify for the SMOC, barring a catastrophe. Ridgewood's Luke Pash is among a half dozen possible race winners.
Non-Public A
TIME: 12:30 p.m.
NORTH JERSEY ENTRIES: Bergen Catholic; Don Bosco; Dwight-Englewood; Paramus Catholic.
2022 Champions: CBA and Joe Barrett, CBA.
Returning TOP 10 finishers: Barrett (1st); Alex Saldana, Union Catholic (6th); Jack Falkowski, CBA (7th).
Predicted North Jersey Meet of Champions qualifiers: Ryan Locicero, Don Bosco.
NOTES: CBA and Union Catholic have the first of several head-to-head battles, although other teams will be involved in the State Meet of Champions and Nike Northeast Regionals. St. Peter's Prep should be next and Don Bosco hopes to crack the top five. Alex Saldana, who spent his first two years at River Dell is one of Union's Catholic's top runners.
Non-Public B
TIME: 11:00 a.m.
NORTH JERSEY ENTRIES: DePaul, Eastern Christian, Hawthorne Christian.
2022 Champions: St. Rose and Jeremy Sallade, Wilberforce
Returning TOP 10 finishers: Caleb Brox, Wilberforce (2nd), Isaac Linden, Moorestown Friends (5th); ALEX CULP, Eastern Christian (7th), Matt Colden, Bishop Eustace, Nicholas Snyder, Montclair Kimberley.
Predicted North Jersey Meet of Champions qualifiers: Culp.
NOTES: Wilberforce should grab the automatic SMOC qualifier and win the group.
Girls
Group 1
TIME: 2:00 p.m.
NORTH JERSEY ENTRIES: Bogota, Glen Rock, Hasbrouck Heights, Kinnelon, Park Ridge/Emerson, Ridgefield, Weehawken; Pola Gospodarzec, Pompton Lakes, Rachel Calaff, Waldwick.
2022 Champions: Shore Regional and Megan Donlevie, Shore.
Returning TOP 10 finishers: Gianna Hernandez, Metuchen (4th); ASTRID TAFFARELLO, Weehawken (8th); TARIKWA DUNN, Weehawken (9th); MACKENZIE BUA, Hasbrouck Heights (10th).
Predicted North Jersey Meet of Champions qualifiers: Bua and Lexi Powers, Hasbrouck Heights; Taffarello; Grace Mougalian, Kinnelon, Isabel Michel, Bogota.
NOTES: Hasbrouck Heights will battle favored Metuchen and defending champ Shore Regional for the team title and Glen Rock and Bogota could both make the top five. Heights needs to be put three in front of Metuchen's second runner to have a chance to pull the upset.
Group 2
TIME: 12:00 p.m.
NORTH JERSEY ENTRIES: Demarest, Indian Hills, Lakeland, Old Tappan, West Milford; Mika Tampadong, Becton; Katelyn Reuter, Dumont; Sasha Raskin, Leonia, Anna Lynch and Madison Sovak, Ramsey; Christina Allen and Isabella Gabay, River Dell; Jodi DeSalvo, Rutherford.
2022 Champions: Haddonfield and Morgan Uhlhorn, Lakeland.
Returning TOP 10 finishers: Melina Johnston, Robbinsville (2nd); Ivy Slavinski, Pt. Pleasant Boro (3rd); ALLEN (4th); Riley Austin, Haddonfield (6th): Ava Thomas, Haddonfield (7th).
Predicted North Jersey Meet of Champions qualifiers: Christina Allen, River Dell.
NOTES: Allen will battle Maya Van Horn of Morris Tech, and Austin and Thomas of Haddonfield to earn her first cross-country state groups title after finishing fourth and third the last two years. Haddonfield will win the team title and might be the only qualifier from the group.
Group 3
TIME: 1:30 p.m.
NORTH JERSEY ENTRIES: Northern Highlands, Tenafly: Brianna Potaki, Ramapo, Kara Langbaum, Wayne Hills.
2022 Champions: Clearview and Liliah Gordon, Northern Burlington.
Returning TOP 10 finishers: Gordon (1st); Cassidy Roop, North Hunterdon (3rd); Gillian Lovett, Mainland (5th); Sofia Day, Mainland (7th); AUTUMN RITTER, Northern Highlands (8th); Kate Shaw, Mendham (10th).
Predicted North Jersey Meet of Champions qualifiers: Northern Highlands; Brianna Potaki, Ramapo .
NOTES: The Highlanders need a big race to get back to the SMOC as Mainland, Mendham, Middletown South, North Hunterdon, Ocean City and Summit make this the deepest race of the day. Maeve Smith of Ocean City, defending champion Gordon and the Mainland duo of Lovett and Day are the individual favorites.
Group 4
TIME: 9:30 a.m.
NORTH JERSEY ENTRIES: Clifton, Ridgewood.
2022 Champions: Freehold Twp. and Emma Zawatski, Freehold Twp.
Returning TOP 10 finishers: Zawatski (1st); Julia Scrudato, Montgomery (2nd); Jessica Abbott, Toms River North (3rd); Ava Biemuller, Freehold Twp. (6th); Kerry O'Day, Cherokee (9th); Emma Luo, Marlboro (10th).
Predicted North Jersey Meet of Champions qualifiers: Ridgewood.
NOTES: Zawatski is the huge favorite individually but Ridgewood looks well positioned to battle Freehold Township, Cherokee and Cherry Hill East for the team battle and should earn a North Jersey record fifth straight SMOC berth.
Non-Public A
TIME: 12:30 p.m.
NORTH JERSEY ENTRIES: Dwight-Englewood, Holy Angels, IHA; Paramus Catholic.
2022 Champions: Union Catholic and Cate DeSousa, Red Bank Catholic.
Returning TOP 10 finishers: Olivia Murray, Pingry (4th); Shaelan McNally, Paul VI (6th); Addison McGoey, Kent Place (7th); Courtney Kaiser, Union Catholic (8th); Emmy O'Hearn, Union Catholic (9th); Leilani Gibson, Union Catholic (10th).
Predicted North Jersey Meet of Champions qualifiers: none.
NOTES: Union Catholic dominates and may come close to a shutout.
Non-Public B
TIME: 10:00 a.m.
NORTH JERSEY ENTRIES: Hawthorne Christian.
2022 Champions: Wilberforce and Tilly O'Connor, St. Rose.
Returning TOP 10 finishers: Emma Bradley, Academy of St. Elizabeth (2nd); Adeline Edwards, Wilberforce (5th); Blythe Dudley, Villa Walsh (6th); Ines Lemee, Villa Walsh (8th); Laura Sallade, Wilberforce (9th);l Ema Hercules, Gill St. Bernards (10th).
Predicted North Jersey Meet of Champions qualifiers: none .
NOTES: Wilberforce and Villa Walsh battle for the title and the automatic berth.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: State Group Cross-country championships preview
