ED GRANT'S 2009 ALL STATE CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS
Following is the New Jersey Track all-state team for the 2009 season. As usual, it is the only such team
open to boys and girls from every school in the state,
Choosing this team was made more complex than usual because of the swine flu which swept through
the state early in the campaign, It seemed to have its most serious effect in northwest area and removed at
least one serious contender from consideration: Emma Giantisco of Delaware Valley. She did return for the
late meets but was obviously not in the form which had seen her defeat second-team selection Colette Whitney
of Voorhees in opening Petty Classic.
On the other hand, the all-group results confirmed what had happened earlier in more than usual fashion.
The first eight boys all made the first team, as did the first six girls (and a seventh, Michelle Capozzi of Red Bank
Catholic, finished ninth.) Ashley Smolinka of Hillsboro, who had scored impressive wins in her county and
conference meets, was a disappointing 14th in the AG race, but rebounded the next week to be the only NJ girls
to qualify for the Nike Nationals.
Most surprising of the first team selections was Delbarton junior Morgan Pearson. In his first cross-country
campaign, Pearson started slowly but finished with a whirl, placing second in both the NJCTC and Parochial A meets,
a 7th in the AG race and a 4th behind the Rosa twins at the Nike Northeast qualifier.
Joe Rosa was, of course, the star of the season, His astonishing course record at Holmdel and a debatable
course record at Van Cortlandt matched the state's best previous junior campaign, that of Brad Hudson in 1983.
(Marty Liquori missed the first half of his junior year, finished 2nd at the Easterns and never lost another high school
race, also setting course records at Van Cortlandt and the then state championship course, Warinanco Park.
Chelsea Ley of Kingsway sailed through the New Jersey season with three races under 18:00 at Holmdel.
BOYS
FIRST TEAM
Mike Mazzaccaro, Christian Bros. Jr.
David Oster, Verona Sr.
Morgan Pearson, Delbarton Jr.
James Rosa, WW-Plainsboro North Jr.
Joe Rosa, WW-Plainsboro North Jr.
Pat Schellberg, Delbarton Sr.
Tyler Udland, Millburn Sr.
Jon Vitez, Haddonfield Sr.
SECOND TEAM
Michael Belgiovine, Don Bosco Sr.
Joe Kotran, Toms River North Sr.
Matt McDonald, North Hunterdon Jr.
Sam Macaluso WW-Plaimsbro So. Sr.
Michael O'Dowd, Colts Neck Jr.
Patrick Rono, Lyndhurst Jr.
Howard Rosas, Don Bosco Sr.
Rafael Vargas, Don Bosco Sr.
THIRD TEAM
Kyle Davis, North Brunswick Jr.
Jeremy Elkaim, Livingston Jr.
David Forward, Shawnee Sr.
Collin Frost, Randolph Jr.
Curtis Richburg, West Orange Sr.
Colin Richmond, St. Rose Sr.
Jon Squeri, WW-Plainsboro North Sr.
Paul Szulewski, Williamstown Jr.
GIRLS
FIRST TEAM
Joelle Amaral, Randolph Jr.
Michelle Capozzi, Red Bank Catholic Sr.
Marielle Hall, Haddonfield Sr.
Caroline Kellner, WW-Plainsboro So. So.
Chelsea Ley, Kingsway Sr.
Ashley Smolinka, Hillsboro Sr.
Megan Venables, Highland Jr.
Laura Vigilante, Mendham Sr.
SECOND TEAM
Megan Lacy, Cherokee So.
Molly McNamara, Red Bank Catholic Jr.
Mary Migton, Roxbury Jr.
Caitlin Orr, Lenape Sr.
Jillian Prentice, Montgomery Sr.
Emily Scott, WW-Plainsboro North Sr.
Erin Thompson, Imm. Heart Acad. Jr.
Colette Whitney, Voorhees Sr.
THIRD TEAM
Holly Bischoff, Bishop Eustace Sr.
Alexandra Clinton, Ramsey Sr.
Julia Jablonski, Hopewell Valley Sr.
Alyssa LaGuardia, DePaul Jr.
Jen Molke, Holy Angels Jr.
Natalia Ocasio, Lenape Fr.
Kristen Traub, Eastern Christian So.
Caroline Williams, Mt. St. Mary's Sr.
RETURN TO MAIN MENU