Ed Grant's 2003 XC Preview

  Below is the New Jersey Track preview for the 2003 CC season, which
happens to be our 60th year of covering the sport in the state.

        The new season of NJ Track is under way and the first issue also
includes a summer wap up, featuring New Jersey athletes in everything from
the Junior Olympics to the Wotld Championships. Subscriptions are $25 a year
and can be obtained by sending a check for that amount to Edward J. Grant,
101 Greenwich Court, Madison, NJ 07940.


BOYS

  As things look now, the 2003 cross-country season should be one of the
best in recent years in New Jersey, both from a team and an individual
aspect. Mainland goes in as favorite to repeat its historic 2002 victory,
first ever for a boys' team from the southeast corner of the state, but it
will have plenty of competition from a very deep CBA club, as well as from
Toms River North, Ridgewood and Hunterdon Central.
  Individually, eight of the top 11 finishers in the AG race return,
including defending champion Mohamed Khadraoui of Paterson Kennedy and
Justin Scheid of Pope John, who won the outdoor 3200 title and then became
only the fourth NJ athlete to run under 9:00 for the full 2M distance,
indoors or out, and the first to do it as an underclassman.
  The season gets under way, as last year, with the nighttime Randolph
Invitational at Freedom Park, followed the next day by the St. Dominic
Invitational at Lincoln Park, Jersey City. Once again this year, we are on
the schedule which puts the three state meet week-ends in succession, Nov.
8, 15 and 22, with the Footlocker Regionals on Nov. 29 at Van Cortlandt.
  Now let's look at the top teams and individuals:


TEAMS
  BRIDGEWATER: The surprise team of the 2002 season, qualifying for the AG
race as the second wild card out of Gr. IV, and with a 2nd in the tough CJ
race, this is a club more geared to the shorter track events. John Guzman,
Mike Zecca and Dave Catchpole return from the top five.

  CHEROKEE: Keith Krieger has graduated, but the Chiefs have the rest of
their 2002 team which finished sixth in the AG meet. Junior Sean McLaughlin
should be the team leader, but will get competition from Nick Freeman, Tom
Yersak, Greg Bredeck and Drew DellaMonica.

  CHRISTIAN BROTHERS: Competition to make the top seven here will be fierce
and the lineup could change almost weekly. Will Melofchik is set as the team
leader with fellow senior Pat Ryan probably No. 2 and then it becomes wide
open with senior Jake Zorski, juniors Pete Glackin and Brett Fiorovanti and
soph Greg Leach the most likely to claim the next four spots.

  CINNAMINSON: Another of the pleasant surprises last fall with an early
victory over Haddonfield at the Shore Coaches meet and later close finishes
behind that team in the sectionals and Gr. II affairs. Team leaders Jon
Anderson and Dan Reidenbach return but will have to pick up a new supporting
cast.

  HUNTERDON CENTRAL: The Red Raiders have a solid top three in Chris
Pannone, Greg Lane and Will Rowland, but will be vulnerable after that
against the solid strength of Mainland and CBA.

  MAINLAND: Brian Gertzen was the only graduation loss for the Wild-cats,
with top 11 finishers Greg Hughes and James Wyner both on hand, along with
Spenser Popeson, James Masters and Matt McGroarty. Unless someone comes out
of the blue, as did Wyner last year, there will be no safety net should one
of these fine get injured or have a bad day.

  OLD BRIDGE: Another of the perennial contenders, the Knights were cleaned
out by graduation, but their great depth will no doubt provide another solid
lineup led by holdovers Matt Sperber and Kenny Pascala.

  RED BANK: Much depends here on whether Joe Kingsbery finally gives up
soccer to join track teammates Rob Dennis and Steve Waite in what would be
one of the state's best 1-2-3 combinations.

  RIDGEWOOD: The Maroon had the top frosh team in the state three years ago,
but that hasn't paid off the past two years. But it could be different this
time with Ari Zamir, Kyle Engelken, Brian Davis and Erik Nygaard still on
hand for their last roundup.

  TOMS RIVER NORTH: The Mariners saved the best to past in 2002, almost
upsetting Mainland for all the marbles. Peter Hess has graduated, but the
rest of the team returns, including Dan Bingham and Chris Pisano, who had
great outdoor seasons. Tom Westen and Tom Lesniak provide strong backup.


INDIVIDUALS
  (Note: The number after some of the names indicates their finish in the
2002 AG top 50.)

  DAVID ALFANO, West Orange: Had a strong first half of the season last
fall, then tailed off due to injuries. Came back indoors to run a 4:26.59
mile and hit 9:28.6 for 3200 outdoors.

  JON ANDERSON, Cinnaminson (8): Had a great junior year which con-tinued
into the winter and spring where he had PRs of 4:17.63 and 9:20.79 (with an
8:35.71 3K at Penn

  DAN BINGHAM, Toms River North (36): His CC season last fall was steady,
but unspectacular, but he really blossomed last spring with a 4:19.5 in the
1600 and a 9:24.0 in the 3200.

  CARMEN CAVELLA, Washington Twp: Made a big breakthrough last spring with
three sub-4:20 races, including a 4:13.63 behind Peter Hess in the Gr. IV
race. But he still has to prove himself over the hills.

  ROB DENNIS, Red Bank (9): Won the Monmouth County and CJ titles and was
3rd in Gr, III. Also had a 9:25.57 in the 3200 outdoors.

  GREG HUGHES, Mainland (7): The leader of the Wildcat pack, Hughes took the
Atlantic County and Gr. III titles and was 2nd to John Richardson of Ocean
City in the SJ race. Like the rest of his team, he low-keyed the indoor
season, but came back strong outdoors with a 7th in the AG 3200 at 9:19.04
and a 4:20.2 in the 1600.

  MOHAMED KHADRAOUI, Paterson Kennedy (1): After running (and winning) all
his earlier races at Garrett Mountain, Khadraoui finished only 3rd in the
Gr. IV race, but then topped Peter Hess of Toms River North for the AG
title. An ailing foot kept him out of the Footlocker trials. He won the AG
3200 indoors and ran 4th in the hot outdoor race in 9:13.21, then had quite
s summer racing on the road.

  JEFF KLATSKY, Nutley (44): His best finish last fall was a 2nd (between
Nordenbring and Scotland) in the Essex County race, but he had a big
breakthrough in the spring, running 4:18.93 in the Gr. III 1600.

  MATT KLYPKA, Indian Hills (34): Totally dominated the Gr. I-II scene in NJ
1, taking both county group and sectional honors, then placing 3td behind
Chris Platt and Jon Anderson in the group race. Ran 9:31.5 outdoors (his
team could be a sleeper this fall.)

  PAUL KORNASZEWSKI, Clifton (23): Khadraoui's shadow in most of the Garret
races, Kornaswzewski was 6th in the Gr. IV race and 27th in the Footlocker
trials. Ran 8:46.92 in the Penn 3K and 9:32.5 for 3200 in the sectionals.

  JAMES LAGRECA, Demarest: Had his one poor race last fall at the group
level, so was on the sidelines the next week. Before that, he had won the
Bergen Gr. II title and finished 2nd to Klypka in his conference race and to
senior teammate Dana Garlasco in the sectionals. Ran 9:33.4 for the 3200 in
the spring.

  CONRAD LASKOWSKI, Red Bank Catholic (35): Will be alone this fall with
teammates Matt Picarello and James McCarthy both graduated. (Lucki-ly, he
has a coach who can also serve as a training partner.) He passed his former
teammates in the spring with three sub-9:30 3200s, the best at 9:22.16.

  WILLIAM MELOFCHIK, CBA (19): Won the Parochial A title and ran 2nd to
Justin Scheid in the NJCTC meet. Oudoors, he took the NJCTC 1600 in 4:18.2
and ran 9:21.7 in the 3200.

  OSKAR NORDENBRING: Montclair Kimberley (15): Ran away with his county and
conference races again, but lost his Parochial B title to Justin Scheid. Had
some physical problems indoors, but shook them off in May and took the
Parochial B 3200 in a MR 9:16.46 before placing 5th in the AG race in almost
identical time.

  CHRIS PANNONE, Hunterdon Central (4): His CC season was spectacu-lar with
wins in his county, conference and sectional races and a 4th in gr. IV.
Indoors, he qualified for the Millrose Mile, then finished  2nd in the AG
1600. at 4:17.21, while outdoors he switched focus to the 3200, placing 3rd
in the AGs after a 9:13.87 in Gr. IV.

  BOBBY PAPAZIAN. Gill-St. Bernard's  After a slow start, came on fast to
win the New Jersey Prep and Somerset County titles and 16th (sixth
Jer-seyan) in the Footlocker trials. Had a 9:23.0 2M at the indoor Easterns,
then ran 8:40.88 in the Penn 3K before a foot injury cut short his outdoor
season.

  CHRIS PISANO, Toms River North (26.): Another of the hot sophs from last
fall, Chris joined Hess and Bingham in providing TR North with a great
season last fall. He continued strong last spring, getting under 4:30 in the
1600 and close to 9:30 in the 3200.

  JUSTIN SCHEID, Pope John (6): For both good and bad reasons (the latter
none of his fault), this second-generation star will likely never forget his
junior year, which climaxed with his 8:58.43 2M at Raleigh. His junior CC
season was an all-winning one until the AG meet, but he followed that by
being the first Jerseyan in the Footlocker trials in 10th place.

  BRYAN SCOTLAND, St. Benedict's: Papazian's main rival for the No. 1 soph
last year, Bryan was in the top five in all of his major races last fall. He
had a 4:21.8 1600 outdoors and then placed high in both the 1500 and 3K at
the USTAF JO Nationals (see elsewhere in this issue).

  STEVE WAITE, Red Bank: Has been a steady runner for the Bucs the past two
years and made an impact last spring with a 9:33.0 3200. (But he is a sort
of stand-in in this list for outdoor teammate Joe Kingsbery).

  TOM WALSH, Matawan: Finally made his HS debut last October, quickly
asserting himself with a 5th in the Monmouth Cty meet and 6th in the Shore
Conference, then won the CJ Gr. II title. But, for very personal (and
understandable reason), Tom skipped the group meet. Ran 4:26.0 and 9:33.5
outdoors.

  JERRY WHITTAKER, Mount Olive: Finally shook off a long series of physical
problems last spring to pay off on his earlier promise as he ran 4:18.16 in
that torrid Gr. III 1600. It will be interesting to see what he can do with
a full year of good health.

  JAMES WYNER, Mainland (11): Came off the soccer fields last fall to be the
key factor in his team's close AG victory. His season was brilliant for a
newcomer with top five finishes in all his major races before the AG. After
the usual winter "vacation," came back to run 4:14.77 in the 1600, placing
3rd in the AG race.

  JEREMY ZAGORSKI, Parsippany Hills (10): His CC season followed the usual
pattern with ups (a sectional win) and downs (a wipeout in his county meet.)
Indoors featured a 4:15.75 at the Easterns and, outdoors, he was 2nd to John
Richardson in both group and AG meets with a best of 4:12.88 and took the
Gr. III 3200 in 9:15.35.

  ARI ZAMIR, Ridgewood (20): No championships last fall, but a lot of 2nds
or 3rds. Began to show some track talent indoors with a 4:25.0 1600 and
9:37.88 3200, then really broke through with a6th in the AG 1600 and a PR of
4:18.13.

                                                                OTHERS
  CBA alone has three or four boys who will bear watching this fall: seniors
Jake Zorski and Pat Ryan, junior Pete Glackin and soph Greg Leach.Then there
are 2002 top 50 finishers John Guzman of Bridgewater, Thomas Westen of Toms
River North, Cesar Cordero of Dover, Kyle Alpaugh of Voorhees and  Brian
Goldberg of Haddonfield, Gr. I champ Evan Geilich of Bernards, peripatetic
Dan Reidenbach of Cinnaminson (who divides his school year between NJ and
Virginia), Greg Lane of Hunterdon Central, Jacob Nettleton of Columbia and
last year's frosh standouts Brian Dennis of Hillsboro, Greg Bredeck of
Cherokee and Chris Horel of CBA.


GIRLS

  Everything said about the boys in the adjoining column goes for the girls
as well even with the graduation of the Trotter twins, Lind-say VanAlstine
and Jesse Mizzone. And, like Mainland, Shawnee will be favored, even more
strongly, perhaps, to repeat its 2002 victory.
  And while, for a change, there were more underclass boys than girls in the
top 10s at the AG meet, there were still 29 in the top 50 and this did not
include several hot freshmen who appeared during the indoor and/or outdoor
seasons. And work is there are more to come this fall, though the state's
premier grammar school runer, Brianna Jackucewicz will not hit 9th grade
until 2005. (she would probably have been a top 10 finisher last year).
  And now a look at the top teams and individuals:


TEAMS
  HILLSBORO: The addition of 2002 spring frosh star Allison Marcsisin gives
the Raiders perhaps the state's top 1-2 punch with senior Ashley
Unis-kiewicz. Eileen Cafferty will handle the third spot but the question is
who will fill out the lineup.

 MONTVILLE: A solid 7th in the AG meet last year, this is a mostly sen-ior
team which has been running together since they were freshmen. Ashley Wolf
lead the way with Christine Scherer, the Stanton twins and Danielle Rearon
filling out the lineup.

  MOORESTOWN: Though Meghan Hughes is gone---her track future in doubt after
she quit the sport last spring-the Quakers still have enough left to
challenge for another AG berth against a tough Gr. III field. Caroline
Hipple and Kate Laramie remain from the 4th place 2002 AG club, as well as
Kori Sheldon and Devon O'Connell.

  MORRIS KNOLLS: But for the defection of its top 2001 frosh to soccer, this
would have been an AG starter last fall, led by a pair of talented frosh,
Lauren Gregory and Lauren Berard, They will be backed by classmate Amy
Moratz (whose dad was on those great Morris Catholic teams under Tom
Donohue) and Elle Tansey.

  MSGR. DONOVAN: This team missed the AG race by 13 points last fall, but,
under veteran coach Jack O'Leary and with the likely infusion of a strong
freshman crop to augment juniors Leah Brogan and Maggie Taverna, will be the
team to beat for the Parochial A crown this fall. Soph Tara Watson will also
be a key player.

  OLD BRIDGE: The absence of Mara McInerney kept this team out of the AG
last fall, but she returned in the spring and should be ready to join fellow
juniors Shannon Robinson and Kaitlyn Regan to lead the Knights to a big
season this year and next.

  PRINCETON: After barely qualifying for the AG meet as second wild card
from Gr. III, the Tigers matched that finish in the final race. Leader
Dilshane Perera, a top 10 finisher, is gone (like Hughes, she quite the
sport after CC), but senior Meghan Lynch and soph Eleanore Spinazzi, who had
a great spring, return.

  SHAWNEE: The Renegades came on sloly last year, but were in top form by
state meet time and, after losing a close sectional race to TR East, topped
the Raiders by five in the Gr. IV meet and by 15 for the AG title. Leaders
Kim Bonner and Robin McDowell return. As does Katie Quinn, whose 20th and
30th-place finishes were the difference in the group and AG races,

  TOMS RIVER EAST: Looked like the winner last year until Shawnee rallied in
the final weeks. Graduation took away leader Jen Blank, but left behins the
3 "A's,: Alexis Gray, Alysia Budd and Allison Root, plus Kelly Chencharik.
So 2003 could be a repeat of 2002.

  VOORHEES: The Vikings were a disappointing 8th in the AG race last fall,
but should improve on that this fall with Sara Best and Lauren Rugge coming
off great outdoor campaigns, Lillian Perez providing a steady pres-ence and
the probably addition of outdoor frosh star.



INDIVIDUAL
  (The number after some of the names indicates the finish in the 2002
all-group meet)

  SARA BEST, Voorhees (15): Leader of the pack for the Vikings and a genuine
two-sport star, Sara finished 2nd in Gr. II last fall and won her county,
conference and sectional titles. After a fine basketball season, she
returned to the track, running 8th in the AG 800 in 2:15.63 and also
clocking 5:09.10 in the 1600.

  KIM BONNER, Shawnee (10): The steady leader of the Renegades scored her
only title win in the Olympic Conference, but was in the top five in her
group, sectional and conference outings. Not known for her track exploits,
she nevertheless got down to 11:15.0 for 3200 outdoors.

  LEAH BROGAN, Msgr. Donovan (17): came on strong as a soph under Jack O'
Leaty's tutelage with high finishes in four big races: the Ocean County,
Shore Conference, NJCTC and Parochial A. Had a great spring as well with
four races under 11:20, victories in the Parochial A and NJCTC meets and a
sixth in the AG.

  LISA BURKHOLDER, Cherokee: A later starter in the freshman sweep-stakes
last year, Lisa was near the head of the class by June, running 4th in the
AG 1600 and taking the yearling mile at the Nationals in 5:01.94. Also ran
2:17.06 for 800.

  BRITTNEE BYNOE, Willingboro: One of the 2002 "wunderkind," this double
second-generation runner faded out of the picture at the group and AG meets,
but before that had a big win over Meghan Hughes in Burlington County and a
2nd to fellow frosh Brittany Sedberry of Ocean City at the sectionals. Hit
her track peak with a 5:06.53 win at the indoor AG meet, then ran 5:13.0 and
11:11.98 in a curtailed outdoor campaign.

  COLLEEN CALHOUN, Ewing: Unlike some of her fellow freshman, Colleen didn't
run badly at the AG meet, she never got there (or to the Gr. III meet),
After placing 3rd in the CJ race, well behind the Trotters, she was called
for one of those stupid bureaucratic rules which infect our sport at the HS
level, It affacted the rest of her season, unfortunately.

  ANNIE CARNEY, Hopewell Valley (50): This great-niece of the great Art
Carney played a big pre-AG role with HoVall's success, placing 4th in her
county meet, 2nd in the sectionals and 5th in the groups. Outdoors, she was
even better. Winning both the sectional and groups and placing 7th in the AG
with a PR of 11:08.35.

  JACQUIE CARROLL, Wayne Valley: Nothing special last fall, as she was
overshadowed by Mizzone, VanAlstine, Mizzone and Meghan Gaffney, but Jacqui
had a very solid track year, both indoors and out with PRs of 5:11.4 and
11:18.7.

  JEN CLAUSEN, Jackson: Probably should not have run the AG meet with an
ailing leg, but before that was the state's No. 1 frosh with six major wins,
including Ocean County and Group IV. Was 5th in the indoor AG 3200 in
11:16.99 and 4th outdoors after a 10:53.9 win at the sectionals. Also ran
5:08.1 for the 1600.

  JEN CROGHAN, Lacordaire (39): Another frosh who had all-group troubles at
the end of an otherwise great campaign. She defeated a recovering Lindsay
VanAlstine for the Parichal B title, took the Essex County race handily and
was a close second to Bridget Skeuse of Immaculata in Parochial A, Ran a
5:11.60 mile and an 11:30.54 indoors and got down to 11:16.17 for the longer
race outdoors.

  BECKY CROSSIN, North Hunterdon: An uneventful CC season last fall and
nothing to talk about indoors, but Becky blossomed last spring, placing 3rd
in the AG 800 in 2:13.86 and also running 5:04.04 in the 1600.

  ERIN ENDERLY, Ocean Twp (7): That all-group finish was the highlight of a
CC season, matching exactly her place in CJ and bettering by three her Gr.
III finish. She was, of course, constantly confronted by the Trotter twins
in all three seasons, so victories were out of the question. Outdoors, she
dipped below 11:00 in the Gr. III race and had a 10:28.13 in the Penn 3K.

  JENN ENNIS, Roxbury: Another of the frosh who suffered a late-season
letdown, hers due  to  illness.  Before that, however. She had  clinched
all-state honors with victories in her sectional, conference and county
races, plus an impressive invitational season. Her indoor season was solid
with a 4th in the AG 1600, plus a 5:13.71 mile at the Easterns, and an
11:25.28 in the 3200, but illness again cut into her outdoor campaign.

  MEGHAN GAFFNEY, Pompton Lakes: Meghan missed the AG meet last year by two
places in Gr. II (III and IV took all the wild card slots). Nothing daunted,
she came back with strong track performances, running 5:09.09 and 11:28.8
outdoors.

  ALEXIS GRAY, Toms River East (Jr.): Will probably take over as the Raiders
' leader this fall with Blank gone. Alexis was a steady No. 2 last fall with
a top 10 finish in her county, conference and sectional meets.

  KAREN GUTHRIE, Mendham (4): This was the big shock of the AG race---Karen
had won nothing during the season and was only 7th in the Gr. III event a
week earlier. It was almost the same indoors; after being oversha-dowed by
Ennis in Morris County, Karen placed 3rd in the AG in 11:09.41. It was the
reverse outdoors, where she ran under 11:10 in both the sectional and group
races, then was well back at the AGs.

  KATHLEEN HENRY, Ridge (9): Her finish was another of the big surprises of
the AG meet-she had gotten out of the sectional level only as a team runner.
But she had run steadily against tough competition in her county and
conference meets before that. She had great local success outdoors and ran
11:20.67 in the sectionals.

  LAUREN LEWIS, Southern Ocean: Injuries wrecked her CC season last fall
(after a great training camp), but a quick comeback indoors with a 2nd in
the AG 800 and a 5:06.8 1600 at the Varsity Classic. A wipeout in the
outdoor AG, but two sub-2:12 899s after that and a 5:04.2 1600.

  ROBIN MCDOWELL, Shawnee (33): A bit better than teammate Bonner on the
track, Robin ran 11:16.6 for the 3200 last spring.

  ALLISON MARCSISIN, Hillsboro: Another late starter who came on like
gangbusters outdoors, running 5:06.5 for 1600 and 11:08.27 for 3200.

  LISA MILLER, West Windsor-Plainsboro South (35): Will be right in the
middle of what looks like an interesting battle for the Mercer County title
this fall after a 2nd place finish last year. Had a very solid spring,
running 5:12.10 for the 1600 and 11:09.8 for the 3200.

  BRITTANY SEDBERRY, Ocean City (5): Appeared on the scene last fall with
little fanfare, but quickly moved to the head of the freshman class, winning
everything she entered until a 4th place finish (behind the Trotters and
Mizzone) in the Gr. III meet. Continued on course outdoors, placing 2nd in
the AG 3200 with a PR of 10:48.42 in the Gr. III race.

  AMANDA SMITH, Pingry (32): The fall included a runaway in the Colonial
Hills and a 3rd behind Croghan and VanAlstine in the Parochial B race. No
indoor season (Pingry does not field a team), but a steady outdoor season
capped by an 11:12.8 win over Marcsisin in the Somerset Cty meet.

  ASHLEY WOLF, Montville (38): A summer basketball injury a year ago made
for a late start in CC, but, on her return, Ashley was 2nd in her county
meet, won the sectionals and placed 6th in the tough Gr. III race.
Basketball again in the winter, but then a great spring, which included a
quad in awful weather at the Morris County meet (she's also quite a HJer), a
5:00.48 in the Gr. III 1600 and a 5th in the AF 3200 with a PR 10:54.92 in
the Gr. III race.

  VANESSA WRIGHT, Haddonfield: Ran out of the money at the AG meet last
fall, but won Gr. II the week before and also took the sectional crown and
the soph race at Footlocker. Injuries took her out of the indoor season and
also made her outdoor season erratic, but she still had a sctional 3200 win
at 11:14.5 and ran 5:11.5 for 1600.


OTHERS
  The big question, of course, is whether Casey Nelson will leave the soccer
field this fall. If so, she would move near the head of the class. The other
is the incoming frosh class which does not have much advance notice, as was
the case last year. Others of note are sophs Allison Root of TR East, Lauren
Gregory and Lauren Berard of Morris Knolls and Kellee Hand of Howell, plus
upperclassmen Liz Hankinson of Oak Knoll, Caroline Hipple of Morrestown,
Meaghan Lynch of Moorestown, Katie Quinn of Shawnee, Julie Ullmeyer of
Shore, Caitlin Hemmer of IHA and Kathy Salmon of Westfield.