Girls Group Championship Preview


Non-Public A

2019 NPA Leaders - Sectional Merge Leaders

2018 Results - Defending Champs: 100m - Sydney Tucker, 200m - Mariah Fede, 400m - Kaira Brown, 800m - Leena Morant, 1600m - Nicole Vanasse, 3200m - Jerika Lufrano, 400H - Aliya Rae Garozzo, HJ - Tiffany Bautista, LJ - Tiffany Bautista, TJ - Tiffany Bautista, D - Grace O'Mara. Defending Relay Champs: 4x100m - Union Catholic, 4x400m - Union Catholic, 4x800m - Pope John XXIII. Team Champions: Union Catholic. 

Union Catholic leads the Non-Public A season rankings in eight of the 18 state meet events. Individually for this team watch out for Sydney Tucker in the 100m and 200m, Leena Morant in the 800m at 2:09.00, Jerika Lufrano in both the 1600m and 3200m, all three of UC's relays, and Alexandra Kwasnik in the high jump. 

Kaira Brown, the defending Meet of Champions 400m champ, is the 400m favorite heading into NPA with her 54.91 on the season. 

The hurdle events are led by two juniors who've put together a strong year. Aliya Rae Garozzo of Paul VI the top seed in the 100H and Mariah Fede of Paramus Catholic the top entry in the 400H with Garozzo not far behind. 

We move to the field and watch out for Paramus Catholic. The likes of Tiffany Bautista who had the best jumps in the high jump at 5-04 (tied with others) and triple jump at 39-02 for NPA at Sectionals, Isabelle Dely who leads the long jump at 18--07. Their teammate Briana Thomas is a strong favorite in the shot put with her 40-7 season mark.  

State leader Caroline Dannenbaum is the top vaulter coming in by far, she has a 12-06.25 clearance on the season and went over the 12-01.5 bar at Sectionals. Could she go after that 13-00 All-Group record set by Hayley Horvath last spring? 

Julianna Feit leads the javelin at 114-01, Grace O'Mara  of Pingry the discus at 131-2.

Team Look: Union Catholic has been on an absolute tear winning four straight since 2015, and all signs point to five straight after their record setting Non-Public A South Sectional win last week scoring 240 points! Also looking toward strong showings is Paramus Catholic, Paul VI, Red Bank Catholic, Kent Place.