The NJ# 3 North Hunterdon girls, led by Chloe Gonzalez, and Mendham's Jack Jennings shredded the trails, a pair of freshmen sparkled, history was made, winning streaks were extended, and droughts were snapped at the North Jersey, Section 2 Championships on Saturday at Greystone in Morris Plains.
In the girls Group 4 race, North Hunterdon torched the 3.1-mile layout!!
With the Georgetown-bound Gonzalez leading the charge by winning her second straight in 17:37, the Lions put four runners under 19 and averaged a course record 18:44 to capture its fifth title in a row and 21st overall.
North Hunterdon, the defending Meet of Champions winner, went 1+4+5+6+15 to defeat Skyland Conference rival and NJ#6 Ridge, 31-42. North Hunterdon's performance also vaulted the Lions to the top of the merge scoring at Greystone, 49-62 over Group 3 winner and NJ #2 Middletown South.
Ridge, the Somerset County champion, ran a great race, averaging a school course record 19:04.
The biggest individual highlight in the boys races was the course record tying run by Jennings, who won the Group 3 race in 15:07, matching the Greystone course record he ran last month at the NJAC Championships
BOYS HIGHLIGHTS
GROUP 4 - Full Results
NJ# 8 Ridge defeated defending champion and NJ#6 Westfield, 36-49, to win its first title since 2009 and 9th overall.
Individually, Will Loggia of Westfield edged Jackson Barna of Ridge, 15:49 to 15:50 to win 2nd straight title. Loggia is first repeat winner from Westfield since Jeff Perrella (2005-06).
| 1 | Ridge HS | 36 | 2+4+6+9+15 (19+25) | 0:48 1-5 Split | 16:14 Avg | ||
| 2 | Westfield HS | 49 | 1+8+10+14+16 (20+21) | 0:50 1-5 Split | 16:23 Avg | ||
GROUP 3 - Full Results
The course record equaling performance by Jack Jennings (15:07) ignited NJ#4 Mendham to its third title in a row and 7th overall.
| 1 | Mendham HS | 27 | 1+2+4+6+14 (15+66) | 1:34 1-5 Split | 16:03 Avg | ||
| 2 | West Morris Central HS | 82 | 5+10+18+23+26 (48+52) | 0:51 1-5 Split | 16:41 Avg | ||
GROUP 2 - Full Results
Bernards wins 2nd in a row in and 33rd sectional title, No. 2 in state history behind Haddonfield's 37.
Soph. Adam Angelone of Madison runs a PR of 16:26 to win the race. He's the first boy from Madison to win since Hany Abdallah in 2003.
| 1 | Bernards HS | 31 | 4+5+6+7+9 (10+21) | 0:33 1-5 Split | 16:50 Avg | ||
| 2 | Madison HS | 92 | 1+8+16+23+44 (68+71) | 2:37 1-5 Split | 17:40 Avg | ||
GROUP 1 - Full Results
Secaucus, led by head coach Stan Fryczynski (AKA Captain Blue Hat) wins its first title since 2005 and 2nd overall.
James Troiano ran 16:42 to become the first boys winner from Whippany Park since Brian Saliter captured a third straight in 1998.
| 1 | Secaucus HS | 37 | 2+6+7+9+13 (14+27) | 1:07 1-5 Split | 17:30 Avg | ||
| 2 | McNair Academic HS | 75 | 8+15+16+17+19 (20+22) | 0:56 1-5 Split | 18:07 | ||
GIRLS HIGHLIGHTS
GROUP 4 - Full Results
North Hunterdon's girls blazed to a Greystone course record avg. 18:44 to to defeat NJ#4 Ridge, 31-42. It's the 5th title in a row and 21st overall for the Lions. Georgetown-bound Chloe Gonzalez led the surge by winning her second straight title in 17:37.
| 1 | North Hunterdon HS | 31 | 1+4+5+6+15 (20+22) | 2:14 1-5 Split | 18:44 Avg | ||
| 2 | Ridge HS | 42 | 2+7+8+9+16 (19+29) | 1:54 1-5 Split | 19:04 Avg | ||
GROUP 3 - Full Results
NJ#2 Middletown South, led by freshman champion Reese Fayhs (18:31), averages a school course record 19:06 to win 6th title in 9 years to defeat defending champion and NJ#6 Mendham, 23-39 Fahys is Middletown South's first sectional winner since Casie Kerr in 1999.
Julia Trethaway of West Morris, one of the favorites to win the girls Group 3 race, didn't run due to a sore hip.
| 1 | Middletown South HS | 23 | 1+3+5+6+8 (15+29) | 0:55 1-5 Split | 19:07 Avg | ||
| 2 | Mendham HS | 39 | 2+4+7+9+17 (21+33) | 1:04 1-5 Split | 19:25 Avg | ||
GROUP 2 - Full Results
Bernards makes it two straight straight and 16th titles overall. Madison junior Jamie Habib wins her second straight sectional title in 19:31.1 | Bernards HS | 33 | 2+4+5+7+15 (17+20) | 1:54 1-5 Split | 20:40 Avg | ||
| 2 | Madison HS | 70 | 1+6+14+21+28 (30) | 3:17 1-5 Split | 21:23 Avg | ||
GROUP 1 - Full Results
Freshmen Haley Nowak runs 20:09 to become the first girls champion ever from Secaucus, and McNair Academic wins its third title in a row and 7th overall.
| 1 | McNair Academic HS | 40 | 3+6+8+9+14 (28+30) | 2:09 1-5 Split | 21:45 Avg | ||
| 2 | Jonathan Dayton HS | 58 | 4+10+13+15+16 (18+20) | 2:50 1-5 Split | 22:27 Avg | ||