Meet of Champions winner and the New Jersey Holmdel course record holder Megan Venables.
With the end of the 2010s upon us we decided it would be fitting to list an All-Decade cross country team and program for the State of New Jersey.
With so much talent to pack in this was not an easy process, and for athletes to make these teams they really needed some titles won on their side to get the conversation started - whether that be at the state or post-season levels and then moving back from there to more local stuff, noting times clocked, and so on. Let's just say there were definitely athletes outside these chosen seven that were in deep consideration for the positions.
Meet of Champions winner Briana Gess at the 2015 South Sectionals.
Also this is an all-decade list, so this takes in their entire body of work during the 2010s not just one season. On the other end of that, for certain athletes this may cut off some of their competition years if they graduated at the start of the decade.
All individuals are listed in alphabetical order, there are seven to a team and there is one program (school and coach) that has been selected as well.
A thank you to Jim Lambert for his aide in selecting these honors. Congratulations to everyone who made the team!
Girls All-Decade Team
2-time Meet of Champions winner Alyssa Aldridge.
| Name | Team | Years in Decade | Holmdel PR | Accolades |
| Mainland Reg '18 | 2014-2017 | 17:55 | 2xMOCs winner, All-American FL, Winner, 3x G3 Champ, 4 years never lower than 2nd at MOCs, 15th all-time Holmdel. | |
| The Lawrenceville School '22 | 2018-2019 | 18:00 | NXRNE Winner, 2xAll-American, 2x NXN Qualifier, 19th all-time with one race at Holmdel. | |
| High Point Reg '13 | 2010-2012 | 17:47 | MOCs Winner, All-American NXN, 2xNXN Qualifier, G2 Champ, 8th all-time Holmdel. | |
| Haddonfield '17 | 2013-2016 | 17:45 | MOCs Winner, 3xG2 Champ, Foot Locker Qualifier, 3 top-3 finishes at MOCs, 6th all-time Holmdel | |
| North Hunterdon '20 | 2016-2019 | 17:45 | MOCs Winner, 3xNXN Qualifier, 3 top five finishes at MOCs, 3 team MOCs Titles, G4 Champs, 6th all-time Holmdel | |
| Randolph '19 | 2015-2018 | 17:52 | MOCs Winner, 2xG4 Champ, 4 top-15 finishes at MOCs, 2x Foot Locker Qualifier, All-American, 13th all-time Holmdel | |
| Highland Reg '11 | 2010 | 17:28 | MOCs Winner, G3 Champ, 5th at Foot Locker, All-American, NJ's Holmdel course record, 2nd all-time Holmdel |
*Venables' only had her 2010 season counted for this article but she had four Meet of Champions appearances in total including a 13th, 5th, 2nd, and 1st place finish. Was also top ten in the Group 3 Championship all four years.
*Bednar was with the Hun School of Princeton as a freshman before transferring to The Lawrenceville School for her sophomore year. While she doesn't compete in the NJSIAA meets she has certainly made her case for the team in other ways such as Regionals and Nationals success, fast course times, and local and Prep State Titles.
*When we have the word Qualifier in their accolades, this could be either individual or team berth.
Girls All-Decade Program
Head Coach Sean Walsh second from top left.
North Hunterdon
Head Coach: Sean Walsh
- Three straight Meet of Champions wins - 2017, 2018, 2019.
- In 2016 they were second at the Meet of Champions and have qualified for the meet out of the talent heavy Group 4 seven of the ten years this decade. Currently on a six year streak of MOCs qualification from the Group meet.
- Four straight Nike Cross Northeast Regional victories and Nike Cross Nationals qualifications.
- They have four individual girls on the top 100 All-Decade New Jersey list at Holmdel Park including Chloe Gonzalez, tied for second at 17:45, Eve Glasergreen, 18th at 18:15, Emily Nugent, 49th at 18:34, and Elena DiMarcello, 64th with 18:40.
- Chloe Gonzalez is sixth all-time at Holmdel Park with that 17:45, Eve Glasergreen 31st all-time.
- The teams seven Meet of Champions advancements have brought in three Championships, one second place, one fifth place, a seventh place, and an eighth place finish as a team.
Some Team Highlight Stories from the Decade
- 2019 MOCs Story: North Hunterdon Wins Three Straight MOCs, This is Not Easy
- 2019 MOCs Story: Gonzalez Wins MOCs, Leads Dominant Skyland Conference Lineup
- 2018 MOCs Recap: North Hunterdon Repeats
- 2017 MOCs Recap: North Hunterdon Breaks Through to Win First MOCs Title Since 1986
North Hunterdon's Top 10 at Holmdel Park During 2010s
| RANK | TIME | ATHLETE/TEAM | GRADE | MEET DATE PLACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17:45.00 | North Hunterdon HS | 2020 | |
| 2 | 18:15.00 | North Hunterdon HS | 2015 | |
| 3 | 18:34.00 | North Hunterdon HS | 2019 | |
| 4 | 18:40.00 | North Hunterdon HS | 2019 | |
| 5 | 18:57.00 | North Hunterdon HS | 2021 | |
| 6 | 19:04.00 | North Hunterdon HS | 2022 | |
| 7 | 19:05.00 | North Hunterdon HS | 2014 | |
| 7 | 19:05.00 | North Hunterdon HS | 2017 | |
| 9 | 19:17.00 | North Hunterdon HS | 2019 | |
| 10 | 19:32.28 | North Hunterdon HS | 2021 |
Ellie DiMarcello on the left and Chloe Gonzalez on the right.
