New Jersey's 2010s All-Decade Cross Country Teams


2-time Meet of Champs winner Devin Hart.

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.


Jim Rosa winning the 2010 Meet of Champions. 

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!

Boys All-Decade Team

Holmdel Park course record holder Edward Cheserek.

NameTeamYears in DecadeHolmdel PRAccolades

Edward Cheserek

St. Benedict's Prep '13
2010-201314:532xFoot Locker Nationals Winner, 2x FL Regionals winner, 2nd at NXN as Soph, 3xNJISAA Prep A Champ, Holmdel Park course record holder. 

Blaise Ferro

Christian Brothers '162012-201515:362xAll-American at NXN, NXN Regional winner, 3xNXN Qualifier, 4x MOCs Qualifier, 2xNPA Champ, 2x top-10 finishes at MOCs, 28th all-time at Holmdel.

Devin Hart

Pt. Pleasant Boro '19
2015-201815:342xMOCs winner, 2xFoot Locker Qualifier, All-American at FL, 2xG2 Champ, 4xQualifier for MOCs w/ three top-8 finishes, 26th all-time at Holmdel

Mike McClemens

Christian Brothers '142010-201315:26MOCs winner, 3xNXN Qualifier, All-American NXN, 3xMOCs Qualifier, 1xNPA Champ (2nd twice), 10th all-time at Holmdel. 

Liam Murphy

Allentown'202018-201915:21MOCs winner, 2xFoot Locker / 1xNXN Qualifier, All-American NXN, two top 3 finishes MOCs, 8th all-time at Holmdel.  

Tom O'Neill

Middletown North '14
2010-201315:26MOCs winner, 2xG3 Champ, NXN Qualifier, 2xMOCs Qualifier, 2 top 10 finishes, 10th all-time at Holmdel. 

Jim Rosa

WWP North '11201015:15MOCs winner, NXN Qualifier, NXN Regional Winner, G3 Champ, 3rd all-time at Holmdel.

*Jim Rosa only had his 2010 year counted in this all-decade list but he had four Meet of Champions appearances with three top six finishes including the 2010 win, made it to NXN three times his career. Also note that Joe Rosa, who is an all-time great as well, unfortunately had an injury his senior year and did not race in 2010 if you are wondering why he isn't on this list.  

*When we have the word Qualifier in their accolades, this could be either individual or team berth. 

Boys All-Decade Program


Tom Heath celebrating a 21st Meet of Champions victory in 2015. 

Christian Brothers Academy

Head Coaches: Tom Heath (1971-2015), Sean McCafferty (2016-Present)

  • Won nine of the ten possible Meet of Champions titles during the 2010s. 
  • Their Meet of Champions victories were from 2010-2015 and 2017-2019, and they qualified for the Meet of Champions every year placing third in 2016. 
  • The Colts are currently on a 10 year streak of qualifying for Nike Cross Nationals. 
  • They won a Nike Cross Nationals Championship title in 2011 and finished top five at NXN in 2010, 2012, and 2013. 
  • They have a National record dual meet win streak that is now at 368 wins, obviously carrying through the entire decade, it has been alive since 1974. 
  • They have 10 boys on the top 100 All-Decade New Jersey list at Holmdel Park including all the names listed in the chart below.  
  • Mazzaccaro, McClemens, Ferro, Kelly, and Powell all rank in the top 50 all-time at Holmdel Park. Mazzaccaro ranked seventh with 15:20 and McClemens tied for 10th at 15:26.  

Some Team Highlight Stories from the Decade

Coach Sean McCafferty can be found on the top right. Now an Assistant Coach, Mike Mazzaccaro who ran the fastest CBA Holmdel time of the decade at 15:19 is on the top left. 

CBA's Top Ten at Holmdel Park During 2010s

RANKTIMEATHLETE/TEAMGRADEMEET DATE PLACE
115:19.20
Christian Brothers Academy
2011
215:26.00
Christian Brothers Academy
2014
315:36.00
Christian Brothers Academy
2016
415:37.00
Christian Brothers Academy
2012
515:41.00
Christian Brothers Academy
2020
615:51.00
Christian Brothers Academy
2014
715:54.00
Christian Brothers Academy
2012
815:58.00
Christian Brothers Academy
2018
916:00.00
Christian Brothers Academy
2013
916:00.00
Christian Brothers Academy
2019
Above Photo by Patrick Bendzick


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