So who will be the first runner to cross the line at Holmdel Park at the Meet of Champions in November and a become a NJ Legend of The Fall?
As I gaze into my crystal ball, I can't quite make out who it is. It's still a little foggy. But what I do see is a pack of 20 runners who should all make a huge impact on the trails this season.
More: New Jersey XC Preseason Series
Among those 20 studs, it's hard to imagine one of them not emerging victorious at the Meet of Champions. Will it be one of the preseason favorites? Will it be an upset special? You just never really know in the sport of cross country. This time last year, who was picking Micah Lawson of Rahway to win? Come on, be honest. Micah and his family and Rahway coach Leon Bunion might have been the only ones who really believed it could happen.
Ok, it's time to let you know about those 20 runners mentioned earlier, who should be burning up the XC trails this season.
Keep in mind that these aren't rankings or predictions. This is just a list of 20 boys who we feel you should keep a close eye on this season. They are listed in alphabetical order.
20 NJ XC Boys To Watch For 2023
Joe Barrett, JR, Christian Brothers Academy
As a sophomore last fall, Barrett won the State Non-Public A title with a Holmdel PR of 15:43, placed 7th at the Meet of Champions in 15:43, won the Shore Conference title in 14:59 at Ocean County Park, ran 16:07 at Bowdoin Park, and placed 11th at the Nike NE Regional. Last spring, Barrett dropped huge PR's of 4:15.57 for 1,600 and 9:04.64 for 2-miles.
Conor Clifford, SR, Christian Brothers Academy
Ran 16:24 to place 20th at the Meet of Champions as a junior last year, and had a big spring by dropping PR's of 4:13.74 for 1,600 and 9:15.75 for 3,200.
Ryan Daly, JR, Westfield
Daly was one of several sophomores in the state who sparkled last year as he ran sub 17 at Holmdel three times, including a 16:44 to place 41st at the Meet of Champions. He also ran 15:42 at Oak Ridge Park and 16:56 at Bowdoin Park. But the best was yet to come in the spring when Daly pulled off a shocking in the 1,600 at the Group 4 Championships with a time of 4:16.63.
Santino D'Amelio, SR, Southern Regional
Finished 25th at the Meet of Champions last year in 16:31, and ran 16:51 at Bowdoin Park and 15:56 at Ocean County Park. On the track, he dropped his PR's down to 4:25.78 for 1,600 and 9:27.54 for 3,200.
Lukas Disko, JR, Bridgewater-Raritan
As a sophomore last year, he ran 16:39 to place 14th at the Group 4 Championships, went 16:46 to finished 42nd at the Meet of Champions, and ran 16:27 at Pleasant Valley Park, 15:41 at Oak Ridge, and 16:42 at Van Cortlandt. On the track, he went 4:28.20 for the mile, and 9:24.35 for 3,200.
Jack Falkowski, SR, Christian Brothers Academy
Finished 15th a the Meet of Champions as a junior last year and owns a Holmdel Park PR of 16:13. He also ran 16:43 at Bowdoin Park and 15:25 at Ocean County Park. On the track he owns PR's of 4:18.53 for 1,600 and 9:20.55 for 3,200.
Avery Keith, SR, Westfield
In his first season of XC as a junior last year, Keith ran 15:59 at Holmdel Park, dropped a 15:41 at Warinanco Park, placed 10th at the Meet of Champions, and ran 16:10 to finish 9th at the Nike NE Regional. Keith ran PR's of 4:15.87 in the 1,600 (indoors) and 9:08.71 for 3,200 last spring.
More: Boys Holmdel Park Returner Rankings
Alex Kemp, SR, Christian Brothers Academy
As a junior last year, he ran 16:28 at Holmdel Park and 16:39 at Bowdoin Park. He ran PR's of 4:22.02 for the mile and 9:15.74 for 3,200 last spring.
Nick Kuenkel, SR, Cherokee
Kuenkel's fourth place finish in 15:41 at the Meet of Champions as a junior last fall makes him the top returning finisher from the M of C. He also ran 15:22 to win the SJ Group 4 title, 15:51 to capture the Burlington County Open Championships, and finished 24th in 16:38 at the Nike Northeast Regional. Last spring, he ran PR's of 4:179.8 for 1,600 and 1:56.76 for 800.
Stephen Kyvelos, SR, Manalapan
Won the Monmouth County title in 16:23, captured the Central Jersey, Group 4 title in 15:43, ran 15:00 to place second at the Shore Conference Championship, and ran a Holmdel PR of 16:12 to place 14th at the Meet of Champions as a junior last year.
Brenden McMahon, JR, Ridge
After a strong sophomore season on the trails last year, highlighted by a 16:43 at Holmdel Park, a 16:24 at Pleasant Valley Park and 16:01 at Oak Ridge Park, McMahon dropped a huge PR of 9:08.43 to place third in the 3,200 at the State Group 4 Championships last spring. McMahon seems poised for a huge XC season.
Luke Pash, JR, Ridgewood
By placing second in the Group 4 3,200 in 9:06.10, the second fastest time by a sophomore in the state last spring, and running 4:20.03 in the 1,600, Pash showed he's capable of slicing a huge chunk of time off his Holmdel PR of 16:50 and a being a contender in all the major championship races this season.
Robert Poplau, SR, Cherokee
After running a huge Holmdel PR of 16:39 to place 31st at the Meet of Champions last year as a junior, Poplau ran 4:21.50 for 1,600 and 1:56.31 for 800 last spring.
Maan Patel, SR, Monroe Township
As a junior last year, Patel placed second at the GMC Championships, ran 16:02 at Thompson Park, making him the second fastest returner on that layout, and he ran 16:47 at Holmdel Park. Last spring, he lowered his 3,200 PR to 9:16.32.
Nate Roberts, SR, Summit
Roberts ran a big Holmdel PR of 16:36 as a junior last year and went 16:59 at Bowdoin Park. On the track, he ran PR's of 4:18.98 for 1,600 and 9:26.16 for 3,200.
Alex Saldana, SR, Union Catholic
Saldana had a huge junior year for the Vikings last year. He ran 16:08 at Holmdel Park, placed 16th at the Meet of Champions, ran 15:46 at Warinanco Park, and dropped a 16:20 at Bowdoin Park when he finished 14th at the Nike Northeast Regional. He ran a PR of 4:22.49 in the 1,600 last spring.
Peyton Shute, SR, Woodbury
After running big PR's of 1:55.16 for 800, 4:12.13 for the mile, and 9:11.11 for 3,200 as a junior last spring, Shute appears ready to shatter his Holmdel PR of 16:01 that he ran at the Shore Coaches Invit. and be a contender in every major championship. Shute also ran 15:16 to win the SJ Group 3 title last year, and finished second in Group 3 and 11th at the Meet of Meet of Champions,
Noah Smith, SR, Hunterdon Central
As a junior last year, Smith ran a Holmdel PR of 16:40 at the State Group 4 Championships, ran 16:35 on Phillipsburg's tough layout, and threw down a 15:41 at Oak Ridge Park. He ran PR's of 4:22.29 for 1,600, and 9:20.96 for 3,200 last spring.
Evan Weber, JR, Union Catholic
Weber put together a very impressive sophomore campaign on the trails last fall, running under 16:40 three times at Holmdel with a best of 16:33. He finished 28th at the Meet of Champions and has PR's of 4:27.03 for 1,600 and 9:31.02 for 3,200.
Jimmy Wischusen, SR, Union Catholic
As a junior last fall, Wischusen dropped a 15:22 at the Shore Coaches Invitational, tied for No. 11 in Holmdel Park history, but was sidelined with an injury after that race for the rest of the season. He came back to win the 3,200 at the Indoor Meet of Champions, and ran 4:11.34 in the mile and 9:01.05 for the 3,200 last spring before an injury knocked him out of the state meets. Wischusen is healthy again, and if everything is clicking he'll be tough for anyone in the state to beat.
