Record Sports / NJIC Pre-Season Boys Cross Country Team Review
COLONIAL
Eastern Christian is rebuilding behind junior Benamin Postma.
Garfield only lost one senior from last year’s team and with seniors Usama Lahham, Emmanuel Rosas and Christopher Yorke have the chance to have a great season.
Glen Rock has a very good trio in seniors Joe McCabe, Andrew Roderich and junior Andrew Lagattuta and is depending on some first time cross-country runners who are great athletes but new to distance running.
Harrison is led by senior Alexis Vinanzaca.
Leonia welcomes a new coach in Chris Kearns, replacing long-time head coach Pete Shanno. Senior John Perino and juniors Ryan Chang, Nico Echavez and Michael Kang give the Lions an excellent chance to improve.
Lyndhurst has won three straight divisional titles and senior all-league returnees Andrew Ellis and Billy Weckstein are the leaders in the attempt to make it four straight.
New Milford has a great chance to contend with a great senior class led by Nick Lenge, Russell Johnson, Luke Tyler, Gabriel Lopez, Koleen Tolentino and Jade Torres.
Pompton Lakes has the largest team in school history and veteran coach Chris Patrick calls his top five of seniors Alex Rios, Jacob Nestle and Jake Geddings and sophs Evan Cornwell and Josh Myers the best he’s had in 21 years of coaching.
Rutherford is another contender in this wide-open division with six returnees. Seniors Danny Sullivan, Justin Dacany and Jacob Snapp and juniors Michael Castellanos, Jack Whaley and Taha Faiq all had good seasons last year and Sullivan and Castellanos were all-league.
MEADOWLANDS
Becton/Wallington is rebuilding.
Hasbrouck Heights graduated only one senior from last year’s team and seniors Bryan Cobcobo and Gangshar Lama and junior Ryan Mernin are leaders in their bid for a title.
North Arlington is led by potential league champion Sirish Modhagala.
Paterson Charter isn’t winning yet, but the team keeps growing in numbers. Senior returnees Norberto Ramirez, Joshua Thomas, Terrance Ferguson, Anthony Guzmon and Nathaneal Otanez are a good core for an improving team.
Ridgefield’s best runner is senior TJ Casciano.
Saddle Brook is the defending league meet champion and with returning league champ Sean Roberts and returning seniors Tommy Breedveld, Daniel Cruz, Amandeep Singh, Jason Vicioso, Sebastien Rivero and Donald Murphy can win again.
Secaucus was undefeated in the duals last year to share the division title, and this year seniors Ali Alobaidi, Adam Khriss, Ming Liang Lin, Oscar Martinez, junior Austin Hawxhurst and soph Mo Alobaidi hope to add the league meet title as well.
St. Mary’s is rebuilding
Weehawken is also rebuilding.
PATRIOT
Bergen Charter continues to rebuild.
Bogota graduates most of the greatest team in school history but juniors Jimmy Gutierrez and Syed Hamza-Hussaini are the vanguard of a new group of Bucs hoping to make their own history,
Cresskill hopes to fill the championship void led by experienced senior standout Joe Mioli. The Cougars also return seniors Michael Brennan, Eddie Friedman, Matt Lapning, Solmin Rim, Shalev Goldszmidt and Makoto Okamoto, who have worked hard all summer.
Dwight-Englewood has only one senior, Jason Finn, who was injured last year but juniors Jeremy Bronstein and David Khym both finished in the top 10 in the Non-Public B state meet last year and with freshman Caleb Dalgetty, the Bulldogs could contend in the league and the state Group meet.
Hawthorne Christian hopes soph Justin Awad and freshman Cormac Murtaugh develop quickly.
Midland Park has seniors Chris Stokes and Pat Monahan and juniors Matt Rossnagel and Steve Baker returning from last year’s team.
Palisades Park is rebuilding.
Park Ridge/Emerson returns Bergen C champion Jake Cooper, as well as seniors Aidan Triana and Venkat Abbaraju and juniors Michael Pantaleo and Jack Burns and could also be in the hunt for a league title.
Saddle River Day is rebuilding.
Waldwick returns seniors Joseph Parsons and Samuel Safar and junior Trevor Frese.
