Track and field: North Jersey Preseason Top 25 rankings

The job of preseason rankings is always a difficult one. All the information that can be gleaned from returning athletes, projected newcomers and comparisons within opponents can’t measure the desire of some athletes to excel, the physical of development of others, and other intangibles.

Excuses out of the way. Here’s a look at the preseason Top 25 rankings:

Girls Top 25 preseason rankings

1. Ridgewood: The Maroons have solid performers in nearly every event and standout depth in the distance races and the pole vault.
2. Northern Highlands: No stars but like Ridgewood, depth and solid performers in every event, with particular depth in the longer races.
3. Old Tappan: The Golden Knights have two of the biggest stars in New Jersey in All-Americans Abby Dennis and Layla Giordano. The younger girls will determine how high they can rise.
4. IHA: The Blue Eagles strengths in the short sprints and jumps.
5. River Dell: It’s the last high school season for all-time great Christina Allen and consistent jumper Grace McQueeney.
6. Demarest: The Norsewomen are probably a year away from returning to the very top of the area standings.
7. Ramapo: A great freshman class last year will continue to develop with distance races also a strength.
8. Hasbrouck Heights: Defending state group 1 champions are always tough and one of the better relay teams in the state.
9. Ramsey: An intriguing team that is on the verge of moving into the very top echelon in the area.
10. Passaic Tech: Deep team is the perennial Passaic County favorite.
11. Wayne Hills: Could this be the year the Patriots win their first Passaic title since 2017?
12. Lyndhurst: Julia Tozduman is a versatile leader on this team.
13. Paramus: As is junior Jordan Myers for the Spartans.
14. Bergen Tech: Pole vaulter Isabella Formoso is ready for a breakthrough season.
15. Westwood: Field events are the key for this young Cardinal team.
16. West Milford: These Highlanders rely on their Passaic County winning cross-country team to earn distance points.
17. Holy Angels: Non-Public B 400 champ leads a strong sprint squad.
18. Tenafly: The pole vault lifts the Tigers.
19. Lakeland: Veteran coach Damiano Conforti has retired for now, but the cupboard is not bare.
20. Paramus Catholic: As usual, the Paladins will be strong in the sprints, hurdles and jumps.
21. Hackensack: A healthy Ayanna Chape can help this young team move up.
22. Mahwah: The Thunderbirds have a good core of sprinters and throwers.
23. Hawthorne: Coach Gus Schell seems to find new standouts every year.
24. Passaic Valley: Junior laden team is on the upswing.
25. Becton: After a sensational winter, which included a first ever sectional title, how far will the Wildcats climb?

Boys Top 25 preseason rankings

1. Passaic Tech: In a season where all the top boys teams seem to have some weaknesses in events, is this the year that the Bulldogs’ depth carries them to the top?
2. Demarest: Of course the defending state group 2 spring champs also won the winter title last month and need some depth to buttress its star power.
3. Don Bosco: If all the talent in the school comes out and stays out, the Ironmen may be ready to return to the glory they had in the early 2010s.
4. Hasbrouck Heights: A terrific winter could be a harbinger of an even better spring. The best part is the comparatively youth of its top performers.
5. Paramus Catholic: The return to health of multitalented James Dely is key to the Paladins’ success.
6. River Dell: There is great promise in this team. Now can they put it together?
7. Pascack Hills: The Broncos have some new talent to join with veteran leadership.
8. Bergen Catholic: The Crusaders have superstar thrower Benji Shue and outstanding sprinter Andrew Jeremiah Boakye and need to show depth to move up.
9. Ridgewood: Some unexpected personnel erosion may hurt the Maroons early, but look for the perennial contenders to move up later in the year.
10. Passaic Valley: If anyone is going to overtake Passaic Tech for Passaic County leadership, it’s the Hornets.
11. Old Tappan: The Golden Knights are probRyan Troably underrated, but graduation losses decimated the distance and pole vault teams which were the backbone of recent success.
12. Kinnelon: No superstars left after the graduation of Jack Ahart and Andrew Garcia, but the Colts always manage to rebuild quickly.
13. Cresskill: It’s Joshua Yoon’s final season to shine.
14. Hackensack: The Comets also seem to improve late in the year and with their new refurbished track looking great, don’t be surprised with anything this year.
15. Pequannock: The Golden Panthers have some star power in Henry Struble and Ryan Trocolar and need depth to move up.
16. West Milford: After a breakout winter, Noah Traverso wil try and lead his team to championship contention.
17. North Bergen: The Bruins are one of the top teams in Hudson County.
18. Indian Hills: New head coach Owen Ross welcomes a solid core of returnees.
19. Wayne Valley: The Big North Independence division may be the competitive league in North Jersey.
20. Ramapo: A healthy sprint crew could produce some great results for the Green Raiders.
21. Fort Lee: The Bridgemen have become a perennial contender in the Big North American division.
22. Glen Rock: The Panthers are probably underrated by a significant amount with a great veteran corps.
23. Rutherford: The Bulldogs have lots of high end talent but need depth to move up.
24. Pascack Valley: The distance duo of Patrick Kurtz and Marcus Koshy can carry the Panthers a long way.
25. Teaneck: Can Josh Tejada inspire a Teaneck comeback?

Others to watch: Bergenfield, Clifton, Dumont, Leonia, Northern Highlands and Wayne Hills.