The late finish of Tuesday’s Big North meet prevented scores and team highlights from making the newspaper. Here’s a rundown of the team scores in the 10 divisions and the top performers in each meet.
BOYS
UNITED
Don Bosco 104 1/2, Bergen Catholic 98, Paramus Catholic 67 1/2, St. Joseph 10, DePaul 2.
Don Bosco won its first title since 2012 and dethroned three-time defending champ Bergen Catholic. The Ironmen went 1-2-3 in the 800 and 1,600 and 1-2-4 in the 3,200 with nine different runners. They also swept the triple jump. Alijah Jackson of Paramus Catholic won the 55, 200 and long jump, the only multi event winner in the division.
LIBERTY
Passaic Tech 148, Kennedy 84, Eastside 69, Clifton 48, Bergen Tech 33, Passaic 30
Passaic Tech has won all six meets, winning four of the five field events, including a trio of jump wins by Kevin Copper, who cleared 6-2 in the high jump and jumped 43-8 1/4 in the triple jump and 21-9 1/2 in the long jump. Raheem Roberts of Eastside won the 55, 200 (22.6) and 400 (50.6) and anchored the Ghosts winning 4-x-400 relay. Unfortunately, a Bergen Tech freshman suffered what appeared to be a broken leg while vaulting. He was taken to Columbia Presbyterian Hospital.
FREEDOM
Indian Hills and Hackensack 108, Ridgewood 97, Northern Highlands 62, Paramus 37, Ramapo 21
The first tie in the six-year history of any Big North division saw Indian Hills win the 4-x-400 while Hackensack, finished third to create the tie. Hackensack’s Tommy Smith was the only multi-event winner, winning the 200 and taking the long (21-9 3/4) and triple (45-0) jumps in North Jersey leading performances. Jack Kerin won the 400 for Indian Hills in a North Jersey best 50.2, while Michael Thurston of Ridgewood ran 1:55.2 to win the 800, eighth fastest in Bergen history.
INDEPENDENCE
Wayne Hills 112, Wayne Valley 109, Fair Lawn 60, Passaic Valley 58, West Milford 52, Lakeland 25
Wayne Hills won its first title in three years dethroning two-time defender Wayne Valley behind the junior Hayek twins, Hunter and Tyler, who won three events and took a second. Hunter won the 55 and 200 (22.5) while Tyler was second in the 55 and won the 400 by nearly 40 meters in 50.2. Joe Zisa led a 1-4-5 finish for the Patriots in the 3,200.
NATIONAL
NV/Old Tappan 137, NV/Demarest 121, Teaneck 79, Tenafly 48, Bergenfield 21, Pascack Valley 17.
NV/Old Tappan broke a meet scoring record to repeat as champions despite an impressive 55/200 double by Christian Ozoria of Teaneck and four wins in five field events by NV/Demarest (including Eric Yu’s long-triple jump double). Andrew Schumacher had wins in the 55 hurdles and 400, took second in the 200 and ran a leg on the winning 4-x-400 relay to lead the Golden Knights.
GIRLS
UNITED
Paramus Catholic 72, IHA 70, Holy Angels 58, DePaul 4
The Paladins repeated and clinched the title when IHA was disqualified in the 4-x-400 relay. PC got six wins from the dynamic duo of Richmond-bound Maria Acosta and Alexis Trott. Trott beat Acosta to win the 55, and also win the 200 (26.2), long jump (meet leading 17-10 1/4) and triple jump (35-4 1/4). Acosta won the 400 in a meet leading 58.5 and the 800 easily in 2:24.0.
LIBERTY
Passaic Tech 147, Clifton 119, Kennedy 53, Bergen Tech 42, Passaic 41, Eastside 4
Kennedy’s Ebonee Jackson was the star of this meet, easily winning the 55 meters in 7.2, the 55 hurdles in a meet leading 8.1, cleared 5-2 for the first time to win the high jump and won the 200 with a personal best 25.9. But Passaic Tech took its fifth title in six years by scoring in every event and sweeping the shot put. Abigail McLaughlin of Bergen Tech won a solid 1,600-3,200 double in 5:22.8 and 11:20.8. Angel Rowe won both the long jump and triple jump to lead PCT.
FREEDOM
Northern Highlands 150, Ridgewood 112, Ramapo 77, Hackensack 34, Paramus 32, Indian Hills 25
Highlands won its fourth straight title with a record score, not just with its very good distance team but with a dominating performance from its sprinters and jumpers. The Highlanders swept the 55 and 200 with Olivia Florio winning both events and and scored 24 points in the long and triple jumps. Hackensack’s Amarys Berry strengthened her hold on 13th place nationally in the shot with an indoor personal best of 45-5 1/2, while Ridgewood’s Olympia Martin ran the fastest 3,200 of the year in North Jersey in 11:09.3, followed by teammate Sam Halvorsen in 11:12.7. Julia Guerra of Indian Hills ran the fastest 1,600 in the area this winter, going 5 minutes flat to win the event and all-state soccer star Abby Adams of Ramapo won the 400 and ran a strong leg on the winning 4-x-400 team.
INDEPENDENCE
Wayne Hills 155, Fair Lawn 105, Wayne Valley 68, Lakeland 63, West Milford 18, Passaic Valey 13
Wayne Hills won its first division title and became the fourth different champion in four years led by a distance team that produced three different winners in the 800 (Emily Becker), 1,600 (Taylor Domico) and 3,200 (Katerina Zachmann) and outscored Fair Lawn, 51-2. Meghan Griffin won the 55 and 200 for the Patriots while Fair Lawn’s Britney Del Mundo won the long and triple jumps and took second in the 200.
NATIONAL
NV/Old Tappan 120, Teaneck 102, Tenafly 93, NV/Demarest 77, Pascack Valley 23, Bergenfield 11
Michelle Rubinetti’s stunning Bergen County record-setting 12-3 1/2 pole vault dominated the attention here but NV/Old Tappan won its second title in three years. Caroline O’Sullivan easily won the 800 and 1,600 titles and showed why she’ll be a force to reckon with in state competition. Tenafly’s Olivia Pandolfo won the 55 hurdles and long jump while Teaneck’s Aminah Sarraga won the 55, 200 (25.7), anchored the 4-x-400 win and took second in the 400.