“We’ll be ready” Indian Hills to contend for MOC title by Paul Schwartz of The Record
Indian Hills’ undefeated cross-country season came tumbling down Saturday in the first half-mile of the Group 3 state championship meet at Holmdel Park.
“I knew we were in trouble when I saw we had five guys in the top 10 when they got to the top of the first hill,” Indian Hills coach Tom Zaccone said. “Our guys got excited and went out too fast. It’s as simple as that.”
The early exuberance on the hilly and difficult Holmdel course took its toll on the Braves. They ended up forming their usual tight pack, but one that finished slower than they had run on the same course six weeks earlier in romping to a win in their race at the Shore Invitational. Indian Hills finished second Saturday to Colts Neck, the same team it had beaten by more than 60 points a year ago.
But all is not lost for Indian Hills. It joins Non-Public A runner-up Don Bosco, Group 1 runner-up Bogota and wild-card entrant Ridgewood as the North Jersey teams in the state Meet of Champions race at 11 a.m. on the same Holmdel course.
“I’m confident that we’ll be ready to run, and this time not go out too fast,” Zaccone said.
Although it’s unlikely the Braves can catch perennial champion and race favorite CBA of Lincroft for the state crown, Indian Hills can reach the top six and earn team medals in a strong and balanced 21-team field. Don Bosco – the 2015 MOC runner-up – and Ridgewood also can break into the top six.
Colts Neck and Group 4 champion Princeton appear to have the best chances to beat CBA. The three top North Jersey teams likely will compete with Group 2 champ Voorhees, Cherokee, Montgomery and Morris Hills for the final three podium spots. Meanwhile, Bogota hopes to fair better than the 18th-place finish it earned in its only other MOC trip, in 1978.
Individually, Millburn’s Matt Grossman and Ocean Township’s Elliot Gindi recorded the fastest races last week in their stirring stretch drive in Group 3, won by Gindi. Group 4 champ Rey Rivera of Old Bridge and Don Bosco’s first Non-Public A titlist, David Rosas, are also contenders, along with Colts Neck No. 1 Jordan Brannen.
Ridgewood’s Billy Byrne and Don Bosco’s Justin Touhey can reach the top 10, with the Ironmen’s Joe Erskine, Bogota’s James Draney, Bergen Catholic’s Caleb Shaia and the Indian Hills quintet of Tom Holster, Derek Barney, Chris Corcoran, Steve Fiumefreddo and Chris Leymeister all contenders for the top 25.
Ridgewood’s Olympia Martin – the 2015 runner-up – and the Northern Highlands team are the top North Jersey hopes in the girls race.
Martin, the only Bergen resident to win back-to-back group titles –Sarah Pagano of Ringwood won a pair of Non-Public A titles running for IHA – had the second fastest time last week behind Group 3 and defending MOC champion Alyssa Aldridge of Mainland. Kingsway’s Rachel Vick, Howell’s Niamh Hayes and Cherry Hill East’s Grace Yoon, who all battled Martin last week, are expected to be at the front. So is Group 2 champ Briana Gess of Haddonfield, the 2013 MOC champ as a freshman.
Pascack Valley’s Ashley Evans and Wayne Hills’ Taylor Domico will compete for the top 10, with Indian Hills freshman Madeline Barney a top 25 candidate.
Northern Highlands, led by junior twins Monica and Isabel Hebner, freshman Daisy Liljegren and junior Paige Wilderotter, figure to be in contention for third place in the girls team race. Group 3 champ Colts Neck, Hillsborough, Middletown South, Shawnee, Kingsway, Pope John and Non-Public A champ Red Bank Catholic are among the favorites.
Group 4 champ Ridge, the defending MOC champ, and archrival North Hunterdon seem well ahead of the rest of the girls field. Kinnelon should approach last year’s 15th place finish.