Bishop Eustace Crusaders
Runners to watch: Two strong competitors who finished in the top 10 at states and ran at the Meet of Champions graduated, but Bishop Eustace is happy to welcome back senior Alexander Dietz, who has been an integral part of the program for several years. He placed in the top 20 at both the Bob Kiessling sectional meet and the Non-Public B state championships as a junior, and consistently clocked times in the 17-minute range. He is in store for a special senior season. Junior Owen DeAndrea is another key returner who will be expected to reach another level as an upperclassman. He had promising finishes of 40th at sectionals and 44th at states as a sophomore. Joshua Madgey and Noah Nguyen are sophomores who showed potential as rookies and will look to keep making progress. Five talented freshmen have also joined the program, so the next four years look bright.
Outlook: The Crusaders have a solid one-two punch with Dietz and DeAndrea and are capable of making their presence felt at the major meets, especially with the depth added to the roster.
Camden Catholic Fighting Irish
Runners to watch: Camden Catholic graduated its No. 1 runner but has several returners capable of moving into the role. That includes junior Brayden Magee, who posted a time of 17:11 at the Bob Kiessling sectional meet to place ninth, his second straight year in the top 20. Magee went on to cover the state course at Holmdel in 18:33. Sean Burns and Dylan McGrath are key seniors who were consistent at the major races and placed 15th and 21st, respectively, at sectionals. Sophomores Declan Walsh (13th at sectionals) and Joseph Parsons (26th) were strong contributors as rookies and should only improve, while senior Christopher Parsons and junior Aidan Earney round out a solid top seven. Juniors Steven Pisasale, Richard Wang and Giovani Barile and sophomore Noah Schreiber hope to keep lowering their times as well.
Outlook: With a deep and experienced roster, the Irish will be a team to be reckoned with at the big meets, notably sectionals, where they placed second in 2024.
Cherokee Chiefs
Runners to watch: All Jack Tindall did in his phenomenal rookie season was claim titles at the Burlington County Open, Olympic Conference Championships and South Jersey, Group 4 sectionals, and he went on to place 17th at states and 15th at the Meet of Champions. It will be exciting to see what he has in store for his sophomore campaign. Tindall was joined on the all-South Jersey team by junior Ben Realley, who was Cherokee’s highest finisher at states in 10th place. He also had top-three performances in the county and conference races, took sixth at sectionals and 26th at the MOC. Senior Logan Bromley, who took 11th at states, and junior Sean Sooy, who placed 14th at sectionals, round out an outstanding top four. Junior Max Harada was new to cross country last year but showed vast improvement during track season, as he ran 4:32 for the 1600 and 9:49 for the 3200. He is expected to be a top seven runner along with junior Gavin Danielewicz, who was the Olympic Conference JV champion as a sophomore. Seniors Dominic Pileri and Carlo Brown, juniors Leo Vyvyan and Bruce Novoa, and freshman Hamza Salahuddin will add to the team’s depth and contend for a spot in the top seven.
Outlook: The Chiefs have pulled off the county, conference and sectional trifecta for four years in a row, and last year they also won their second state title in three seasons to go with a third-place finish at the MOC. They will continue to set a high bar as a team and hope to have several individuals in the mix for a state crown as well.
Cherry Hill East Cougars
Runners to watch: Although Cherry Hill East graduated its leading two competitors, including South Jersey Runner of the Year Brody Burgos, they are fortunate to bring pack a pair of seniors who are likely to make their presence felt in all of the big races this fall. Will Nelson and Alvin Lin crossed the finish line within seconds of each other at all of last year’s championship meets, including top 20 performances at sectionals and states for each of them. It would not be surprising to see them push into the top five or possibly vie for an individual title. Junior Cian Sherlock (16th), senior Colin Moore (18th) and senior Milo Poerner (21st) all had fine showings at sectionals, and Poerner also broke 17 minutes to finish 33rd at states. They round out an excellent crop of returners, while junior Aneesh Rajagopal hopes to take on a bigger role.
Outlook: The Cougars were runners-up to rival Cherokee at the Olympic Conference, sectional and state meets and placed fifth at the Meet of Championships during a remarkable 2024 campaign. They expect to be contenders once again in 2025.
Cherry Hill West Lions
Runners to watch: Senior Rex Takakjy is coming off a memorable junior season in which he became Cherry Hill West’s first Camden County champion in eight years, and he is looking to add another individual crown or two to his list before he graduates. Takakjy, who finished 14th at the Olympic Conference Championships, also clocked a 15:59 to place 10th at Group 3 sectionals and ran sub-17 twice at Holmdel Park to take 14th at states and 73rd at the Meet of Champions. Junior Michael Kasich was the second Lion to cross the finish line at all of the major races and should only get better as an upperclassman, and other experienced veterans include senior Colin Melroy and juniors London Filocco and Jake Cavella. Sophomore Lucas Casamassima flashed a ton of potential as a rookie.
Outlook: Not many teams can boast a runner of Takakjy’s caliber at the front of the pack, and with his teammates gaining more confidence the Lions could be a darkhorse at the big races.
Clearview Pioneers
Runners to watch: Clearview was hit hard by graduation, with four of its top seven—including standout Ethan Worst—all receiving their diplomas. The good news is that a solid core remains to rebuild around, starting with senior Richard Buckman and junior Jack Sokorai, who both ran sub-17s at the South Jersey, Group 3 sectional meet. Senior Quentin Gannone was not far off that mark himself, and all three of the veterans could lead the pack on any given day. Juniors Thomas Chrzanowski, Parker McNellis and Nicholas Poletti hope to fill in the holes in the varsity lineup and make an impact.
Outlook: The Pioneers would surely benefit from one or more of their experienced runners taking things up a notch this fall, and if so this consistent program should find itself in the mix at the major meets as usual.
Eastern Vikings
Runners to watch: Junior Timothy Shack made big strides as a sophomore and hopes for the progress to continue now that he’s an upperclassman. He covered the sectional course in 16:49 to place 35th in South Jersey, Group 4, and could be ready to emerge as Eastern’s No. 1 runner. Seniors Justin Fox and Aiden Mueller will look to give Shack some healthy competition at the front of the pack. Fox clocked a 17:05 at the Osprey Invitational, and despite coming back from an injury at the end of the year, he ran an 18:25 at sectionals. Mueller posted a 17:42 at the Olympic Conference meet and an 18:04 at sectionals. Senior Armaan Kumar and junior Michael James should also push for the top five, with senior Thomas Caruso and junior Nathaniel Friebel rounding out the promising roster.
Outlook: With a deep and talented group of returners, the Vikings hope to bring out the best in each other and to peak at the right time this fall.
Haddonfield Bulldawgs
Runners to watch: Haddonfield brings back an outstanding nucleus featuring four runners who placed in the top eight at Group 2 states, including senior Ben Andrus, who joined his older brother George in winning an individual state title for the Bulldawgs. He clocked a 16:03 for the crown and went on to take 19th at the Meet of Champions to go with his second-place finish at sectionals and fourth at the Colonial Conference Championships. Senior Ryan Gibson was the sectional champ with a time of 15:38 and took fifth at states, while seniors Peter Simpson (sixth) and Luke Andresen (eighth) were also sensational at states. All three finished in the top 31 at the MOC, and Andresen and Simpson finished first and second, respectively, at the conference meet. Haddonfield’s deep lineup also boasts senior Aaron Keith (22nd at states), junior Andrew Blum (26th at states), senior Michael Sinnes (seventh at sectionals), senior John Leibrandt (18th at sectionals) and senior Brandon Stoner (third at the Camden County Championships).
Outlook: The Bulldawgs were up to their usual tricks last fall, taking first in the county, sectionals and states and finishing second at the MOC. With almost the entire varsity lineup returning, they have an excellent chance at capturing the program’s 23rd state championship, which would tie a New Jersey record.
Kingsway Dragons
Runners to watch: Ryan Duffy’s first two years of high school cross country have produced a number of impressive results, and now that he’s a junior he hopes to contend for his first major title. He placed third at the Tri-County Conference Showcase and sixth at the Gloucester County Championships as a sophomore before finishing in the top 15 at both sectionals and states. Senior Michael Driscoll, junior Joseph Moczydlowski and sophomore Michael Beaver all placed in the top 20 at the county meet, and Moczydlowski also ran in the low 17s at sectionals.
Outlook: The Dragons, who placed second in the county, third in the conference and seventh at sectionals last year, always seem to be in the thick of things at the big races, and that should not change with Duffy leading the charge this fall.
Lenape Indians
Runners to watch: Lenape had a young roster in 2024, which gave a host of runners the opportunity to gain valuable experience that should pay off this fall. Junior Aaron Smith ran sub-18s at the Olympic Conference and sectional races and will look to keep lowering his times as an upperclassman. He will be pushed by fellow juniors Bruce Viseltear and Jack Senechal along with senior leaders Christopher DiBraccio and Owen McDonald. Sophomore Jayden Carn should not be overlooked either, as his encouraging rookie season was highlighted by performances in the 17-minute range at the conference and sectional meets.
Outlook: It would not be surprising in the least to see the Indians move up a few spots in the Burlington County Open and Olympic Conference meets while also doing some damage at sectionals.
Moorestown Quakers
Runners to watch: Junior Ethan Taylor hopes to build on a promising sophomore season in which he was the first Moorestown runner to cross the finish line at all of the major races. He placed 27th at the Burlington County Open and clocked in under 18 minutes at both the Olympic Conference and sectional meets. Finley Smith is another junior to keep an eye on, and three sophomores who flashed potential as rookies—Christopher Tetreault, Mitchell Gill and Zander Kane—will look to continue their progress. Senior Michael Oatway is another veteran contributor.
Outlook: The Quakers have most of their varsity lineup back in the fold and that should lead to improvement in the big races.
Moorestown Friends Foxes
Runners to watch: A new standout runner will have to emerge for Moorestown Friends following the graduation of Isaac Linden, who placed in the top five at Non-Public B states for the past three years. Fortunately, the roster has several candidates: seniors Allan Wang, Jason Youssef and Zev Smith and junior Arjun Khandhar. All four of them finished in the top 20 at the Burlington County Scholastic League Freedom Division meet, with Wang taking 10th. They also crossed the finish line within 34 seconds of each other at the Bob Kiessling sectional race, led by Khandhar in 28th place. Those four veterans should push each other to get better as the season goes on, with senior Drew Matta, junior Zicong Chen and sophomores Aaron Linden and Nolan Youssef also capable of seeing their way to the front of the pack.
Outlook: The Foxes were in the mix at several major meets in 2024, placing second in the BCSL Freedom Division, third at sectionals and fourth at states. They hope to stay competitive despite the loss of Linden.
Paul VI Eagles
Runners to watch: Junior Caden Briggs has placed in the top five at the Bob Kiessling sectional meet in each of his first two seasons—including a runner-up finish last year—and went on to run sub-18s at states both times. Now that he’s an upperclassman, the sky is the limit. Briggs is part of a strong veteran core that also includes juniors Chase Cooley and Max Long and sophomore Trevor Del Borrello. Cooley and Long both placed in the top 10 at the Camden County Championships, while Cooley took fifth at sectionals and Del Borrello finished eighth. All three clocked times in the 18-minute range at states. Juniors Brandon Bell and Chris Monaghan and sophomore Nick Ablaza are other key returners who placed in the top 20 at sectionals with sub-18 times. Juniors Chase Dayton and Ben Clark and senior Benjamin Maley also ran well at sectionals, and other returners to the deep roster are seniors Joey Rotchford, Ian Polaneczky and Colin Mrozinski, junior Nate Pendarvis and sophomores Owen Foley and John Wynne.
Outlook: The Eagles claimed their third straight Kiessling Invitational crown, placed second in the county and third in the Olympic Conference before taking eighth at states. Expect them to make noise in all of those meets again and for several individuals to contend for titles.
Seneca Golden Eagles
Runners to watch: Dominic Lera has been Seneca’s No. 1 runner for the past two seasons and is primed for a big senior campaign. Last fall he placed 25th at the Burlington County Open and ran sub-18s at the Olympic Conference Championships and sectionals, finishing 21st in the latter. Senior Sean George and junior Kyler Johnson are other key veterans hoping to lower their times significantly, and sophomore Jonah Schmitz will look to build on the potential he showed as a freshman. Other returners seeking to contribute are senior John Scott and sophomores Michael Rosati, Luca DiRaddo, Antonio Ucciferri, Logan Cramer and Noah McNichol.
Outlook: With strong numbers in the program and a bona fide No. 1 in Lera, the Golden Eagles have a chance to move up a few spots at the big races under new head coach Matt Carr.
Shawnee Renegades
Runners to watch: Shawnee is coming off a highly successful season but was hit hard by graduation, with five of its top seven runners moving on. Leading the returners is senior Yanni Ekatomatis, who clocked a 16:28 at sectionals to place 16th, his second straight year finishing in the top 20. He also took 12th at the Burlington County Open and ran a 17:12 at states. Junior Aaron Jacob is another key returner who consistently ran in the 18-minute range and covered the sectional course in 17:54. Possible reinforcements from last year’s JV team include seniors Alex Pulaski and John Chen, juniors Ethan Bowman, Matthew Hill and Jack Goodman, and sophomore Wyatt Knoll. Another runner to look out for is first-time cross country runner Ben Boyer, a junior who came over from the soccer team. He broke five minutes in the 1600 in spring track as a freshman.
Outlook: Last year was a memorable one for the Renegades, who were the runners-up at the county and sectional races and also placed in the top five at the Olympic Conference and state meets. They hope to reload with a new varsity lineup and remain competitive.
Washington Township Minutemen
Runners to watch: It’s a new era at Washington Township following the retirement of Rich Bostwick, who was a coach at the school since 2000 and led the boys cross country program since 2009. His son Hunter, who was the Minutemen’s No. 1 runner last year, also graduated, so the team will certainly have a new look. The top returner is junior Angelo Valentine, who ran sub-18s at the Tri-County Conference Showcase and sectionals and had a best finish of 23rd at the Gloucester County Championships. Seniors Jayden Densten and Thomas Petrowski are other key veterans who consistently posted times in the 18-minute range and will look to keep improving in their final campaign. Junior Javon Andrews showed potential as a sophomore, and Connor McGinley is another senior hoping to contribute.
Outlook: New coach Josh Olive inherits a solid nucleus and expects to continue the winning tradition established by Bostwick.
