2026 Morris/Sussex high school boys cross country preview capsules
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BOONTON
Coach: Zachary Sabatino, fifth season
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Last year: 3-2
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Paul Ippolito, Sr. Liam Uychich Pruner, So. Luca Camanelli
Newcomers: Fr. Patrick Wolfgang, Fr. Nick Cava
Outlook: The Bombers are aiming for individual progress.
BUTLER
Coach: Ward Flynn
Returning letter-winners: Jr. Fernando Bautista
Newcomers: Jr. Ben Peters
Outlook: Butler is focusing on individual improvement.
CHATHAM
Coach: Pat Barry, 19th season
Last year: Morris County champion; NJAC large-school champion; second, NJSIAA North 2 Group 3
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Peter Krieg, Sr. Conlan Richichi, Sr. Alex Wang, Sr. Nick Fodoro, Jr. Josh Oosterheert, Jr. Drew Engelsen
Newcomers: So. Zach Reed
Outlook: MCT champ Marcus Valenzuela – and many 2025 XC teammates – are off to college, leaving an optimistic but inexperienced roster.
DELBARTON
Coach: Collin Frost, fifth season
Last year: 5-1; fourth, NJAC-Large; fifth, Morris County Championships
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Ryan Leuenberger, Sr. Lucien Bret, Sr. Matthew Fic, Sr. Todd Smith, Sr. Hans Clovis, Jr. Matthew Heyer, Jr. Jonathan Gels
Newcomers: Fr. Liam Johnson, Fr. Harris Smith, Fr. C.J. Hummel, Fr. Isaiah Suh
Outlook: Keep an eye on the Green Wave freshmen.
DOVER
Coach: Kyle Madison, 12th season
Last year: 13-0, NJAC-Colonial champion
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Juan Torres, Jr. Christian Oquendo, So. John Fuentes
Newcomers: Fr. Dylan Alverado, Fr. Arthur Inza, Fr. Anthony Moranchel
Outlook: Freshmen are expected to make key contributions.
HACKETTSTOWN
Coach: Pamela Willson, ninth season
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Isaac Symonds, Jr. Joey Pangallo, Jr. Isaac Holder, So. Judah Symonds
Newcomers: Fr. Alexander Pinto, Fr. Parker Smith, Fr. James Van Pelt.
Outlook: Pangallo is leading a young boys team.
HIGH POINT
Coach: Lisabeth Sunda, 19th season
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Ethan Blake, Sr. Ryan Davis, Sr. Gabe Vila
Outlook: High Point is trying to rebuild the roster.
HOPATCONG
Coach: Jamie Douglas, first season
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Robert Blunt, Jr. Colin O'Malley
Newcomers: Fr. John O'Brien
Outlook: Douglas, a former Hopatcong assistant, inherits a young squad from Peter Oesen, who has been at the helm for almost 30 years.
JEFFERSON
Coach: Shannon Chapman, 12th season
Returning letter-winners: Jr. Eian Doherty, So. Hundson Dobkowski, So. Tyler MacGowan
Newcomers: Sr. Jacob de la Cruz, Jr. Victor Malloy, Jr. Anthony Palmiere, Jr. Steven Forgotson
Outlook: The Falcons are building off a solid spring track season.
KINNELON
Coach: Laura Chegwidden-Jacobs, 18th season
Last year: 5-0, NJAC-Liberty champion; NJAC small-school champion
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Henry Manton, Sr. Kieran Fitzgerald, Sr. Brandon Kates, Sr. Hunter Ashton, So. Jiayi Birkhoff
Outlook: The Colts expect to remain competitive at the championship meets.
KITTATINNY
Coach: Melissa Fischer, second season
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Enrico Brex, Sr. Zachary Oakes, Sr. Lucas Oakes, So. Nicholas Amella
Newcomers: So. Carmine Battaglia
Outlook: The Cougars expect greater success.
LENAPE VALLEY
Coach: Keith Morrissey, fifth season
Last year: 7-4
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Wesley Faller, Sr. Tyler Perry, Jr. Tim Jecko, Jr. Nicholas Desantis
Newcomers: So. Giovanni Romulo
Outlook: The Patriots hope to improve individually and as a team.
MADISON
Coach: Nick DeGennaro, first season
Last year: Second, NAJC-Small; sixth, NJSIAA North 2 Group 2
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Chris Wu, Sr. Jack Somers, Jr. Noah Hsu, Jr. Owen Blank, Jr. Charlie Davidson, So. Zach Link
Newcomers: Fr. Thomas Calagni, Fr. Tomax Park
Outlook: The Dodgers hope to improve on last fall's results.
MENDHAM
Coach: Roy Hamblen, 22nd season
Last year: Third, NJSIAA North 2 Group 2
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Rafe Dickens, Sr. Nicholas Leo, Jr. Andrey Trunov, Jr. Nathaniel Perkins, Jr. Patrick Adinolfi, Jr. Tyler D'Avi, Jr. Jackson Idle, Jr. Jonathan Pejman
Outlook: The young Minutemen hope for greater success.
MONTVILLE
Coach: John Larkin, 10th season
Last year: Fourth, NJSIAA North 1 Group 4
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Nikhil Ganguli, Sr. Aum Mistry, Jr. Chris Smith, So. Brendan Wachtel, So. David Khalilov
Outlook: Smith, Ganguli and Wachtel will be the Mustangs' solid top three.
MORRIS CATHOLIC
Coach: Gregory Ross, first season
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Brady Baxter, Jr. Ryan Cohen, Jr. Emmitt Enrico, Jr. Karl Krajewski, So. Sammy Rodriguez
Newcomers: Sr. Mario Huretsky, Jr. Johnathon Pellington, Jr. Eli Sturtz, So. John Crucs, Fr. Will Trepcos
Outlook: The Crusaders are developing.
MORRIS HILLS
Coach: Timothy Mein, sixth season
Last year: Third, Morris County Championships; second, NJSIAA North 1 Group 3
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Luke O'Callaghan, Sr. Hunter Iorio, Jr. Johan Feby, So. Alan Liu
Newcomers: So. William Collard, Fr. Conrad Pocina
Outlook: Young Morris Hills aims to compete at the championship meets.
MORRIS KNOLLS
Coach: Drew Reinhardt, fifth season
Last year: 4-1; second, NJAC-Large; second, Morris County Championships; NJSIAA North 1 Group 3 champion; fifth, Group 3
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Richard Corcoran, Sr. Adam Margeson, Sr. Mason Gonzalez, Sr. Gerard DiGuglielmo, Jr. Nick Ribaudo
Newcomers: Sr. Henry Forman, Fr. Joey Shivas
Outlook: Morris Knolls hopes to succeed in championship season.
MORRISTOWN
Coach: Paul Buccino, 29th season
Last year: 6-0; third, NJAC-Large; fourth, Morris County Championships; third, NJSIAA North 1 Group 4
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Anthony Manno, Sr. Brendan Doyle, Sr. Riley Bautista, Sr. Micah Pardue, Sr. Jack Caruso
Newcomers: Sr. Alex Calafati, So. John Szilezy, So. Ben Margolis
Outlook: Morristown's strengths are its depth and compression.
MORRISTOWN BEARD
Coach: Barbara Erickson, fourth season
Returning letter-winners: Jr. Kai Cheng, Jr. Adit Dahiya, Jr. Liam Hong, Jr. Gibson Sabol, Jr. Spencer Traub, So. Roshan Kothari
Newcomers: Fr. Caden Reinman, Fr. Cole Oishi
Outlook: The young Crimson are developing.
MOUNT OLIVE
Coach: Songponn Vatanapradit, second season
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Sebastian Ostrove, Jr. Noah Pizzirusso, So. Surya Yanumula
Newcomers: So. Matthew Gardiner, Fr. Jayden Edwards, Fr. Christian Dunne
Outlook: The Marauders are young and hungry.
MOUNTAIN LAKES
Coach: Vicki Allison, 20th season
Last year: Third, NJSIAA North 1 Group 1
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Brandon Keyt, Sr. Ali Cherry, Sr. Thomas Berei, So. Chase Purnell, So. Ian Johnson
Outlook: Johnson leads the rebuilding Lakers boys.
NEWTON
Coach: Diana Eigner, 29th season
Last year: 3-2 NJAC-Colonial
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Alex Johnson, Sr. Anthony Quaglio, Sr. Matt Alberto, Jr. Andrew Carleton, Jr. Ian Dodd
Newcomers: Sr. Micky Varga, So. Titus Dixon
Outlook: With everyone returning, Newton is buoyed by an influx of new runners.
PARSIPPANY HILLS
Coach: Michelle Perry, 18th season
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Richard Badrow, Sr. Benjamin Olsen, Jr. Joseph Cappuccino, Jr. Michael Corbertt, Jr. Nimal Juttamahadevan, Jr. Michael Kimble, Jr. Reuben Thomas, So. Vinay Bono, So. Connor DeVitto
Newcomers: So. Aditya Trivedi, Fr. Timothy Cortezano, Fr. Christopher Maranella, Fr. Suvir Saha
Outlook: The veteran Vikings hope to qualify for Group 2 as a team.
PEQUANNOCK
Coach: Rick Mullins, 43rd season
Returning letter-winners: Jr. Dylan King, So. Neven Mehmedi
Newcomers: Sr. Connor Georgieff, Sr. Evan Bauer, So. Ken Dammers, Fr. Alex Slootmaker
Outlook: Pequannock hopes to finish at .500.
POPE JOHN
Coach: Brian Corcoran, 30th season
Last year: 2-4
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Nick Boyanowski, Sr. Liam Furman, Sr. Dylan Simonelli, Jr. Aidan Cavanaugh, Jr. Lucas Kozonasky, Jr. Nick Mizzoni, Jr. Reece Wilson, So. Nick Katsgiannis, So. Alex Kirkland, So. Louis Masone
Newcomers: So. Nicholas Rondon, Fr. Cristian Carpignano, Fr. Bryce Leslie, Fr. Chace Whaley
Outlook: The Lions hope to improve.
RANDOLPH
Coach: Nick Albanito, 22nd season
Last year: Third, NJSIAA North 1 Group 4; sixth, NJAC-Large; sixth, Morris County Championships
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Russell Goldstein, Sr. Max Ramsdell, Jr. Griffin Branch
Newcomers: Sr. Adam Dalton, So. Andrew Bernadino, So. Michael Ramsdell
Outlook: The Rams are building on improvement from outdoor track season in the spring.
ROXBURY
Coach: Derek Bischoff, 10th season
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Josue Molina, Jr. Adrian Gonzalez, Jr. T.J. Heiner, So. Wesley Castro
Newcomers: Jr. Marc Becker, Jr. Jack Vogel, Fr. A.J. Funicelli, Fr. Brady Swain
Outlook: The Gaels are building around a core of experienced juniors.
SPARTA
Coach: Bob Gilmartin, ninth season
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Rowan Henrie, Jr. Madox Giannantonio, Jr. Thomas Zapata, Jr. Tim Willwerth, So. Espen Wespestad
Newcomers: Jr. Marek DiFrisco, Fr. Mark Fagersten
Outlook: Sparta is counting on a large group of younger runners.
SUSSEX TECH
Coach: Maria Re, 11th season
Last year: 9-2, 4-1 NJAC-Freedom; sixth, NJTAC Championships
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Immanuel Cuevas, Sr. Isaiah Vera, Jr. Kellen O'Connell, So. Owen Kester, So. Brady Eck
Newcomers: Jr. Aiden Young, Fr. Angel Dominicano, Fr. Christopher Spies
Outlook: The Mustangs are aiming at individual improvement.
VERNON
Coach: Jim Shenise, 18th season
Last year: 4-7, 2-3 NJAC-Freedom
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Aiden Velez
Newcomers: Jr. Michael Meneses, Fr. Ryland Carlson, Fr. Gavin Kiefer, Fr. Tristan Talerico
Outlook: The Vikings are building.
WALLKILL VALLEY
Coach: Aimee Chegwidden, seventh season
Last year: 5-0, NJAC-Freedom champion
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Zachary Neiper, Sr. Daniel Definis, Sr. Sam Tobachnick, Sr. Patrick Maloney, Sr. Alex Mogavero, Sr. Michael Gibson, Jr. Tristan Kelly
Newcomers: Fr. Benjamin Drelick
Outlook: With four of the top five runners back, Wallkill Valley hopes to win its third straight division title and qualify for Group 1 as a team.
WEST MORRIS
Coach: Chris Johnson, ninth season
Last year: 3-3; fourth, NJSIAA North 2 Group 2
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Andrew Ulto, Sr. Lukas Wolinski, Sr. Xander Zimmerman, Sr. Jacob Goodstone
Newcomers: Sr. Christian Jute
Outlook: Ulto aims to lead West Morris to Group 2 as a team.
WHIPPANY PARK
Coach: Steve Manni, 21st season
Last year: 4-0, NJAC-Independence champion
Returning letter-winners: Sr. Brayden Lo, Jr. Andrew Grosso,
Newcomers: Jr. Sean Boyd, Jr. Jason Chan
Outlook: The Wildcats hope to build on last season's success after moving to the NJAC-Liberty.
This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: 2026 Morris/Sussex high school boys cross country preview capsules