The 4,000-strong Shore Coaches Invitational last weekend only proved what everyone knew before the gun was fired for the first of the dozen varsity events that day: the 2006 cross-country season in New Jersey will be known for its individual talent, not its team strength. A state which sent three schools to the national championships in Oregon last fall may well be without representation this time around. The leaders at the Shore meet, Jackson for the boys and Roxbury for the girls, will have to improve on their respective averages of 16:45 and 19:48 to gain a spot in the Portland races. But even with such notables as Craig Forys and Ashley Higginson of Colts Neck, Danielle Tauro of Southern (Ocean) Regional and Amanda Marino of Jackson among the missing, there were some notable individual efforts. Junior Brandon Jarrett of St. Benedict’s Prep led the boys as he won a hot “D” race from Tom Poland of Delbarton and Kyle Soloff of Morris Hills in 15:42, while Matt Ciambriello of Old Bridge edged Kris Carle of Jackson in the “A” race in 15:54, and sophomore Doug Smith of Gill-St. Bernard’s made his Holmdel County Park debut a winning one with a 16:00 in the “F” event. Top girl was junior Lauren Penney of Roxbury, who took the “B” race in from soph Katie Kellner of West Windsor-Plainsboro South in 18:38 as five girls broke 19:00 -- including Morris frosh star Dale Kinney. Soph Melanie Thompson led Voorhees to victory in “D” at 18:50 and Theresa Cattuna of Cherry Hill East did likewise in “A” at 19:07. But a 1-3 finish by Megan Fitzpatrick (19:02) and soph Clare Buck was not enough to overcome Red Bank Catholic’s balanced effort in the “D” race. The other girls’ team winners were Haddonfield in “E” and Pingry for the fourth time in a row in “F”. Abby Hinds of Mountain Lakes, a one-season runner and two-times state Gr. I champ, took the “E” race in 19:21 and Rachel Provost of Peddie repeated in “F” at 19:33 over Parochial B defender Marie Walsh of Mater Dei. Jackson won a close boys’ “A” race from Old Bridge and defending all-group champ Christian Brothers, 64-72-83, with Ryan Fenimore backing Carle up in 5th place and Austin Santillo finishing 13th. Ridgewood took the “B” event, 72-119, from Ridge with soph Brett Johnson of Ocean City edging Christian Gonzalez of Franklin in 16:12. West Windsor-Plainsboro North was a first-time winner in “C”, 113-133, with Chris Southwick of Voorhees finishing 20 yards ahead of Tony Salvatore of Wayne Valley in 16:05. Hopewell Valley topped St. Benedict’s, 95-112, in D. Jeremy Scheid of Pope John XXIII ran with largely JV teammates as he won the “E” race---and event older brother Justin had taken in 2003---in 16:14 and Pennsville became Salem County’s first team winner ever in the meet, topping Pingry, 60-100, in F. Roxbury got a big boost in its hopes for a repeat victory in November’s all-group meet with solid performances from junior Ashley Cromartie in 7th at 19:04 and cross-country novice Arianne Neutts in 9th at 19:27. Even More important, there 4th and 5th girls improved a minute or so on previous performances this fall. Tauro, still “resting” from her extended 2006 spring season (which ended in China in August), was very much present at the meet, warming up between races and rooting her teammates on in boys and girls’ “A:” races. She will begin her CC season at the sectionals on Nov. 4 and point to a Foot Locker berth, having finish in the top 10 in San Diego last fall. Higginson was also idle last weekend, but Marino led a slim NJ contingent at the Walt Disney race in Florida, finishing second in the featured race in 18:34 as her Jackson team placed second to Brent Villa, 47-76. Teammate Ashley Avilleria was 6th in 19:46 and Dana Allen 12th in 20:21. Alex Hehn of Toms River East was 9th in 20:14. Chris Valerio of West Milford was 2nd in the “B” race in 18:57. In the only other in-state action, the Brett Taylor Invitational at Darlington Park in Mahwah, Middletown North and Eastern Christian took the boys’ races with Garfield and St. Rose the girls’ winners. Michael Bravo of St. Joseph’s, Montvale, had his second Darlington win of the season in the “A” race in 16:31 and Matt Lingam of Park Ridge took the “B” event in 16:33.The girls’ “A” winner was Emmy Guitierez of Memorial in 20:21 and the “B” champ was Aubrey LaRezza of Pascack Hills in 20:14. An incident in this meet deserves mention. Garfield won by only two points from Mt. Olive, 45-47. The close victory was only possible because second-place finisher Diane Sobers of MO several times called back third-place Sylvia Dziedziec of Garfield when she strayed off the course. This is, thank heaven, not unusual in cross-country except, in this case, Darlington is the home course for all major Bergen County meets: Garfield is from that county, Mt. Olive was a visitor from Morris County. The state’s championship season really got into high gear Oct. 10 with three conference meets. Tenafly took the Bergen County Scholastic League American Division boys’ race at Darlington with Charles Goold of Rutherford the individual winner in 16:26, and also won the girls’ title, led by Marissa Ayvaliotis in 20:19.’ The tri-furcated Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League meet at Garret Mountain saw Ridgewood and Don Bosco win their divisions despite leaving most of their first teams on the sidelines. Clifton captured the other division. The three individual winners were Craig Marshall of Bloomfield and Michael Bravo of St,. Joseph’s, Montvale, both in 16:56, and Jorge Beltre of Paterson Kennedy in 16:58. Ridgewood and Clifton doubled in their girls’ meets, while, in the best team race of the day, Holy Angels topped Immaculate Heart Academy, 25-32. The individual winners were Patty Hannon of Paramus in 19:53, Rebecca Colon of Paterson Kennedy in 20:39 and Sarah Pagano of IHA in 19:40. Cranford’s girls made a smashing debut in the Mountain Valley Conference meet at Pleasant Valley Park in Basking Ridge, taking the Mountain race, 25-54, from Clark with Laura Gallo the individual winner in 19:59. New Providence followed a 1-2-3 finish by Carolyn Pfalzgraf, Brigid Prufer and Olivia Clyude to defeat Kent Place, 21-64, in Valley. There will be five New Jersey teams in the Eastern girls’ title race at the Manhattan Invitational this weekend, led by second-ranked Colts Neck, Pope John, which scratched from the E race at Holmdel, passing up a sure win, Msgr. Donovan, Howell and Ridge complete the list. Fourth-ranked Voorhees is the sop entry in the class races. In the seven boys’ races, top interest will be in Craig Forys of Colts Neck in the E race where he takes a crack at the long-standing Van Cortlandt record, set 23 years ago by Brad Hudson of North Hunterdon. St. Benedict’s, with Jarrett, is entered in the G race, but will reportedly run instead at the Brown Invitational. However, five other top-ranked New Jersey teams will be there in separate races: Don Bosco in B, Christian Brothers in C, Pope John in D, Colts Neck (as noted) in E and Ridgewood in F. Not present, however, will be the state’s top teams, Jackson and Old Bridge, while sixth-ranked Haddonfield will be at the South Jersey Open at Delsea, site of the sectional championships in three weeks time. TOP TENS BOYS GIRLS 1. Jackson 1. Roxbury
2. Old Bridge 2. Colts Neck
3. Don Bosco 3. Cherry Hill East
4. Pope John 4. Voorhees
5. Ridgewood 5. Ridge
6. Haddonfield 6. Morris Knolls
7. Christian Brothers 7. Red Bank Catholic
8. Hopewell Valley 8. Msgr. Donovan
9. Colts Neck 9. Hopewell Valley
10. St. Benedict’s 10. Pope John | 
