Cross-country: 2025 Final top 25 rankings
Boys (Preseason rankings in parentheses)
25. Passaic: Best race: ninth in State North 1, Group 4 sectional. Returning starters for 2026: 7 (22).
24. Glen Rock: Best race: sixth in North 1, Group 2 sectional. Returning: 6 (18).
23. Ramapo: Best race: sixth in Bergen A group meet. Returning: 4 (17).
22. Kinnelon: Best race: Won Small Schools NJAC title. Returning: 6 (11).
21. Park Ridge/Emerson: Best race: Fourth in North 1, Group 1 sectional. Returning: 5 (unranked).
20. Pascack Valley: Best race: Third in Big North National. Returning: 4 (23).
19. Fort Lee: Best race: Second in Big North American. Returning: 6 (25).
18. Ramsey: Best race: Third in North 1, Group 2 sectional. Returning: 5 (unranked).
17. Demarest: Best race: Won Bergen B title. Returning: 3 (7).
16. New Milford: Best race: second in North 1, Group 1 sectional. Returning: 6 (unranked).
15. Secaucus: Best race: 3rd Hudson County. Returning: 2 (15)
14. Bergen Tech: Best race: Second in Big North Liberty meet. Returning: 4 (8).
13. Dumont: Best race: Fourth in North 1 Group 2 sectional (to return to State meet for first time in 38 years. Returning: 4 (19).
12. Bogota: Best race: Won Bergen D title. Returning: 4 (6).
11. Old Tappan: Best race: Second place at Bergen B race. Returning: 3 (16).
10. Ridgewood: Unfortunately, the Maroons will remember this season most for coming up two points short of a 33rd straight appearance in the State Group 4 race in a year where they had to replace every varsity athlete. A midseason injury to Dean Ackley didn’t help but Ridgewood hopes to start a new streak next year with four returning starters (13).
9. Northern Highlands: An up and down season for the Highlanders, who looked ready to be a contender when they finished second in both the Big North Freedom and Bergen A races. Unfortunately sixth places in both BMOC and the North 1 Group 3 sectional ended their season. Mats Knutzen did make the state meet and he and five other Highlanders will return next season (10).
8. Hackensack: The good news was that Hackensack won a pair of major meets for the first time in decades in taking the Big North Freedom and Bergen A meets. The bad news was that while Mike McGinnity had the greatest individual season in Comet history, the rest of the team didn’t follow. The Comets were ninth in BMOC and 17th in State Group 4 but had a solid sectional runner-up performance. The Comets return four varsity performers next season (5).
7. Lyndhurst: A good season was expected but the Golden Bears were even better than expected and showed great consistency throughout the season. They were second in the NJIC Colonial, third in Bergen C, a stunning fifth at BMOC, easily their best finish ever, took fifth in a tough North 2, Group 2 and were 14th at States, their best finish in more than a decade. Next year could be even better as Gabriel Campos leads six returnees (9).
6. Lakeland: The Lancers have become a consistent threat in Passaic County and State sectional competition even with a head coach change from Damiano Conforti (now the school’s Principal) to Dan Burkert. Assistant coach and former Mahwah star Frank Lamberti is a constant and the Lancers keep churning out talent. They won the Big North Independence, took second at Passaic County and Group 2 sectionals and had their third top 10 finish at States in the last six years. They’ll return three varsity runners next year (12).
5. Leonia: What a year for the Lions! Another NJIC Colonial title, a close second in Bergen C, an all-time best in finishing fourth in the BMOC and a first sectional title in 46 years. The Lions finished seventh in Group 2 for their best state finish since 2010. Sectional champ Jeremy Garcia hopes to step into the sensational shoes of SMOC qualifier Calvin Daou as a leader and the Lions will return four varsity runners next year (4).
4. Indian Hills: The Braves pulled off their second straight Triple Crown by winning the Big North Patriot, Bergen C and North 1 Group 1 sectional meet for the second straight, before taking second at BMOC for the fourth time. They had an average race at the State Group 1 championship, taking fourth after being a co-favorite to win the title. All North Jersey standout Frank Coppa leads the entire returning varsity team for 2026 (2).
3. Bergen Catholic: From the first Bergen Meet of Champions in 1973 until 1990, the Crusaders won 10 of the first 18 titles. But they’ve gone winless since then and only made the top three twice before this year’s third place finish. Their fifth place finish in Non-Public A was only their fourth top five finish since 1995. But with six returning runners, a return to Bergen County and state contention may only be a year away (14).
2. Passaic Tech: A dream season for the Bulldogs, which included its first ever sectional title, its back-to-back Passaic County title in 47 years, a Big North Liberty title and a New Jersey Technical Conference title. PCTI also put three runners on first team all-Passaic and three on second team for the first time ever and Michael DeCarlo had one of the best seasons ever by a Bulldog. Passaic Tech loses a pair of great seniors, but returns five of its top seven with some youngsters looking to make the leap next year (3).
‘1. Don Bosco: From opening day to the State Meet of Champions, no North Jersey team could compare with the Ironmen. From their elite trio of Matthias Fontao, Matt Maguire and Jacob Pullen, through the middle of the line up with Blake McCarthy, Ryan Pelosi and Owen Hickey to Vincent Rodriguez and freshman Daniel Telofski in the back, Don Bosco dominated, winning a record 19th BMOC, taking ninth in the prestigious Eastern States race at Van Cortlandt Park and taking third in Non-Public A to qualify for the State Meet of Champions for the first time in nine years. Just Fontao, McCarthy and Telofski return next year (1).
