WWP South’s Kinsler and Ewing’s Jones deliver big sprint duels, WWP North sweeps the distance events, and Notre Dame’s Crawford leads the Irish to the team title.
WWP North claims the title behind Lee’s big distance double. Other highlights include a speedy sprint triple from Nottingham’s Crusoe Gaye, three field event golds for Hopewell Valley’s Obidike, and lots of big breakthroughs.
Bartlett breaks the 3000m junior class national record, Blanchard and Casciano post some of the top marks in county history, and multiple 4×4 teams take home some hardware: Ewing boys and girls, Notre Dame boys and girls, Nottingham boys, and WWP South girls.
NJ.com’s Corey Annan selects Laura Sallade (Wilberforce) and Alaina Sabo (Notre Dame) as two of eighteen girls to watch this season in Non-Public A & B. Sallade’s tremendous 2024 season was “one of the main reasons why the program remained a contender in Non-Public B,” and Sabo “flashed star potential throughout her rookie season.”
The Trentonian selects Allison Lee (WWP North, Jr.) and Gavin Alvarez (Allentown, Sr.) as runners of the year. The two stars share their reactions to their performances and experiences at the Meet of Champions. Honorable mentions go to Christopher Young (Notre Dame, Sr.), Sean Wilton (Princeton, Sr.), and Sonjay Baylor-Reeves (Trenton, Sr.).
NJ.com’s CVC boy athlete of the year is Gavin Alvarez (Allentown, Sr.), and they highlights his fast PRs, medals at groups and Meet of Champions, and his big improvement from last year. The boys coach of the year is Nottingham’s Kenley Souffrant, and the boys team of the year is Notre Dame.
Coach McLaughlin shares what made him stick around at Notre Dame for 38 years, while assistant coach Jain Ja Williams praises his organizational skills and the culture he’s created, both at Notre Dame and across Mercer County. Coach Samara expresses appreciation for everyone who has shared with him the lessons they learned in his program, and he also talks about getting to coach with his father, the retired Princeton University coach.
Allison Lee (WWP North) shatters the CVC 1600m record with a 4:40 — #4 all-time in New Jersey — while Agrim Jha (WWP North) earns the boys win in a quick 4:15.