North Allegheny looks to put Pennsylvania back in national spotlight, with Holliston having aspirations to become first Massachusetts program to qualify for NXN since 2011; North Hunterdon hopes to return to Oregon after winning fourth straight regional crown in 2019, with Cherokee seeking back-to-back Northeast titles for New Jersey

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Girls NXR Northeast Preview

It has been seven years since a Pennsylvania girls team has won the Northeast Regional title, when Pennsbury capped a run of five combined appearances between itself and Unionville from 2012-15 at Nike Cross Nationals.

Pennsbury also placed fifth in 2015 at NXN, which remains the best performance by any girls program in state history in Oregon, in addition to it being the last team from the region to finish in the top 10 in Portland.

Whether North Allegheny can rely on the performances of sophomore Wren Kucler and junior Eva Kynaston to ascend to that elite level won’t be determined until Dec. 3, but the Tigers certainly have the potential to triumph Nov. 26 at NXR Northeast at Bowdoin Park and become only the third girls program from Pennsylvania to compete at Glendoveer Golf Course.

New Jersey has accounted for five of the past six girls regional berths from 2017-19, with Champlain Valley Union from Vermont earning the second automatic bid in 2018, edging North Allegheny by an 11-point margin and preventing the Pennsylvania Class AAA champion from its first NXN appearance.

The top three finishers from last year’s regional were also from New Jersey, with Kelsey Niglio helping Cherokee prevail against Ridgewood and Haddonfield Memorial.

North Hunterdon seeks a fifth straight NXN appearance, but extending its streak of regional titles will be a significant challenge, especially having to defeat not only North Allegheny, but New Jersey rivals Cherokee, Haddonfield Memorial and Union Catholic as well.

Cassidy Roop, a junior, is the top returning athlete in the regional for North Hunterdon, with Brownsville Area senior Jolena Quarzo possibly developing into a strong contender, especially if junior Ellie Shea of Belmont High in Massachusetts decides to compete against at the Eastbay Northeast Regional.

Holliston had a huge impact in Massachusetts last season, winning the Division 2 crown, but the state hasn’t been represented in Oregon since Hamilton-Wenham Regional advanced in 2011.

Four Massachusetts girls programs have combined for five appearances in meet history, with junior Carmen Luisi looking to help Holliston add to that history.

1. North Allegheny PA. It was a business-like approach for the Tigers last season, culminating with a fourth consecutive Pennsylvania Class AAA state championship in dominant fashion and nothing beyond that in terms of regional or national competition. With six athletes returning from that lineup, North Allegheny should be inspired to not only race at NXR Northeast for the first time since a third-place finish in 2018, but highly motivated to become only the third girls program from Pennsylvania to advance to NXN, including the first since 2015. Perhaps the most optimism for North Allegheny is that the team isn’t only primed for success this year, but the future as well, with four sophomores in the lineup, highlighted by twin sisters Wren Kucler and Robin Kucler, along with Sydney Kuder and Camille Swirsding. Eva Kynaston and Erin McGoey are also experienced contributors, with fellow junior Maia Getz adding important depth for the Tigers, who must replace Maura Mlecko and Rachel Hockenberry as a result of graduation. Although North Allegheny is focused on a schedule of meets in its home state, competing against Class AAA rival State College Area should have the Tigers well prepared for the postseason.

2. Cherokee NJ. The winning group last year at NXR Northeast also secured victory at the New Jersey Meet of Champions, and despite the graduation of Nicole Clifford and Noelle Falzone, the Chiefs have aspirations to secure their first Nike Cross Nationals berth if they can perform well again Nov. 26 at the regional meet. Senior Kelsey Niglio leads a lineup that also includes juniors Kerry O’Day, Olivia Parkinson and Alaina Bromley, as well as sophomore Megan Niglio, helping the Chiefs rely significantly on the strength of their pack on demanding courses like Holmdel Park and Bowdoin Park during the postseason. Cherokee continued to showcase improvement throughout last season and demonstrated impressive maturity against a senior-laden Ridgewood lineup in order to triumph by less than 20 points at both the Meet of Champions and regional competition. Although New Jersey rival North Hunterdon had a streak of four straight appearances in Oregon interrupted by the pandemic, the state’s most reliable contender this fall could be Cherokee, which has reaped the benefits of having the nucleus of its roster together for a third straight season.

3. Holliston MA. Another program with little history racing at the regional level could find itself in contention for its first appearance at Nike Cross Nationals, should the Panthers decide to compete Nov. 26 at Bowdoin Park. Holliston provided an indication of what its future could look like during the 2020 season, halting an impressive run by Tri-Valley League rival Hopkinton, although the Panthers didn’t have a chance to contend for a state title as a result of the pandemic. But Holliston made every opportunity count last season by securing a Division 2 crown in dominant fashion and the momentum hasn’t slowed at all since, especially with the return of reigning state individual champion, junior Carmen Luisi. Sophomores Maggie Kuchman and Annabelle Lynch, along with seniors Ella Bosselman and Casey Wig provide significant experience for Holliston, which also returns senior Ella Kuchman, juniors Lillian Engel and Isabella Toledo, along with sophomore Sarah Kuchman in search of back-to-back state championships and the pursuit of becoming the first Massachusetts girls program to qualify to race in Oregon since 2011.

4. Haddonfield Memorial NJ. It was a significant challenge last year for Haddonfield Memorial to replace four athletes from a team that concluded the 2020 season by winning the Holmdel Invitational, but the Bulldawgs elevated from a fifth-place finish at the New Jersey Meet of Champions to take third at NXR Northeast, and only lost Jess Goode to graduation, establishing itself as a legitimate contender not only in its own state, but also at the regional level. The margin for error, just like last season, is small for Haddonfield Memorial, with the group still looking to develop more depth to support senior Helene Usher and juniors Audrey Naticchia, Anne Earp, Sarah Fetter and Riley Slootsky. Despite not competing last season at Meet of Champions or NXR Northeast, a healthy Sabrina Miller could have a meaningful impact on the Bulldawgs’ lineup, along with junior Ava Thomas, who improved significantly during the spring track season. Along with competing Sept. 24 at the Bowdoin Park XC Classic, Haddonfield Memorial should also benefit greatly from racing Oct. 8 at the Manhattan Invitational at Van Cortlandt Park in New York.

5. North Hunterdon NJ. Following four consecutive victories at NXR Northeast from 2016-19, the Lions were only represented at last year’s event at Bowdoin Park by Cassidy Roop, who took third overall and is the top returning athlete this season. But with Nike Cross Nationals being canceled the past two seasons as a result of the pandemic, North Hunterdon has an opportunity to add to its legacy in November if it can place in the top two and secure an automatic berth to return to Oregon. Addison Schmidt is the most significant loss to graduation for the Lions from a lineup that finished fourth last season at the New Jersey Meet of Champions. But Roop leads a strong junior class that also features Saralyn Frederick, Aubrey Carlson and Peyton Lewis, in addition to senior Paige Boyce and sophomore Brooke Richards providing valuable support for the Lions. North Hunterdon already has more NXN appearances than any girls program in state history, but if the Lions can navigate a challenging New Jersey landscape that includes plenty of experienced teams and a potential postseason sleeper in Union Catholic, it might be the most impressive achievement during their highly successful run.

WATCHLIST

Champlain Valley Union VT

Dallastown Area PA

Glastonbury CT

Kent Place NJ

Marshfield MA

Souhegan NH

State College Area PA

Union Catholic NJ