Overall winner Connor Brand led six Haddonfield runners in the top 10 and the Bulldogs raced to their 23rd consecutive South Jersey Group 2 title and 44th overall Saturday morning in Logan Township.
Brand ran 15:43 over 5,000 meters at DREAM Park and Haddonfield averaged 16:09.93, their 3rd-fastest time at DREAM Park behind 15:52.43 at 2021 sectionals and 15:52.70 at 2022 sectionals.
Andrew Blum ran 15:58.89 for the Bulldogs and placed 3rd, then Logan Tripician, Graham Dodson and Luke Lindner packed in 6th, 7th and 8th in 16:09, 16:19 and 16:38.
Haddonfield topped Sterling, 25-49, with Middle Township [97], West Deptford [130] and Salem County Vo-Tech also securing auto bids to the state Group 2 meet at Holmdel County Park next Saturday with top-5 finishes. Sterling’s 2nd-place finish was its best since it placed 2nd in 2017. The Silver Knights placed all five scorers in the top 15.
West Deptford Luke McClintock ran 15:55 for 2nd, Sterling senior Giovanni Fuchs was 4th in 15:58 and Middle senior Jamar Mack 5th in 16:02.
Also picking up auto bids with top-15 finishes: Sterling senior Brady Kay [9th in 16:51], Haddonfield Nathan Bollard [10th in 17:01], Pleasantville freshman Brody Bailey [11th in 17:08], Sterling senior Brody Simon [12th in 17:15], Sterling senior Thomas Krainski [13th in 17:23], Sterling junior Connor Zane [14th in 17:28] and Pleasantville sophomore Joseph Davenport [15th in 17:28].
Haddonfield won four straight titles from 1999 through 2002, then lost to Cinnaminson in 2003 before now winning 23 straight.
In all, the Bulldogs have won a state-record 42 sectional titles – 1967 in Group 3, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1997 and 1998 in Group 1, then in Group 2, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and the current 23 in a row.
Other Haddonfield individual sectional champs: Bob Peterson in 1967, Jim Smith in 1977, 1978 and 1979, Eric Bonnette in 1995 and 1996, Chris Platt in 2000, 2001 and 2002, Mike Burke in 2004, Jonathan Vitez in 2007, 2008 and 2009, Ben Potts in 2010, Greg Pelose in 2015, Martin Riddell in 2017, 2018 and 2019, Seth Clevenger in 2021, George Andrus in 2022, Ryan Gibson in 2024 and Peter Simpson in 2025.
Lowest Group 2 Scores
16 … Haddonfield, 2008 [Group 2]
17 … Haddon Township, 1971 [Group 2]
20 … Haddonfield, 2010 [Group 2]
20 … Haddonfield, 2018 [Group 2]
21 … Haddonfield, 2009 [Group 2]
22 … Haddonfield, 2023 [Group 2]
23 … Haddonfield, 2013 [Group 2]
23 … Haddonfield, 2019 [Group 2]
25 … Haddonfield, 2026 [Group 2]
26 … Clearview, 1965 [Group 2]
26 … Haddonfield, 2014 [Group 2]
27 … Overbrook, 1968 [Group 2]
27 … Haddonfield, 2001 [Group 2]
27 … Haddonfield, 2015 [Group 2]
27 … Haddonfield, 2024 [Group 2]
28 … Haddonfield, 2021 [Group 2]
29 … Cinnaminson, 2003 [Group 2]
