Villa Walsh Sweeps Girls NJSIAA Cross-Country Titles
Villa Walsh captured both the individual and team championships in the girls Non-Public B cross-country meet at Holmdel County Park.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Running
Catherine Azares won the girls NJSIAA Non-Public B individual title in 19:46, leading Villa Walsh to the team championship with 37 points. Villa Walsh finished 40 points ahead of runner-up Pope John, which scored 77.
Why it matters
The result shows that depth carried Villa Walsh to the team title, as its five scorers finished close together. All of the top 10 individual finishers qualified for the NJSIAA Meet of Champions.
Villa Walsh's five scorers averaged 21:11, with a 3:25 spread between first and fifth runners. Individual results from the top 10 finishers have been released, though the source does not give the full team scoring breakdown.
The players
Villa Walsh
Villa Walsh is a Morris Township school whose girls cross-country team won both the individual and team titles at the NJSIAA Non-Public B meet.
Catherine Azares
Catherine Azares is a runner who won the girls NJSIAA Non-Public B individual cross-country title in 19:46.
Pope John
Pope John is a school whose girls team finished second in the Non-Public B team race with 77 points.
The details
Azares moved to the top of the pack midway through the race and pulled away over the final three quarters of a mile. Stella Blanchard of Wilberforce finished second in 19:50, and Claire Johnson of Villa Walsh took third in 19:52.
Timeline
The race took place at Holmdel County Park, with the results published in an article dated November 7, 2026.
Season Trajectory
All of the top 10 individual finishers qualified for the NJSIAA Meet of Champions, extending the state-championship pathway for the girls field. The result places Villa Walsh at the top of the Non-Public B girls cross-country field heading into the state's postseason.
Villa Walsh's depth, with five scorers averaging 21:11, decided the team race and now carries into the NJSIAA Meet of Champions. Fans tracking state qualifiers can see the top 10 individual finishers who advanced.
The takeaway
Depth across the top five runners proved as decisive as individual speed in the Non-Public B girls race. Teams looking to contend at the state level should track how their third through fifth scorers close their races.
What happens next
The top 10 individual finishers have qualified for the NJSIAA Meet of Champions, the next step in the state postseason.
Further reading
Find more coverage in the Running section on New Jersey high school distance racing.
