Union Catholic came into this season regarded as New Jersey’s premier track and field program, but there was still unfinished business to take care of.
The Vikings needed to finish off a rare feat by capturing both Non-Public A State Championships to cement themselves as the undisputed top boys and girls programs in the state.
Mission accomplished.
Union Catholic made more history on Saturday by sweeping the Non-Public A team titles at Buena High School, becoming the only school in New Jersey to win both the boys and girls state championships this weekend!
To cap off the remarkable achievement, both Viking teams finished the season ranked No. 1 in New Jersey by NJ.com. The sweep also added to the program’s unparalleled legacy, as the Union Catholic boys and girls teams have now combined for 64 state championships across cross-country, indoor track, and outdoor track seasons.
Boys Reclaim the Crown
The Union Catholic boys returned to the top of Non-Public A after reclaiming the championship they narrowly missed a year ago.
In recent seasons, the Vikings and Christian Brothers Academy have engaged in one of the state's premier rivalries, trading titles since 2021. Union Catholic won championships in 2022 and 2024 before finishing fourth last spring while CBA captured the title.
That disappointment fueled the Vikings throughout the year.
This season, Union Catholic left no doubt, scoring 123 points to defeat runner-up Christian Brothers Academy (96) and secure its third Non-Public A championship in the last fve years and the sixth outdoor state title in program history.
“We felt like we could be very good with what we had,” said head coach Mike McCabe. “We kept things kind of slow indoors because we’re in Non-Public B, but we felt we could do the same thing we did this winter when it came outside. CBA at the time looked better than us, but I think we really centralized our focus and had some huge point scorers.”
Among those standout performers was Shahid Stevens, who delivered one of the meet's biggest performances.
“Shahid was enormous,” McCabe said. “He came on late this indoor season and it’s just carried over, and he saved his best for this meet. Elijah McCoy in the distance, Keandre and Ciaran going 1-2 in the 800, but also a lot of new faces and some freshmen and sophomores. It’s special on the boys side because we don’t have the volume and sheer size of these other schools, so when we get these chances, we try to jump on them, and lucky for us, we really hit the mark.”
The Vikings established control early behind a dominant 800-meter performance, with Keandre Kelly winning in 1:51.95 and defending his Meet of Champions title aspirations, while teammate Ciaran Brosnan finished second in 1:52.27.
Stevens and Jalele Williams added runner-up finishes on Day 1, with Williams taking second in the long jump and Stevens placing second in the 100-meter dash. Stevens returned on Day 2 to win the 400-meter title in 48.55 and finish second in the 200.
Distance standout Elijah McCoy delivered crucial points with a third-place finish in the 3,200 and a runner-up finish in the 1,600, while Garsen Naar placed third in the 400 hurdles with a personal-best 54.82.
Union Catholic’s depth was evident in the relays as well. Despite holding out 3 members of its U.S. No. 1 4x800 relay squad, the quartet of Jayden Aine, Quintin Clemons, Jeremiah Shepherd, and Lucas Silva still captured the title in 7:53.95.
Girls Continue Historic Dynasty
While the boys reclaimed a championship, the girls continued to show why they are the greatest dynasty in state history.
Union Catholic amassed a staggering 238.5 points to capture its 11th consecutive Non-Public A state championship, extending the state record for consecutive girls outdoor team titles. The 11 overall state titles for the girls is tied for No. 3 in state history for a girls' program. Pope John and Notre Dame share the record with 12.
The Vikings collected 11 gold medals, 22 top-three finishes, and 32 top-five finishes in another overwhelming display of dominance.
“We’re pretty deep,” McCabe said. “We have to decide who’s gonna run in certain spots. That’s a big chance for the girls to take advantage of their opportunity.”
Junior Morgan Holley led the charge with a pair of victories, winning the 100-meter hurdles in 14.45 and the long jump at 18-7¾. She also finished second in the triple jump and fourth in the high jump.
“I wanted to show up and improve my marks from last year,” Holley said. “I did that in every event.”
Holley credited teammate Kiara Fleming, who broke the meet record in the triple jump with a leap of 40-6¼.
“Having someone that you compete with in practice is the best way to get better,” Holley said. “Working with Kiara the last two years has been amazing.”
Stanford-bound Paige Sheppard was another double champion, winning the 800 meters in 2:06.83 and the 1,600 in 4:51.37. Kayla Devine added a runner-up finish in the 1,600, while Eden Solorzano placed third.
Sydney Chadwick captured the 400 hurdles title in 1:00.04 and also finished second in both the 200 and 400. Abigail Robisky added third-place finishes in the 400 and 800.
The Vikings also excelled in the relays. Chadwick teamed with Maya Wyche, Natalia Thompson, and Abriyah Thompson to win the 4x100 relay in 47.45. Aubrey Devers, Jasmine Parran, Naomi Akakpo, and Emmy O’Hearn won the 4x800 relay in 9:21.97, and Union Catholic closed the meet with another gold medal in the 4x400 relay in 3:56.10.
In the field events, Alyssa Kenol won the shot put and placed third in the discus, while Isabella Castaneda finished second in the discus.
“We’re really strong in the throws,” McCabe said. “That’s big for us. We tried to spread it around the best we could. The depth is unbelievable. We try to create opportunity.”
A Season for the History Books
For years, winning has been the expectation at Union Catholic. This spring, however, the Vikings reached another level.
The boys reclaimed the Non-Public A championship, the girls extended their state-record dynasty, both teams finished ranked No. 1 in New Jersey, and Union Catholic stood alone as the only school in the state to sweep the boys and girls team titles.
The accomplishment further solidified the Vikings’ place among New Jersey’s all-time great programs, bringing the combined boys and girls total to 64 state championships across cross-country, indoor track, and outdoor track. The girls program now owns the state record with 11 consecutive outdoor titles and is tied for third all-time in overall girls outdoor state championships with 11.
Union Catholic didn’t just meet expectations, it reinforced its status as the gold standard of track and field in New Jersey.