Delbarton Cross Country opened its NJAC dual meet schedule with a pair of strong performances at Greystone Park, showcasing both veteran leadership and promising young talent through the first two batch meets of the season.

The Green Wave opened conference competition on September 15 against Mendham and Randolph, with senior Ryan Leuenberger leading the way for Delbarton. Leuenberger finished the 5K course in 17:12.81, the fastest time by a Delbarton runner on the afternoon.

Behind Leuenberger, Delbarton put together a tightly packed varsity group. Senior Todd Smith Jr. crossed in 17:31.68, followed closely by junior Matthew Heyer, who opened his season with a 20-second personal record and finished in 17:38.47. Seniors Lucien Bret (18:04.68) and Joshua Akakpo (18:06.50) rounded out Delbarton's top five.

That depth proved especially important against Randolph, as Delbarton placed the first three Green Wave runners across the line before Bret and Akakpo secured the fourth and fifth scoring positions for the team.

One week later, Delbarton returned to Greystone Park for the second NJAC Batch Meet on September 22 and continued its strong start.

Leuenberger once again paced the Green Wave, finishing in 17:35.57. Heyer followed in 17:38.43, with Smith (17:45.75), Bret (17:53.39) and Akakpo (17:58.20) giving Delbarton five runners under 18 minutes. Jonathan Gels wasn't far behind, crossing in 18:04.40.

The balanced performance helped Delbarton earn victories over both Chatham, 20-41, and Morris Hills, 20-39. Against Chatham, Delbarton claimed five of the first six scoring positions, while against Morris Hills, Leuenberger was the first runner across the line for the Green Wave as Delbarton again used its depth to take control of the meet.

Another major highlight came from freshman Liam Johnson, who made an impressive varsity 5K debut. Johnson finished in 18:28.83, averaging just under six minutes per mile in his first high school 5K.

Through the opening two NJAC meets, Leuenberger has established himself at the front of the Delbarton pack, while Heyer's early-season PR and Johnson's promising freshman debut have added to an encouraging start. Just as importantly, the Green Wave has shown considerable depth throughout its lineup, with Delbarton's fifth scorer playing a key role in the team's early success.

With two NJAC batch meets now complete, Delbarton will look to continue building on a strong opening to the 2026 cross country season.