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Who's No. 1 in Morris/Sussex high school sports?

What does it take to have a successful high school sports program?

A large enrollment? Three-sport athletes? Superstars who boost the rest of the roster?

The Daily Record and New Jersey Herald decided to find out. We counted just about everything: Morris County and Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex tournament success, NJSIAA sectional and Group team and individual titles, and Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference coaches' selections.

The top Morris/Sussex program for 2025-26 was clear: Chatham. Again.

This is the Cougars' fourth straight victory in seven years of this analysis, which launched in 2016. Delbarton and Randolph have also earned overall first place in the past.

Chatham even remained at No. 1 when boys and girls sports were counted separately.

Check out the full Morris/Sussex Top 10 rankings.

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10. Morristown

Senior midfielder Caroline Condon had a hat trick and an assist as Morristown held off Chatham to capture the Morris County Tournament girls lacrosse title. Senior Kayla Ewing sparkled on the track, winning both hurdles races – setting a Morris County record of 13.98 seconds in the shorter race – and the 200 meters at the Morris County Championships. She also brought home triple gold from NJAC East, and was the Group 4 100 hurdles champion outdoors. Indoors, Ewing won the 55 hurdles at North 1 Group 1.

9. Sparta

Adriana Dolinski figured into all three goals, scoring twice, as senior-led Sparta captured the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex girls soccer title. Both the boys and girls lacrosse teams earned HWS titles. Senior Eddie Brown had three goals and two assists as the Spartans' boys lacrosse team capped off the academic year with its first NJSIAA Group 2 trophy.

More: Sparta quarterback chasing school records, state title before focusing on baseball

8. Morris Hills

Morris Hills captured the first girls North sectional wrestling title. The Scarlet Knights boys won Morris County Relays indoors and outdoors, North 1 Group 3 indoors, and the NJAC East and Morris County team titles in the spring. Individual champ Carlos Godoy led Morris Hills to the top in epee team fencing at the Morris County Tournament.

7. Mount Olive

Junior Brayden Longo hit a go-ahead three-run homer and earned the victory on the mound as Mount Olive toppled Delbarton to bring home its first Morris County Tournament baseball title in 35 years. The Marauders' boys wrestling team defended its MCT title, took home District 5, and won Group 4 for the first time since 2022. Senior Molly Smyth (126), junior Mia Capone (107) and freshman Gianna Wilkinson (165) brought home individual titles as the Mount Olive girls captured the District 3 wrestling trophy. Senior Ryan Foley won the 800 meters at NJAC East, North 1 Group 3 and overall Group 3, and the Morris County 400 title. Indoors, Foley had won the Morris County 600, and the North 1 Group 3 and Group 3 800. Senior Teagan Mendel defended her MCT bowling high series plaque and also had the best individual game.

More: Resilient Mount Olive wrestler proving he's a state title contender

6. Morris Knolls

The Golden Eagles capped off the spring by earning their first Group softball championship in 16 years. They had already captured their fourth straight sectional softball title, going back-to-back in North 1 Group 4. They also defended their Morris County Tournament trophy for the first time. The Morris Knolls girls track and field program captured Morris County Relays in the spring. The Golden Eagles golf team continued to dominate, defending its Morris County and NJAC Tournament titles as junior Olivia Gaglione once again earned the top spot. Senior Sean Wemmlinger won North 1 Group 3 cross country, helping Morris Knolls capture the team title.

5. Madison

Madison won its first NJSIAA Group 2 boys soccer title since 1996, outlasting Robbinsville in overtime as senior Gui Dos Santos assisted on all four goals. Junior goalkeeper Antonia Waddington helped the girls soccer team defend North 2 Group 2 without giving up a goal. The Dodgers' field hockey team won a marathon Morris County Tournament final, edging West Morris in a shootout and then avenged a fall 2024 loss to Newton in the Group 1 North final. In the spring, senior Rohan Tucker won the 100, 200 and 400 at NJAC East, North 2 Group 2 and the 200 and 400 at Group 2. He had claimed the 55 and 400 meters at the Morris County Championships, North 2 Group 2 indoors, the Group 2 400

More: NJ hockey goals leader fueling Madison's state-best win streak

4. West Morris

The Wolfpack took full advantage of its shift to Group 2 during the track and field season. After starting the spring as the Morris County Relays small-school champion, the West Morris girls swept the rest of the titles: NJAC East, Morris County, and NJSIAA North 2 Group 2 and overall Group 2. West Morris was the only Morris/Sussex football team to win a 2025 sectional title. Senior first baseman Liam Costello was 2-for-2 with five RBI as the Wolfpack toppled Madison to bring home the North 2 Group 2 trophy. The Wolfpack ice hockey team won the Halvorsen Cup.

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3. Randolph

The Rams' girls volleyball team earned its first Morris County Tournament title in the fall, while the boys defended their NJAC and Group 2 North trophies. The indoor Meet of Champions triple-jump champion, senior Seannah Parsons won Morris County outdoor titles in the long and triple jumps. The Rams girls had brought home the Morris County cross country and North 1 Group 3 team titles in the fall. Randolph's girls swim team defended its North 1-B title.

More: Delbarton, Mount Olive add to explosion of NJAC boys volleyball

2. Delbarton

Delbarton swimming snapped Chatham's 58-meet winning streak, and went on to claim the Morris County championship. The Green Wave's 200 free relay won the Meet of Champions. Senior forward Aidan Pasic scored the overtime game-winner as Delbarton hockey overcame Don Bosco in the Non-Public final. The team had already won the Gordon Cup. The Green Wave topped St. Augustine in a marathon, 10-inning Non-Public A baseball final. Senior Chase Houser had two goals and an assist as Delbarton lacrosse held off Seton Hall Prep to take home the Non-Public championship for the first time since 2023. The Green Wave toppled Christian Brothers to capture its second Non-Public A team wrestling title in three years. Seniors Jayden James (165) and Carl Betz (190) and junior Cameron Sontz (120) each won NJSIAA wrestling titles in Atlantic City. The Green Wave has won 23 of the last 24 Morris County Tournament tennis titles, sweeping all but first singles this spring.

1. Chatham

Chatham girls swimming earned its 17th straight Morris County team championship and went on to its third straight Public B title. The girls' 400 free relay won the Meet of Champions. The Cougars' boys swim team earned its fifth straight Group championship. Chatham's girls tennis team earned its 12th straight Morris County Tournament title. The Cougars girls basketball team defeated Mendham to earn its third straight North 2 Group 3 championship in longtime head coach Joe Gaba's final season. The Chatham boys fencing team won the MCT overall title for the seventh year in a row, and the girls for the fifth. The Cougars girls soccer team won the Morris County Tournament for the fifth year in a row, and capped the fall with the Group 3 championship. The Cougars boys also captured the MCT soccer title for the first time since 2011 without allowing a goal. Shep Boyd had five goals as the Cougars held off Delbarton in the MCT boys lacrosse final. Chatham claimed the Morris County boys and NJAC-Large cross country titles, and carried that to indoor track and field. Senior Marcus Valenzuela was first in Morris County cross country, as well as at NJAC-Large and North 2 Group 3. He also won the 1,600 and 3,200 at the Morris County indoor and outdoor meets, North 2 Group 3 indoors and outdoors, and overall Group 3 in the spring. Junior Roger Rice sank a birdie putt to win the Morris County Tournament title on the first playoff hole, and helped Chatham earn the golf team trophy by one stroke over Madison.