The all-sports award was created by Prime Events and William Schoppy Inc. in 1991. It was renamed in
memory of Ed Byrnes, the longtime athletic director and football coach at Holy Spirit, after he died
suddenly in February, 1996. He was president of the CAL for six years and had just won his 100th
football game four months before his death.
MAINLAND wins in 2023-24
The Mustangs won state championships in football and girls basketball and other South Jersey titles in boys basketball and golf. Mainland
added CAL conference championships in girls tennis, girls cross country, girls volleyball and boys swimming to build up a lead coming into the spring.
The Mustangs were CAL Tournament champions in baseball and co-champions in boys tennis to hold off a rally by Ocean City when the Raiders won a
South Jersey title, two CAL Tournament championships and five conference titles to just fall short. It was the 9th time Mainland has won the Byrnes Award.
2023-24 OVERALL POINT LEADERS
1. Mainland 28
2. Ocean City 23
3. Egg Harbor Township 15
3. St. Augustine 15
5. Middle Township 11
OTHER 2023-24 LEADERS
Public School - Mainland
Non-Public - St. Augustine
Group 4 - Egg Harbor Township
Group 3 - Mainland
Group 2 - Middle Township
Non-Public B - Holy Spirit
Atlantic County - Mainland
Cape May County - Ocean City
Cumberland County - Vineland
Cunniff Big Five - Middle Township
Boys Sports - Mainland
Girls Sports - Ocean City
Fall Sports - Mainland/Ocean City (tie)
Winter Sports - Mainland
Spring Sports - Egg Harbor Township
PREVIOUS CHAMPIONS
2022-23 Ocean City
2021-22 Mainland
2020-21 Ocean City
2019-20 Ocean City
2018-19 Ocean City
2017-18 Mainland/Ocean City (tie)
2016-17 Ocean City
2015-16 Ocean City
2014-15 Ocean City
2013-14 Ocean City
2012-13 Ocean City
2011-12 Middle Township/Ocean City (tie)
2010-11 St. Augustine
2009-10 Holy Spirit
2008-09 Holy Spirit/Ocean City (tie)
2007-08 St. Augustine
2006-07 Ocean City
2005-06 Ocean City
2004-05 St. Augustine
2003-04 St. Augustine
2002-03 Mainland
2001-02 Mainland
2000-01 Ocean City/St. Augustine(tie)
99-2000 Absegami
1998-99 Ocean City
1997-98 Ocean City/Vineland(tie)
1996-97 Mainland
1995-96 Mainland
1994-95 Ocean City
1993-94 Ocean City
1992-93 Ocean City
1991-92 Mainland
1990-91 Mainland
The system used to determine a school's
final score in the competition awards points for
championships won - both CAL and NJSIAA -
with bonuses for the number of different
sports in which they were won. Under this
system, which rewards a sports program's
versatility, a school that wins two championships -
one each in two different sports - will get a higher
score than if it won two championships in the
same sport. Points are only awarded for sports
in which the CAL determines a champion.
