20 September 2012
23 September 2008
Dogs may have us fooled
The goal: Every day, one new thought, some of which I will even post.
Today was productive. I had two thoughts:
1)Isn’t a tailgate just a countdown with drinks?
2)If dogs are color blind, why do milk bones vary in color? You know they all taste the same anyway. They at least smell alike, right? Fine, you got me; I tried one before – eh, two to compare. OK, I eat them regularly by the handful. They’re good and they taste nothing like real dog food. More like skittles, really. Bow wow.
Today was productive. I had two thoughts:
1)Isn’t a tailgate just a countdown with drinks?
2)If dogs are color blind, why do milk bones vary in color? You know they all taste the same anyway. They at least smell alike, right? Fine, you got me; I tried one before – eh, two to compare. OK, I eat them regularly by the handful. They’re good and they taste nothing like real dog food. More like skittles, really. Bow wow.
20 September 2008
Coffee gouging
The goal: Every day, one new thought, some of which I will even post.
“Would you like room for sugar and cream?”
Not fully hearing the barista, I say, “Yes, sugar and cream please.”
Biggest mistake of my life. I’m looking at it right now. Not only is my medium missing a third of its mediumness, but now I have to add my own fixings. Ahhhhhh. How generous Starbucks is with its empty portions!
What kind of question is that anyway? It’s a question deserving of an answer like, “Nah, that’s OK; I can make my own room. I was planning on drinking part of it anyway.”
It’s like a pizza man* needing to know whether you plan on sprinkling your pie with crushed red pepper, then, upon confirming your spicy intentions, hands you over a box minus three slices.
Also, if the barista must badger, couldn't she word the question like, "Wit' or wit' out sugar and cream?"? That might offset some of emasculation I feel when in one of these places.
*(I would've used the more politically correct “pizza person” if it didn’t sound like the person was made of pizza, ala the Gingerbread Man.)
“Would you like room for sugar and cream?”
Not fully hearing the barista, I say, “Yes, sugar and cream please.”
Biggest mistake of my life. I’m looking at it right now. Not only is my medium missing a third of its mediumness, but now I have to add my own fixings. Ahhhhhh. How generous Starbucks is with its empty portions!
What kind of question is that anyway? It’s a question deserving of an answer like, “Nah, that’s OK; I can make my own room. I was planning on drinking part of it anyway.”
It’s like a pizza man* needing to know whether you plan on sprinkling your pie with crushed red pepper, then, upon confirming your spicy intentions, hands you over a box minus three slices.
Also, if the barista must badger, couldn't she word the question like, "Wit' or wit' out sugar and cream?"? That might offset some of emasculation I feel when in one of these places.
*(I would've used the more politically correct “pizza person” if it didn’t sound like the person was made of pizza, ala the Gingerbread Man.)
17 September 2008
Faking rhythm
The goal: Every day, one new thought, some of which I will even post.
Rhythm seems like this elusive thing. I’m not saying you have it or you don’t. In fact, getting all your muscles to undulate in harmony seems more like a case of happenstance than a matter of talent. Right time, right place, muscles. Just as it takes a certain cadence to cast a spell, it may take a specific song to find ones rhythm. This is my hope. This sounds odd, but my neck feels too symmetrical, too between-my-shoulders while getting low on the dance floor.
But my lack of rhythm extends beyond the club. When I attempt to strum and sing simultaneously, my hand goes one direction, my voice another and my frustration boils over, culminating in a bring-it-all-together finish – like the ending to some games of chicken. Meet me: The Clash ver 2.0.
Still I find it fun to pretend. No better time to show off ones faux drum skills then while waiting in traffic. I slap and pitter-patter my side door to the tune of whatever is on, half-expecting a rear-view onlooker to step out of his vehicle, approach me and say “Yo, ‘Bullet with Butterfly Wings’? ... Niceee.”
Someone say this is normal.
Rhythm seems like this elusive thing. I’m not saying you have it or you don’t. In fact, getting all your muscles to undulate in harmony seems more like a case of happenstance than a matter of talent. Right time, right place, muscles. Just as it takes a certain cadence to cast a spell, it may take a specific song to find ones rhythm. This is my hope. This sounds odd, but my neck feels too symmetrical, too between-my-shoulders while getting low on the dance floor.
But my lack of rhythm extends beyond the club. When I attempt to strum and sing simultaneously, my hand goes one direction, my voice another and my frustration boils over, culminating in a bring-it-all-together finish – like the ending to some games of chicken. Meet me: The Clash ver 2.0.
Still I find it fun to pretend. No better time to show off ones faux drum skills then while waiting in traffic. I slap and pitter-patter my side door to the tune of whatever is on, half-expecting a rear-view onlooker to step out of his vehicle, approach me and say “Yo, ‘Bullet with Butterfly Wings’? ... Niceee.”
Someone say this is normal.
Non-Narrative: Chantz Powell
(Finished May 31)
CHANTZ POWELL
Cherry Hill East
Senior
Accomplishment: One of South Jersey's top 110 hurdlers, Cherry Hill East senior Chantz Powell barely advanced out of the South Jersey Group 4 Sectional Champion May 24, placing sixth in a sub-par 14.94 – galaxies from his personal-best 14.40. Still, he just appreciates an extra chantz to rebound. Bound for the Rutgers University-New Brunswick next fall, Powell hopes to improve upon that time at the State Championships, possibly at Meet of Champions and, if all else fails, at college. He's also a threat in the 400 hurdles, having ran a season-best 56.0.
Hobbies: "I like to go to the movies and just hang out with my friends. Video games and movies, stuff like that."
Favorite movie: Superbad
Favorite TV show: Law & Order
Favorite junk food: Fried Snickers bar
Favorite real food: Chicken marsala
Favorite music group/artist: Kayne West (recently caught his Philly show)
Favorite subject: Calculus
What attracted you to track: "People have been trying to get me to come out for track since I was 10. I played soccer and basketball then and people saw how fast I was. The spring of my sophomore year I finally went out and I've loved it since then."
Favorite event: "Even though I think the 110 hurdles is my best, the 400 hurdles is my favorite. "
What will you remember from your senior year: "Watching [Camden Catholic senior] Kevin McDonnell run the 3,200 at the South Jersey Distance Night (9:17.5). It was pretty impressive. I want to see him do something really fast at the Meet of Champions. He had three people pacing him!"
Five years from now …: "I see myself possibly going to graduate school, probably for business, and do some track even after college."
CHANTZ POWELL
Cherry Hill East
Senior
Accomplishment: One of South Jersey's top 110 hurdlers, Cherry Hill East senior Chantz Powell barely advanced out of the South Jersey Group 4 Sectional Champion May 24, placing sixth in a sub-par 14.94 – galaxies from his personal-best 14.40. Still, he just appreciates an extra chantz to rebound. Bound for the Rutgers University-New Brunswick next fall, Powell hopes to improve upon that time at the State Championships, possibly at Meet of Champions and, if all else fails, at college. He's also a threat in the 400 hurdles, having ran a season-best 56.0.
Hobbies: "I like to go to the movies and just hang out with my friends. Video games and movies, stuff like that."
Favorite movie: Superbad
Favorite TV show: Law & Order
Favorite junk food: Fried Snickers bar
Favorite real food: Chicken marsala
Favorite music group/artist: Kayne West (recently caught his Philly show)
Favorite subject: Calculus
What attracted you to track: "People have been trying to get me to come out for track since I was 10. I played soccer and basketball then and people saw how fast I was. The spring of my sophomore year I finally went out and I've loved it since then."
Favorite event: "Even though I think the 110 hurdles is my best, the 400 hurdles is my favorite. "
What will you remember from your senior year: "Watching [Camden Catholic senior] Kevin McDonnell run the 3,200 at the South Jersey Distance Night (9:17.5). It was pretty impressive. I want to see him do something really fast at the Meet of Champions. He had three people pacing him!"
Five years from now …: "I see myself possibly going to graduate school, probably for business, and do some track even after college."
10 September 2008
A couple phrases for Opposite Day
The goal: Every day, one new thought, some of which I will even post.
Some phases connote the opposite of their intended meanings. I’m rattling off just a pair of examples to keep this goal from becoming too pathetic:
1) ASAP – The grandmother of all cellphone lingo (LOL!), ASAP started off as the gentlest nudge, like the equivalent of a not-so pushy person appointed to lead. But somewhere along the way it turned into a real bitch.
Whenever I read it, hear it, or contemplate using it, I always need a reminder of its meaning. As soon as possible? Nooo, that’s what it used to stand for, back in its archaic sense. Now, only popular among drill sergeants and Nazis, it means closer to “Bitch, I said 'now'” while a toothpick flings toward your face.
If you want something as soon as possible, and you’re not a nazi drill sergeant, spell it out.
2) “I will do my best ...” – These words are usually the last thing a person writes before sitting back on his/her hands. I feel like I’m getting the finger every time I hear it. It’s the only finger I say ‘Thanks’ for.
Some phases connote the opposite of their intended meanings. I’m rattling off just a pair of examples to keep this goal from becoming too pathetic:
1) ASAP – The grandmother of all cellphone lingo (LOL!), ASAP started off as the gentlest nudge, like the equivalent of a not-so pushy person appointed to lead. But somewhere along the way it turned into a real bitch.
Whenever I read it, hear it, or contemplate using it, I always need a reminder of its meaning. As soon as possible? Nooo, that’s what it used to stand for, back in its archaic sense. Now, only popular among drill sergeants and Nazis, it means closer to “Bitch, I said 'now'” while a toothpick flings toward your face.
If you want something as soon as possible, and you’re not a nazi drill sergeant, spell it out.
2) “I will do my best ...” – These words are usually the last thing a person writes before sitting back on his/her hands. I feel like I’m getting the finger every time I hear it. It’s the only finger I say ‘Thanks’ for.
31 August 2008
Born Yesterday: My 2008 Fantasy Football Rankings Rank - NOT!
The goal: Every day, one new thought, some of which I will even post.
Day 2: So what? I fantasize about fantasy football. Big deal. You may laugh -- and I may cry in shame -- but I know, scratch that, emphatically believe that the world is a better place with the diversion. Just look at my family's fantasy league for proof.
Like any family, mine has weathered tragedy. We seek comfort and the words that bring some, a search that often comes up empty, but the 10 members of the Mag 7+1 fantasy league -- all family members -- can take solace in a scientific man law: watching men in tights scrambling after a spiral ball through a TV screen helps the healing. We don't know why, but we know not to question it.
Maybe it's just a calling for the crazy. We know we're not real general managers and that a fee of $1 can't usually amend any true mistakes - like drafting Frank Gore in 2007 - but this lunacy and, possibly more importantly, the acceptance of it lends itself to the fun, to the fantasy. Gets us thinking hey, maybe we're not so crazy after all.
I went a lil overboard preparing for today's draft and for good reason. Compared to the dynasty years of my first franchise, the Suburban Sharpshooters, my 2007 homage to Michael Vick, the K.O. K-9s, blew up in my face. I finished third and consequently put every last pup to sleep -- twice.
When looking for redemption, it's important to get back to what's worked in the past. I got away from picking with my gut while relying too much on experts' advice, forgetting that they too probably live with their parents. So I scoured the Web, admittedly checking out some other rankings, and made me own list based on the following criteria: previous stats, upcoming strength of schedule, coolest names and what experts tell me.
I enter this season with new hope, new players, and a new team name: Cute Little Bunnies. Why? Because nobody wants to get beat by Cute Little Bunnies.
Since my draft was earlier today, I can reveal my rankings. Live and, if need be, die by them:
QB:
1. Tom Brady (NE)
2 Drew Brees (SD)
3. Tony Romo (DAL)
4. Peyton Manning (IND)
5. Donovan McNabb (PHI)
6. Ben Rothisburger (PIT)
7. David Garrand (JAC)
8. Carson Palmer (CIN)
9. Matt Hasselbeck (SEA)
10. Brett Farve (NYJ)
11. Derek Anderson (CLE)
12. Philip Rivers (SD)
13. Eli Manning (NYG)
14. Matt Schwab (HOU)
15. Marc Bulger (STL)
16. Jason Campbell (WASH)
17. Jon Kitna (DET)
18. Kurt Warner (ARI)
19. Philip Rivers (SD)
20. J.T. O'Sullivan (SF)
21. Aaron Rodgers (GB)
22. Jake Delholme (CAR)
23. JaMarcus Russell (OAK)
24. Jeff Garcia (TB)
25. Brady Quinn (CLE)
26. Matt Ryan (ATL)
27. Trent Edwards (BUF)
28. Brodie Croyle (KC)
29. Chad Pennington (MIA)
30. Jay Cutler (DEN)
RB
1. LT (SD)
2. Brian Westbrook
3. Adrian Peterson (MIN)
4. Joseph Addai (IND)
5. Marion Barber (DAL)
6. Ryan Grant (GB)
7.Steven Jackson (STL)
8. Frank Gore (SF)
9.Clinton Portis (WAS)
10.Marshawn Lynch (BUF)
11.Willis McGahee (BAL)
12. Brandon Jacobs (NYG)
13. Darren McFadden (OAK) Rookie
14. Reggie Bush (NO)
15. Jamal Lewis
16. Willie Parker
17. Larry Johnson (KC)
18. Earnest Grahm (TB)
19. Laurence Maroney (NE)
20. Kevin Smith (DET) Rookie
21. Thomas Jones (NYJ)
22. Michael Turner (ATL)
23. Maurice Jones Drew (JAC)
24. Jonathon Stewart (CAR) Rookie
25. Matt Forte (CHI) Rookie
26. Selvin Young (DEN)
27. Chris Perry (CIN)
28.Edge James (INDY)
29. Ronnie Brown (MIA)
30. Chris Johnson (TEN)
31.Fred Taylor (JAC)
32. Maurice Morris (SEA)
33. Steve Slaton (HOU)
34. Ricky Williams (MIA)
35. LenDale White (TEN)
36. Justin Fargas (OAK)
37. Sammy Morris (NE)
38. Jerious Norwood (ATL)
39. Julius Jones (SEA)
40. DeAngelo Williams (PAN)
41. Mendenhall (PIT)
42. Tim Hightower (ARI)
43. Felix Jones (DAL)
44. Ray Rice (BAL)
WR
1. Randy Moss (MIN)
2. Terrell Owens (DAL)
3. Braylon Edwards (CLE)
4. Marquis Colton (NO)
5. Reggie Wayne (IND)
6. Larry Fitzgerald (ARI)
7. Brandon Marshall (DEN)
8. TJ Houshamedah (CIN)
9.Torry Holt (STL)
10. Santanio Holmes (PIT)
11. Andre Johnson (HOU)
12. Chad Johnson (CIN)
13. Jerricho Cotchery (NYJ)
14. Plaxico Burress (NYG)
15. Anquan Boldin (ARI)
16. Wes Welker (NE)
17. Steve Smith (CAR)
18. Roy Williams (DET)
19. Calvin Johnson (DET)
20. Donald Driver (GB)
21.Hines Ward (PIT)
22. Marvin Harrison (IND)
23. Roddy White (ATL)
24. Dwayne Bowe (KC)
25. Laveranues Coles (NYJ)
26. Greg Jennings (GB)
27. Ted Ginn Jr. (MIA)
28. Joey Galloway (TB)
29. Patrick Crayton (DAL)
30. Anthony Gonzalez (IND)
31.Lee Evans (BUF)
32. Nate Burleson (SEA)
33.Drew Bennett (STL)
34.Reggie Williams (JAC)
35.Ronald Curry (OAK)
36. Santana Moss (WAS)
37. DeSean Jackson (PHI)
38. Isaac Bruce (SF)
39. Donte Stallworth (CLE)
40. Antwone Randle El (WAS)
DEF
1. Minnesota
2. San Diego
3. Seattle
4. Chicago
5. Dallas
6. Green Bay
7. Pittsburgh
8. Tampa Bay
9. Indy
10. Philly
11. New England
12. NY Giants
13. Baltimore
14. San Fran
15. Tennessee
Kicker:
Who cares?
Who da Cute Little Bunnies selected:
Pk#
1. LaDainian Tomlinson (SD) RB
20. Ryan Grant (GB) RB
21. Donovan McNabb (PHI) QB Note: I was laughed at pretty hard for this.
40. Brandon Marshall (DEN) WR
41. Torry Holt (STL) WR
60. Calvin Johnson (DET) WR
61. Kevin Smith (DET) RB
80. Matt Hasselback (SEA) QB
81. San Diego Chargers DEF
100. Nate Keading (SD) K
101. Anthony Gonzalez (IND) WR
120. Jonathon Stewart (CAR) RB
121. Tampa Bay Bucs DEF
140. Sammy Morris (NE) RB
141. Issac Bruce (SF) WR
160. Whomever the Chiefs kicker is. Go Chiefs
Final Grade: Fuckin' A
Day 2: So what? I fantasize about fantasy football. Big deal. You may laugh -- and I may cry in shame -- but I know, scratch that, emphatically believe that the world is a better place with the diversion. Just look at my family's fantasy league for proof.
Like any family, mine has weathered tragedy. We seek comfort and the words that bring some, a search that often comes up empty, but the 10 members of the Mag 7+1 fantasy league -- all family members -- can take solace in a scientific man law: watching men in tights scrambling after a spiral ball through a TV screen helps the healing. We don't know why, but we know not to question it.
Maybe it's just a calling for the crazy. We know we're not real general managers and that a fee of $1 can't usually amend any true mistakes - like drafting Frank Gore in 2007 - but this lunacy and, possibly more importantly, the acceptance of it lends itself to the fun, to the fantasy. Gets us thinking hey, maybe we're not so crazy after all.
I went a lil overboard preparing for today's draft and for good reason. Compared to the dynasty years of my first franchise, the Suburban Sharpshooters, my 2007 homage to Michael Vick, the K.O. K-9s, blew up in my face. I finished third and consequently put every last pup to sleep -- twice.
When looking for redemption, it's important to get back to what's worked in the past. I got away from picking with my gut while relying too much on experts' advice, forgetting that they too probably live with their parents. So I scoured the Web, admittedly checking out some other rankings, and made me own list based on the following criteria: previous stats, upcoming strength of schedule, coolest names and what experts tell me.
I enter this season with new hope, new players, and a new team name: Cute Little Bunnies. Why? Because nobody wants to get beat by Cute Little Bunnies.
Since my draft was earlier today, I can reveal my rankings. Live and, if need be, die by them:
QB:
1. Tom Brady (NE)
2 Drew Brees (SD)
3. Tony Romo (DAL)
4. Peyton Manning (IND)
5. Donovan McNabb (PHI)
6. Ben Rothisburger (PIT)
7. David Garrand (JAC)
8. Carson Palmer (CIN)
9. Matt Hasselbeck (SEA)
10. Brett Farve (NYJ)
11. Derek Anderson (CLE)
12. Philip Rivers (SD)
13. Eli Manning (NYG)
14. Matt Schwab (HOU)
15. Marc Bulger (STL)
16. Jason Campbell (WASH)
17. Jon Kitna (DET)
18. Kurt Warner (ARI)
19. Philip Rivers (SD)
20. J.T. O'Sullivan (SF)
21. Aaron Rodgers (GB)
22. Jake Delholme (CAR)
23. JaMarcus Russell (OAK)
24. Jeff Garcia (TB)
25. Brady Quinn (CLE)
26. Matt Ryan (ATL)
27. Trent Edwards (BUF)
28. Brodie Croyle (KC)
29. Chad Pennington (MIA)
30. Jay Cutler (DEN)
RB
1. LT (SD)
2. Brian Westbrook
3. Adrian Peterson (MIN)
4. Joseph Addai (IND)
5. Marion Barber (DAL)
6. Ryan Grant (GB)
7.Steven Jackson (STL)
8. Frank Gore (SF)
9.Clinton Portis (WAS)
10.Marshawn Lynch (BUF)
11.Willis McGahee (BAL)
12. Brandon Jacobs (NYG)
13. Darren McFadden (OAK) Rookie
14. Reggie Bush (NO)
15. Jamal Lewis
16. Willie Parker
17. Larry Johnson (KC)
18. Earnest Grahm (TB)
19. Laurence Maroney (NE)
20. Kevin Smith (DET) Rookie
21. Thomas Jones (NYJ)
22. Michael Turner (ATL)
23. Maurice Jones Drew (JAC)
24. Jonathon Stewart (CAR) Rookie
25. Matt Forte (CHI) Rookie
26. Selvin Young (DEN)
27. Chris Perry (CIN)
28.Edge James (INDY)
29. Ronnie Brown (MIA)
30. Chris Johnson (TEN)
31.Fred Taylor (JAC)
32. Maurice Morris (SEA)
33. Steve Slaton (HOU)
34. Ricky Williams (MIA)
35. LenDale White (TEN)
36. Justin Fargas (OAK)
37. Sammy Morris (NE)
38. Jerious Norwood (ATL)
39. Julius Jones (SEA)
40. DeAngelo Williams (PAN)
41. Mendenhall (PIT)
42. Tim Hightower (ARI)
43. Felix Jones (DAL)
44. Ray Rice (BAL)
WR
1. Randy Moss (MIN)
2. Terrell Owens (DAL)
3. Braylon Edwards (CLE)
4. Marquis Colton (NO)
5. Reggie Wayne (IND)
6. Larry Fitzgerald (ARI)
7. Brandon Marshall (DEN)
8. TJ Houshamedah (CIN)
9.Torry Holt (STL)
10. Santanio Holmes (PIT)
11. Andre Johnson (HOU)
12. Chad Johnson (CIN)
13. Jerricho Cotchery (NYJ)
14. Plaxico Burress (NYG)
15. Anquan Boldin (ARI)
16. Wes Welker (NE)
17. Steve Smith (CAR)
18. Roy Williams (DET)
19. Calvin Johnson (DET)
20. Donald Driver (GB)
21.Hines Ward (PIT)
22. Marvin Harrison (IND)
23. Roddy White (ATL)
24. Dwayne Bowe (KC)
25. Laveranues Coles (NYJ)
26. Greg Jennings (GB)
27. Ted Ginn Jr. (MIA)
28. Joey Galloway (TB)
29. Patrick Crayton (DAL)
30. Anthony Gonzalez (IND)
31.Lee Evans (BUF)
32. Nate Burleson (SEA)
33.Drew Bennett (STL)
34.Reggie Williams (JAC)
35.Ronald Curry (OAK)
36. Santana Moss (WAS)
37. DeSean Jackson (PHI)
38. Isaac Bruce (SF)
39. Donte Stallworth (CLE)
40. Antwone Randle El (WAS)
DEF
1. Minnesota
2. San Diego
3. Seattle
4. Chicago
5. Dallas
6. Green Bay
7. Pittsburgh
8. Tampa Bay
9. Indy
10. Philly
11. New England
12. NY Giants
13. Baltimore
14. San Fran
15. Tennessee
Kicker:
Who cares?
Who da Cute Little Bunnies selected:
Pk#
1. LaDainian Tomlinson (SD) RB
20. Ryan Grant (GB) RB
21. Donovan McNabb (PHI) QB Note: I was laughed at pretty hard for this.
40. Brandon Marshall (DEN) WR
41. Torry Holt (STL) WR
60. Calvin Johnson (DET) WR
61. Kevin Smith (DET) RB
80. Matt Hasselback (SEA) QB
81. San Diego Chargers DEF
100. Nate Keading (SD) K
101. Anthony Gonzalez (IND) WR
120. Jonathon Stewart (CAR) RB
121. Tampa Bay Bucs DEF
140. Sammy Morris (NE) RB
141. Issac Bruce (SF) WR
160. Whomever the Chiefs kicker is. Go Chiefs
Final Grade: Fuckin' A
30 August 2008
Born Yesterday: the autumn of me
The goal: Every day, one new thought, some of which I will even post.
Day 1: Passion ebbs and flows, comes and goes, throws cool out the moving window. One deep breath was all I needed to know it's ebbing my way. The autumn of Steve. Finally.
Maybe it was a trek back to the campus of Gloucester County Community College, site of many meaningless cross-country meets that unmanned me in high school, that dusted off some familiar emotions tonight.
The charm of a school that boasts nothing is its welcomeness. Come, go, loiter, whatever; it's cool. It's like a friend – a friend who will probably never help me advance professionally, but one who will always be there. Why? Because he’s not going anywhere. Oh.
Compare a walk through a community college with that of a four-year school: no eyeballing by security; no brochure pushing by soapbox psychos; no professing of a higher degree by professors; and much less hamming by acoustic Casanovas, I'm sure.
This was the big fish revisiting the small pond, the home it once so desperately sought escape from for reasons that now escape him. All it knows is that something has returned with its homecoming. In the back of its mind it knows that it’s no bigger, that any change in confidence is due to a change in atmosphere, but as long as the thought stays back, it can live with that. Why? Because it's a fucking fish. Oh.
I was thinking about none of this when strapping on my running shoes tonight. I also wore black short shorts, a clip-on MP3 player and connecting earphones that hooked around the lobes. No shirt. After all, this wasn't Denny's or anything upscale.
The sun was a couple lullabies – or whatever – from fully setting and it only got darker once in the wooded trails. (Because night is arriving and I'm running in the shade. Keep up.) The seven-mile course is comprised of a few memorable stretches: three rolling trails disjointed by roads; one abandoned railroad; another trail; and one paved right angle back to my car. I feel like you should know this.
It was tough to see in Trail 1, nearly impossible by Trail 3 (Mile 3.5). Despite squinting worse than most moles, I always believed I could see in the dark, not in the infrared night-vision sense, but more like in a superhuman way to anticipate – and to adjust to – new landscape flying by at a lightning fast 8 mph. Blind at day, visually impaired at night. This was my gift, surely courtesy of some radioactive spider.
By the time I stepped off the railroad, about 8:30 p.m., the shades of pink, purple and orange had streaked themselves off the spherical blackboard. There were no answers given, only questions.
I thought about forest fires and whether there could be a scenario bleak enough to justify setting one. If hopeless and closer to death than any exit, no one – not even the charter president of GCC’s environmental club – could rule it out. And I hope he would strike the match if it meant finding a way out. I might feel another way when hearing it on the news the next day – “Residents of Sewell were left homeless Friday night after a fire set in the GCC woods engulfed the town,” – and I’d probably grab my pitchfork and join the witch hunt too, but for that moment of desperation, I’d understand. How could I blame him? I can’t fault someone for wanting to save himself.
I thought about old horror flicks and how every heroine chooses the deep, dark woods when fleeing the serial killer. And how nimbly they tiptoe around each ditch, root and cobweb before falling to Jason, Michael Myers or Michael Jackson. Promising humor, the thought instead backfired, ringing trite and painting me as a hack running from something as well. Scary.
It was about then when my vision got hazy. Veiled in darkness, the trees were moving, almost breathing, in my mind, only in my dark mind. I couldn’t explain it; the only mushrooms I eat come on pizza. Needing clarity, I turned off the music and my sight returned. It felt like paying a ransom. I imagine every deaf artist and blind musician must make a similar transaction.
Luckily, my neck stayed unbroken back to the empty college lot. Everything was in its right place. I could breathe easy then and there. I was finished.
07 August 2008
Pennsauken bats in Senior American Legions win
What: Pennsauken beat Mullica Hill 6-5 in Senior American Legion action at Bishop Eustace Monday.
Clutch hitting: Pennsauken's Kevin Casey knocked in two runs off a second-inning homer and scored another in the fourth to give his team a 4-3 lead off a play at the plate.
Quote: "I feel I hit it pretty good, and with the wind, it just pulled it out," Casey said. "I have to give an assist to Mother Nature for that one."
PENNSAUKEN -- Down a run in the seventh inning with the forecast finally taking form, Mullica Hill tried to put a twist on an old adage Monday:
When it rains, we score.
But after following up a leadoff strikeout by putting the next two basemen on first and second, Pennsauken closer John Litz kept the 6-5 score – and adage – from changing, getting Ryan Austin (Woodstown) to pop up and Kyle Mose (Kingsway) to ground out to end the game.
The win improves Pennsauken to 2-2, but manager Sam Tropiano -- fresh off of coaching Bishop Eustace Prep during the spring -- was encouraged more by his team's early consistency.
"We played well in all four games so we're really happy about that," Tropiano said. "Winning is fun, but as long as we play well, I'm fine with that."
Pennsauken had poured on the offense during a four-run fourth inning keyed by the team's only non spring-time Crusader, Joel Salcedo.
Salcedo sent Mullica starter Joey McIntyre's pitch over the fence and onto Route 70, tying the game at 3-3 off his solo homerun.
"I just hit it hard and hoped it would leave," said Salcedo, who will be a senior at Pennsauken Tech next fall.
Tropiano said it's hard to get players not from Bishop Eustace to play for him during the summer.
"Most of the time there's not a lot of kids who want to play for the team because we don't put emphasis on winning," he said. "We use it as a developmental league. Try to give kids innings, see who's good in the infield or outfield, things like that."
It was the second homer – and lead – given up by McIntyre in his four innings of work, the first being a two-run shot in the second inning by Kevin Casey to make it 2-1.
Casey would again give Pennsauken the lead in the fourth.
On third with two outs and the bases loaded -- all basemen reaching base via walk -- Casey slid home for the score, capitalizing on a ball that got past the catcher.
"I tried to read the ball in the dirt," said Casey, who was 9-1 for the Crusaders as a pitcher last spring. "The catcher babbled it, and went back slow and I took advantage of it."
Pennsauken received a solid performance from winning pitcher Anthony Mungiole, who allowed three runs – two earned – in four innings.
Mullica Hill's Mike Savidge (Kingsway) made Mungiole pay for walking the leadoff batter in the third, snaking a ball through the infield for a RBI double and making it 2-2.
Savidge made two monster plays in the sixth, first jumping on Lutz for a two-run shot to bring Mullica within one run and then bringing a towering ball back to Earth by catching a running fencer to end the inning.
He said it wasn't as close to getting out as it looked.
"I didn't know how far the fence was behind me, but I kind of dove anyway," said Savidge, who was two-for-three with three runs scored and will play for Neumann College (Pa.) next spring. "I looked back and I was five feet away. It probably would've hit the top part of the fence otherwise. "
Pennsauken will take the home diamond at 5:45 p.m. again today against Williamstown.
Clutch hitting: Pennsauken's Kevin Casey knocked in two runs off a second-inning homer and scored another in the fourth to give his team a 4-3 lead off a play at the plate.
Quote: "I feel I hit it pretty good, and with the wind, it just pulled it out," Casey said. "I have to give an assist to Mother Nature for that one."
PENNSAUKEN -- Down a run in the seventh inning with the forecast finally taking form, Mullica Hill tried to put a twist on an old adage Monday:
When it rains, we score.
But after following up a leadoff strikeout by putting the next two basemen on first and second, Pennsauken closer John Litz kept the 6-5 score – and adage – from changing, getting Ryan Austin (Woodstown) to pop up and Kyle Mose (Kingsway) to ground out to end the game.
The win improves Pennsauken to 2-2, but manager Sam Tropiano -- fresh off of coaching Bishop Eustace Prep during the spring -- was encouraged more by his team's early consistency.
"We played well in all four games so we're really happy about that," Tropiano said. "Winning is fun, but as long as we play well, I'm fine with that."
Pennsauken had poured on the offense during a four-run fourth inning keyed by the team's only non spring-time Crusader, Joel Salcedo.
Salcedo sent Mullica starter Joey McIntyre's pitch over the fence and onto Route 70, tying the game at 3-3 off his solo homerun.
"I just hit it hard and hoped it would leave," said Salcedo, who will be a senior at Pennsauken Tech next fall.
Tropiano said it's hard to get players not from Bishop Eustace to play for him during the summer.
"Most of the time there's not a lot of kids who want to play for the team because we don't put emphasis on winning," he said. "We use it as a developmental league. Try to give kids innings, see who's good in the infield or outfield, things like that."
It was the second homer – and lead – given up by McIntyre in his four innings of work, the first being a two-run shot in the second inning by Kevin Casey to make it 2-1.
Casey would again give Pennsauken the lead in the fourth.
On third with two outs and the bases loaded -- all basemen reaching base via walk -- Casey slid home for the score, capitalizing on a ball that got past the catcher.
"I tried to read the ball in the dirt," said Casey, who was 9-1 for the Crusaders as a pitcher last spring. "The catcher babbled it, and went back slow and I took advantage of it."
Pennsauken received a solid performance from winning pitcher Anthony Mungiole, who allowed three runs – two earned – in four innings.
Mullica Hill's Mike Savidge (Kingsway) made Mungiole pay for walking the leadoff batter in the third, snaking a ball through the infield for a RBI double and making it 2-2.
Savidge made two monster plays in the sixth, first jumping on Lutz for a two-run shot to bring Mullica within one run and then bringing a towering ball back to Earth by catching a running fencer to end the inning.
He said it wasn't as close to getting out as it looked.
"I didn't know how far the fence was behind me, but I kind of dove anyway," said Savidge, who was two-for-three with three runs scored and will play for Neumann College (Pa.) next spring. "I looked back and I was five feet away. It probably would've hit the top part of the fence otherwise. "
Pennsauken will take the home diamond at 5:45 p.m. again today against Williamstown.
Holy Cross graduation
(Pub June 14)
DELRAN – Before tassels turned, caps launched and foghorns blew from all areas of the football field, salutatory speaker Valerie Brencher stood before her 184 classmates and reflected upon their time at Holy Cross.
So many memories created in these hallways, she said. A testament to how far both the school and the students have come, Brencher, who is headed to the University of Notre Dame, spoke of her freshman year when she learned poetry inside a leaky building that relied on strategically placed trash cans.
While the building has been renovated, the ceiling of her and her classmates has been raised to new heights.
"If you look closely at us individuals there's something special in all of us," Brencher said, and not just because they "pulled off the most successful 'Senior cut day in years."
Principal Dennis Guida confirmed this much in his farewell address, noting the $11.5 million in scholarships given to this class.
"This class has set the bar high for the class of 2009," Guida said.
While the money is nice, Matt Cusack, who is bound for Montclair University on a partial track scholarship, said that the faith-based education he received has been priceless.
"The teachers try so hard to help you succeed," Cusack said. "They'll do whatever it takes for you to get to that next level. That's what helped me out, the teachers who just kept pushing me and pushing me.
"When some teachers don't care, they are some who really love what they do and I think that's what makes this place so great."
The students, separated according to gender, marched in two single-file lines from the school's auditorium with the men in maroon gowns, the women in white.
Valedictorian Renee Rappisi, who was given the Award of Excellence, talked about how youthful lessons will help in the future.
"We don't play with Legos anymore, but hopefully we still know how to clean up the mess we make," the Cornell University-bound student said.
Delivering the final remarks, Secretary for Catholic Education Dr. Judith Caviston left the antsy students with a story of a successful man, who, in all his travels, knew he wouldn't be where he was today without a competent parachute packer.
"Many have helped pack your parachutes," Caviston said. "May your parachutes be [secure] in the knowledge that God love you, that you be proud of yourself and that you walk tall. For none of us can say they have gotten by without the support of other people."
The ceremony ended with four jets, organized in a cross pattern, seemingly blessing the day by whizzing across midfield and then from end zone to end zone.
You can never be too lucky on Friday the 13th, but student Mike Sheehan said he thinks his class has what it takes to succeed.
"People say a lot of unlucky things," said the student bound for the Annapolis naval academy. "You just got to have faith and that's what this school is all about."
DELRAN – Before tassels turned, caps launched and foghorns blew from all areas of the football field, salutatory speaker Valerie Brencher stood before her 184 classmates and reflected upon their time at Holy Cross.
So many memories created in these hallways, she said. A testament to how far both the school and the students have come, Brencher, who is headed to the University of Notre Dame, spoke of her freshman year when she learned poetry inside a leaky building that relied on strategically placed trash cans.
While the building has been renovated, the ceiling of her and her classmates has been raised to new heights.
"If you look closely at us individuals there's something special in all of us," Brencher said, and not just because they "pulled off the most successful 'Senior cut day in years."
Principal Dennis Guida confirmed this much in his farewell address, noting the $11.5 million in scholarships given to this class.
"This class has set the bar high for the class of 2009," Guida said.
While the money is nice, Matt Cusack, who is bound for Montclair University on a partial track scholarship, said that the faith-based education he received has been priceless.
"The teachers try so hard to help you succeed," Cusack said. "They'll do whatever it takes for you to get to that next level. That's what helped me out, the teachers who just kept pushing me and pushing me.
"When some teachers don't care, they are some who really love what they do and I think that's what makes this place so great."
The students, separated according to gender, marched in two single-file lines from the school's auditorium with the men in maroon gowns, the women in white.
Valedictorian Renee Rappisi, who was given the Award of Excellence, talked about how youthful lessons will help in the future.
"We don't play with Legos anymore, but hopefully we still know how to clean up the mess we make," the Cornell University-bound student said.
Delivering the final remarks, Secretary for Catholic Education Dr. Judith Caviston left the antsy students with a story of a successful man, who, in all his travels, knew he wouldn't be where he was today without a competent parachute packer.
"Many have helped pack your parachutes," Caviston said. "May your parachutes be [secure] in the knowledge that God love you, that you be proud of yourself and that you walk tall. For none of us can say they have gotten by without the support of other people."
The ceremony ended with four jets, organized in a cross pattern, seemingly blessing the day by whizzing across midfield and then from end zone to end zone.
You can never be too lucky on Friday the 13th, but student Mike Sheehan said he thinks his class has what it takes to succeed.
"People say a lot of unlucky things," said the student bound for the Annapolis naval academy. "You just got to have faith and that's what this school is all about."
Spring All-Stars
All-Group
First team
Multi-event – Brett Johnson, Ocean City, Jr.
100 – Geoff Navarro, Absegami, Sr.
200 – Barry Cephas, Winslow Twp, Sr.
400 – RJ Page, Kingsway, Sr.
800 – Xavier Fraction, Washington Twp, Sr.
1,600 – David Forward, Shawnee, So.
3,200 – Kevin McDonnell, Camden Catholic, Sr.
110 HH- Keith Robinson, Winslow Twp, Sr.
400 H – Demetrius Rooks, Absegami, Sr.
Long jump – Stevenson Cajuste, Egg Harbor Twp, Sr.
High jump – Montez Blair, Timber Creek, Jr.
Triple jump – Wayne Walls, Camden, Jr.
Discus – Frank Allen, Holy Cross, Sr.
Shot put -- Kwabena Keene, Washington Twp, Sr.
Javelin – Joses Ramos, Vineland, Sr.
Pole vault – Dan Batdorf, West Deptford, Sr.
4x400 – Absegami (Santiago Galeano, Demetrius Rooks, Ford Palmer, Geoff Navarro)
Second team
Multi-event –Bryan Burnham, Moorestown, Sr.
100 – Charles Allen, Bridgeton, Sr.
200 – Tejay Johnson, Egg Harbor Twp, So.
400 -- Udochi Okoro, Delsea, Sr.
800 – Ford Palmer, Absegami, Jr.
1,600 – Colin Baker, Haddonfield, So.
3,200 – Alex Yersak, Cherokee, Sr.
110 HH- Steve Mitchell, West Deptford, Sr.
400 H –Tim Carey, Washington Twp, Jr.
Long jump -- Syteek Farrington, Camden, So.
High jump – Nai'im Lyons, Pleasantville, __
Triple Jump – Eric Smith, Timber Creek, Sr.
Discus – Marvin Logan, Millville, Sr.
Shot put -- Joseph Carmichael, Pennsauken, Jr.
Javelin – Dorian Evans, Timber Creek, Sr.
Pole vault – Eddie Zubrzycki, Highland, Jr.
4x400 – Winslow Township (Davis McNeil, Darin Washington, Gerald Stephens-Holland, Barry Cephas)
Group 4
First team
Multi -- Stevenson Cajuste, Egg Harbor Twp, Sr.
100 – Geoff Navarro, Absegami, Sr.
200 – Barry Cephas, Winslow Township, Sr.
400 – Tejay Johnson, Egg Harbor Twp, So.
800 – Ford Palmer , Absegami, Jr.
1,600 – Xavier Fraction, Washington Twp, Jr.
3,200 – Alex Yersak, Cherokee, Sr.
110 HH- Keith Robinson, Winslow Twp, Sr.
400 H – Demetrius Rooks, Absegami, Sr.
Long jump – Chris Steliga, Cherokee, Sr.
High jump -- Njoku Uchenna, Cherry Hill East, Jr.
Triple jump – Keenan Bell, Oakcrest, Sr.
Discus – Marvin Logan, Millville, Jr.
Shot put – Kwabena Keene, Washington Twp, Sr.
Javelin – Jose Ramos, Vineland, Sr.
Pole vault – Josh Parr, Millville, Jr.
4x400 – Absegami (Santiago Galeano, Demetrius Rooks, Ford Palmer, Geoff Navarro)
Second team
Multi-event – Demetrius Rooks, Absegami, Sr.
100 – Darin Washington, Winslow Twp, Sr.
200 – Kevin Merrigan, Cherokee, Sr.
400 – Jamal Boozer, Vineland, Jr.
800 -- Aaron Johnson, Oakcrest, Jr.
1,600 – Ryan Garvin, Lenape, Jr.
3,200 – Chris Kelly, Washington Twp, Sr.
110 HH- Stevenson Cajuste, Egg Harbor Twp, Sr.
400 H – Tim Carey, Washington Twp, Jr.
Long jump – Keenan Bell, Oakcrest, Sr.
High jump – Glenn Williams, Williamstown, Sr.
Triple jump – Todd Dorn, Oakcrest, Jr.
Discus – Ray Stinsman, Lenape, So.
Shot put – Joseph Carmichael, Pennsauken, Jr.
Javelin –Kevin Miller, Oakcrest, Jr.
Pole vault – Kyle D'Angelo, Eastern, Sr.
4x400 – Winslow Township (Davis McNeil, Darin Washington, Gerald Stephens-Holland, Barry Cephas)
Group 3
First team
Multi – Brett Johnson, Ocean City, Jr.
100 – RJ Page, Kingsway, Sr.
200 – Udochi Okoro, Delsea, Sr.
400 – Geoff Mock, Timber Creek, Sr.
800 – Jamal Davis, Highland, Sr.
1,600 – David Forward, Shawnee, So.
3,200 – Kevin Healey, Moorestown, Sr.
110 HH- Steve Mitchell, West Deptford, Sr.
400 H – Anthony Brown, Highland, Sr.
Long jump – Syteek Farrington, Camden, So.
High jump – Montez Blair, Timber Creek, Jr.
Triple jump – Wayne Walls, Camden, Jr.
Discus – O'Shane Francis, Highland, Sr.
Shot put – Sean Daniels, Highland, So.
Javelin – Dorian Evans, Timber Creek, Sr.
Pole vault -- Dan Batdorf, West Deptford, Jr.
4x400 – Delsea (Kyle Webb, Terrence Burns, Austin Medley, Udochi Okoro)
Second team
Multi – Jason Howitt, Highland, Sr.
100 – Bryan Burnham, Moorestown, Sr.
200 – Bryan Jackson, West Deptford, Jr.
400 – Tyrone McRae, Willingboro, Sr.
800 – Tivo Rivera, Kingsway, Fr.
1,600 – Ryan Culbreath, Kingsway, Jr.
3,200 – JP Bonner, Shawnee, Jr.
110 HH- Matt Marshall, Camden, Sr.
400 H – Saliym Starkey, Timber Creek, Jr.
Long jump – Bryan Burnham, Moorestown, Sr.
High jump – Drew Kanz, Seneca, Sr.
Triple jump – Eric Smith, Timber Creek, Sr.
Discus – Tyrone Brown, Timber Creek, Sr.
Shot put – Anthony Figueroa, Cumberland, Jr.
Javelin – Andrew Pierce, Cumberland, So.
Pole vault – Eddie Zubrzycki, Highland, Jr.
4x400 – Kingsway (Tivo Rivera, Rondell Gilmore, Breyon Gaines, RJ Page)
Group 2
First team
Multi-event – Boo Vitez, Haddonfield, So.
100 – James Brown, Glassboro, Jr.
200 – Charles Allen, Bridgeton, Sr.
400 – Rakeem Pruitt, Bridgeton, Sr.
800 – Kenny Hoff, Cinnaminson, Sr.
1,600 – Colin Baker, Haddonfield, So.
3,200 – Todd Campbell, Cinnaminson, Jr.
110 HH- Kenny Davis, Pleasantville, Sr.
400 H - Greg Taylor, Sterling, _
Long jump – Mike Cisrow, Bridgeton, So.
High jump – Na'im Lyons, Pleasantville, Jr.
Triple jump – Chris Roundtree, Haddon Heights, Jr.
Discus – Kevin Hebron, Middle Twp, So.
Shot put – Dominique Williams, Bridgeton, Sr.
Javelin – Brian Owens, Woodstown, Sr.
Pole vault – Walter Kuzma, Haddon Heights, Sr.
4x400 – Pleasantville (Jamal Roberts, Richard Gregory, Larry Ramirez, Kenny Davis)
Second team
Multi-event – Dominique Williams, Bridgeton, Sr.
100 – Richard Gregory, Pleasantville,
200 – Daequan Kim, Bordentown, Jr.
400 – Rob Friedman, Sterling, Jr.
800 – Larry Rameriz, Pleasantville, So.
1,600 – Mickey Borsellino, Haddon Heights, Sr.
3,200 – Colin Lynch, Haddon Heights, Jr.
110 HH- Chris Roundtree, Haddon Heights, Jr.
400 H - Kevin McBeth, Haddonfield, Sr.
Long jump – Brandon Bourne, Delran, Sr.
High jump – Carlton Brown, Cinnaminson, So.
Triple jump – Ryan Chance, Glassboro, Jr.
Discus – Justin Embler, Cinnaminson, Sr.
Shot put – Steven Lane, Bridgeton, Sr.
Javelin – Scott DiCrescenzo, Haddon Twp, Sr.
Pole vault – Michael Rivard, Haddonfield, Fr.
4x400 – Sterling (Chris Ward, Greg Taylor, Robert Friedman, Matt Long)
Group 1
First team
Multi-event – Chris Barnes, Burlington City, Sr.
100 – Kevin Linico, Florence, Sr.
200 – Brandon Wright, Clayton, Jr.
400 – Willie Anderson, Paulsboro, Jr.
800 – Sean Vazquez, New Egypt, Sr.
1,600 – Eric DuBois, Schalick, Sr.
3,200 – Mark Kearney, Pennsville, Sr.
110 HH- Matt Belcher, Florence, Sr.
400 H – Stephon Bell, Penns Grove, So.
Long jump – Steven Brown, Penns Grove, Sr.
High jump – Matt Kates, Schalick, Sr.
Triple jump – Sean Jimoh, Riverside, Jr.
Discus – Tyree Rudolph, Penns Grove, Sr.
Shot put – Ken Jefferson, Penns Grove, Jr.
Javelin – Warren Oliver, Palmyra, Jr.
Pole vault – Shawill Green, Penns Grove, Jr.
4x400 – Palmyra (Rob Pelikan, Eric Carmichael, Mel Skipworth, Quron Pratt)
Second team
Multi-event – Warren Oliver, Palmyra, Jr.
100 – Brandon Wright, Clayton, Jr.
200 – Aaron Tilden, Paulsboro, Fr.
400 – James Bevans, Wildwood, Sr.
800 – Maurice Evans, Salem, Sr.
1,600 – TJ Mowers, Pennsville, Sr.
3,200 – Eric DuBois, Schalick, Sr.
110 HH- Chris Barnes, Burlington City, Sr.
400 H – Darren Carter, Paulsboro, Jr.
Long jump – Chris Barnes, Burlington City, Sr.
High jump – Darrin Moore, Penns Grove, Sr.
Triple jump – Perry Asare, Lindenwold, Jr.
Discus – Jonathan Allen, Florence, Jr.
Shot put – Kevin Stiles, New Egypt, Sr.
Javelin – Chris Salaga, Florence, Sr.
Pole vault – Tom Bair, Clayton, Jr.
4x400 – Penns Grove (Charles Thornton, Robert Konopka, Darrin Moore and Stephon Bell)
All Non-Public
First team
Multi-event -- Kevin McDonnell, Camden Catholic, Sr.
100 – Devon Hausmann, Sacred Heart, Sr.
200 – Bobby DeMarco, Holy Spirit, Sr.
400 – Rich Fisher, Holy Cross, Sr.
800 – Brian Laskowski, Bishop Eustace, Sr.
1,600 – Andy Arnold, Bishop Eustace, Jr.
3,200 – Matt Cusack, Holy Cross, Sr.
110 HH- Frank Zorzi, Sacred Heart, Sr.
400 H – Greg Smith, Paul VI, Sr.
Long jump – Terrence Osborne , Holy Cross, Sr.
High jump – Brett Pierce, Paul VI, So.
Triple jump – Patrick Dillion, Wildwood Catholic, Sr.
Discus -- Frank Allen, Holy Cross, Sr.
Shot put – Joe Gianndrea, Bishop Eustace, Sr.
Javelin – Nick Haines, St. Joseph, So.
Pole vault – Christian Chirichella, Holy Cross, Fr.
4x400 -- St. Joseph-Hammonton (Vinny Reed, Allan McMurren, Brian Leyden, Devon Hausmann)
Second team
Multi-event – Mike Sheehan, Holy Cross, Sr.
100 -- Bobby DeMarco, Holy Spirit, Sr.
200 – Rich Fisher, Holy Cross, Sr.
400 – Terrence McPeak, Gloucester Catholic, Sr.
800 -- Michael Rankin, Paul VI, Jr.
1,600 – Philip Fanz, St. Augustine Prep, So.
3,200 – Julian Gallo, Holy Cross, Jr.
110 HH- Cameron Bond, Holy Cross, Sr.
400 H - Brian Leyden , St. Joseph, Jr.
Long jump --Scott McKenzey, Wildwood Catholic, So.
High jump – Patrick Dillion, Wildwood Catholic, Sr.
Triple jump – Vinny Reed, St. Joseph, So.
Discus –Karl Colder, Holy Cross, Sr.
Shot put – Chris Grous, Bishop Eustace, Sr.
Javelin -- Matt McGlynn, St. Joseph, Jr.
Pole vault – Drew Harris, Holy Cross, So.
4x400 -- Holy Cross (Dan Gasper, Matt Cusack, Justin Ramsey, Terrence Osborne)
First team
Multi-event – Brett Johnson, Ocean City, Jr.
100 – Geoff Navarro, Absegami, Sr.
200 – Barry Cephas, Winslow Twp, Sr.
400 – RJ Page, Kingsway, Sr.
800 – Xavier Fraction, Washington Twp, Sr.
1,600 – David Forward, Shawnee, So.
3,200 – Kevin McDonnell, Camden Catholic, Sr.
110 HH- Keith Robinson, Winslow Twp, Sr.
400 H – Demetrius Rooks, Absegami, Sr.
Long jump – Stevenson Cajuste, Egg Harbor Twp, Sr.
High jump – Montez Blair, Timber Creek, Jr.
Triple jump – Wayne Walls, Camden, Jr.
Discus – Frank Allen, Holy Cross, Sr.
Shot put -- Kwabena Keene, Washington Twp, Sr.
Javelin – Joses Ramos, Vineland, Sr.
Pole vault – Dan Batdorf, West Deptford, Sr.
4x400 – Absegami (Santiago Galeano, Demetrius Rooks, Ford Palmer, Geoff Navarro)
Second team
Multi-event –Bryan Burnham, Moorestown, Sr.
100 – Charles Allen, Bridgeton, Sr.
200 – Tejay Johnson, Egg Harbor Twp, So.
400 -- Udochi Okoro, Delsea, Sr.
800 – Ford Palmer, Absegami, Jr.
1,600 – Colin Baker, Haddonfield, So.
3,200 – Alex Yersak, Cherokee, Sr.
110 HH- Steve Mitchell, West Deptford, Sr.
400 H –Tim Carey, Washington Twp, Jr.
Long jump -- Syteek Farrington, Camden, So.
High jump – Nai'im Lyons, Pleasantville, __
Triple Jump – Eric Smith, Timber Creek, Sr.
Discus – Marvin Logan, Millville, Sr.
Shot put -- Joseph Carmichael, Pennsauken, Jr.
Javelin – Dorian Evans, Timber Creek, Sr.
Pole vault – Eddie Zubrzycki, Highland, Jr.
4x400 – Winslow Township (Davis McNeil, Darin Washington, Gerald Stephens-Holland, Barry Cephas)
Group 4
First team
Multi -- Stevenson Cajuste, Egg Harbor Twp, Sr.
100 – Geoff Navarro, Absegami, Sr.
200 – Barry Cephas, Winslow Township, Sr.
400 – Tejay Johnson, Egg Harbor Twp, So.
800 – Ford Palmer , Absegami, Jr.
1,600 – Xavier Fraction, Washington Twp, Jr.
3,200 – Alex Yersak, Cherokee, Sr.
110 HH- Keith Robinson, Winslow Twp, Sr.
400 H – Demetrius Rooks, Absegami, Sr.
Long jump – Chris Steliga, Cherokee, Sr.
High jump -- Njoku Uchenna, Cherry Hill East, Jr.
Triple jump – Keenan Bell, Oakcrest, Sr.
Discus – Marvin Logan, Millville, Jr.
Shot put – Kwabena Keene, Washington Twp, Sr.
Javelin – Jose Ramos, Vineland, Sr.
Pole vault – Josh Parr, Millville, Jr.
4x400 – Absegami (Santiago Galeano, Demetrius Rooks, Ford Palmer, Geoff Navarro)
Second team
Multi-event – Demetrius Rooks, Absegami, Sr.
100 – Darin Washington, Winslow Twp, Sr.
200 – Kevin Merrigan, Cherokee, Sr.
400 – Jamal Boozer, Vineland, Jr.
800 -- Aaron Johnson, Oakcrest, Jr.
1,600 – Ryan Garvin, Lenape, Jr.
3,200 – Chris Kelly, Washington Twp, Sr.
110 HH- Stevenson Cajuste, Egg Harbor Twp, Sr.
400 H – Tim Carey, Washington Twp, Jr.
Long jump – Keenan Bell, Oakcrest, Sr.
High jump – Glenn Williams, Williamstown, Sr.
Triple jump – Todd Dorn, Oakcrest, Jr.
Discus – Ray Stinsman, Lenape, So.
Shot put – Joseph Carmichael, Pennsauken, Jr.
Javelin –Kevin Miller, Oakcrest, Jr.
Pole vault – Kyle D'Angelo, Eastern, Sr.
4x400 – Winslow Township (Davis McNeil, Darin Washington, Gerald Stephens-Holland, Barry Cephas)
Group 3
First team
Multi – Brett Johnson, Ocean City, Jr.
100 – RJ Page, Kingsway, Sr.
200 – Udochi Okoro, Delsea, Sr.
400 – Geoff Mock, Timber Creek, Sr.
800 – Jamal Davis, Highland, Sr.
1,600 – David Forward, Shawnee, So.
3,200 – Kevin Healey, Moorestown, Sr.
110 HH- Steve Mitchell, West Deptford, Sr.
400 H – Anthony Brown, Highland, Sr.
Long jump – Syteek Farrington, Camden, So.
High jump – Montez Blair, Timber Creek, Jr.
Triple jump – Wayne Walls, Camden, Jr.
Discus – O'Shane Francis, Highland, Sr.
Shot put – Sean Daniels, Highland, So.
Javelin – Dorian Evans, Timber Creek, Sr.
Pole vault -- Dan Batdorf, West Deptford, Jr.
4x400 – Delsea (Kyle Webb, Terrence Burns, Austin Medley, Udochi Okoro)
Second team
Multi – Jason Howitt, Highland, Sr.
100 – Bryan Burnham, Moorestown, Sr.
200 – Bryan Jackson, West Deptford, Jr.
400 – Tyrone McRae, Willingboro, Sr.
800 – Tivo Rivera, Kingsway, Fr.
1,600 – Ryan Culbreath, Kingsway, Jr.
3,200 – JP Bonner, Shawnee, Jr.
110 HH- Matt Marshall, Camden, Sr.
400 H – Saliym Starkey, Timber Creek, Jr.
Long jump – Bryan Burnham, Moorestown, Sr.
High jump – Drew Kanz, Seneca, Sr.
Triple jump – Eric Smith, Timber Creek, Sr.
Discus – Tyrone Brown, Timber Creek, Sr.
Shot put – Anthony Figueroa, Cumberland, Jr.
Javelin – Andrew Pierce, Cumberland, So.
Pole vault – Eddie Zubrzycki, Highland, Jr.
4x400 – Kingsway (Tivo Rivera, Rondell Gilmore, Breyon Gaines, RJ Page)
Group 2
First team
Multi-event – Boo Vitez, Haddonfield, So.
100 – James Brown, Glassboro, Jr.
200 – Charles Allen, Bridgeton, Sr.
400 – Rakeem Pruitt, Bridgeton, Sr.
800 – Kenny Hoff, Cinnaminson, Sr.
1,600 – Colin Baker, Haddonfield, So.
3,200 – Todd Campbell, Cinnaminson, Jr.
110 HH- Kenny Davis, Pleasantville, Sr.
400 H - Greg Taylor, Sterling, _
Long jump – Mike Cisrow, Bridgeton, So.
High jump – Na'im Lyons, Pleasantville, Jr.
Triple jump – Chris Roundtree, Haddon Heights, Jr.
Discus – Kevin Hebron, Middle Twp, So.
Shot put – Dominique Williams, Bridgeton, Sr.
Javelin – Brian Owens, Woodstown, Sr.
Pole vault – Walter Kuzma, Haddon Heights, Sr.
4x400 – Pleasantville (Jamal Roberts, Richard Gregory, Larry Ramirez, Kenny Davis)
Second team
Multi-event – Dominique Williams, Bridgeton, Sr.
100 – Richard Gregory, Pleasantville,
200 – Daequan Kim, Bordentown, Jr.
400 – Rob Friedman, Sterling, Jr.
800 – Larry Rameriz, Pleasantville, So.
1,600 – Mickey Borsellino, Haddon Heights, Sr.
3,200 – Colin Lynch, Haddon Heights, Jr.
110 HH- Chris Roundtree, Haddon Heights, Jr.
400 H - Kevin McBeth, Haddonfield, Sr.
Long jump – Brandon Bourne, Delran, Sr.
High jump – Carlton Brown, Cinnaminson, So.
Triple jump – Ryan Chance, Glassboro, Jr.
Discus – Justin Embler, Cinnaminson, Sr.
Shot put – Steven Lane, Bridgeton, Sr.
Javelin – Scott DiCrescenzo, Haddon Twp, Sr.
Pole vault – Michael Rivard, Haddonfield, Fr.
4x400 – Sterling (Chris Ward, Greg Taylor, Robert Friedman, Matt Long)
Group 1
First team
Multi-event – Chris Barnes, Burlington City, Sr.
100 – Kevin Linico, Florence, Sr.
200 – Brandon Wright, Clayton, Jr.
400 – Willie Anderson, Paulsboro, Jr.
800 – Sean Vazquez, New Egypt, Sr.
1,600 – Eric DuBois, Schalick, Sr.
3,200 – Mark Kearney, Pennsville, Sr.
110 HH- Matt Belcher, Florence, Sr.
400 H – Stephon Bell, Penns Grove, So.
Long jump – Steven Brown, Penns Grove, Sr.
High jump – Matt Kates, Schalick, Sr.
Triple jump – Sean Jimoh, Riverside, Jr.
Discus – Tyree Rudolph, Penns Grove, Sr.
Shot put – Ken Jefferson, Penns Grove, Jr.
Javelin – Warren Oliver, Palmyra, Jr.
Pole vault – Shawill Green, Penns Grove, Jr.
4x400 – Palmyra (Rob Pelikan, Eric Carmichael, Mel Skipworth, Quron Pratt)
Second team
Multi-event – Warren Oliver, Palmyra, Jr.
100 – Brandon Wright, Clayton, Jr.
200 – Aaron Tilden, Paulsboro, Fr.
400 – James Bevans, Wildwood, Sr.
800 – Maurice Evans, Salem, Sr.
1,600 – TJ Mowers, Pennsville, Sr.
3,200 – Eric DuBois, Schalick, Sr.
110 HH- Chris Barnes, Burlington City, Sr.
400 H – Darren Carter, Paulsboro, Jr.
Long jump – Chris Barnes, Burlington City, Sr.
High jump – Darrin Moore, Penns Grove, Sr.
Triple jump – Perry Asare, Lindenwold, Jr.
Discus – Jonathan Allen, Florence, Jr.
Shot put – Kevin Stiles, New Egypt, Sr.
Javelin – Chris Salaga, Florence, Sr.
Pole vault – Tom Bair, Clayton, Jr.
4x400 – Penns Grove (Charles Thornton, Robert Konopka, Darrin Moore and Stephon Bell)
All Non-Public
First team
Multi-event -- Kevin McDonnell, Camden Catholic, Sr.
100 – Devon Hausmann, Sacred Heart, Sr.
200 – Bobby DeMarco, Holy Spirit, Sr.
400 – Rich Fisher, Holy Cross, Sr.
800 – Brian Laskowski, Bishop Eustace, Sr.
1,600 – Andy Arnold, Bishop Eustace, Jr.
3,200 – Matt Cusack, Holy Cross, Sr.
110 HH- Frank Zorzi, Sacred Heart, Sr.
400 H – Greg Smith, Paul VI, Sr.
Long jump – Terrence Osborne , Holy Cross, Sr.
High jump – Brett Pierce, Paul VI, So.
Triple jump – Patrick Dillion, Wildwood Catholic, Sr.
Discus -- Frank Allen, Holy Cross, Sr.
Shot put – Joe Gianndrea, Bishop Eustace, Sr.
Javelin – Nick Haines, St. Joseph, So.
Pole vault – Christian Chirichella, Holy Cross, Fr.
4x400 -- St. Joseph-Hammonton (Vinny Reed, Allan McMurren, Brian Leyden, Devon Hausmann)
Second team
Multi-event – Mike Sheehan, Holy Cross, Sr.
100 -- Bobby DeMarco, Holy Spirit, Sr.
200 – Rich Fisher, Holy Cross, Sr.
400 – Terrence McPeak, Gloucester Catholic, Sr.
800 -- Michael Rankin, Paul VI, Jr.
1,600 – Philip Fanz, St. Augustine Prep, So.
3,200 – Julian Gallo, Holy Cross, Jr.
110 HH- Cameron Bond, Holy Cross, Sr.
400 H - Brian Leyden , St. Joseph, Jr.
Long jump --Scott McKenzey, Wildwood Catholic, So.
High jump – Patrick Dillion, Wildwood Catholic, Sr.
Triple jump – Vinny Reed, St. Joseph, So.
Discus –Karl Colder, Holy Cross, Sr.
Shot put – Chris Grous, Bishop Eustace, Sr.
Javelin -- Matt McGlynn, St. Joseph, Jr.
Pole vault – Drew Harris, Holy Cross, So.
4x400 -- Holy Cross (Dan Gasper, Matt Cusack, Justin Ramsey, Terrence Osborne)
Coach of 2008: Chris Grottini, Like Whoaa
After six years of building an upstart track program in his Highland hometown, between the regional schools of Highland and Triton, and in the shadow of Winslow Township, Timber Creek coach Chris Grottini had a modest record to show.
The Chargers were coming off their best year, a 4-1 season, with their share of standout performances, but no titles. Potential was inside his athletes and that was enough at the time.
The times were a'changin this year, though; he made sure of it.
"Last year he knew he had certain individuals and he wanted to bring the best out of everybody," said senior sprinter Geoff Mock. "And this year, he had a different approach.
Before the season Grottini held a meeting open to all those interested, and shocked some by placing some emphasis on winning and winning now.
"He knew those individuals could win championships, sectional championships, Olympic conference championships, even state championships," Mock said, "and while he still wanted to see everybody do their best, he said 'We're trying to win.'"
Grottini foresaw conference title possibilities within the first dual meet against Seneca, one in which junior Montez Blair, who was coming off a basketball season in which his team played in the state championship, high jumped 6-10.
"We did a nice job and we looked at all the individual performances when we got on the bus," Grottini said. "And we realized that we kind of shortchanged ourselves.
"We don't hang that much on a dual-meet win, but it was at least a start for us where we could look at our performance and compare it with that of the best in South Jersey. Then we thought we could make it bigger that just winning a conference title."
Grottini had experienced his share of winning during his six years as the track and cross-country coach at Wallkill Valley Regional, culminating in a North 1 Group 2 Cross-Country Championship in 2000.
But he saw this cast going even farther.
Before facing any of those Group 3 schools, Timber Creek made some noise within South Jersey by knocking off divisional rival Winslow Township for the first time in school history and snapping their streak of 29 straight dual meet wins.
A 5-0 divisional record and a subsequent conference title – both firsts -- were only the beginning, though.
With their confidence gradually rising with the temperature, seniors Mock, Eric Smith, Dorian Evans, Tyrone Brown and Rob Huckabee and juniors Blair, Mike Short and Saliym Starkey helped the Chargers accomplish the thinkable by winning the South Jersey Group 3 Championship.
Although he was the last and fastest member of the Chargers fourth-place 4x400 relay, Mock said it was Grottini who was the team's anchor.
"If there's something done that's really good, he does this really loud clap for a couple minutes and you know he's satisfied," Mock said. "We want to help to hear that clap. We're driven to hear that clap. It means you know you did good. The coach is right behind you."
A trophy case of sectional titles have come Timber Creek's way this year in wrestling, basketball and baseball, but the Chargers and Grottini, ever the history teacher, have set the watermark by winning the school's first State Group 3 Championship.
For the support and unwavering vision he's displayed this year, Grottini is the 2008 Courier-Post Boys' Track Outdoor Coach of the Year.
He said this success is something that can be built on.
"We have a lot of kids who scored for us who are coming back," he said. "You can't take anything for granted, but I imagine kids who had success this year are certainly going to want to go back and do it again next year."
For now, though, for the first time in six years, Grottini is content in the now.
"Going in and watching these group of kids for several months and in some case several years, to watch them come together and win a state championship … I was extremely proud," he said. "Highlight of the season."
More like 'Understatement of the Year.'
The Chargers were coming off their best year, a 4-1 season, with their share of standout performances, but no titles. Potential was inside his athletes and that was enough at the time.
The times were a'changin this year, though; he made sure of it.
"Last year he knew he had certain individuals and he wanted to bring the best out of everybody," said senior sprinter Geoff Mock. "And this year, he had a different approach.
Before the season Grottini held a meeting open to all those interested, and shocked some by placing some emphasis on winning and winning now.
"He knew those individuals could win championships, sectional championships, Olympic conference championships, even state championships," Mock said, "and while he still wanted to see everybody do their best, he said 'We're trying to win.'"
Grottini foresaw conference title possibilities within the first dual meet against Seneca, one in which junior Montez Blair, who was coming off a basketball season in which his team played in the state championship, high jumped 6-10.
"We did a nice job and we looked at all the individual performances when we got on the bus," Grottini said. "And we realized that we kind of shortchanged ourselves.
"We don't hang that much on a dual-meet win, but it was at least a start for us where we could look at our performance and compare it with that of the best in South Jersey. Then we thought we could make it bigger that just winning a conference title."
Grottini had experienced his share of winning during his six years as the track and cross-country coach at Wallkill Valley Regional, culminating in a North 1 Group 2 Cross-Country Championship in 2000.
But he saw this cast going even farther.
Before facing any of those Group 3 schools, Timber Creek made some noise within South Jersey by knocking off divisional rival Winslow Township for the first time in school history and snapping their streak of 29 straight dual meet wins.
A 5-0 divisional record and a subsequent conference title – both firsts -- were only the beginning, though.
With their confidence gradually rising with the temperature, seniors Mock, Eric Smith, Dorian Evans, Tyrone Brown and Rob Huckabee and juniors Blair, Mike Short and Saliym Starkey helped the Chargers accomplish the thinkable by winning the South Jersey Group 3 Championship.
Although he was the last and fastest member of the Chargers fourth-place 4x400 relay, Mock said it was Grottini who was the team's anchor.
"If there's something done that's really good, he does this really loud clap for a couple minutes and you know he's satisfied," Mock said. "We want to help to hear that clap. We're driven to hear that clap. It means you know you did good. The coach is right behind you."
A trophy case of sectional titles have come Timber Creek's way this year in wrestling, basketball and baseball, but the Chargers and Grottini, ever the history teacher, have set the watermark by winning the school's first State Group 3 Championship.
For the support and unwavering vision he's displayed this year, Grottini is the 2008 Courier-Post Boys' Track Outdoor Coach of the Year.
He said this success is something that can be built on.
"We have a lot of kids who scored for us who are coming back," he said. "You can't take anything for granted, but I imagine kids who had success this year are certainly going to want to go back and do it again next year."
For now, though, for the first time in six years, Grottini is content in the now.
"Going in and watching these group of kids for several months and in some case several years, to watch them come together and win a state championship … I was extremely proud," he said. "Highlight of the season."
More like 'Understatement of the Year.'
Athlete of 2008: Brett Johnson, Never Settled For Less Than His Best
The only thing that might run longer than Ocean City distance runner Brett Johnson is his memory.
Only a junior, Johnson has a sharp ability to recall school records, but, then again, he does study them often.
In his living room trophy case lays a newspaper clip of his school's track records. It's four years old and could've been framed, hung and left to never come down like the records set in stone by 2003 grad John Richardson. But Johnson said he looks at it constantly and expects it to all change soon.
"I'm going to start striking them off and when they're all struck off, I'll be satisfied," he said.
After the season Johnson has had, the list needs some revisions.
Dogged by the state's best milers at the Meet of Champions on June 5, Johnson won the 1,600 in a dazzling pace of 4:09.03, replacing Richardson's 4:09.20 as the new standard for both the meet and the school.
Johnson led the first half in about 2:10, slow for the standards of someone eyeing a record, but safe for someone who knows his competition.
"One of the best things about Brett is that he never underestimates his competitors," coach Matt Purdue said. "He has great respect for his competition and goes into every race thinking he's going to have to try his best."
Johnson fended off the feared closing speed of Manalapan junior Robby Andrews by showing off his own, kicking home in a 57 second last lap.
Despite winning by two seconds, a weary Johnson needed to lean at the line to complete his chase of history.
"He's an athlete who wants to push through the physical barriers," Purdue said. "That strength pushes him through the physical pain. Everything hurts. Everything in your mind is telling your body to stop. And at that level you got to use your mind and strength to overcome that."
"I've seen pictures of myself and it looks like I'm on the brink of dying and I feel fine," Johnson said. "I don't what it is. Maybe it just looks like I'm dying all the time."
Johnson has showed this strength many times this season and for this continued drive at excellence, has earned the 2008 Courier-Post Boys' Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year, an honor he can place between his 2007 Courier-Post Cross-Country Athlete of the Year and his updated list of records.
Johnson followed up his strong cross-country season by running up and down the basketball court as shooting guard for the Red Raiders, something he attributes for his killer kick.
A regular at the scores table, Purdue knows Johnson isn't nearly as dominant a player as he is a runner, but Johnson said basketball, along with serving the need of breaking things up, allows him to rest his body for the spring.
"The only time I ran was to clear my head after bad basketball games," he said.
Johnson wasted little time making his presence felt to start the spring, running a South Jersey-best 1:52.8 in an 800 against Absegami in his first dual meet and then a 4:10 split in the 1,600 portion of the Woodbury Relays' distance medley relay.
Running unattached against some of his North Jersey competitors in the Ironman Invitational's 1,500 at Don Bosco Prep, Johnson won in 3:53.71, the nation's second-best time according to Milesplit.com.
If it seems like Johnson is in a rush, well, he is. Though only a junior, Johnson knows it's unwise to look ahead in a sport that pushes one to the limit constantly and was reminded of its fickle nature when an injury sidelined senior teammate Ryan Birchmeier, the indoor Group 3 state champ in the 1,600, to start the season.
Johnson, too, knows pain, like the kind felt in his foot last year after running sectionals and the pain of being diagnosed with a broken bone days before the state championships.
"When he came back in the fall he realized these were special opportunities, and you can't wait till next year," Purdue said. "First, he appreciates any opportunity to compete. You never know how many chances you'll have to accomplish things in your life and he definitely recognizes that."
He made the most of his chances this championship season, sweeping the three distance events at the South Jersey Group 3 Championships – including a 3,200 (9:22.98) that missed the Richardson mark by two seconds -- and then doubling in the 1,600 (4:14.55) and the 800 (1:53.49) at the State Group 3 Championships.
After his meet-record 1,600 at the Meet of Champions, Johnson attempted something that was last done by Richardson in 2003: pulling off the 1,600-800 daily double on the biggest of stages.
Johnson tried but to no avail, suffering his first loss of the season by finishing in 1:57.26.
"My grandfather always told me you may not be the best, but you're going to have the most heart and I hate losing," he said. "Whether it's the prestigious Woodbury Relays or gym class, I hate losing."
Johnson plans to run the mile unattached at a Monmouth University-held USATF meet on June 13, a "tune up" for the Nike Nationals on June 21.
Only a junior, Johnson has a sharp ability to recall school records, but, then again, he does study them often.
In his living room trophy case lays a newspaper clip of his school's track records. It's four years old and could've been framed, hung and left to never come down like the records set in stone by 2003 grad John Richardson. But Johnson said he looks at it constantly and expects it to all change soon.
"I'm going to start striking them off and when they're all struck off, I'll be satisfied," he said.
After the season Johnson has had, the list needs some revisions.
Dogged by the state's best milers at the Meet of Champions on June 5, Johnson won the 1,600 in a dazzling pace of 4:09.03, replacing Richardson's 4:09.20 as the new standard for both the meet and the school.
Johnson led the first half in about 2:10, slow for the standards of someone eyeing a record, but safe for someone who knows his competition.
"One of the best things about Brett is that he never underestimates his competitors," coach Matt Purdue said. "He has great respect for his competition and goes into every race thinking he's going to have to try his best."
Johnson fended off the feared closing speed of Manalapan junior Robby Andrews by showing off his own, kicking home in a 57 second last lap.
Despite winning by two seconds, a weary Johnson needed to lean at the line to complete his chase of history.
"He's an athlete who wants to push through the physical barriers," Purdue said. "That strength pushes him through the physical pain. Everything hurts. Everything in your mind is telling your body to stop. And at that level you got to use your mind and strength to overcome that."
"I've seen pictures of myself and it looks like I'm on the brink of dying and I feel fine," Johnson said. "I don't what it is. Maybe it just looks like I'm dying all the time."
Johnson has showed this strength many times this season and for this continued drive at excellence, has earned the 2008 Courier-Post Boys' Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year, an honor he can place between his 2007 Courier-Post Cross-Country Athlete of the Year and his updated list of records.
Johnson followed up his strong cross-country season by running up and down the basketball court as shooting guard for the Red Raiders, something he attributes for his killer kick.
A regular at the scores table, Purdue knows Johnson isn't nearly as dominant a player as he is a runner, but Johnson said basketball, along with serving the need of breaking things up, allows him to rest his body for the spring.
"The only time I ran was to clear my head after bad basketball games," he said.
Johnson wasted little time making his presence felt to start the spring, running a South Jersey-best 1:52.8 in an 800 against Absegami in his first dual meet and then a 4:10 split in the 1,600 portion of the Woodbury Relays' distance medley relay.
Running unattached against some of his North Jersey competitors in the Ironman Invitational's 1,500 at Don Bosco Prep, Johnson won in 3:53.71, the nation's second-best time according to Milesplit.com.
If it seems like Johnson is in a rush, well, he is. Though only a junior, Johnson knows it's unwise to look ahead in a sport that pushes one to the limit constantly and was reminded of its fickle nature when an injury sidelined senior teammate Ryan Birchmeier, the indoor Group 3 state champ in the 1,600, to start the season.
Johnson, too, knows pain, like the kind felt in his foot last year after running sectionals and the pain of being diagnosed with a broken bone days before the state championships.
"When he came back in the fall he realized these were special opportunities, and you can't wait till next year," Purdue said. "First, he appreciates any opportunity to compete. You never know how many chances you'll have to accomplish things in your life and he definitely recognizes that."
He made the most of his chances this championship season, sweeping the three distance events at the South Jersey Group 3 Championships – including a 3,200 (9:22.98) that missed the Richardson mark by two seconds -- and then doubling in the 1,600 (4:14.55) and the 800 (1:53.49) at the State Group 3 Championships.
After his meet-record 1,600 at the Meet of Champions, Johnson attempted something that was last done by Richardson in 2003: pulling off the 1,600-800 daily double on the biggest of stages.
Johnson tried but to no avail, suffering his first loss of the season by finishing in 1:57.26.
"My grandfather always told me you may not be the best, but you're going to have the most heart and I hate losing," he said. "Whether it's the prestigious Woodbury Relays or gym class, I hate losing."
Johnson plans to run the mile unattached at a Monmouth University-held USATF meet on June 13, a "tune up" for the Nike Nationals on June 21.
Team of 2008: Timber Creek, a Team of Firsts
Team history wasn't brought up too often by the Timber Creek coaches or by the athletes writing it.
They were too busy living in the moment to revisit the past and if you recall the Chargers' modest past, they might've been a smart decision.
The same athletes who bowed out of the divisional race with a loss to Winslow Township last year and then baby-stepped into the Top 20 for the program's first time have changed gears this year, winning the Patriot Division, vaulting to the top spot and earning the Courier-Post Cup, emblematic of the best team in South Jersey.
To see how far the Chargers have come this season, you must first start where they began.
"Last year we were a little tired," sixth-year coach Chris Grottini said. "I don' think we were as healthy or as focused either. We really went into last year without a goal and if you don't have a goal, you don't really achieve anything.
"But when you have goals, you go in wanting to achieving things. When you accomplish one, you can cross something off and set a new one."
The first goal might've been to just stay healthy. Senior Dorian Evans, who qualified for the Meet of Champions in the long jump as a sophomore, missed most of last year after tearing his left knee during a football game.
Their next goal was knocking off Winslow from its perennial perch atop the Olympic Conference Patriot Division. Delivering the Eagles their first loss in 30 dual meets, the Chargers won 89-50 and coasted to a 5-0 record and divisional title.
The next on the list was a little more ambitious.
"We figured we had a really good shot at winning sectionals," Grottini said.
Grottini wasn't just trying to keep up with the school's other programs, which, by the way, have tallied sectional titles in wrestling, basketball and baseball this year.
He knew his team possessed both a balance that would win dual meets and stars that could win events, and, if enough of them, a title.
"We took a deep breath," he said.
If they didn't believe it, Grottini showed them, meeting with his athletes before sectionals to show that their better is better than other teams' better.
But they didn't need to be at their best to win.
Between all their studs – seniors Eric Smith, Geoff Mock, Tyrone Brown, and Evans, and juniors Montez Blair and Saliym Starkey – only Blair won a sectional title; the others helped chip in the other 64 points, enough to defeat defending champ Delsea by nine points.
Blair, a high jumper, set the bar for the rest of South Jersey when he cleared 6-10 to begin the season – then raised it to 7-0 at the Woodbury Relays.
Still, the one he stepped up most may've been Mock, a sprinter who accepted a greater role this season and produced, taking second in the 400 (49.75), third in the 100 (10.92) and the 200 (22.24), and fourth as the anchor to 4x400 relay team of Derrek Henry, Starkey and Allen Jackson.
Strides were being made and being encouraged, even small ones.
"They really did recognize what their teammates were doing. It added a nice communal feel to things," Grottini said. "Even if they didn't score points, they would know if someone ran a good race, or had their best jump or throw. It wasn't 'Hey, look at me.'"
Other teams were looking at the Chargers as contenders by the time the State Group 3 Championships rolled around; the Chargers, though, were looking at each other.
Unbeknownst to him when lining up for the opening event, Starkey, a 10th seed, would start the school's first successful state-championship campaign by winning the 400 hurdles in 55.02 by four hundredths of a second and in the slower heat.
He may've also started a team tradition.
"Winning is contagious," Grottini said. "They said 'If he's going to do that, well then I'm going to do this.'"
Three others won state titles during the two-day championship in South Plainfield: Blair in the high jump (6-8), Smith in the triple jump (45-10.5) and Evans in the javelin (188-2).
"I just wanted to score some points and try to pull it out for the team for the win," Evans said.
Said Smith: "It feels really good to come out her and help my team. Especially in the triple jump – I know we really needed that. Everyone else did their part."
History buffs or not, the 2008 Chargers sure made some.
They were too busy living in the moment to revisit the past and if you recall the Chargers' modest past, they might've been a smart decision.
The same athletes who bowed out of the divisional race with a loss to Winslow Township last year and then baby-stepped into the Top 20 for the program's first time have changed gears this year, winning the Patriot Division, vaulting to the top spot and earning the Courier-Post Cup, emblematic of the best team in South Jersey.
To see how far the Chargers have come this season, you must first start where they began.
"Last year we were a little tired," sixth-year coach Chris Grottini said. "I don' think we were as healthy or as focused either. We really went into last year without a goal and if you don't have a goal, you don't really achieve anything.
"But when you have goals, you go in wanting to achieving things. When you accomplish one, you can cross something off and set a new one."
The first goal might've been to just stay healthy. Senior Dorian Evans, who qualified for the Meet of Champions in the long jump as a sophomore, missed most of last year after tearing his left knee during a football game.
Their next goal was knocking off Winslow from its perennial perch atop the Olympic Conference Patriot Division. Delivering the Eagles their first loss in 30 dual meets, the Chargers won 89-50 and coasted to a 5-0 record and divisional title.
The next on the list was a little more ambitious.
"We figured we had a really good shot at winning sectionals," Grottini said.
Grottini wasn't just trying to keep up with the school's other programs, which, by the way, have tallied sectional titles in wrestling, basketball and baseball this year.
He knew his team possessed both a balance that would win dual meets and stars that could win events, and, if enough of them, a title.
"We took a deep breath," he said.
If they didn't believe it, Grottini showed them, meeting with his athletes before sectionals to show that their better is better than other teams' better.
But they didn't need to be at their best to win.
Between all their studs – seniors Eric Smith, Geoff Mock, Tyrone Brown, and Evans, and juniors Montez Blair and Saliym Starkey – only Blair won a sectional title; the others helped chip in the other 64 points, enough to defeat defending champ Delsea by nine points.
Blair, a high jumper, set the bar for the rest of South Jersey when he cleared 6-10 to begin the season – then raised it to 7-0 at the Woodbury Relays.
Still, the one he stepped up most may've been Mock, a sprinter who accepted a greater role this season and produced, taking second in the 400 (49.75), third in the 100 (10.92) and the 200 (22.24), and fourth as the anchor to 4x400 relay team of Derrek Henry, Starkey and Allen Jackson.
Strides were being made and being encouraged, even small ones.
"They really did recognize what their teammates were doing. It added a nice communal feel to things," Grottini said. "Even if they didn't score points, they would know if someone ran a good race, or had their best jump or throw. It wasn't 'Hey, look at me.'"
Other teams were looking at the Chargers as contenders by the time the State Group 3 Championships rolled around; the Chargers, though, were looking at each other.
Unbeknownst to him when lining up for the opening event, Starkey, a 10th seed, would start the school's first successful state-championship campaign by winning the 400 hurdles in 55.02 by four hundredths of a second and in the slower heat.
He may've also started a team tradition.
"Winning is contagious," Grottini said. "They said 'If he's going to do that, well then I'm going to do this.'"
Three others won state titles during the two-day championship in South Plainfield: Blair in the high jump (6-8), Smith in the triple jump (45-10.5) and Evans in the javelin (188-2).
"I just wanted to score some points and try to pull it out for the team for the win," Evans said.
Said Smith: "It feels really good to come out her and help my team. Especially in the triple jump – I know we really needed that. Everyone else did their part."
History buffs or not, the 2008 Chargers sure made some.
Courier-Post Final Top 20
FINAL TOP 20
Rcrd Prv Rank
1. Timber Creek 5-0 2
2. Absegami 5-3 3
3. Egg Harbor Township 8-0 4
4. Pleasantville 8-0 1
5. Washington Township 4-1 5
6. Highland 5-0 6
7. Winslow Township 4-1 8
8. Delsea 3-1 7
9. Kingsway 4-1 9
10. Bridgeton 6-1 12
11. Cherokee 5-0 11
12. Camden 4-1 13
13. Oakcrest 7-1 10
14. Penns Grove 4-1 17
15. Cinnaminson 6-0 18
16. Haddon Heights 10-0 15
17. No. Burlington 5-0 14
18. West Deptford 9-1 --
19. Haddonfield 8-2 --
20. Millville 3-2 16
Rcrd Prv Rank
1. Timber Creek 5-0 2
2. Absegami 5-3 3
3. Egg Harbor Township 8-0 4
4. Pleasantville 8-0 1
5. Washington Township 4-1 5
6. Highland 5-0 6
7. Winslow Township 4-1 8
8. Delsea 3-1 7
9. Kingsway 4-1 9
10. Bridgeton 6-1 12
11. Cherokee 5-0 11
12. Camden 4-1 13
13. Oakcrest 7-1 10
14. Penns Grove 4-1 17
15. Cinnaminson 6-0 18
16. Haddon Heights 10-0 15
17. No. Burlington 5-0 14
18. West Deptford 9-1 --
19. Haddonfield 8-2 --
20. Millville 3-2 16
Notebook: End-of-the-Year Nominations
(Pub June 7)
Only so much is expected from coaches when they sign up for the job. They should be knowledgeable, respected, well clean and on time for practice. But many went beyond their call of duty this year. Here are the top five nominees for the Courier-Post
COACH OF THE YEAR
COY Nominees–
Chris Grottini, Timber Creek –
After six years of building and rebuilding, Grottini fielded a team deep in athleticism and long on drive. Grottini conditioned the unbeaten Chargers to win their first division, their first sectional championship and their first state championship in school history, but perhaps superceding all that, also helped them believe they could through constant encouragement and a personal touch.
Keith Landgraf, Absegami
– It's tough convincing a 5-3 team that it could win a state championship, but, sure enough, Landgraf did just that, leading the Braves to win their first-ever sectional championship and state championship by narrow margins. Landgraf got the most out of his three studs – Geoff Navarro, Demetrius Rooks and Ford Palmer – but knew the team was more than that as shown by javelin thrower Paul Lonergan's decisive two points at sectionals. After his 4x400 relay team got beat by Winslow Township at the state championship, Landgraf adjusted at the Meet of Champions, rotating the order of Navarro, Palmer, Santiago Galeano and Rooks for the state's fastest time (3:15.77) to cap the season.
Tom Mason, Penns Grove
– Here's the storyline: the team's best sprinter, Aaron Hayward, comes down with an injury mid-season. Mason keeps order and the team keeps believing. The loss of Hayward might've cost the Red Devils a win against Glassboro and the subsequent division, but athletes like Steven Brown, Shawill Green, Stephon Bell and Tyree Rudolph rose to the bigger challenges, defending their Group 1 sectional championship and placing second at the Group 1 state championship – better than their third-place showing in 2007.
Steve Shaklee, Cherokee
– When everyone thought it was time for the Chiefs to move over and hand the division to rising Washington Township, Shaklee and crew said 'Not this year,' downing the Minutemen to start the season and then coasting to another divisional title. By sharpening its sprints, led by the tandem of Kevin Merrigan and Will Rapp, Cherokee became one of South Jersey's most complete teams as made evident by its 5-0 record and its first-ever Burlington County Open win.
Matt Martin, Haddon Heights
With senior Mickey Borsellino ailing with mono and fellow distance runner Josh Black shelved with a bad back to start the season, the Garnets didn't look like a team that would knock off defending division champ Haddonfield or beat contender West Deptford, but Martin made sure of it, building a team that went far beyond distance with a good vaulter, a decent sprinting cast and a great jumping duo in Chris Roundtree and AJ Toliver. And a healthy Borsellino and Colin Lynch went the distance.
ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
The season had its share of great performances and a few athletes had more than their share of them. The three contenders for the Courier-Post Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year:
AOY Nominees
Montez Blair, Timber Creek, Jr. – We knew the junior high jumper had hops last season when he cleared 6-8, but after clearing 6-10 in a dual meet and then 7-0 at the Woodbury Relays, Blair got us thinking: maybe the sky really is the limit.
Unbeaten up to the Meet of Champions, when he cleared 6-10 but placed second on misses, Blair was dominant when his team needed him to be.
Along with winning the high jump (6-8) at the Group 3 Championship, Blair took sixth in the long jump (21-0) and fifth in the triple jump (43-2) to help the Chargers blow by the field en route to their first state championship.
"I just wanted to do my part - there's nothing more to it," he said. "I just had to go out there and perform my best."
Brett Johnson, Ocean City, Jr. – The junior distance runner didn't wait to raise eyebrows this season, running 1:52.8 in a dual meet and splitting 4:10 in the 1,600 portion of a distance medley relay at the Woodbury Relays.
He threw down a 3:53.71 to win the 1,500 at the Ironman Invitational and then he got serious, sweeping the distance events at the South Jersey Group 3 Championships, remaining unbeaten at the State Group 3 Championships by taking the 1,600 (4:14.55) and 800 (1:53.49) and then breaking the Meet of Champions record of 4:09.20 in the 1,600, held by 2002 Ocean City grad John Richardson, with a 4:09.03.
Johnson came back to run the 800, but against stiff competition, fell for the first time this season by running a 1:57.86. He knows losing is the risk you take when going for greatness.
"If I'm afraid of losing, why compete? Like here," Johnson said at the state championships last week, "if there was a chance I could've lost, why would've I run it? There's always going to be a chance of losing, but I just try to give myself the best chance to win."
Geoff Navarro, Absegami, Sr. – Navarro was flanked with similarly great talent throughout the season, but noone from South Jersey shined brighter than the senior sprinter during championship time. Needing a perfect weekend from Navarro to even consider winning their first sectional championship, the Braves – sporting all of five scorers -- received it.
Against a tough field, Navarro won the 100 (10.72), the 200 (21.97), the 400 (48.55) and saved the best for last, anchoring Absegami's 4x400 relay team to a 3:17.27 win.
"I try to work my phases through, the drive phase, all my phases and believe that sets me up," he said. "My start sets me up to get up tall and then to finish it strong with some high knees."
The win vaulted the Braves past Egg Harbor Township to win the South Jersey Group 4 Championship by a single point, 70-69.
The following week Navarro helped score 30 of Absegami's 48 points, including 10 off a 10.57 win in the 100, to win the State Group 4 Championship by four points.
Young distance
Of the top seven finishers in the Meet of Champion's 3,200 Thursday, only one was a senior. The other six – all below 9:16 – were made up of two juniors, two sophomores and two freshmen.
Shawnee sophomore David Forward was South Jersey's top finisher in 9:10.28.
Millburn sophomore Tyler Udland won in 9:04.80 and said the strong field helped for such strong times.
"The depth is just incredible this year," Udland said. "But it's not going to make doing this again any easier."
Only so much is expected from coaches when they sign up for the job. They should be knowledgeable, respected, well clean and on time for practice. But many went beyond their call of duty this year. Here are the top five nominees for the Courier-Post
COACH OF THE YEAR
COY Nominees–
Chris Grottini, Timber Creek –
After six years of building and rebuilding, Grottini fielded a team deep in athleticism and long on drive. Grottini conditioned the unbeaten Chargers to win their first division, their first sectional championship and their first state championship in school history, but perhaps superceding all that, also helped them believe they could through constant encouragement and a personal touch.
Keith Landgraf, Absegami
– It's tough convincing a 5-3 team that it could win a state championship, but, sure enough, Landgraf did just that, leading the Braves to win their first-ever sectional championship and state championship by narrow margins. Landgraf got the most out of his three studs – Geoff Navarro, Demetrius Rooks and Ford Palmer – but knew the team was more than that as shown by javelin thrower Paul Lonergan's decisive two points at sectionals. After his 4x400 relay team got beat by Winslow Township at the state championship, Landgraf adjusted at the Meet of Champions, rotating the order of Navarro, Palmer, Santiago Galeano and Rooks for the state's fastest time (3:15.77) to cap the season.
Tom Mason, Penns Grove
– Here's the storyline: the team's best sprinter, Aaron Hayward, comes down with an injury mid-season. Mason keeps order and the team keeps believing. The loss of Hayward might've cost the Red Devils a win against Glassboro and the subsequent division, but athletes like Steven Brown, Shawill Green, Stephon Bell and Tyree Rudolph rose to the bigger challenges, defending their Group 1 sectional championship and placing second at the Group 1 state championship – better than their third-place showing in 2007.
Steve Shaklee, Cherokee
– When everyone thought it was time for the Chiefs to move over and hand the division to rising Washington Township, Shaklee and crew said 'Not this year,' downing the Minutemen to start the season and then coasting to another divisional title. By sharpening its sprints, led by the tandem of Kevin Merrigan and Will Rapp, Cherokee became one of South Jersey's most complete teams as made evident by its 5-0 record and its first-ever Burlington County Open win.
Matt Martin, Haddon Heights
With senior Mickey Borsellino ailing with mono and fellow distance runner Josh Black shelved with a bad back to start the season, the Garnets didn't look like a team that would knock off defending division champ Haddonfield or beat contender West Deptford, but Martin made sure of it, building a team that went far beyond distance with a good vaulter, a decent sprinting cast and a great jumping duo in Chris Roundtree and AJ Toliver. And a healthy Borsellino and Colin Lynch went the distance.
ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
The season had its share of great performances and a few athletes had more than their share of them. The three contenders for the Courier-Post Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year:
AOY Nominees
Montez Blair, Timber Creek, Jr. – We knew the junior high jumper had hops last season when he cleared 6-8, but after clearing 6-10 in a dual meet and then 7-0 at the Woodbury Relays, Blair got us thinking: maybe the sky really is the limit.
Unbeaten up to the Meet of Champions, when he cleared 6-10 but placed second on misses, Blair was dominant when his team needed him to be.
Along with winning the high jump (6-8) at the Group 3 Championship, Blair took sixth in the long jump (21-0) and fifth in the triple jump (43-2) to help the Chargers blow by the field en route to their first state championship.
"I just wanted to do my part - there's nothing more to it," he said. "I just had to go out there and perform my best."
Brett Johnson, Ocean City, Jr. – The junior distance runner didn't wait to raise eyebrows this season, running 1:52.8 in a dual meet and splitting 4:10 in the 1,600 portion of a distance medley relay at the Woodbury Relays.
He threw down a 3:53.71 to win the 1,500 at the Ironman Invitational and then he got serious, sweeping the distance events at the South Jersey Group 3 Championships, remaining unbeaten at the State Group 3 Championships by taking the 1,600 (4:14.55) and 800 (1:53.49) and then breaking the Meet of Champions record of 4:09.20 in the 1,600, held by 2002 Ocean City grad John Richardson, with a 4:09.03.
Johnson came back to run the 800, but against stiff competition, fell for the first time this season by running a 1:57.86. He knows losing is the risk you take when going for greatness.
"If I'm afraid of losing, why compete? Like here," Johnson said at the state championships last week, "if there was a chance I could've lost, why would've I run it? There's always going to be a chance of losing, but I just try to give myself the best chance to win."
Geoff Navarro, Absegami, Sr. – Navarro was flanked with similarly great talent throughout the season, but noone from South Jersey shined brighter than the senior sprinter during championship time. Needing a perfect weekend from Navarro to even consider winning their first sectional championship, the Braves – sporting all of five scorers -- received it.
Against a tough field, Navarro won the 100 (10.72), the 200 (21.97), the 400 (48.55) and saved the best for last, anchoring Absegami's 4x400 relay team to a 3:17.27 win.
"I try to work my phases through, the drive phase, all my phases and believe that sets me up," he said. "My start sets me up to get up tall and then to finish it strong with some high knees."
The win vaulted the Braves past Egg Harbor Township to win the South Jersey Group 4 Championship by a single point, 70-69.
The following week Navarro helped score 30 of Absegami's 48 points, including 10 off a 10.57 win in the 100, to win the State Group 4 Championship by four points.
Young distance
Of the top seven finishers in the Meet of Champion's 3,200 Thursday, only one was a senior. The other six – all below 9:16 – were made up of two juniors, two sophomores and two freshmen.
Shawnee sophomore David Forward was South Jersey's top finisher in 9:10.28.
Millburn sophomore Tyler Udland won in 9:04.80 and said the strong field helped for such strong times.
"The depth is just incredible this year," Udland said. "But it's not going to make doing this again any easier."
Lean at line never has hurt, Johnson wins MoC 1,600
(pub June 6)
SOUTH PLAINFIELD – Most distance runners don't practice leaning at the finish line. Then again, most distance runners don't come close to meet records.
Going into the NJSIAA Track and Field Meet of Champions Thursday, Ocean City junior Brett Johnson knew it would take every effort to break the 2003 mark of 4:09.20, set by fellow Ocean City runner John Richardson.
Against the best of the state's best at Frank Jost Field in South Plainfield, Johnson was undeterred, taking the first half out in a subpar 2:10 and then closing it with a winning 1:59 -- and a history-setting lean.
"I knew one race [the lean] was going to pay off, and it paid off for me today," Johnson said. "I crossed the line and I was like 'Oh come on, give it to me."
Johnson was one of five winners for South Jersey, but with a 4:09.03, was the only one to set a record.
Franklin senior Jermaine Coore trailed Johnson for three laps, but in Johnson's mind, Manalapan junior Rob Andrews -- and the legend of ability to finish furiously – was more present.
"I didn't know how good his kick was. I just kept hearing about how good it was," Johnson said. "I know I had a decent kick, but I didn't know whether it could compare to his.
"I think this is the first race I was honestly scared about somebody's kick in the mile."
After opening a nice led, Johnson lost Coore and matched Andrews stride-for-stride on the last lap, flying in 58 seconds. Washington Township junior Xavier Fraction finished fourth in a personal-best 4:15.66.
"I know I was going quick on that last lap, but I didn't think I was going 58," Johnson said.
Johnson missed much of the championship last season after discovering a stress fracture in his foot following his 1,600 and 3,200 wins at sectionals.
After coming back to lead South Jersey cross country this fall, Johnson trained off the beaten track, in fact, off the track altogether, by playing basketball during the winter.
Johnson came back later to run the 800 and felt good until the start.
"I went into the race thinking 'My legs feel good, my legs feel good, my legs feel good.' The first 100 in I knew I was done," said Johnson, who finished in 1:57.86 behind fourth-place finisher Absegami junior Ford Palmer (1:53.83). "I was just taking it one race at a time and I poured everything in the [1,600]."
Another basketball player in the winter, Kingsway senior RJ Page got off the blocks fast and expanded his lap against runners-up Absegami Geoff Navarro (10.92) and Bridgeton senior Charles Allen (10.96) en route to his 100 win in 10.76
"I know if I get out there, nobody's going to beat me," Page said. "About 60 meters in, I kind of see people on the outside with me, but I kept pushing it and staying relaxed. Then I saw myself in first."
Navarro and Palmer would join senior Demetrius Rooks and Santiago Galeano in helping Absegami edge Winslow Township's relay in the 4x400 relay.
Navarro gave the Braves an early lead by opening with a 47.2 split and Rooks took it back, running down Winslow senior Barry Cephas on the last lap for a season-best 3:15.77 finish in the final event.
Rooks started the meet off right too. The senior said he felt like he needed a perfect race to stay perfect in the 400 intermediate hurdles.
With 12 other competitors dipping under 55-seconds, Rooks managed to stay ahead of the curve, running a personal-best 53.31 for South Jersey's first title of the day.
"I know I couldn't mess up, because the top guys are here but I still hit the third or fourth hurdle," Rooks said. "On the last 120, once I started sprinting I got away from them."
Egg Harbor Township senior Stevenson Cajuste was the meet's other South Jersey champion, outleaping Moorestown senior Bryan Burnham (22-9.75) to win the long jump in a personal-best 23-3.25.
Another strong performances came from Timber Creek junior Montez Blair, who jumped 6-10 but not before winner Qaadir Tudor of West Orange.
Shawnee sophomore David Forward finished as South Jersey's top 3,200 runner Thursday, finishing fourth in 9:09.04 despite kicking earlier than he wanted.
"I thought I heard someone yell 'Two laps left' when there was really three to go," Forward said. "I wasn't even thinking. I've never been that drained all season.
I completely drained myself and that's what I wanted to do in my last race."
SOUTH PLAINFIELD – Most distance runners don't practice leaning at the finish line. Then again, most distance runners don't come close to meet records.
Going into the NJSIAA Track and Field Meet of Champions Thursday, Ocean City junior Brett Johnson knew it would take every effort to break the 2003 mark of 4:09.20, set by fellow Ocean City runner John Richardson.
Against the best of the state's best at Frank Jost Field in South Plainfield, Johnson was undeterred, taking the first half out in a subpar 2:10 and then closing it with a winning 1:59 -- and a history-setting lean.
"I knew one race [the lean] was going to pay off, and it paid off for me today," Johnson said. "I crossed the line and I was like 'Oh come on, give it to me."
Johnson was one of five winners for South Jersey, but with a 4:09.03, was the only one to set a record.
Franklin senior Jermaine Coore trailed Johnson for three laps, but in Johnson's mind, Manalapan junior Rob Andrews -- and the legend of ability to finish furiously – was more present.
"I didn't know how good his kick was. I just kept hearing about how good it was," Johnson said. "I know I had a decent kick, but I didn't know whether it could compare to his.
"I think this is the first race I was honestly scared about somebody's kick in the mile."
After opening a nice led, Johnson lost Coore and matched Andrews stride-for-stride on the last lap, flying in 58 seconds. Washington Township junior Xavier Fraction finished fourth in a personal-best 4:15.66.
"I know I was going quick on that last lap, but I didn't think I was going 58," Johnson said.
Johnson missed much of the championship last season after discovering a stress fracture in his foot following his 1,600 and 3,200 wins at sectionals.
After coming back to lead South Jersey cross country this fall, Johnson trained off the beaten track, in fact, off the track altogether, by playing basketball during the winter.
Johnson came back later to run the 800 and felt good until the start.
"I went into the race thinking 'My legs feel good, my legs feel good, my legs feel good.' The first 100 in I knew I was done," said Johnson, who finished in 1:57.86 behind fourth-place finisher Absegami junior Ford Palmer (1:53.83). "I was just taking it one race at a time and I poured everything in the [1,600]."
Another basketball player in the winter, Kingsway senior RJ Page got off the blocks fast and expanded his lap against runners-up Absegami Geoff Navarro (10.92) and Bridgeton senior Charles Allen (10.96) en route to his 100 win in 10.76
"I know if I get out there, nobody's going to beat me," Page said. "About 60 meters in, I kind of see people on the outside with me, but I kept pushing it and staying relaxed. Then I saw myself in first."
Navarro and Palmer would join senior Demetrius Rooks and Santiago Galeano in helping Absegami edge Winslow Township's relay in the 4x400 relay.
Navarro gave the Braves an early lead by opening with a 47.2 split and Rooks took it back, running down Winslow senior Barry Cephas on the last lap for a season-best 3:15.77 finish in the final event.
Rooks started the meet off right too. The senior said he felt like he needed a perfect race to stay perfect in the 400 intermediate hurdles.
With 12 other competitors dipping under 55-seconds, Rooks managed to stay ahead of the curve, running a personal-best 53.31 for South Jersey's first title of the day.
"I know I couldn't mess up, because the top guys are here but I still hit the third or fourth hurdle," Rooks said. "On the last 120, once I started sprinting I got away from them."
Egg Harbor Township senior Stevenson Cajuste was the meet's other South Jersey champion, outleaping Moorestown senior Bryan Burnham (22-9.75) to win the long jump in a personal-best 23-3.25.
Another strong performances came from Timber Creek junior Montez Blair, who jumped 6-10 but not before winner Qaadir Tudor of West Orange.
Shawnee sophomore David Forward finished as South Jersey's top 3,200 runner Thursday, finishing fourth in 9:09.04 despite kicking earlier than he wanted.
"I thought I heard someone yell 'Two laps left' when there was really three to go," Forward said. "I wasn't even thinking. I've never been that drained all season.
I completely drained myself and that's what I wanted to do in my last race."
Meet of Champion Results
(Pub June 6)
Meet of Champions
BOYS
400 Intermediate – Demetrius Rooks, Absegami, 53.31; 2. Chris Rutherford, Toms River East, 53.92; 3.Dan Mularz, Freehold Twp, 53.95; 4.Sean Lunkenheimer, Old Bridge, 54.05; 5.Zach Keefer, Morristown, 54.15; 6.Brandon Hillman, Verona, 54.54.38.
Others: 7.Anthony Brown, Highland, 54.39; 11.Chris Tomori, No. Burlington, 54.78; 13.Tim Carey, Washington Twp, 54.93; 16.Kenny Davis, Pleasantville, 55.64; 17.Greg Smith, Paul VI, 55.71; 20.Greg Taylor, Sterling, 55.97.
1,600 – 1.Brett Johnson, Ocean City, 4:09.03; 2.Robert Andrews, Manalapan, 4:11.65; 3.Jermaine Coore, Franklin, 4:13.27; 4.Xavier Fraction, Washington Township, 4:15.66; 5.Liam Tansey, Morris Hills, 4:15.74; 6.Jon Juleus, Pope John XXIII, 4:17.23.
Others: 12.Colin Baker, Haddonfield, 4:21.94; 14.Andy Arnold, Bishop Eustace, 4:21.94; 19.Matt Cusack, Holy Cross, 4:24.97.
100 – 1.RJ Page, Kingsway, 10.76; 2.Geoff Navarro, Absegami, 10.92; 3.Charles Allen, Bridgeton, 10.97; 4.Akeem Gauntlet, Abe Clarke, 10.98; 5.Michael Peavy, Neptune, 11.04; 6.Jordan Barrett, Bound Brook, 11.05.
Others: 10.Darin Washington, Winslow Twp, 11.07; 12.Kevin Linico, Florence, 11.16; 13. (tie) James Brown, Glassboro, 11.17; 17.Jarrett East-Brown, No. Burlington, 11.28.
110 HH – 1.Devon Hill, Trenton Central, 13.89; 2.Joshua Evans, Irvington, 14.06; 3.Biyerem Okengwu, Piscataway, 14.25; 4.Kamryn Austin, Ewing, 14.40; 5.Chris Rutherford, Toms River East, 14.47; 6.Sean Schnarr, Franklin, 14.50.
Others: 7.Matt Marshall, Camden, 14.70; 8.Stevenson Cajuste, Egg Harbor Twp, 14.73; 13.Steve Mitchell, West Deptford, 15.09.
3,200 – 1.Tyler Udland, Shawnee, 9:04.8; 2.Doug Smith, Gill St. Bernard's, 9:05.73; 3.Christian Baumbach, Hopewell Valley, 9:09.04; 4.Dave Forward, Shawnee, 9:09.04; 5.Robert Molke, Don Bosco, 9:10.41; 6.James Rosa, West Windsor Plainsboro-North, 9:11.56.
Others:11.Kevin McDonnell, Camden Catholic, 9:19.31; 14.Alex Yersak, Cherokee, 9:24.84; 18.Todd Campbell, Cinnaminson, 9:31.83; 20.Mark Kearney, Pennsville, 9:33.08.
800 – 1.JasonWalton, Hillsborough, 1:50.14; 2.Monroe Kearns, Jackson Memorial, 1:51.43; 3.Keith Griffith, West Windsor-Plainsboro South, 1:53.25; 4.Ford Palmer, Absegami, 1:53.83; 5.Matt Lingam, Park Ridge, 1:54.96; 6.Chris Black, Chatham, 1:55.05.
Others: 7.Xavier Fraction, Washington Twp, 1:55.16; 10.Aaron Johnson, Oakcrest, 1:55.63; 13.Brian Laskowski, Bishop Eustace, 1:55.92; 14.Jamal Davis, Highland, 1:55.96; 19.Kenny Hoff, Cinnaminson, 1:56.89.
200 – 1.Akeem Gauntlet, Abe Clarke, 21.59; 2.Tejay Johnson, Egg Harbor Twp, 21.79; 3.Damian Miles, Teaneck, 21.89; 4.Geoff Navarro, Absegami, 21.98; 5.Darin Washington, Winslow Twp, 22.11; 6.Jerry Carter, Morristown, 22.13.
Others: 7.Barry Cephas, Winslow Twp, 22.15; 11.Daequan Kim, Bordentown, 22.25; 14.Kevin Merrigan, Cherokee, 22.29.
400 – 1.Isiah Gill, Plainfield, 47.16; 2.Clayton Parros, Seton Hall, 47.36; 3.Christopher Jones, Lincoln, 49.04; 4.Garrett Ellis, Union Catholic, 49.24; 5.Hayden Duffy, Emerson, 49.37; 6.Ellis Mensah, West Orange, 49.41.
Others: 8.Udochi Okoro, Delsea, 49.65; 10.Tyrone McRae, Willingboro, 49.66; 11.Geoff Mock, Timber Creek, 49.69; 18.Rich Fisher, Holy Cross, 50.63; 19.Terrence Burns, Delsea, 50.65; 20.Willie Anderson, Paulsboro, 50.68.
4x400 – 1. Absegami (Santiago Galeano, Demetrius Rooks, Ford Palmer, Geoff Navarro), 3:15.77; 2.Winslow Township 3:16.13; 3.Delsea 3:18.38; 4.Cherokee 3:18.62; 5.Pleasantville 3:19.06; 6.Union Catholic 3:19.06
Others: 7.Egg Harbor Twp 3:20.01; 14.Sterling 3:21.43; 17.Washington Twp 3:22.06.
Pole vault – 1.Chris Wyckoff, Toms River East, 15-0; 2. (tie) Dan Batdorf, West Deptford; Ed Zubrzycki, Highland, 14-6; 4.Rick Villanova, Toms River North, 14-6; 5. (tie) Greg Stripe, Matwah; Austin Schaller, NV Old Tappan, 14-0.
Long jump – 1.Stevenson Cajuste, Egg Harbor Twp, 23-3.25; 2.Bryan Burnham, Moorestown, 22-9.75; 3.Chris Phelps, Lodi, 22-7.5; 4.Chris Steliga, Cherokee, 22-3.50; 5.Syteek Farrington, Camden, 22-0.25; 6.Obinna Nwafor, Union Catholic, 21-8.75.
Others: 8.Charles Allen, Bridgeton, 21-6.75; 15.Brandon Bourne, Delran, 20-9; 20.Ameer Waugh, Camden, 19-11.5.
Triple jump – 1.Chris Philpps, Lodi, 49-4.25; 2.Adam Bergo, West Field, 48-10; 3.Rolston Braithwaite, Trenton Catholic, 48-2.5; 4.Kevin Bostick, Bergen Catholic, 45-11.75; 5.Stevenson Cajuste, Egg Harbor Twp, 44-10.25; 6.Perry Asare, Lindenwold, 44-8.
Others: 9.Wayne Walls, Camden, 43-10.5; 13.Matt Kates, Schalick, 43-2.75; 14.Eric Smith, Timber Creek, 43-1.0; 15.Ryan Chance, Glassboro, 43-00.5; 18.Steven Brown, Penns Grove, 42-6.75. 19. (four-way tie) Sean Jimoh, Riverside, 42-6.5.
High jump –1.Qaadir Tudor, West Orange, 6-10; 2.MontezBlair, Timber Creek, 6-10; 3.Adam Bergo, Westfield, 6-8; 4.Marcos McKenzie, Eastside-Paterson, 6-8; 5.Alex Maurer, Voorhees, 6-8; 6.Craig Michaud, Nutley, 6-6.
Others: 7.Na'im Lyons, Pleasantvile, 6-6; 9. (10-way tie) Drew Kanz, Seneca; Warren Oliver, Palmyra, 6-4.
Shot put – 1.Nicholas Vena, Morristown, 65-3.5; 2.Mike Alleman, Scotch Plains-FA; 64-4; 3.Chris DiLorenzo, Seton Hall, 60-8; 4.Kwabena Keene, Washington Twp, 57-2; 5.Sean O'Neill, River Dell, 55-11.5; 6.Jon Tancer, Montville, 54-3.5.
Others: 10.Joseph Carmichael, Pennsauken, 52-9; 16.Dominique Williams, Bridgeton, 50-9; 18.Steven Lane, Bridgeton, 48-9.
Discus – 1.James Plummer, Central Regional, 177-4; 2.Chris Pantale, Wayne Valley, 172-5; 3.Frank Allen, Holy Cross, 163-6; 4.Mike Alleman, Scotch Plains-Fa, 162-11; 5.Anthony Stroffolino, Southern Regional, 162-5; 6.Kevin Hebron, Middle Twp, 158-2.
Others: 7.Marvin Logan, Millville, 158-0; 14.Justin Embler, Cinnaminson, 143-3; 16.Tyree Rudolph, Penns Grove, 139-2.
Javelin – 1.Brian Florek, Old Bridge, 201-1; 2.Cody Unger, Jefferson, 200-3; 2.Brandon Heroux, Westfield, 195-7; 4.Joseph Gingerelli, Wood-Ridge, 192-09; 5.Kyle Elliott, Cresskill, 191-2; 6.Jonathan Fernandez, Monsignor Donovan, 187-1.
Others: 8.Jose Ramos, Vineland, 182-10; 9.Tim Van Liew, Deptford, 181-6; 14.Warren Oliver,Palmyra, 171-3;
Meet of Champions
BOYS
400 Intermediate – Demetrius Rooks, Absegami, 53.31; 2. Chris Rutherford, Toms River East, 53.92; 3.Dan Mularz, Freehold Twp, 53.95; 4.Sean Lunkenheimer, Old Bridge, 54.05; 5.Zach Keefer, Morristown, 54.15; 6.Brandon Hillman, Verona, 54.54.38.
Others: 7.Anthony Brown, Highland, 54.39; 11.Chris Tomori, No. Burlington, 54.78; 13.Tim Carey, Washington Twp, 54.93; 16.Kenny Davis, Pleasantville, 55.64; 17.Greg Smith, Paul VI, 55.71; 20.Greg Taylor, Sterling, 55.97.
1,600 – 1.Brett Johnson, Ocean City, 4:09.03; 2.Robert Andrews, Manalapan, 4:11.65; 3.Jermaine Coore, Franklin, 4:13.27; 4.Xavier Fraction, Washington Township, 4:15.66; 5.Liam Tansey, Morris Hills, 4:15.74; 6.Jon Juleus, Pope John XXIII, 4:17.23.
Others: 12.Colin Baker, Haddonfield, 4:21.94; 14.Andy Arnold, Bishop Eustace, 4:21.94; 19.Matt Cusack, Holy Cross, 4:24.97.
100 – 1.RJ Page, Kingsway, 10.76; 2.Geoff Navarro, Absegami, 10.92; 3.Charles Allen, Bridgeton, 10.97; 4.Akeem Gauntlet, Abe Clarke, 10.98; 5.Michael Peavy, Neptune, 11.04; 6.Jordan Barrett, Bound Brook, 11.05.
Others: 10.Darin Washington, Winslow Twp, 11.07; 12.Kevin Linico, Florence, 11.16; 13. (tie) James Brown, Glassboro, 11.17; 17.Jarrett East-Brown, No. Burlington, 11.28.
110 HH – 1.Devon Hill, Trenton Central, 13.89; 2.Joshua Evans, Irvington, 14.06; 3.Biyerem Okengwu, Piscataway, 14.25; 4.Kamryn Austin, Ewing, 14.40; 5.Chris Rutherford, Toms River East, 14.47; 6.Sean Schnarr, Franklin, 14.50.
Others: 7.Matt Marshall, Camden, 14.70; 8.Stevenson Cajuste, Egg Harbor Twp, 14.73; 13.Steve Mitchell, West Deptford, 15.09.
3,200 – 1.Tyler Udland, Shawnee, 9:04.8; 2.Doug Smith, Gill St. Bernard's, 9:05.73; 3.Christian Baumbach, Hopewell Valley, 9:09.04; 4.Dave Forward, Shawnee, 9:09.04; 5.Robert Molke, Don Bosco, 9:10.41; 6.James Rosa, West Windsor Plainsboro-North, 9:11.56.
Others:11.Kevin McDonnell, Camden Catholic, 9:19.31; 14.Alex Yersak, Cherokee, 9:24.84; 18.Todd Campbell, Cinnaminson, 9:31.83; 20.Mark Kearney, Pennsville, 9:33.08.
800 – 1.JasonWalton, Hillsborough, 1:50.14; 2.Monroe Kearns, Jackson Memorial, 1:51.43; 3.Keith Griffith, West Windsor-Plainsboro South, 1:53.25; 4.Ford Palmer, Absegami, 1:53.83; 5.Matt Lingam, Park Ridge, 1:54.96; 6.Chris Black, Chatham, 1:55.05.
Others: 7.Xavier Fraction, Washington Twp, 1:55.16; 10.Aaron Johnson, Oakcrest, 1:55.63; 13.Brian Laskowski, Bishop Eustace, 1:55.92; 14.Jamal Davis, Highland, 1:55.96; 19.Kenny Hoff, Cinnaminson, 1:56.89.
200 – 1.Akeem Gauntlet, Abe Clarke, 21.59; 2.Tejay Johnson, Egg Harbor Twp, 21.79; 3.Damian Miles, Teaneck, 21.89; 4.Geoff Navarro, Absegami, 21.98; 5.Darin Washington, Winslow Twp, 22.11; 6.Jerry Carter, Morristown, 22.13.
Others: 7.Barry Cephas, Winslow Twp, 22.15; 11.Daequan Kim, Bordentown, 22.25; 14.Kevin Merrigan, Cherokee, 22.29.
400 – 1.Isiah Gill, Plainfield, 47.16; 2.Clayton Parros, Seton Hall, 47.36; 3.Christopher Jones, Lincoln, 49.04; 4.Garrett Ellis, Union Catholic, 49.24; 5.Hayden Duffy, Emerson, 49.37; 6.Ellis Mensah, West Orange, 49.41.
Others: 8.Udochi Okoro, Delsea, 49.65; 10.Tyrone McRae, Willingboro, 49.66; 11.Geoff Mock, Timber Creek, 49.69; 18.Rich Fisher, Holy Cross, 50.63; 19.Terrence Burns, Delsea, 50.65; 20.Willie Anderson, Paulsboro, 50.68.
4x400 – 1. Absegami (Santiago Galeano, Demetrius Rooks, Ford Palmer, Geoff Navarro), 3:15.77; 2.Winslow Township 3:16.13; 3.Delsea 3:18.38; 4.Cherokee 3:18.62; 5.Pleasantville 3:19.06; 6.Union Catholic 3:19.06
Others: 7.Egg Harbor Twp 3:20.01; 14.Sterling 3:21.43; 17.Washington Twp 3:22.06.
Pole vault – 1.Chris Wyckoff, Toms River East, 15-0; 2. (tie) Dan Batdorf, West Deptford; Ed Zubrzycki, Highland, 14-6; 4.Rick Villanova, Toms River North, 14-6; 5. (tie) Greg Stripe, Matwah; Austin Schaller, NV Old Tappan, 14-0.
Long jump – 1.Stevenson Cajuste, Egg Harbor Twp, 23-3.25; 2.Bryan Burnham, Moorestown, 22-9.75; 3.Chris Phelps, Lodi, 22-7.5; 4.Chris Steliga, Cherokee, 22-3.50; 5.Syteek Farrington, Camden, 22-0.25; 6.Obinna Nwafor, Union Catholic, 21-8.75.
Others: 8.Charles Allen, Bridgeton, 21-6.75; 15.Brandon Bourne, Delran, 20-9; 20.Ameer Waugh, Camden, 19-11.5.
Triple jump – 1.Chris Philpps, Lodi, 49-4.25; 2.Adam Bergo, West Field, 48-10; 3.Rolston Braithwaite, Trenton Catholic, 48-2.5; 4.Kevin Bostick, Bergen Catholic, 45-11.75; 5.Stevenson Cajuste, Egg Harbor Twp, 44-10.25; 6.Perry Asare, Lindenwold, 44-8.
Others: 9.Wayne Walls, Camden, 43-10.5; 13.Matt Kates, Schalick, 43-2.75; 14.Eric Smith, Timber Creek, 43-1.0; 15.Ryan Chance, Glassboro, 43-00.5; 18.Steven Brown, Penns Grove, 42-6.75. 19. (four-way tie) Sean Jimoh, Riverside, 42-6.5.
High jump –1.Qaadir Tudor, West Orange, 6-10; 2.MontezBlair, Timber Creek, 6-10; 3.Adam Bergo, Westfield, 6-8; 4.Marcos McKenzie, Eastside-Paterson, 6-8; 5.Alex Maurer, Voorhees, 6-8; 6.Craig Michaud, Nutley, 6-6.
Others: 7.Na'im Lyons, Pleasantvile, 6-6; 9. (10-way tie) Drew Kanz, Seneca; Warren Oliver, Palmyra, 6-4.
Shot put – 1.Nicholas Vena, Morristown, 65-3.5; 2.Mike Alleman, Scotch Plains-FA; 64-4; 3.Chris DiLorenzo, Seton Hall, 60-8; 4.Kwabena Keene, Washington Twp, 57-2; 5.Sean O'Neill, River Dell, 55-11.5; 6.Jon Tancer, Montville, 54-3.5.
Others: 10.Joseph Carmichael, Pennsauken, 52-9; 16.Dominique Williams, Bridgeton, 50-9; 18.Steven Lane, Bridgeton, 48-9.
Discus – 1.James Plummer, Central Regional, 177-4; 2.Chris Pantale, Wayne Valley, 172-5; 3.Frank Allen, Holy Cross, 163-6; 4.Mike Alleman, Scotch Plains-Fa, 162-11; 5.Anthony Stroffolino, Southern Regional, 162-5; 6.Kevin Hebron, Middle Twp, 158-2.
Others: 7.Marvin Logan, Millville, 158-0; 14.Justin Embler, Cinnaminson, 143-3; 16.Tyree Rudolph, Penns Grove, 139-2.
Javelin – 1.Brian Florek, Old Bridge, 201-1; 2.Cody Unger, Jefferson, 200-3; 2.Brandon Heroux, Westfield, 195-7; 4.Joseph Gingerelli, Wood-Ridge, 192-09; 5.Kyle Elliott, Cresskill, 191-2; 6.Jonathan Fernandez, Monsignor Donovan, 187-1.
Others: 8.Jose Ramos, Vineland, 182-10; 9.Tim Van Liew, Deptford, 181-6; 14.Warren Oliver,Palmyra, 171-3;
MoC Preview
(Pub June 4)
Better not close that umbrella, hang that poncho, or park that ark just yet.
Forecasts are calling for heavy showers and possible thunderstorms throughout today and the Meet of Champions could be affected, Don Danser said.
The NJSIAA Track and Field Tournament Director, Danser said he and his committee will meet this morning to decide whether to move the meet to Thursday.
Any change to the meet's 3:30 p.m. start will be posted on NJSIAA's Web site www.njsiaa.org by 10.am. today, he said.
"Postponing is a disruption for everyone concerned," Danser said. "Kids have plans, parents have plans, coaches have plan, the school has plans ... It is very, very hard to just say 'All right, let's just postpone the meet.' Even when the weather looks very threatening."
Many would welcome a preemptive postponement, especially those who sat through hours of thunderstorms at Egg Harbor Township last Saturday only to see the remaining few events of the Group 4,2,1 Championships resume on Sunday.
The two-day rest for these athletes – as opposed to the three-day break shared for all competitors at South Plainfield – isn't reason for concern, Danser said.
"We're talking about high-school kids," Danser said. "They don't need much energy to restore them ... For most of the kids, the adrenaline well take over for any little fatigue they have."
Inclimate weather forced the 2007 Meet of Champions to be postponed to the following day.
"We don't control the weather yet but we're working on that," he said.
But look on the bright side: At least it's not 1943 and the record- high 95 degrees out.
State breakdown
South Jersey played a deciding factor in most of the group championships this weekend, but none more so than Group 3.
Sporting 10 of 16 top seeds in Group 3, South Jersey won 12 events, scored nearly half (246.25) of the total points (496) despite representing only 13 of the 40 teams and qualified in 56 slots, 10 of which came from the wildcard.
Not counting the Toms River schools, Group 4 consisted of 10 South Jersey teams averaging 18.65 points – nearly six points better than the 40-team average (12.72)
The 13 local Group 3 teams averaged a SJ-best 18.94 points – way above the group's 12.4 average – and the nine local Group 2 schools averaged 17.22 compared with the 12.1 average of the all 41 teams in the group.
The 11 local Group 1 schools combined to score below the group par, averaging 10.91 compared to the 14.59 average.
Timbergami
Since more wildcards and better performances came out of Group 3 than Group 4, one could safely conclude Timber Creek – who won Group 3 by 20 points -- would dominate the tight Group 4 if it were placed there. Right?
Wrong.
If Timber Creek had competed in the State Group 4 Championships last Saturday and all performances remained the same – yes, at the gross disregard of track conditions, weather conditions and the "But I would've never let that guy beat me" trigger complex, the Chargers would have placed fourth with 36.33 points behind Absegami (46 points), Old Bridge (41) and Trenton Catholic (38).
But before Group 4 starts beating its chests, suppose Absegami had uprooted itself from Group 4 and competed in Group 3. Final score: Timber Creek 52, Absegami 50.
Just another case of right place, right time, right competition for South Jersey's two major group champs, Absegami and Timber Creek.
A MoC Bet
A familiar doo is catching on at Moorestown. A week after senior jumper Bryan Burnham buzzed his head, off came the hair of senior runner Kevin Healey.
But while running the 3,200 with his shaved head, Healey shaved 12 seconds off his personal-best, finishing seventh in 9:28.61 and becoming one of South Jersey's 21 wildcards for today's Meet of Champions.
"He's impressing us every race," coach Troy Pappas said. "Every race we've dissected what he needs to do, and he's executing perfectly.
"He needed the race of his life too. Now he's the best distance runner we've had since the '70s."
Pappas didn't know who held the school record holder off-hand, but knew it was 9:20, well within Healey's stride.
If Burnham and Healey both set school records today, Pappas said he'd also sport the new look.
"At least down to a crew cut anyway," he said. "I think it's only appropriate that us coaches have some of fun, too."
Burnham took second to Camden's Syteek Farrington (22-0) in the long jump in 21-8.50.
Like Healey, Shawnee sophomore David Forward also dropped 12 seconds off his PR, finishing second in 9:14.04 and teammate JP Bonner also notched a wildcard by finishing in a personal-best 9:43.08, good for eighth.
Better not close that umbrella, hang that poncho, or park that ark just yet.
Forecasts are calling for heavy showers and possible thunderstorms throughout today and the Meet of Champions could be affected, Don Danser said.
The NJSIAA Track and Field Tournament Director, Danser said he and his committee will meet this morning to decide whether to move the meet to Thursday.
Any change to the meet's 3:30 p.m. start will be posted on NJSIAA's Web site www.njsiaa.org by 10.am. today, he said.
"Postponing is a disruption for everyone concerned," Danser said. "Kids have plans, parents have plans, coaches have plan, the school has plans ... It is very, very hard to just say 'All right, let's just postpone the meet.' Even when the weather looks very threatening."
Many would welcome a preemptive postponement, especially those who sat through hours of thunderstorms at Egg Harbor Township last Saturday only to see the remaining few events of the Group 4,2,1 Championships resume on Sunday.
The two-day rest for these athletes – as opposed to the three-day break shared for all competitors at South Plainfield – isn't reason for concern, Danser said.
"We're talking about high-school kids," Danser said. "They don't need much energy to restore them ... For most of the kids, the adrenaline well take over for any little fatigue they have."
Inclimate weather forced the 2007 Meet of Champions to be postponed to the following day.
"We don't control the weather yet but we're working on that," he said.
But look on the bright side: At least it's not 1943 and the record- high 95 degrees out.
State breakdown
South Jersey played a deciding factor in most of the group championships this weekend, but none more so than Group 3.
Sporting 10 of 16 top seeds in Group 3, South Jersey won 12 events, scored nearly half (246.25) of the total points (496) despite representing only 13 of the 40 teams and qualified in 56 slots, 10 of which came from the wildcard.
Not counting the Toms River schools, Group 4 consisted of 10 South Jersey teams averaging 18.65 points – nearly six points better than the 40-team average (12.72)
The 13 local Group 3 teams averaged a SJ-best 18.94 points – way above the group's 12.4 average – and the nine local Group 2 schools averaged 17.22 compared with the 12.1 average of the all 41 teams in the group.
The 11 local Group 1 schools combined to score below the group par, averaging 10.91 compared to the 14.59 average.
Timbergami
Since more wildcards and better performances came out of Group 3 than Group 4, one could safely conclude Timber Creek – who won Group 3 by 20 points -- would dominate the tight Group 4 if it were placed there. Right?
Wrong.
If Timber Creek had competed in the State Group 4 Championships last Saturday and all performances remained the same – yes, at the gross disregard of track conditions, weather conditions and the "But I would've never let that guy beat me" trigger complex, the Chargers would have placed fourth with 36.33 points behind Absegami (46 points), Old Bridge (41) and Trenton Catholic (38).
But before Group 4 starts beating its chests, suppose Absegami had uprooted itself from Group 4 and competed in Group 3. Final score: Timber Creek 52, Absegami 50.
Just another case of right place, right time, right competition for South Jersey's two major group champs, Absegami and Timber Creek.
A MoC Bet
A familiar doo is catching on at Moorestown. A week after senior jumper Bryan Burnham buzzed his head, off came the hair of senior runner Kevin Healey.
But while running the 3,200 with his shaved head, Healey shaved 12 seconds off his personal-best, finishing seventh in 9:28.61 and becoming one of South Jersey's 21 wildcards for today's Meet of Champions.
"He's impressing us every race," coach Troy Pappas said. "Every race we've dissected what he needs to do, and he's executing perfectly.
"He needed the race of his life too. Now he's the best distance runner we've had since the '70s."
Pappas didn't know who held the school record holder off-hand, but knew it was 9:20, well within Healey's stride.
If Burnham and Healey both set school records today, Pappas said he'd also sport the new look.
"At least down to a crew cut anyway," he said. "I think it's only appropriate that us coaches have some of fun, too."
Burnham took second to Camden's Syteek Farrington (22-0) in the long jump in 21-8.50.
Like Healey, Shawnee sophomore David Forward also dropped 12 seconds off his PR, finishing second in 9:14.04 and teammate JP Bonner also notched a wildcard by finishing in a personal-best 9:43.08, good for eighth.
States Group 2: Camden girls wins State Championship ... So does Holy Cross!
(Pub June 1)
Champs: In Group 3, Camden won its first outdoor state championship since 1979. Holy Cross won its first since 1991.
Holy cow: The Holy Cross senior tandem of Rose Johnson and Ayana Davis combined for five wins, enough to stave off the throwers from second-place Our Lady of Mercy.
A plus: In Non-Public A this weekend, Camden Catholic sophomore Seifat Juniad won three events – the 200, the high jump and the long jump – and scored all her team's points.
SOUTH PLAINFIELD -- Locked at 34 points apiece, Camden and Seneca wheeled out their top 4x400 relay teams to the line.
With fourteen events completed, and the last one irrelevant Saturday, the lead-off girls only needed to turn their heads to know the Group 3 Championship was also on the line.
A team of Jamie Jones, Assante Johnson, Miriam Boyd and Kamice Smalls ran the time of their lives, circling the track in a season-best 3:52.42 to beat third-place Seneca (3:54.05) and win its first outdoor state championship since 1979. Camden ended with 44 points and Seneca wore a tough silver with 40.
"We all knew what we had to do and we put our heads together and ran our race," said Smalls, a senior who also took second in the Friday's 400 hurdles. "We all split pretty good too."
Camden coach Avis Satterfield has been counting the years since the Panthers last outdoor title. The six-year coach was a member of the 1978 championship squad and its winning 4x400 team, both of Group 4 then.
"They know that's the race I like out of all of them so they I expect them to do pretty good," said an emotional Satterfield, whose tears were the only things at South Plainfield to run faster than her athletes. "All week at practice they knew what they had to do. And they did it."
The 2008 championship began and, by the way she ran it, ended with Jones' lead-off lap, a team-best.
"I knew I had to get my team the lead to get us on track and give us a chance to win," the junior said.
Seneca was led by sophomore Michelle Brown, who, after running a 53.91 in the 400 Friday to break the 1986 Group 3 meet record of 53.97, took second to Deptford junior Audrey Wilson (24.67) in the 200 in 24.73 and anchored her relay team to a bronze medal.
Wilson had won the 100 on Friday, helping Deptford place fifth with 28 points.
Holy Cross, matching the boys' team championship for championship this year, won the Non-Public B Championship, its first since 1991.
Ayana Davis had been promising coach Mike Gouth an outdoor championship ever since her freshman year. Now a senior, Davis knew she had to step up to make hope a reality.
"We knew it wasn't going to be easy, but we knew we had a good shot at it," Davis said.
Davis made it look easy, winning the triple jump Friday and the 100 hurdles Saturday (15.31). Senior teammate and fellow double champion Rose Johnson – who won the high jump (5-2) and the 400 hurdles (1:04.35) – took second in the hurdles in 15.86, the Lancers' bread and butter event and an advantage over others.
"Today Rose and I got 18 points in the hurdles," Davis said. "Hurdles are a big deal here and that's usually weird because a lot of other teams don't have hurdles as their big spot. But it's ours."
Holy Cross finished with 84 points and Our Lady of Mercy was second with 68, nearly all from the weights department.
Nearly matching its discus sweep on Friday, OLMA took the top two spots and the fourth in the shot put thanks to juniors thanks to juniors Genevieve Rybicki (39-11.75), Victoria Imbesi (36-3) and Taylor Thompson (34-7.25).
In the Non-Public A Championships, team scoring was never a factor for any South Jersey team, but it did have its stars.
Camden Catholic sophomore Seifat Juniad won the 200 (25.71) and the high jump (5-2) Saturday and the long jump (17-11) Saturday, scoring all of her team's points, good for sixth.
Holy Spirit junior Francesca D'Angelo was South Jersey's other Non-Public A champion this weekend, earning gold in the 100 hurdles (15.13).
Back in Group 3, Woodrow Wilson senior Samantha Sharper stirred the crowd en route to her first state title, winning the 100 hurdles in a near personal-best 14.17.
"I came into the race with a level head," said Sharper. "I just focused on my lane. I pictured myself by myself and I just saw myself winning."
During the most humid portion of the day, Kingsway sophomore Chelsea Ley placed third in the 3,200 in 10:48.12. Ley had finished seventh in the 1,600 Friday, just missing the cutoff for Wednesday's Meet of Champions.
Champs: In Group 3, Camden won its first outdoor state championship since 1979. Holy Cross won its first since 1991.
Holy cow: The Holy Cross senior tandem of Rose Johnson and Ayana Davis combined for five wins, enough to stave off the throwers from second-place Our Lady of Mercy.
A plus: In Non-Public A this weekend, Camden Catholic sophomore Seifat Juniad won three events – the 200, the high jump and the long jump – and scored all her team's points.
SOUTH PLAINFIELD -- Locked at 34 points apiece, Camden and Seneca wheeled out their top 4x400 relay teams to the line.
With fourteen events completed, and the last one irrelevant Saturday, the lead-off girls only needed to turn their heads to know the Group 3 Championship was also on the line.
A team of Jamie Jones, Assante Johnson, Miriam Boyd and Kamice Smalls ran the time of their lives, circling the track in a season-best 3:52.42 to beat third-place Seneca (3:54.05) and win its first outdoor state championship since 1979. Camden ended with 44 points and Seneca wore a tough silver with 40.
"We all knew what we had to do and we put our heads together and ran our race," said Smalls, a senior who also took second in the Friday's 400 hurdles. "We all split pretty good too."
Camden coach Avis Satterfield has been counting the years since the Panthers last outdoor title. The six-year coach was a member of the 1978 championship squad and its winning 4x400 team, both of Group 4 then.
"They know that's the race I like out of all of them so they I expect them to do pretty good," said an emotional Satterfield, whose tears were the only things at South Plainfield to run faster than her athletes. "All week at practice they knew what they had to do. And they did it."
The 2008 championship began and, by the way she ran it, ended with Jones' lead-off lap, a team-best.
"I knew I had to get my team the lead to get us on track and give us a chance to win," the junior said.
Seneca was led by sophomore Michelle Brown, who, after running a 53.91 in the 400 Friday to break the 1986 Group 3 meet record of 53.97, took second to Deptford junior Audrey Wilson (24.67) in the 200 in 24.73 and anchored her relay team to a bronze medal.
Wilson had won the 100 on Friday, helping Deptford place fifth with 28 points.
Holy Cross, matching the boys' team championship for championship this year, won the Non-Public B Championship, its first since 1991.
Ayana Davis had been promising coach Mike Gouth an outdoor championship ever since her freshman year. Now a senior, Davis knew she had to step up to make hope a reality.
"We knew it wasn't going to be easy, but we knew we had a good shot at it," Davis said.
Davis made it look easy, winning the triple jump Friday and the 100 hurdles Saturday (15.31). Senior teammate and fellow double champion Rose Johnson – who won the high jump (5-2) and the 400 hurdles (1:04.35) – took second in the hurdles in 15.86, the Lancers' bread and butter event and an advantage over others.
"Today Rose and I got 18 points in the hurdles," Davis said. "Hurdles are a big deal here and that's usually weird because a lot of other teams don't have hurdles as their big spot. But it's ours."
Holy Cross finished with 84 points and Our Lady of Mercy was second with 68, nearly all from the weights department.
Nearly matching its discus sweep on Friday, OLMA took the top two spots and the fourth in the shot put thanks to juniors thanks to juniors Genevieve Rybicki (39-11.75), Victoria Imbesi (36-3) and Taylor Thompson (34-7.25).
In the Non-Public A Championships, team scoring was never a factor for any South Jersey team, but it did have its stars.
Camden Catholic sophomore Seifat Juniad won the 200 (25.71) and the high jump (5-2) Saturday and the long jump (17-11) Saturday, scoring all of her team's points, good for sixth.
Holy Spirit junior Francesca D'Angelo was South Jersey's other Non-Public A champion this weekend, earning gold in the 100 hurdles (15.13).
Back in Group 3, Woodrow Wilson senior Samantha Sharper stirred the crowd en route to her first state title, winning the 100 hurdles in a near personal-best 14.17.
"I came into the race with a level head," said Sharper. "I just focused on my lane. I pictured myself by myself and I just saw myself winning."
During the most humid portion of the day, Kingsway sophomore Chelsea Ley placed third in the 3,200 in 10:48.12. Ley had finished seventh in the 1,600 Friday, just missing the cutoff for Wednesday's Meet of Champions.
States Day 2: Timber Creek goes where no school team has gone before ... so does Holy Cross. STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS!
(pub June 1)
#1 Champs: Leaders after Day 1, Timber Creek and Holy Cross each went on to handily win their first-ever state championships.
Timber on fire: Timber Creek had four state champions, three of whom are underclassmen.
Ocean 1:53: As a follow-up to his 4:14.55 mile victory on Friday, Ocean City junior Brett Johnson kept people's expectations of him high by winning the Group 3 800 in 1:53.49 Saturday.
Quote: "It's almost as if you're playing basketball against a girl," Johnson said. "You're supposed to win the game, so I'm supposed to win. And if I lose, it's 'Oh, you lost. Why?' There's a lot of added pressure."
SOUTH PLAINFIELD -- Looking to score points – or even a point – Timber Creek's go-to long jumper Dorian Evans ventured out of his comfort area to throw the javelin.
The first traveled a wimpy 129, the second didn't count.
After all, much was never expected from an eighth seed, but Evans defied seeding and logic on a single throw, a single blow, launching one that went farther than Evans ever remembered walking to fetch.
"This is pretty far out there," he said. "I wonder what it is."
It landed 188-2 feet later – a personal best by nearly 10 feet -- and possibly through the hearts of every Group 3 contender.
The State Group 3 Championship may've been won during the first day, when the Chargers scored 33 points, but Evans clinched it, giving the Chargers a two-day total of 55 points, 18 points more than runner-up Camden.
"I wasn't try to do anything superhero, just throw the thing and get some points," Evans said.
Like Holy Cross in Non-Public B Championship, Timber Creek brought home from South Plainfield its first championship in school history, capping a season that included its first divisional title and its first sectional championship.
"Last week we were good, but we know we had to be better," coach Chris Grottini said. "We had four kids win a state champion. I feel like I had nothing to do with it because the kids and my assistant coaches have been great."
Grottini was referring to Evans and his three champion underclassmen: Saturday's other winner Eric Smith in the triple jump and Friday's champions junior Montez Blair in the high jump (6-8) and sophomore Saliym Starkey in the 400 hurdles (55.02).
Smith followed up his third-place showing at sectionals last week by leaping a personal-best 45-10.5, seven inches better than South Jersey Group 3 champ Camden's Wayne Walls.
"I knew we really needed the triple jump. That was big," said Smith, a 41-foot jumper in 2007. "But even being here is a big deal."
Seeing the Chargers' dominance in the jumping events, it should come to no surprise that many of the athletes starred on the football team that made the playoffs or the basketball team that advanced to the state finals.
"Why can't we do something like that?" Grottini asked his team before the season.
His team responded with its first-ever state championship.
Holy Cross made history as well Saturday, pairing its indoor state championship with a gutsy outdoor championship, scoring 103 points thanks to scoring across the board. Pingry was third with 66 points and Bishop Eustace with third with 49.
Holy Cross senior thrower Frank Allen left the meet as a double state champion, winning the shot put Friday and the discus Saturday with a personal-best hurl of 158-01.
The 4x400 relay of Dan Gasper, Matt Cusack, Justin Ramsey and Terrence Osborne capped the meet finishing in second, running 3:29.83.
Cusack , a senior, also was huge this weekend, taking second in Saturday's 3,200 (9:46.95) and third in Friday's 1,600 (4:22).
Following up a win in the 400 Friday, senior Rich Fisher placed second to Bishop Eustace senior Brian Laskowski (1:56.92)in his second-ever ran 800 (1:56.98).
"I had enough left to not completely die and keep off the third guy," Fisher said.
"I heard all the Holy Cross people yelling for Fisher, so I just thought he was behind me so I just made sure I held him off," Laskowski said of his first state-championship performance. "I swung into lane two to try to take up some space."
In Non-Public A, it's safe to say Camden Catholic senior Kevin McDonnell had the Non-Public A Championship's 3,200 circled on his calendar long ago.
"I've been thinking about this race since cross country ever since I broke my foot 284 days ago," he said.
It was worth the wait. McDonnell earned his first state title, beating the crowd in 9:19 and just beating an 85-minute rain delay.
Shawnee sophomore David Forward broke a school record after the delay en route to his 9:14 performance in the Group 3 meet's 3,200, good for second.
"With Brett [Johnson] not running I knew I had a chance, but I also knew if I didn't win, I could be happy with the time," Forward said.
Johnson, an Ocean City junior, earned the luxury of relaxing on his laurels after winning a crowded 800 in a meet-best 1:53.55. The finish was smooth with Morris Hills' Liam Tansey finishing in tow in 1:54.71, but the start was frustrating for Johnson -- a heavy favorite that got even heavier after winning Friday's 1,600 in 4:14 – who was forced to run in the outer lanes to pass the frontrunners.
"I didn't expect there to be a thousand people right there so that was another 20,25 meters around the curve," Johnson said. "I was a little annoyed at that, but thought I might as well go with it."
Highland junior Ed Zubryzcki won the Group 3 pole vault by fewer misses, beating defending champion West Deptford senior Dan Batdorf with vault of 14-6.
"I thought I was going to have to wait til next year to get this," Zubryzcki said. "I'm pretty lucky."
#1 Champs: Leaders after Day 1, Timber Creek and Holy Cross each went on to handily win their first-ever state championships.
Timber on fire: Timber Creek had four state champions, three of whom are underclassmen.
Ocean 1:53: As a follow-up to his 4:14.55 mile victory on Friday, Ocean City junior Brett Johnson kept people's expectations of him high by winning the Group 3 800 in 1:53.49 Saturday.
Quote: "It's almost as if you're playing basketball against a girl," Johnson said. "You're supposed to win the game, so I'm supposed to win. And if I lose, it's 'Oh, you lost. Why?' There's a lot of added pressure."
SOUTH PLAINFIELD -- Looking to score points – or even a point – Timber Creek's go-to long jumper Dorian Evans ventured out of his comfort area to throw the javelin.
The first traveled a wimpy 129, the second didn't count.
After all, much was never expected from an eighth seed, but Evans defied seeding and logic on a single throw, a single blow, launching one that went farther than Evans ever remembered walking to fetch.
"This is pretty far out there," he said. "I wonder what it is."
It landed 188-2 feet later – a personal best by nearly 10 feet -- and possibly through the hearts of every Group 3 contender.
The State Group 3 Championship may've been won during the first day, when the Chargers scored 33 points, but Evans clinched it, giving the Chargers a two-day total of 55 points, 18 points more than runner-up Camden.
"I wasn't try to do anything superhero, just throw the thing and get some points," Evans said.
Like Holy Cross in Non-Public B Championship, Timber Creek brought home from South Plainfield its first championship in school history, capping a season that included its first divisional title and its first sectional championship.
"Last week we were good, but we know we had to be better," coach Chris Grottini said. "We had four kids win a state champion. I feel like I had nothing to do with it because the kids and my assistant coaches have been great."
Grottini was referring to Evans and his three champion underclassmen: Saturday's other winner Eric Smith in the triple jump and Friday's champions junior Montez Blair in the high jump (6-8) and sophomore Saliym Starkey in the 400 hurdles (55.02).
Smith followed up his third-place showing at sectionals last week by leaping a personal-best 45-10.5, seven inches better than South Jersey Group 3 champ Camden's Wayne Walls.
"I knew we really needed the triple jump. That was big," said Smith, a 41-foot jumper in 2007. "But even being here is a big deal."
Seeing the Chargers' dominance in the jumping events, it should come to no surprise that many of the athletes starred on the football team that made the playoffs or the basketball team that advanced to the state finals.
"Why can't we do something like that?" Grottini asked his team before the season.
His team responded with its first-ever state championship.
Holy Cross made history as well Saturday, pairing its indoor state championship with a gutsy outdoor championship, scoring 103 points thanks to scoring across the board. Pingry was third with 66 points and Bishop Eustace with third with 49.
Holy Cross senior thrower Frank Allen left the meet as a double state champion, winning the shot put Friday and the discus Saturday with a personal-best hurl of 158-01.
The 4x400 relay of Dan Gasper, Matt Cusack, Justin Ramsey and Terrence Osborne capped the meet finishing in second, running 3:29.83.
Cusack , a senior, also was huge this weekend, taking second in Saturday's 3,200 (9:46.95) and third in Friday's 1,600 (4:22).
Following up a win in the 400 Friday, senior Rich Fisher placed second to Bishop Eustace senior Brian Laskowski (1:56.92)in his second-ever ran 800 (1:56.98).
"I had enough left to not completely die and keep off the third guy," Fisher said.
"I heard all the Holy Cross people yelling for Fisher, so I just thought he was behind me so I just made sure I held him off," Laskowski said of his first state-championship performance. "I swung into lane two to try to take up some space."
In Non-Public A, it's safe to say Camden Catholic senior Kevin McDonnell had the Non-Public A Championship's 3,200 circled on his calendar long ago.
"I've been thinking about this race since cross country ever since I broke my foot 284 days ago," he said.
It was worth the wait. McDonnell earned his first state title, beating the crowd in 9:19 and just beating an 85-minute rain delay.
Shawnee sophomore David Forward broke a school record after the delay en route to his 9:14 performance in the Group 3 meet's 3,200, good for second.
"With Brett [Johnson] not running I knew I had a chance, but I also knew if I didn't win, I could be happy with the time," Forward said.
Johnson, an Ocean City junior, earned the luxury of relaxing on his laurels after winning a crowded 800 in a meet-best 1:53.55. The finish was smooth with Morris Hills' Liam Tansey finishing in tow in 1:54.71, but the start was frustrating for Johnson -- a heavy favorite that got even heavier after winning Friday's 1,600 in 4:14 – who was forced to run in the outer lanes to pass the frontrunners.
"I didn't expect there to be a thousand people right there so that was another 20,25 meters around the curve," Johnson said. "I was a little annoyed at that, but thought I might as well go with it."
Highland junior Ed Zubryzcki won the Group 3 pole vault by fewer misses, beating defending champion West Deptford senior Dan Batdorf with vault of 14-6.
"I thought I was going to have to wait til next year to get this," Zubryzcki said. "I'm pretty lucky."
Off the Bubble: Inside look at Chantz Powell
TIME CAPSULES
Chantz Powell
Cherry Hill East
Senior
Accomplishment: One of South Jersey's top 110 hurdlers, Cherry Hill East senior Chantz Powell barely advanced out of the South Jersey Group 4 Sectional Champion May 24, placing sixth in a sub-par 14.94 – galaxies from his personal-best 14.40. Still, he just appreciates an extra chantz to rebound. Bound for the Rutgers University-New Brunswick next fall, Powell hopes to improve upon that time at the State Championships, possibly at Meet of Champions and, if all else fails, at college. He's also a threat in the 400 hurdles, having ran a season-best 56.0.
Hobbies: "I like to go to the movies and just hang out with my friends. Video games and movies, stuff like that."
Favorite movie: Superbad
Favorite TV show: Law & Order
Favorite junk food: Fried Snickers bar
Favorite real food: Chicken marsala
Favorite music group/artist: Kayne West (recently caught his Philly show)
Favorite subject: Calculus
Why track: "People have been trying to get me to come out for track since I was 10. I played soccer and basketball then and people saw how fast I was. The spring of my sophomore year I finally went out and I've loved it since then."
Favorite event: "Even though I think the 110 hurdles is my best, the 400 hurdles is my favorite. "
What will you remember from your senior year: "Watching [Camden Catholic senior] Kevin McDonnell run the 3,200 at the South Jersey Distance Night (9:17.5). It was pretty impressive. I want to see him do something really fast at the Meet of Champions. He had three people pacing him!"
Five years from now … : "I see myself possibly going to graduate school, probably for business, and do some track even after college."
Chantz Powell
Cherry Hill East
Senior
Accomplishment: One of South Jersey's top 110 hurdlers, Cherry Hill East senior Chantz Powell barely advanced out of the South Jersey Group 4 Sectional Champion May 24, placing sixth in a sub-par 14.94 – galaxies from his personal-best 14.40. Still, he just appreciates an extra chantz to rebound. Bound for the Rutgers University-New Brunswick next fall, Powell hopes to improve upon that time at the State Championships, possibly at Meet of Champions and, if all else fails, at college. He's also a threat in the 400 hurdles, having ran a season-best 56.0.
Hobbies: "I like to go to the movies and just hang out with my friends. Video games and movies, stuff like that."
Favorite movie: Superbad
Favorite TV show: Law & Order
Favorite junk food: Fried Snickers bar
Favorite real food: Chicken marsala
Favorite music group/artist: Kayne West (recently caught his Philly show)
Favorite subject: Calculus
Why track: "People have been trying to get me to come out for track since I was 10. I played soccer and basketball then and people saw how fast I was. The spring of my sophomore year I finally went out and I've loved it since then."
Favorite event: "Even though I think the 110 hurdles is my best, the 400 hurdles is my favorite. "
What will you remember from your senior year: "Watching [Camden Catholic senior] Kevin McDonnell run the 3,200 at the South Jersey Distance Night (9:17.5). It was pretty impressive. I want to see him do something really fast at the Meet of Champions. He had three people pacing him!"
Five years from now … : "I see myself possibly going to graduate school, probably for business, and do some track even after college."
States Day 1: Timber Creek boys, Camden girls leads Group 3
(Pub May 31)
SJ Leaders: Timber Creek boys and Camden girls each lead Group 3 with 33 points. Our Lady of Mercy is ahead in Non-Public B with 44 points and after five events scored, Holy Cross leads with 35 points.
King him: Kingsway senior RJ Page defended his 100 state title in 10.64 and won the 400 in a personal-best 48.67, the only Group 3 athlete who doubled wins on the guys' side.
Broken record: Seneca sophomore Michelle Brown held off Depford's Audrey Wilson to win the 400 in 53.91, breaking the 1981 meet record.
Quote: "She tried to fight me coming out of the last curve," Brown said, "but I wanted it so bad I wasn't going to let her get me."
SOUTH PLAINFIELD – In a season of firsts – first division title and sectional championship to name a couple – Timber Creek is eyeing another.
After seven events on the first of the two-day Group 3 Championship at South Plainfield, the Chargers lead with 33 points.
The Chargers got a big boost from sophomore Saliym Starkey, who was seeded ninth, just missing the cutoff for racing in the fastest heat, and yet won anyway in 55.02.
"I was in my lane 5 and coach told me if I had the lead after 150, I was going to win it," said Starkey, who won by .07 seconds over Sparta's Victor Boonham. "I was actually racing to beat people in another heat."
Coach Chris Grottini said Starkey has had his troubles as of late, but tried a different, if not, bizzaro strategy Friday.
"He did the opposite [from what he's accustomed to doing] and got out in front," Grottini said. "He runs good from the front.
Camden sophomore Syteek Farrington and Moorestown senior Bryan Burnham each fared worse in the long jump from their previous showing at sectionals, but the results were the same. Farrington won with a jump of 22-0 and Burnham notched another silver with a 21-8.
Timber Creek junior Montez Blair earned a team point and the last spot with a jump of 21-0, but found another way to punch his Meet of Champions ticket.
A proven seven footer in the high jump (and he has the Woodbury watch to prove it), Blair, the top seed, skied 6-8 for the win.
"I just wanted to do my part, there's nothing more to it," Blair said. "I just go out and perform my best. And coach [Chris Grottini] says if we score 40, we can win the state title and get those rings."
Kingsway senior Robert Page was South Jersey's lone Group 3 double winner, taking the 100 in 10.64 and then the 400 in 48.67 and scoring 20 of the Dragons' 20.5 total points, good for second.
Page, the 2007 state champion in the 100, didn't have to worry about looking ahead to today's 200, having been disqualified from it last week once he false started.
"Basically, today was it," Page said. "I wanted to defend my 100 state title and after I did my thing in that, I wanted to focus on the 400. I was saying to myself after the 100 that I had nothing to lose so I'm just going to go out there and run my race."
Delsea senior Udochi Okoro finished second (48.67) and Timber Creek senior Geoff Mock took third (49.28) in the 400.
Page's teammate, Ryan Culbreath led the first lap of the Group 3 1,600. The pace was anything but relaxed, but Ocean City junior Brett Johnson was, momentarily forgetting the weight of the race en route to his 4:14.55 win.
"It didn't really set in that this was the state championship until the first 200 meters," Johnson said. "People were screaming, the place was going wild and I was like 'Oh, this is really the state championship. I better go.'"
Johnson didn't want to end in a 58-second split, but, after doing some faulty mid-race math, thought he needed to just to get under 4:25. Johnson said he'll run the 800 today, and if he has anything left, the 3,200 too.
"Hopefully I can go sub 9:21 just to beat Richardson," said Johnson, referring to John Richardson, the 2003 alum who holds – you guessed it – a 9:21 school record.
Shawnee sophomore David Forward was second with 200 to go until Liam Tansey of Morris Hills strode by him. Forward still managed third and a personal-best 4:18.46.
Having taken third in the 100 to Deptford winner Audrey Wilson (11.95) and Camden junior Assante Johnson (12.18), Seneca sophomore Michelle Brown wrapped herself around the last bend of the 400, staving off Wilson to the meet-record time of 53.94. The time breaks the 1981 mark of 54.0 held by Montclair's Donithy Jones.
Brown knew she was going fast -- just not that fast.
"She tried to fight me coming out of the last curve," Brown said, "but I wanted it so bad so I wasn't going to let her get me."
After eight events, Camden girls lead Group 3 with 33 points. Seneca sit in second with 20 points and Deptford third with 18.
Holy Cross seniors Rose Johnson and Ayana Davis opened the Group 3 Championship in historic fashion, both setting meet records, Johnson's in the 400 hurdles (1:04.35) and Davis' in the triple jump (34-8), helping the Crusaders to an early 24-point output.
But it took one event for Our Lady of Mercy to pull even, sweeping the discus thanks to junior Genevieve Rybicki, Victoria Imbesi (109-07) and Nicole Radish (105-10).
With the discus win, Rybicki paired her shot put title from last year.
"It feels good because all the work has paid off in the shot and discus," Rybicki said. "It's nice knowing I'm one of the best in the state in both events."
An event later Imbesi (119-2) teamed with sophomore Taylor Thompson in the javelin to blow pass the Crusaders, going 1, 2 to take help OLMA finish the day ahead with 44 points. Holy Cross sits in second with 34.
After five events scored, Holy Cross boys led Non-Public B with 35 points followed by Pingry (28) and Bishop Eustace (24).
Senior Rich Fisher held off Bishop Eustace senior Brian Laskowski in the 400, winning in 49.48.
In the girls' Group 3 1,600, Kingsway sophomore Chelsea Ley led the stacked race after about two laps but fell off the pace, giving way to Shawnee freshman Casey Doyle , Seneca sophomore Nicole McGrainer and five others before settling in seventh.
Doyle edged McGrainer (5:01.74) for fourth overall, finishing in an incredible 5:01.48. Ley finished in 5:04.81, a wildcard-worthy time.
In Group A, Gloucester Catholic's Paige Maloney didn't leave it up to getting into the Meet of Champions as a wildcard in the 1,600, holding onto the sixth and final spot in 5:10.90. Gloucester Catholic leads South Jersey in the girls' Non-Public A in eighth with 9 points.
SJ Leaders: Timber Creek boys and Camden girls each lead Group 3 with 33 points. Our Lady of Mercy is ahead in Non-Public B with 44 points and after five events scored, Holy Cross leads with 35 points.
King him: Kingsway senior RJ Page defended his 100 state title in 10.64 and won the 400 in a personal-best 48.67, the only Group 3 athlete who doubled wins on the guys' side.
Broken record: Seneca sophomore Michelle Brown held off Depford's Audrey Wilson to win the 400 in 53.91, breaking the 1981 meet record.
Quote: "She tried to fight me coming out of the last curve," Brown said, "but I wanted it so bad I wasn't going to let her get me."
SOUTH PLAINFIELD – In a season of firsts – first division title and sectional championship to name a couple – Timber Creek is eyeing another.
After seven events on the first of the two-day Group 3 Championship at South Plainfield, the Chargers lead with 33 points.
The Chargers got a big boost from sophomore Saliym Starkey, who was seeded ninth, just missing the cutoff for racing in the fastest heat, and yet won anyway in 55.02.
"I was in my lane 5 and coach told me if I had the lead after 150, I was going to win it," said Starkey, who won by .07 seconds over Sparta's Victor Boonham. "I was actually racing to beat people in another heat."
Coach Chris Grottini said Starkey has had his troubles as of late, but tried a different, if not, bizzaro strategy Friday.
"He did the opposite [from what he's accustomed to doing] and got out in front," Grottini said. "He runs good from the front.
Camden sophomore Syteek Farrington and Moorestown senior Bryan Burnham each fared worse in the long jump from their previous showing at sectionals, but the results were the same. Farrington won with a jump of 22-0 and Burnham notched another silver with a 21-8.
Timber Creek junior Montez Blair earned a team point and the last spot with a jump of 21-0, but found another way to punch his Meet of Champions ticket.
A proven seven footer in the high jump (and he has the Woodbury watch to prove it), Blair, the top seed, skied 6-8 for the win.
"I just wanted to do my part, there's nothing more to it," Blair said. "I just go out and perform my best. And coach [Chris Grottini] says if we score 40, we can win the state title and get those rings."
Kingsway senior Robert Page was South Jersey's lone Group 3 double winner, taking the 100 in 10.64 and then the 400 in 48.67 and scoring 20 of the Dragons' 20.5 total points, good for second.
Page, the 2007 state champion in the 100, didn't have to worry about looking ahead to today's 200, having been disqualified from it last week once he false started.
"Basically, today was it," Page said. "I wanted to defend my 100 state title and after I did my thing in that, I wanted to focus on the 400. I was saying to myself after the 100 that I had nothing to lose so I'm just going to go out there and run my race."
Delsea senior Udochi Okoro finished second (48.67) and Timber Creek senior Geoff Mock took third (49.28) in the 400.
Page's teammate, Ryan Culbreath led the first lap of the Group 3 1,600. The pace was anything but relaxed, but Ocean City junior Brett Johnson was, momentarily forgetting the weight of the race en route to his 4:14.55 win.
"It didn't really set in that this was the state championship until the first 200 meters," Johnson said. "People were screaming, the place was going wild and I was like 'Oh, this is really the state championship. I better go.'"
Johnson didn't want to end in a 58-second split, but, after doing some faulty mid-race math, thought he needed to just to get under 4:25. Johnson said he'll run the 800 today, and if he has anything left, the 3,200 too.
"Hopefully I can go sub 9:21 just to beat Richardson," said Johnson, referring to John Richardson, the 2003 alum who holds – you guessed it – a 9:21 school record.
Shawnee sophomore David Forward was second with 200 to go until Liam Tansey of Morris Hills strode by him. Forward still managed third and a personal-best 4:18.46.
Having taken third in the 100 to Deptford winner Audrey Wilson (11.95) and Camden junior Assante Johnson (12.18), Seneca sophomore Michelle Brown wrapped herself around the last bend of the 400, staving off Wilson to the meet-record time of 53.94. The time breaks the 1981 mark of 54.0 held by Montclair's Donithy Jones.
Brown knew she was going fast -- just not that fast.
"She tried to fight me coming out of the last curve," Brown said, "but I wanted it so bad so I wasn't going to let her get me."
After eight events, Camden girls lead Group 3 with 33 points. Seneca sit in second with 20 points and Deptford third with 18.
Holy Cross seniors Rose Johnson and Ayana Davis opened the Group 3 Championship in historic fashion, both setting meet records, Johnson's in the 400 hurdles (1:04.35) and Davis' in the triple jump (34-8), helping the Crusaders to an early 24-point output.
But it took one event for Our Lady of Mercy to pull even, sweeping the discus thanks to junior Genevieve Rybicki, Victoria Imbesi (109-07) and Nicole Radish (105-10).
With the discus win, Rybicki paired her shot put title from last year.
"It feels good because all the work has paid off in the shot and discus," Rybicki said. "It's nice knowing I'm one of the best in the state in both events."
An event later Imbesi (119-2) teamed with sophomore Taylor Thompson in the javelin to blow pass the Crusaders, going 1, 2 to take help OLMA finish the day ahead with 44 points. Holy Cross sits in second with 34.
After five events scored, Holy Cross boys led Non-Public B with 35 points followed by Pingry (28) and Bishop Eustace (24).
Senior Rich Fisher held off Bishop Eustace senior Brian Laskowski in the 400, winning in 49.48.
In the girls' Group 3 1,600, Kingsway sophomore Chelsea Ley led the stacked race after about two laps but fell off the pace, giving way to Shawnee freshman Casey Doyle , Seneca sophomore Nicole McGrainer and five others before settling in seventh.
Doyle edged McGrainer (5:01.74) for fourth overall, finishing in an incredible 5:01.48. Ley finished in 5:04.81, a wildcard-worthy time.
In Group A, Gloucester Catholic's Paige Maloney didn't leave it up to getting into the Meet of Champions as a wildcard in the 1,600, holding onto the sixth and final spot in 5:10.90. Gloucester Catholic leads South Jersey in the girls' Non-Public A in eighth with 9 points.
State Groups Outlook, Predictions
(Pub May 31)
It's taken a season for many and years for some to get to this point so let's just get right into it. A group-by-group breakdown:
Group 4
Prediction: Absegami wins another first one and another tight one. While depth definitely counts in other meets, a super-stud triad like that of Geoff Navarro, Ford Palmer and Demetrius Palmer is made for championship meets. Washington Township places in the top three.
Today's must-see event: The 400 hurdles. Not one state hurdler broke 55 seconds outside of Group 4. But in this group, seven athletes did including five in the South Jersey meet. This bunch was led by undefeated top seed Absegami senior Demetrius Rooks (53.43) and followed by Washington Township junior Tim Carey (54.34). The Egg Harbor Township duo of Harold Lathan and Stevenson Cajuste, seeded fourth and fifth respectfully, could advance to the Meet of Champions together.
Rooks is closing in on 2007 Delsea graduate Aaron Younger's personal best of 52.66 set at last year's MoC.
Decade best
Along with tossing a personal-best 156-7 in the discus Saturday, Washington Township senior Kwabena Keene threw a personal-best 59-3 in the shot put, becoming South Jersey's best shot putter since Paulsboro's 1998 alum Jon Kalnas.
While Kalnas' high-school best of 64-4.25 may be out of reach, there is no state thrower closer to 60 feet than Keene.
"I really want to break it," said the University of North Carolina-bound senior this season. "I'm so close."
Keene had a shot at reaching the mark Friday, the opening day of the two-day championship. His last chance will be at the Meet of Champions Wednesday.
Yersak and Kelly
Two seniors – one of whom was great all four years, the other blooming now – proved to be similar runners last weekend. Cherokee's Alex Yersak and Washington Township's Chris Kelly (9:38.16) each shed the pack on the last lap of last Saturday's 3,200. Yersak led Kelly by a couple meters and matched Kelly stride for stride to the line, winning his first title in 9:37.16 and says he did so by employing a new strategy.
"I'm not the pace setter anymore," Yersak said. "I'm trying to race the right way – be as relax as you can and then kick at the end … The last 500 meters, that's when I wanted to go."
Top Seeds
400 – Geoff Navarro, Absegami, Sr. (48.55)
100 – Geoff Navarro, Absegami, Sr. (10.72)
400 IH – Demetrius Rooks, Absegami, Sr. (48.55)
Shot put – Kwabena Keene, Washington Township, Sr. (59-3)
4x400 – Absegami (Santiago Galeano, Demetrius Rooks, Ford Palmer, Geoff Navarro) (3:17.27)
Group 3
Prediction: A South Jersey team wins. Which one, who knows? It took Morrisville and Morris Hills 45 points each to share the title last year and if the all the top seeds win out, both Delsea and Camden have 30 points on winner points alone. A tribute to our local talent, South Jersey Group 3 has a top seed in the 10 of the 16 events. Possessing the most remaining depth, Timber Creek should score most of its points behind the leaders. Top North Jersey teams include Morristown – led by the throwing tandem of Nick Vena and Anthony Napoleon – and Morris Hills.
Today's must-see event: The 800. As of Friday morning, Ocean City junior Brett Johnson has yet to lose a race this spring. After winning last Saturday in 1:56.96, Johnson enters the race seeded second to Morris Hills junior Liam Tansey (1:56.77)., but having ran 1:52.8 in a dual meet earlier this season, Johnson enters as the favorite.
Unless Johnson plans to double at next Wednesday's Meet of Champions, this could be his last attempt at John Richardson's school record of 1:51 for the year.
Also worth keeping an eye on, South Jersey's most impressive freshman this season, Kingsway's Tivo Rivera, is seeded third (1:57.65) and continue to drops time like it's hot.
Awesomeo Okoro
Delsea won last year's South Jersey Group 3 Championship by two points on the legs of its Big Three, Aaron Younger, Melton Diggs and Frank Lavan. But in a runner-up effort this year, nobody came up bigger than senior Udochi Okoro.
While Younger helped contribute a team-high 34 points for the 2007 Crusaders, who had nipped Camden 75-73, Okoro helped add 38 of Delsea's 65 total points, winning the 400 (49.35), the 200 (21.74) and the 4x400 (3:21.88) and placing second in the 100 (10.91).
Fully charged
Timber Creek senior Edward Evans threw 179-8 in the javelin, second to only Cumberland sophomore Andrew Pierce (181-2) and leaped 21-8.5 for third in the long jump.
Z-man
The owner of "Easiest first name to spell, hardest last name", Highland junior Ed Zubrzycki, has found some consistency, grazing over 14-6 twice in the last three weeks. The pole vaulter cleared a personal-best 14-7 to win the SJ Group 3 title, defeating favorite West Deptford senior Dan Batdorf (third, 13-0) for the first time since the early indoor season. Seneca sophomore Mike Maira was second (13-6).
Top seeds
1,600 -- Brett Johnson, Ocean City, Jr. (4.23.67)
400 – Udochi Okoro, Delsea, Sr. (49.35)
200 – Udochi Okoro, Delsea, Sr. (21.74)
100 – RJ Page, Kingsway, Sr. (10.60)
110 HH – Matt Marshall, Camden, Sr. (14.43)
HJ – Montez Blair, Timber Creek, Jr. (6-8)
LJ – Syteek Farrington, Camden, So. (22-9)
TJ – Wayne Walls, Camden, Jr. (46-2.5)
PV – Ed Zubrzycki, Highland, Jr. (14-7)
4x400 – Delsea (Kyle Webb, Austin Medley, Terrence Burns, Okoro), (3:21.88)
Group 2
Prediction: Pleasantville is the No.1 ranked team in our Top 20 and ran away with the SJ Group 2 title but lack a top seed. The Greyhounds showed during the indoor season that they can match intensities with any competitor when need be, but Bridgeton still may outscore them thanks in part to their stud throwers Dominique Williams, Steven Lane and Les Hall, but mostly because of senior sprinter Charles Allen. Pleasantville finishes second to Somerville for the second straight year with Bridgeton not far behind.
Today's must-see event: The 200. If either the Greyhounds or Bulldogs are going to win the title, faring well – or winning – this event is crucial. Bridgeton senior Charles Allen is seeded second to Abraham Clark senior Akeem Gauntlet (21.39) after defeating Pleasantville workhorse Kenny Davis (22.15).
Pirates Arrgh Back
South Jersey's top distance duo last year, Cinnaminson's Matt Poskus and Brian Tetreault, peaked at the right time. Unfortunately for the Pirates, right after championship season, they graduated.
Coach Dan Fourney has a knack for grooming runners into beasts and has done again this year.
Junior Todd Campbell and senior Kenny Hoff each left Buena as winners last Saturday, Campbell winning the 3,200 (9:40.30) and Hoff the 800 (1:57.75). Campbell is the top seed in today's 3,200, however, Haddonfield sophomore Jon Vitez had an atypical performance last Saturday and should be the favorite.
Bridgeton wunderkind
Laying low on the radar screen, Bridgeton senior Charles Smith went on to win the 100 (10.85) and the 200 (21., the former in a dead heat with Glassboro junior James Brown.
Top Seeds
3,200 – Todd Campbell, Cinnaminson, Jr. (9:40.30)
100 – Charles Allen, Bridgeton, Sr. (10.85)
Javelin – Brian Owens, Woodstown, Sr. (183-08)
4x400 – Sterling (Chris Ward, Greg Taylor, Matt Long, Robert Friedman) 3:24.46
Group 1
Group 1 Prediction: Penns Grove is clearly the best Group 1 team coming out of South Jersey, but knocking off defending champ Metuchen will be quite a task. After taking bronze last year, Penns Grove moves up a spot.
Today's must-see event: The discus. Penns Grove senior Tyree Rudolph set personal bests while doubling in the shot put and discus (147-0) last weekend, but will likely need another to defeat Wallington's Tomasz Dlugozima (146-7).
On your Mark
Coming off a runaway 1,600 the day before, Pennsville senior Mark Kearney flirted with a meet record in the 3,200 last Saturday, but came one second short, winning handily for the second straight year in 9:38.38.
"I was a little sore from yesterday's mile, but I just tried to keep a certain pace," Kearney said.
Having skipped Friday's 1,600, Kearney – who placed third at the state meet last year in 9:52.40 – should be fresh enough to add state champion to his resume. Kearney's biggest challenger looks to be Verona sophomore David Oster (9:45.67).
Sweet 16
Penns Grove long jumper Steven Brown leaped the second farthest of all South Jersey athletes Saturday (Camden sophomore Syteek Farrington jumped 22-9) en route to winning Group 1 with a personal-best jump of 22-8.
During the week leading up to the event, Brown worked on his timing to avoid fouling and to turn jumping into a science. Sixteen steps and Brown is airborne, discovered Brown and coach Tom Mason.
"When I get to eight, I keep my head up and go," Brown said.
"He was only fouling by half an inch," Mason said. "He felt like once he got all of the board, he could be in the 22s."
Top seeds
3,200 – Mark Kearney, Pennsville, Sr. (9:38.38)
1,600 – Mark Kearney, Pennsville, Sr. (4:27.22)
LJ – Steven Brown, Penns Grove, Jr. (22-8)
TJ – Sean Jimoh, Riverside, Sr. (44-10.50)
Shot put – Tyree Rudolph, Penns Grove, Sr. (147-0)
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Wayne Walls
Camden
Grade: Junior
Events: Jumps
Accomplishments: Needing to triple jump a personal best on his final attempt to win the South Jersey Group 3 meet last Saturday, Walls lived up to his practice guarantee of one upping the next guy, leaping a South Jersey-best 46-2.5 to beat Delsea senior Joe Gregory (45-2.25) and Timber Creek junior Eric Smith (45-1.5). Walls is the event's top seed at today's State Group 3 Championship at South Plainfield High.
Quote: "We always talk about it in practice," coach Greg Foster said. "I told him then 'We're going to see what you're made of now.' … He could've blown up, he could've failed, he could've done a million others thing. I'm very happy with his response." Said Walls: "I've always said I would be a foot ahead of them. I always had confidence in myself, I mean, I wasn't doing that good this year but I knew it would come one of these days."
It's taken a season for many and years for some to get to this point so let's just get right into it. A group-by-group breakdown:
Group 4
Prediction: Absegami wins another first one and another tight one. While depth definitely counts in other meets, a super-stud triad like that of Geoff Navarro, Ford Palmer and Demetrius Palmer is made for championship meets. Washington Township places in the top three.
Today's must-see event: The 400 hurdles. Not one state hurdler broke 55 seconds outside of Group 4. But in this group, seven athletes did including five in the South Jersey meet. This bunch was led by undefeated top seed Absegami senior Demetrius Rooks (53.43) and followed by Washington Township junior Tim Carey (54.34). The Egg Harbor Township duo of Harold Lathan and Stevenson Cajuste, seeded fourth and fifth respectfully, could advance to the Meet of Champions together.
Rooks is closing in on 2007 Delsea graduate Aaron Younger's personal best of 52.66 set at last year's MoC.
Decade best
Along with tossing a personal-best 156-7 in the discus Saturday, Washington Township senior Kwabena Keene threw a personal-best 59-3 in the shot put, becoming South Jersey's best shot putter since Paulsboro's 1998 alum Jon Kalnas.
While Kalnas' high-school best of 64-4.25 may be out of reach, there is no state thrower closer to 60 feet than Keene.
"I really want to break it," said the University of North Carolina-bound senior this season. "I'm so close."
Keene had a shot at reaching the mark Friday, the opening day of the two-day championship. His last chance will be at the Meet of Champions Wednesday.
Yersak and Kelly
Two seniors – one of whom was great all four years, the other blooming now – proved to be similar runners last weekend. Cherokee's Alex Yersak and Washington Township's Chris Kelly (9:38.16) each shed the pack on the last lap of last Saturday's 3,200. Yersak led Kelly by a couple meters and matched Kelly stride for stride to the line, winning his first title in 9:37.16 and says he did so by employing a new strategy.
"I'm not the pace setter anymore," Yersak said. "I'm trying to race the right way – be as relax as you can and then kick at the end … The last 500 meters, that's when I wanted to go."
Top Seeds
400 – Geoff Navarro, Absegami, Sr. (48.55)
100 – Geoff Navarro, Absegami, Sr. (10.72)
400 IH – Demetrius Rooks, Absegami, Sr. (48.55)
Shot put – Kwabena Keene, Washington Township, Sr. (59-3)
4x400 – Absegami (Santiago Galeano, Demetrius Rooks, Ford Palmer, Geoff Navarro) (3:17.27)
Group 3
Prediction: A South Jersey team wins. Which one, who knows? It took Morrisville and Morris Hills 45 points each to share the title last year and if the all the top seeds win out, both Delsea and Camden have 30 points on winner points alone. A tribute to our local talent, South Jersey Group 3 has a top seed in the 10 of the 16 events. Possessing the most remaining depth, Timber Creek should score most of its points behind the leaders. Top North Jersey teams include Morristown – led by the throwing tandem of Nick Vena and Anthony Napoleon – and Morris Hills.
Today's must-see event: The 800. As of Friday morning, Ocean City junior Brett Johnson has yet to lose a race this spring. After winning last Saturday in 1:56.96, Johnson enters the race seeded second to Morris Hills junior Liam Tansey (1:56.77)., but having ran 1:52.8 in a dual meet earlier this season, Johnson enters as the favorite.
Unless Johnson plans to double at next Wednesday's Meet of Champions, this could be his last attempt at John Richardson's school record of 1:51 for the year.
Also worth keeping an eye on, South Jersey's most impressive freshman this season, Kingsway's Tivo Rivera, is seeded third (1:57.65) and continue to drops time like it's hot.
Awesomeo Okoro
Delsea won last year's South Jersey Group 3 Championship by two points on the legs of its Big Three, Aaron Younger, Melton Diggs and Frank Lavan. But in a runner-up effort this year, nobody came up bigger than senior Udochi Okoro.
While Younger helped contribute a team-high 34 points for the 2007 Crusaders, who had nipped Camden 75-73, Okoro helped add 38 of Delsea's 65 total points, winning the 400 (49.35), the 200 (21.74) and the 4x400 (3:21.88) and placing second in the 100 (10.91).
Fully charged
Timber Creek senior Edward Evans threw 179-8 in the javelin, second to only Cumberland sophomore Andrew Pierce (181-2) and leaped 21-8.5 for third in the long jump.
Z-man
The owner of "Easiest first name to spell, hardest last name", Highland junior Ed Zubrzycki, has found some consistency, grazing over 14-6 twice in the last three weeks. The pole vaulter cleared a personal-best 14-7 to win the SJ Group 3 title, defeating favorite West Deptford senior Dan Batdorf (third, 13-0) for the first time since the early indoor season. Seneca sophomore Mike Maira was second (13-6).
Top seeds
1,600 -- Brett Johnson, Ocean City, Jr. (4.23.67)
400 – Udochi Okoro, Delsea, Sr. (49.35)
200 – Udochi Okoro, Delsea, Sr. (21.74)
100 – RJ Page, Kingsway, Sr. (10.60)
110 HH – Matt Marshall, Camden, Sr. (14.43)
HJ – Montez Blair, Timber Creek, Jr. (6-8)
LJ – Syteek Farrington, Camden, So. (22-9)
TJ – Wayne Walls, Camden, Jr. (46-2.5)
PV – Ed Zubrzycki, Highland, Jr. (14-7)
4x400 – Delsea (Kyle Webb, Austin Medley, Terrence Burns, Okoro), (3:21.88)
Group 2
Prediction: Pleasantville is the No.1 ranked team in our Top 20 and ran away with the SJ Group 2 title but lack a top seed. The Greyhounds showed during the indoor season that they can match intensities with any competitor when need be, but Bridgeton still may outscore them thanks in part to their stud throwers Dominique Williams, Steven Lane and Les Hall, but mostly because of senior sprinter Charles Allen. Pleasantville finishes second to Somerville for the second straight year with Bridgeton not far behind.
Today's must-see event: The 200. If either the Greyhounds or Bulldogs are going to win the title, faring well – or winning – this event is crucial. Bridgeton senior Charles Allen is seeded second to Abraham Clark senior Akeem Gauntlet (21.39) after defeating Pleasantville workhorse Kenny Davis (22.15).
Pirates Arrgh Back
South Jersey's top distance duo last year, Cinnaminson's Matt Poskus and Brian Tetreault, peaked at the right time. Unfortunately for the Pirates, right after championship season, they graduated.
Coach Dan Fourney has a knack for grooming runners into beasts and has done again this year.
Junior Todd Campbell and senior Kenny Hoff each left Buena as winners last Saturday, Campbell winning the 3,200 (9:40.30) and Hoff the 800 (1:57.75). Campbell is the top seed in today's 3,200, however, Haddonfield sophomore Jon Vitez had an atypical performance last Saturday and should be the favorite.
Bridgeton wunderkind
Laying low on the radar screen, Bridgeton senior Charles Smith went on to win the 100 (10.85) and the 200 (21., the former in a dead heat with Glassboro junior James Brown.
Top Seeds
3,200 – Todd Campbell, Cinnaminson, Jr. (9:40.30)
100 – Charles Allen, Bridgeton, Sr. (10.85)
Javelin – Brian Owens, Woodstown, Sr. (183-08)
4x400 – Sterling (Chris Ward, Greg Taylor, Matt Long, Robert Friedman) 3:24.46
Group 1
Group 1 Prediction: Penns Grove is clearly the best Group 1 team coming out of South Jersey, but knocking off defending champ Metuchen will be quite a task. After taking bronze last year, Penns Grove moves up a spot.
Today's must-see event: The discus. Penns Grove senior Tyree Rudolph set personal bests while doubling in the shot put and discus (147-0) last weekend, but will likely need another to defeat Wallington's Tomasz Dlugozima (146-7).
On your Mark
Coming off a runaway 1,600 the day before, Pennsville senior Mark Kearney flirted with a meet record in the 3,200 last Saturday, but came one second short, winning handily for the second straight year in 9:38.38.
"I was a little sore from yesterday's mile, but I just tried to keep a certain pace," Kearney said.
Having skipped Friday's 1,600, Kearney – who placed third at the state meet last year in 9:52.40 – should be fresh enough to add state champion to his resume. Kearney's biggest challenger looks to be Verona sophomore David Oster (9:45.67).
Sweet 16
Penns Grove long jumper Steven Brown leaped the second farthest of all South Jersey athletes Saturday (Camden sophomore Syteek Farrington jumped 22-9) en route to winning Group 1 with a personal-best jump of 22-8.
During the week leading up to the event, Brown worked on his timing to avoid fouling and to turn jumping into a science. Sixteen steps and Brown is airborne, discovered Brown and coach Tom Mason.
"When I get to eight, I keep my head up and go," Brown said.
"He was only fouling by half an inch," Mason said. "He felt like once he got all of the board, he could be in the 22s."
Top seeds
3,200 – Mark Kearney, Pennsville, Sr. (9:38.38)
1,600 – Mark Kearney, Pennsville, Sr. (4:27.22)
LJ – Steven Brown, Penns Grove, Jr. (22-8)
TJ – Sean Jimoh, Riverside, Sr. (44-10.50)
Shot put – Tyree Rudolph, Penns Grove, Sr. (147-0)
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Wayne Walls
Camden
Grade: Junior
Events: Jumps
Accomplishments: Needing to triple jump a personal best on his final attempt to win the South Jersey Group 3 meet last Saturday, Walls lived up to his practice guarantee of one upping the next guy, leaping a South Jersey-best 46-2.5 to beat Delsea senior Joe Gregory (45-2.25) and Timber Creek junior Eric Smith (45-1.5). Walls is the event's top seed at today's State Group 3 Championship at South Plainfield High.
Quote: "We always talk about it in practice," coach Greg Foster said. "I told him then 'We're going to see what you're made of now.' … He could've blown up, he could've failed, he could've done a million others thing. I'm very happy with his response." Said Walls: "I've always said I would be a foot ahead of them. I always had confidence in myself, I mean, I wasn't doing that good this year but I knew it would come one of these days."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)