Camden senior Matt Marshall lugged more than just a briefcase while on the college circuit this spring.
Flown from university to university, Marshall was given the campus tour, a spiel on why this or that school was the right fit for him, and praise – lots and lots of praise.
Such is the life of a highly-touted wide receiver. But while recruiters vied for his signature, a heavy conscience tugged at Marshall, one of the state's top hurdlers.
"I wanted to be there. I wanted to be there with my teammates. I wanted to be the one to put it out there," Marshall said. "But for me, I knew I was helping my future, which is a blessing that I have the opportunity.
"Still, the selfish part of me wasn't where it was supposed to be. I wasn't thinking about me."
After missing major meets and months of practice, Marshall regained form at the right time, winning the South Jersey Group 3 title in the 110 hurdles in 14.43 Saturday. He traveled far before returning in the basics.
From early March to early May, Marshall followed up on offers from the University of Arkansas, the University of Iowa and the University of North Carolina, living in and out of hotels while missing big meets – including a possible fourth appearance at the Penn Relays – and precious practice time on the track.
As a hurdler, Marshall soon found that training, while traveling, was challenging.
Unable to practice with college teams, Marshall did so individually, using hotel hallways as staightaways and walks to lecture halls and cafeterias as training grounds. Look ma, no hurdles.
"I was trying to do straddle jumps as if I was going over the hurdle," the University of Arkansas-bound student said. "Even though a hurdle wasn't there, I was imaging as if there was."
Enough of those workouts and Marshall's most sought touchdown involved a plane touching down on a nearby runway.
Between college visits Marshall competed at the Woodbury Relays – his only major meet – and at a few dual meets. Any illusions of being the same athlete who won the 55 hurdles at the Indoor State Group 3 Championship this winter were dismissed then, when sophomore teammate Syteek Farrington and lesser competitors beat him in the 110 hurdles, his premiere event. He was sluggish, running high 15s and losing his form by the seventh hurdle.
"Guys that used to fear him wouldn't fear him," coach Greg Foster said.
"I couldn't be mad at them," Marshall said. "I was always taught there're always guys doing something when you're not. And what they were doing, I wasn't doing."
While he could have hung it up when he arrived home for good in May and coasted on his two-sport, full-ride scholarship to Arkansas, Marshall insisted on persisting for his team and himself.
"He would work extra hard in the practice, come back the next week, and get beaten by guys he had no problem beating before, but he never got frustrated," Foster said. "It showed me a lot about his character."
An epiphany – and his Aunt Becky – woke Marshall up on a free Saturday, both telling him "you better start running."
He took his household hurdle, sat it on his driveway and practiced jumping over it and jump rope for two furious hours, an old training regimen that shaped him into the athlete he was – and came to be.
"I had to build the hunger back," he said.
Marshall spent the next two weeks at another gear. That's why he expected to speed to a season-best time Saturday.
"I honestly was training for that kind of performance," he said. "The great thing with that is there's a lot of room for improvement."
Marshall feels capable of breaking his personal-best 14.28 and hopes to dip down to 13.8 at the State Group 3 Championship Saturday at South Plainsfield. He will be joined on the line by Farrington, who placed third in 14.61.
Marshall won't race in ruby red slippers. After all, now that he's home, he has no need for them.
"It feels good to be back," Marshall said, "Home with my teammates and family."
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 is the top seed in the Group 4 meet today and if he doesn't reach the mark then, will get another chance at the Meet of Champions Wednesday provided he places in today's top six.
07 August 2008
Soccer Recap: Lenape seniors look back on season they led
As freshmen three years ago, Lenape's Lindsey Walsh and Jen Pfeiffer looked up to their seniors.
As team leaders trying to string a state championship to their diplomas this fall, they looked to each other and to their fellow seniors to make soccer school
history.
Receiving crucial play from their seven seniors, the Indians over came a rash of injuries to post a 22-2-1 record, including a 3-0 victory over Bridgewater-Raritan that unlocked the school's first-ever Group 4 Championship.
That's why Walsh, only a summer away from lacing up for Monmouth University, has no trouble looking back on that special season, one that was four years in the making and shared with a seasoned, determined cast of friends.
``When you work so hard together, when you work through the ups and the downs,that's who you want to be with,'' the midfielder said.
Most of the team saw it all, from the buds to the bloom, including coach Kevin Meder.
An assistant during Walsh's and Pfeiffer's freshman year, Meder took the whistle the following year, breathing life into a fledging program.
``I think he knew how to spark enthusiasm among us and get us excited,''
Walsh said. ``He really made you work hard to get closer to your
goals.''
He wasn't the only one who assumed new responsiblities that year.
Nine starters turned tassels in 2005, guaranteeing a rebuilding year
if only their replacements would've allowed it.
Along with co-captains Walsh, Pfeiffer and Sara Hancock, seniors Kelsey
Andrade, Stephanie Lam, Brittany Faunce and Jessica Birchler displayed signs of lead
ership with each game.
``Some of the good players matured into stars and some of the players who struggled earlier on became good role players,'' Meder said. ``The
seniors really knew what their roles were.''
But nobody led as vocally as Pfeiffer, Meder said.
``When we would let up a tough goal, she'd be the first one to grab the
ball, bring it to midfield and say 'Don't worry about it, we can get this
one back,''' Meder said.
``She knew how to pick the team up if we had a really tough game. But she always did it in a really positive way which just shows how the kids respected her.''
Pfeiffer said she took after Allison Williams, a senior captain during her freshman year, during her more challeng
ing moments.
``I'm willing to take the blame for everything. If we get scored on, I'll fix
it,'' said the Saint Joseph's University-bound forward. ``Picking a team up after a goal is huge because your head will droop and that's the time you need to come
back strongest.''
At the behest of others, Pfeiffer met with teammates during the offseason to practice drills and lend advice.
Under the guidance of her and others, the Indians earned their fifth South
Jersey Coaches Association Tournament title, their fourth Courier-Post Cup and
a No.8 spot on the NSCAA/adidas National Rankings.
Losing seven seniors next year hurts, but Walsh knows with juniors Natalia Torosian, Sarah Zieman and sophomore Carolyn Wiley onboard, the team is left in good cleats.
``I think they can overcome that very easily,'' Walsh said.
As team leaders trying to string a state championship to their diplomas this fall, they looked to each other and to their fellow seniors to make soccer school
history.
Receiving crucial play from their seven seniors, the Indians over came a rash of injuries to post a 22-2-1 record, including a 3-0 victory over Bridgewater-Raritan that unlocked the school's first-ever Group 4 Championship.
That's why Walsh, only a summer away from lacing up for Monmouth University, has no trouble looking back on that special season, one that was four years in the making and shared with a seasoned, determined cast of friends.
``When you work so hard together, when you work through the ups and the downs,that's who you want to be with,'' the midfielder said.
Most of the team saw it all, from the buds to the bloom, including coach Kevin Meder.
An assistant during Walsh's and Pfeiffer's freshman year, Meder took the whistle the following year, breathing life into a fledging program.
``I think he knew how to spark enthusiasm among us and get us excited,''
Walsh said. ``He really made you work hard to get closer to your
goals.''
He wasn't the only one who assumed new responsiblities that year.
Nine starters turned tassels in 2005, guaranteeing a rebuilding year
if only their replacements would've allowed it.
Along with co-captains Walsh, Pfeiffer and Sara Hancock, seniors Kelsey
Andrade, Stephanie Lam, Brittany Faunce and Jessica Birchler displayed signs of lead
ership with each game.
``Some of the good players matured into stars and some of the players who struggled earlier on became good role players,'' Meder said. ``The
seniors really knew what their roles were.''
But nobody led as vocally as Pfeiffer, Meder said.
``When we would let up a tough goal, she'd be the first one to grab the
ball, bring it to midfield and say 'Don't worry about it, we can get this
one back,''' Meder said.
``She knew how to pick the team up if we had a really tough game. But she always did it in a really positive way which just shows how the kids respected her.''
Pfeiffer said she took after Allison Williams, a senior captain during her freshman year, during her more challeng
ing moments.
``I'm willing to take the blame for everything. If we get scored on, I'll fix
it,'' said the Saint Joseph's University-bound forward. ``Picking a team up after a goal is huge because your head will droop and that's the time you need to come
back strongest.''
At the behest of others, Pfeiffer met with teammates during the offseason to practice drills and lend advice.
Under the guidance of her and others, the Indians earned their fifth South
Jersey Coaches Association Tournament title, their fourth Courier-Post Cup and
a No.8 spot on the NSCAA/adidas National Rankings.
Losing seven seniors next year hurts, but Walsh knows with juniors Natalia Torosian, Sarah Zieman and sophomore Carolyn Wiley onboard, the team is left in good cleats.
``I think they can overcome that very easily,'' Walsh said.
Braves' Big Three unite, come back to win close championship
(Pub May 25)
Group champs: Absegami won the South Jersey Group 4 title with 70 points and Penns Grove won the SJ Group 1 title with 104 points.
Kwabena the giant: Washington Township senior Kwabena Keene came away from his Egg Harbor Township weekend with two personal bests; a 59-3 hurl to win the shot put Friday and a 156-7 bomb for second in the discus Saturday
Chief win: Cherokee senior Alex Yersak won the Group 4 3,200 in 9:37.16 – his first sectional title -- by holding off Washington Township senior Chris Kelly (9:38.16).
Quote: "I'm trying to race the right way – be as relax as you can and then kick at the end," Yersak said. "The last 500 meters, that's when I wanted to go."
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP – It was a championship won by inches and split seconds, by a team short on depth and long on odds.
It was won by a single point.
To win its first South Jersey Group 4 Championship Saturday, Absegami needed to overcome a shortage of throwers, jumpers and pole vaulters and rely on its three track stars, who, by the way, emit enough wattage to power a small city.
Basically, in a sport built on a winning balance, it needed to do the unthinkable.
Consider the unthinkable done.
While the South Jersey Group 1 Championship was in Penns Grove's pocket midway through Saturday's meet, the crowning of the Group 4 champs hung on the outcome of the final event, the 4x400 relay.
Behind three points to Egg Harbor Township, Absegami stormed back, riding the backs of Geoff Navarro, Demetrius Rooks, Ford Palmer and Santiago Galeano to a South Jersey-best 3:17.27 win, momentarily turning Egg Harbor into the home of the Braves.
But the Braves didn't leave as champs until Egg Harbor Township's relay team (3:19.77) fell to runner-up Winslow Township (3:19.23) on the homestretch, winning with 70 points. Egg Harbor finished second with 69 points and Washington Township third with 64.
It was only fitting to see the baton end in Navarro's hand. After all, he contributed 40 points.
Against the strongest field in South Jersey, Navarro won all four of his events this weekend, coupling his wins in the 100 and 400 Friday with victories in the 200 (21.97) and 4x400 Saturday.
"Everything I've worked for has come down to this," said Navarro, who had previously never won a sectional title. "I work hard with all of these guys every day. We've built a camaraderie and a certain level of team together. I can depend on Demetrius to do his job, Ford to do his and for [Santiago] to give us a good position.
"Seeing them on a daily basis work so hard makes it so much easier to do my job."
Finding a new internal gear, Palmer grabbed the lead during the third leg of the 4x400 – and then went back to cheering on Navarro and Winslow's anchor.
"I was so pumped," said Palmer after giving some celebratory chest bumps to his teammates. "I usually jog a little bit of the 400 but that time I sprinted my fastest for as long as I could."
Palmer didn't hold onto every lead, though.
Pairing his Friday victory in the 1,600, Washington Township junior Xavier Fraction nipped Absegami Palmer (1:55.88) at the line to win the 800 in 1:55.76, barreling down the homestretch shoulder-by-shoulder.
As great as the race was, it was just another chapter in the Fraction-Palmer rivalry.
"I love racing Palmer," Fraction said. "Every time you race Palmer, you're going to get a good race out of it. The kid never runs a slow 800. He's so consistent."
Egg Harbor Township had its share of studs, or as coach George Wilkerson said, a "whole stable of them," led by senior jumper Stevenson Cajuste.
After winning the long jump Friday, Cajuste won the triple jump in 43-8.25 and took second in the 110 high hurdles (14.46) to Winslow Township senior Keith Robinson. Those medals will hung nicely next to the ones earned by Navarro, his future roommate at Monmouth University.
"Right now I think he has a little edge," said Cajuste, smiling. "But it's all great competition."
While Navarro led the Braves, the difference in the meet could be seen as junior Paul Lonergran, who notched fifth in the javelin by throwing 165-11 – 20 feet farther than his previous best.
"Without those two points, we're on the other side of the score," fourth-year coach Keith Landgraf said.
For the second straight year, Penns Grove won the South Jersey Group 1 Championship, scoring 104 points. Pennsville and Paulsboro tied for second with 51.
Penns Grove's team of Charles Thornton, Steven Brown, Darrin Moore and Stephon Bell fended off Palmyra's team (3:29.10) on the homestretch to win the 4x400 relay in 3:29.07.
Senior thrower Tyree Rudolph won the shot put Friday and the discus (147-0) Saturday and junior Shawill Green won the pole vault by clearing 12-6.
"Those guys set the tone yesterday and carried it over today," coach Tom Mason said. "We got off the bus today, and I told the guys if we do what we've done all season we should come out here OK. And they did."
With one giant leap for Riverside, Sean Jimoh broke a Group 1 record in the triple jump, outleaping Lindenwold junior Perry Asare (44-3.25) with a meet-best 44-10.5.
Coming off a runaway 1,600 Friday, Pennsville senior Mark Kearney flirted with a meet record in the 3,200, but came one second short. Kearney won the race last year.
"I was a little sore from yesterday's mile, but I just tried to keep a certain pace," Kearney said.
Group champs: Absegami won the South Jersey Group 4 title with 70 points and Penns Grove won the SJ Group 1 title with 104 points.
Kwabena the giant: Washington Township senior Kwabena Keene came away from his Egg Harbor Township weekend with two personal bests; a 59-3 hurl to win the shot put Friday and a 156-7 bomb for second in the discus Saturday
Chief win: Cherokee senior Alex Yersak won the Group 4 3,200 in 9:37.16 – his first sectional title -- by holding off Washington Township senior Chris Kelly (9:38.16).
Quote: "I'm trying to race the right way – be as relax as you can and then kick at the end," Yersak said. "The last 500 meters, that's when I wanted to go."
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP – It was a championship won by inches and split seconds, by a team short on depth and long on odds.
It was won by a single point.
To win its first South Jersey Group 4 Championship Saturday, Absegami needed to overcome a shortage of throwers, jumpers and pole vaulters and rely on its three track stars, who, by the way, emit enough wattage to power a small city.
Basically, in a sport built on a winning balance, it needed to do the unthinkable.
Consider the unthinkable done.
While the South Jersey Group 1 Championship was in Penns Grove's pocket midway through Saturday's meet, the crowning of the Group 4 champs hung on the outcome of the final event, the 4x400 relay.
Behind three points to Egg Harbor Township, Absegami stormed back, riding the backs of Geoff Navarro, Demetrius Rooks, Ford Palmer and Santiago Galeano to a South Jersey-best 3:17.27 win, momentarily turning Egg Harbor into the home of the Braves.
But the Braves didn't leave as champs until Egg Harbor Township's relay team (3:19.77) fell to runner-up Winslow Township (3:19.23) on the homestretch, winning with 70 points. Egg Harbor finished second with 69 points and Washington Township third with 64.
It was only fitting to see the baton end in Navarro's hand. After all, he contributed 40 points.
Against the strongest field in South Jersey, Navarro won all four of his events this weekend, coupling his wins in the 100 and 400 Friday with victories in the 200 (21.97) and 4x400 Saturday.
"Everything I've worked for has come down to this," said Navarro, who had previously never won a sectional title. "I work hard with all of these guys every day. We've built a camaraderie and a certain level of team together. I can depend on Demetrius to do his job, Ford to do his and for [Santiago] to give us a good position.
"Seeing them on a daily basis work so hard makes it so much easier to do my job."
Finding a new internal gear, Palmer grabbed the lead during the third leg of the 4x400 – and then went back to cheering on Navarro and Winslow's anchor.
"I was so pumped," said Palmer after giving some celebratory chest bumps to his teammates. "I usually jog a little bit of the 400 but that time I sprinted my fastest for as long as I could."
Palmer didn't hold onto every lead, though.
Pairing his Friday victory in the 1,600, Washington Township junior Xavier Fraction nipped Absegami Palmer (1:55.88) at the line to win the 800 in 1:55.76, barreling down the homestretch shoulder-by-shoulder.
As great as the race was, it was just another chapter in the Fraction-Palmer rivalry.
"I love racing Palmer," Fraction said. "Every time you race Palmer, you're going to get a good race out of it. The kid never runs a slow 800. He's so consistent."
Egg Harbor Township had its share of studs, or as coach George Wilkerson said, a "whole stable of them," led by senior jumper Stevenson Cajuste.
After winning the long jump Friday, Cajuste won the triple jump in 43-8.25 and took second in the 110 high hurdles (14.46) to Winslow Township senior Keith Robinson. Those medals will hung nicely next to the ones earned by Navarro, his future roommate at Monmouth University.
"Right now I think he has a little edge," said Cajuste, smiling. "But it's all great competition."
While Navarro led the Braves, the difference in the meet could be seen as junior Paul Lonergran, who notched fifth in the javelin by throwing 165-11 – 20 feet farther than his previous best.
"Without those two points, we're on the other side of the score," fourth-year coach Keith Landgraf said.
For the second straight year, Penns Grove won the South Jersey Group 1 Championship, scoring 104 points. Pennsville and Paulsboro tied for second with 51.
Penns Grove's team of Charles Thornton, Steven Brown, Darrin Moore and Stephon Bell fended off Palmyra's team (3:29.10) on the homestretch to win the 4x400 relay in 3:29.07.
Senior thrower Tyree Rudolph won the shot put Friday and the discus (147-0) Saturday and junior Shawill Green won the pole vault by clearing 12-6.
"Those guys set the tone yesterday and carried it over today," coach Tom Mason said. "We got off the bus today, and I told the guys if we do what we've done all season we should come out here OK. And they did."
With one giant leap for Riverside, Sean Jimoh broke a Group 1 record in the triple jump, outleaping Lindenwold junior Perry Asare (44-3.25) with a meet-best 44-10.5.
Coming off a runaway 1,600 Friday, Pennsville senior Mark Kearney flirted with a meet record in the 3,200, but came one second short. Kearney won the race last year.
"I was a little sore from yesterday's mile, but I just tried to keep a certain pace," Kearney said.
06 August 2008
Lenape girls nipped at line for SJ Group 4 Championship; Youth boosts Pitman to first SJ Group 1 title
(Pub May 25)
Lady champs: Southern Regional won the South Jersey Group 4 Championship with 83 points, 3.5 points ahead of Lenape. Pitman won its first SJ Group 1 Championship with 78 points.
Four wins: Palmyra senior Rajeanna Marigna propelled her team into third place in Group 1 with 57 points thanks to four weekend wins, including victories in the 100 hurdles (16.11) and the 200 (25.44).
Unbroken English: Eastern sophomore Eastern Gardner bounced back from a nasty fall in Friday's 400 to win the 200 (24.27) and anchor her 4x400 relay team from last to fourth Satuday.
Quote: "We are a train together," Gardner said of her relay. "They're the front part of my train, the first leg is my conductor. They bring it to me and I'll pull in the caboose."
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP – All the components to a storybook ending were there for Lenape Saturday.
Everything but the happy ending that is.
Ahead of rival Southern Regional by .5 point heading into the final event of the Group 4 Championship, Lenape got a season-best performance from its 4x400 relay team of Miya Johnson, Brianna Beddall, Moria Cunningham and Mikki Livingston.
But after the Indians' 3:56.4 finish, it was unclear whether the girls "ran their hearts out", as coach John Roberts said, or had them ripped out by All-American Southern's Jillian Smith.
Smith anchored her relay team to a 3:51.59 victory, her fourth of the two-day meet, giving Southern a 83-point total and the Group 4 title by a 3.5 point margin.
"She's a super athlete. You got to give her credit," Roberts said.
Millville's 4x400 team, led by junior twins Brooke and Britney Kott, took second in 3:55.53, helping Millville finish fourth overall with 40 points.
The Indians were 12 points behind Southern and 15 points behind early leader Toms River North heading into Saturday's action, and mounted a comeback off of some super performances.
Senior Lindsey Walsh racked up two more sectional titles to add to her bursting portfolio Saturday, winning the high jump (5-2) and the long jump (17-4).
Just like Friday's 1,600, Lenape sophomore Caitlin Orr (11:10.8) and Williamstown junior Maria Ruiz (11:15.55) finished on the same straightaway as Southern's Smith in the 3,200, who won in 11:09.
Lenape's Johnson competed in her first group meet since spraining her right hamstring a month ago and showed signs of improvement, running a great relay leg and coming second -- to Smith – in the 800 in a season-best 2:12.4.
She feels proudest of the team's accomplishment.
"We all work so hard. We can't be mad," Johnson said. "They're a good team, we're a good team and we did the best we could. We just came up a little short."
The two schools have created an interesting rivalry this year. Southern narrowly defeated Lenape in the Indoor South Jersey Group 4 Championships but lost to the Indians in the following week's state championship this past winter. The teams will meet again next week in the outdoor state meet.
"We knew we had the talent and we still do," Roberts said. "It was just a dogfight for both. We matched up pretty well."
Eastern sophomore Eastern Gardner showed she can bounce back from a fall, taking first in the 200 (24.27) and anchoring her relay team from last to fourth.
"Because I didn't get a chance to finish my 400, I guess the 4x400 is my chance to show that just because I didn't finish that one doesn't mean I'm not coming back," Gardner said.
Hot on the heels of Oakcrest junior Nijgia Snapp in the 400 Friday, Gardner tripped over herself and landed on her head. No biggie, though, she said.
"That wasn't the hardest I've ever fallen," the sophomore said. "From one to 10, from my shoulder to my neck down, it was about a three. But I hit my head pretty hard – about a five or seven."
Washington Township senior Jackie Dim took second to Gardner in the 200 (24.87) and earned another silver in the long jump (17-2.75).
Pitman won its first South Jersey Group 1 Championship in school history with 78 points thanks to strong performances across the board. Maple Shade was second with 58 points.
"Each of them is willing to assume different roles in different meets to achieve the victory," Pitman coach said. "They provide the heart and soul. That's the difference between a good team and a team. And that's what they are."
A Pitman wave of youth, in freshman Rachel Greenberg (2:22.97) and sophomore Shona Potruski (2:25.97), followed winner Woodbury sophomore Andrea DiCarlo (2:21.19) in the 800.
Greenberg also coupled Friday's 1,600 win with a 3,200 win Saturday (12:17.88). Credit her freshman jitters.
"It was exciting because there was a lot more people out here," Greenberg said. "And I wanted to do well, so that helped."
Palmyra senior Rajeanna Marigna propelled her team into third place with 57 points thanks to her four weekend wins. On Saturday Marigina won the 100 hurdles (16.11) and the 200 (25.44).
Lady champs: Southern Regional won the South Jersey Group 4 Championship with 83 points, 3.5 points ahead of Lenape. Pitman won its first SJ Group 1 Championship with 78 points.
Four wins: Palmyra senior Rajeanna Marigna propelled her team into third place in Group 1 with 57 points thanks to four weekend wins, including victories in the 100 hurdles (16.11) and the 200 (25.44).
Unbroken English: Eastern sophomore Eastern Gardner bounced back from a nasty fall in Friday's 400 to win the 200 (24.27) and anchor her 4x400 relay team from last to fourth Satuday.
Quote: "We are a train together," Gardner said of her relay. "They're the front part of my train, the first leg is my conductor. They bring it to me and I'll pull in the caboose."
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP – All the components to a storybook ending were there for Lenape Saturday.
Everything but the happy ending that is.
Ahead of rival Southern Regional by .5 point heading into the final event of the Group 4 Championship, Lenape got a season-best performance from its 4x400 relay team of Miya Johnson, Brianna Beddall, Moria Cunningham and Mikki Livingston.
But after the Indians' 3:56.4 finish, it was unclear whether the girls "ran their hearts out", as coach John Roberts said, or had them ripped out by All-American Southern's Jillian Smith.
Smith anchored her relay team to a 3:51.59 victory, her fourth of the two-day meet, giving Southern a 83-point total and the Group 4 title by a 3.5 point margin.
"She's a super athlete. You got to give her credit," Roberts said.
Millville's 4x400 team, led by junior twins Brooke and Britney Kott, took second in 3:55.53, helping Millville finish fourth overall with 40 points.
The Indians were 12 points behind Southern and 15 points behind early leader Toms River North heading into Saturday's action, and mounted a comeback off of some super performances.
Senior Lindsey Walsh racked up two more sectional titles to add to her bursting portfolio Saturday, winning the high jump (5-2) and the long jump (17-4).
Just like Friday's 1,600, Lenape sophomore Caitlin Orr (11:10.8) and Williamstown junior Maria Ruiz (11:15.55) finished on the same straightaway as Southern's Smith in the 3,200, who won in 11:09.
Lenape's Johnson competed in her first group meet since spraining her right hamstring a month ago and showed signs of improvement, running a great relay leg and coming second -- to Smith – in the 800 in a season-best 2:12.4.
She feels proudest of the team's accomplishment.
"We all work so hard. We can't be mad," Johnson said. "They're a good team, we're a good team and we did the best we could. We just came up a little short."
The two schools have created an interesting rivalry this year. Southern narrowly defeated Lenape in the Indoor South Jersey Group 4 Championships but lost to the Indians in the following week's state championship this past winter. The teams will meet again next week in the outdoor state meet.
"We knew we had the talent and we still do," Roberts said. "It was just a dogfight for both. We matched up pretty well."
Eastern sophomore Eastern Gardner showed she can bounce back from a fall, taking first in the 200 (24.27) and anchoring her relay team from last to fourth.
"Because I didn't get a chance to finish my 400, I guess the 4x400 is my chance to show that just because I didn't finish that one doesn't mean I'm not coming back," Gardner said.
Hot on the heels of Oakcrest junior Nijgia Snapp in the 400 Friday, Gardner tripped over herself and landed on her head. No biggie, though, she said.
"That wasn't the hardest I've ever fallen," the sophomore said. "From one to 10, from my shoulder to my neck down, it was about a three. But I hit my head pretty hard – about a five or seven."
Washington Township senior Jackie Dim took second to Gardner in the 200 (24.87) and earned another silver in the long jump (17-2.75).
Pitman won its first South Jersey Group 1 Championship in school history with 78 points thanks to strong performances across the board. Maple Shade was second with 58 points.
"Each of them is willing to assume different roles in different meets to achieve the victory," Pitman coach said. "They provide the heart and soul. That's the difference between a good team and a team. And that's what they are."
A Pitman wave of youth, in freshman Rachel Greenberg (2:22.97) and sophomore Shona Potruski (2:25.97), followed winner Woodbury sophomore Andrea DiCarlo (2:21.19) in the 800.
Greenberg also coupled Friday's 1,600 win with a 3,200 win Saturday (12:17.88). Credit her freshman jitters.
"It was exciting because there was a lot more people out here," Greenberg said. "And I wanted to do well, so that helped."
Palmyra senior Rajeanna Marigna propelled her team into third place with 57 points thanks to her four weekend wins. On Saturday Marigina won the 100 hurdles (16.11) and the 200 (25.44).
Trois de force grabs Absegami lead in SJ Group 4
(Pub May 24)
Leaders: After Day 1, Absegami boys (40) and Toms River North girls 36) led South Jersey Group 4, and Penns Grove boys (54) and Pennsville girls (41) led SJ Group 1.
Bell time: Penns Grove sophomore Stephon Bell sped past the Paulsboro duo of Willie Anderson (57.46) and Darren Carter (57.58) in the Group 1 400 intermediate hurdles while in the fifth lane, finishing in 57.08.
Quote: "I kind of felt like somebody was behind me, but I kept going at a steady pace," Bell said. "I didn't slack or slow down or someone would catch me.
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP – It didn't take long into the spring season to see that Absegami's feared two-headed monster of sprinter Geoff Navarro and runner Ford Palmer had grown another head – and another set of teeth.
Senior Demetrius Rooks emerged as a major scorer on the first of the two-day South Jersey Group 4 and Group 1 Championships Friday, winning the 400 hurdles in a personal-best 53. 37.
Still, the pain derived from a race widely regarded as one of the most punishing in track was nothing compared to what Rooks felt last year.
"I had a toothache every day for three months," Rooks said.
Rooks burdened the toothache last spring, running through the pain to a then personal-best 56.0 until it became too excoriating. Then the real pain settled in.
A dentist had unknowingly pulled the plug on Rooks' season a week before sectionals when he pulled out his four Wisdom teeth, making Rooks' win Friday all the more sweeter.
"I almost false started because I was so anxious to get off," he said.
In a strong field, teammate Navarro won the 100 (10.72) and the 400 (48.55) to help catapult the Braves ahead of Egg Harbor Township (30), Washington Township (29) and Oakcrest (20) into first with 40 points. Rooks also earned two assists by holding the blocks for Navarro.
"Just knowing I work with him in practice, he gives me a little extra something," Navarro said. "A little pep talk before my run. It feels good. They're behind me."
Navarro will run the 200 today and also team with Palmer and Rooks in the 4x400 relay to reach his ultimate goal.
"I'm just trying to score our team some points and I'm trying to get the team our first sectional title," Navarro said.
The top six finishers in each event move on to next week's state championship.
Washington Township senior Kwabena Keene had no trouble passing the cut, launching a personal-best 59-3 to win the shot put and besting Pennsauken junior Joseph Carmichael's personal-best of 54-0.
Told to take it out faster by coach Rich Bostwick, Washington Township senior Chris Kelly led through three laps of the 1,600 before being swallowed by a pack of runners led by junior teammate Xavier Fraction. Fraction split a 60-second final lap to hold off South Regional's Victor Sherman (4:24.16), finishing in 4:22.77.
After Mainland's Kevin Cronin surprised him by grabbing and holding the lead last year, Fraction said he learned from his mistakes.
"I'll study my competition a lot now, see what everybody is running," Fraction said. "I think all those workouts during the indoor season helped me to find what kind of racer I am. I like to sit and make moves."
After losing by only an inch in the long jump last year, Penns Grove junior Steven Brown knew that a few run-through practices would help not only prevent future fouling (stepping over the line) but also make up the difference.
"That's what hurt me in the beginning of the season," said Brown, after leaping a personal-best 22-8 to win the Group 1 event. " I was getting big jumps but they weren't getting marked. Penns Grove ended the day in first.
Lenape sophomore Caitlin Orr was just one in a swarm of girls heading toward the bell lap of the Group 4 1,600 with heavy favorite Southern Regional junior Jillian Smith buzzing just ahead.
The idea was Smith, a 4:49 miler, would exert just enough energy to win and carry on with the rest of her events.
The idea proved correct, but Orr refused to make it easy on Smith, breaking the school record teammate Miya Johnson set last year by running a 5:02.56. Smith won in 5:00.84.
"I didn't want to be the one to say 'Oh, that's Jill. She can just go,'" the sophomore said. "I really had to get second and I knew that. And I knew there were girls behind me … I knew if I could kept close with her, I could finish just as strong as her.
"I just tried to tie onto her and let her drag me along."
Williamstown junior Maria Ruiz (5:05.01) and Williamstown junior Lindsey Bertulis (5:05.48) also posted personal-best times, taking third and fourth.
Oakcrest junior Nijgia Snapp broke the 1980 record in the 400 by dashing past the field to a 55.15 finish to end the day's worth of track events.
Eastern sophomore English Gardner – who won the 100 in a season-best 11.79 earlier – was on the Snapp's heels with about 200 to go when she tripped over herself, landing on her head.
Gardner laid flat and still when a crew rushed to her aid, testing her immediately for a concussion. All signs proved negative, coach Sonny Anderson said, but her status in the 200 and 4x400 relay are in question.
Anderson had nothing but praise for Snapp afterward.
"The competition was there. [Snapp] ran a great race," Anderson said.
Palmyra senior Rajeanna Marigna won two events, the 100 (12.34) and 400 (58.06), to help keep her fourth-place team in contention for the Group 1 title heading into today.
Pennsville girls led Group 1 with 41 points after eight events Friday. Sophomore javelin thrower Lindsey Minch rocketed the spear 122-09, beating Maple Shade's duo of Kelly Flagg (110-03) and Kristen Moule (104-04). Maple Shade was in second with 36 points at the end of the day.
Pitman finished the day in third with 34 points, winning two events thanks to discus thrower Chelsea Cioffi and 1,600 runner Rachel Greenberg, Cioffi throwing nearly 24 feet past the competition for a 121-8 victory and Greenberg ran a 5:25.71.
Leaders: After Day 1, Absegami boys (40) and Toms River North girls 36) led South Jersey Group 4, and Penns Grove boys (54) and Pennsville girls (41) led SJ Group 1.
Bell time: Penns Grove sophomore Stephon Bell sped past the Paulsboro duo of Willie Anderson (57.46) and Darren Carter (57.58) in the Group 1 400 intermediate hurdles while in the fifth lane, finishing in 57.08.
Quote: "I kind of felt like somebody was behind me, but I kept going at a steady pace," Bell said. "I didn't slack or slow down or someone would catch me.
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP – It didn't take long into the spring season to see that Absegami's feared two-headed monster of sprinter Geoff Navarro and runner Ford Palmer had grown another head – and another set of teeth.
Senior Demetrius Rooks emerged as a major scorer on the first of the two-day South Jersey Group 4 and Group 1 Championships Friday, winning the 400 hurdles in a personal-best 53. 37.
Still, the pain derived from a race widely regarded as one of the most punishing in track was nothing compared to what Rooks felt last year.
"I had a toothache every day for three months," Rooks said.
Rooks burdened the toothache last spring, running through the pain to a then personal-best 56.0 until it became too excoriating. Then the real pain settled in.
A dentist had unknowingly pulled the plug on Rooks' season a week before sectionals when he pulled out his four Wisdom teeth, making Rooks' win Friday all the more sweeter.
"I almost false started because I was so anxious to get off," he said.
In a strong field, teammate Navarro won the 100 (10.72) and the 400 (48.55) to help catapult the Braves ahead of Egg Harbor Township (30), Washington Township (29) and Oakcrest (20) into first with 40 points. Rooks also earned two assists by holding the blocks for Navarro.
"Just knowing I work with him in practice, he gives me a little extra something," Navarro said. "A little pep talk before my run. It feels good. They're behind me."
Navarro will run the 200 today and also team with Palmer and Rooks in the 4x400 relay to reach his ultimate goal.
"I'm just trying to score our team some points and I'm trying to get the team our first sectional title," Navarro said.
The top six finishers in each event move on to next week's state championship.
Washington Township senior Kwabena Keene had no trouble passing the cut, launching a personal-best 59-3 to win the shot put and besting Pennsauken junior Joseph Carmichael's personal-best of 54-0.
Told to take it out faster by coach Rich Bostwick, Washington Township senior Chris Kelly led through three laps of the 1,600 before being swallowed by a pack of runners led by junior teammate Xavier Fraction. Fraction split a 60-second final lap to hold off South Regional's Victor Sherman (4:24.16), finishing in 4:22.77.
After Mainland's Kevin Cronin surprised him by grabbing and holding the lead last year, Fraction said he learned from his mistakes.
"I'll study my competition a lot now, see what everybody is running," Fraction said. "I think all those workouts during the indoor season helped me to find what kind of racer I am. I like to sit and make moves."
After losing by only an inch in the long jump last year, Penns Grove junior Steven Brown knew that a few run-through practices would help not only prevent future fouling (stepping over the line) but also make up the difference.
"That's what hurt me in the beginning of the season," said Brown, after leaping a personal-best 22-8 to win the Group 1 event. " I was getting big jumps but they weren't getting marked. Penns Grove ended the day in first.
Lenape sophomore Caitlin Orr was just one in a swarm of girls heading toward the bell lap of the Group 4 1,600 with heavy favorite Southern Regional junior Jillian Smith buzzing just ahead.
The idea was Smith, a 4:49 miler, would exert just enough energy to win and carry on with the rest of her events.
The idea proved correct, but Orr refused to make it easy on Smith, breaking the school record teammate Miya Johnson set last year by running a 5:02.56. Smith won in 5:00.84.
"I didn't want to be the one to say 'Oh, that's Jill. She can just go,'" the sophomore said. "I really had to get second and I knew that. And I knew there were girls behind me … I knew if I could kept close with her, I could finish just as strong as her.
"I just tried to tie onto her and let her drag me along."
Williamstown junior Maria Ruiz (5:05.01) and Williamstown junior Lindsey Bertulis (5:05.48) also posted personal-best times, taking third and fourth.
Oakcrest junior Nijgia Snapp broke the 1980 record in the 400 by dashing past the field to a 55.15 finish to end the day's worth of track events.
Eastern sophomore English Gardner – who won the 100 in a season-best 11.79 earlier – was on the Snapp's heels with about 200 to go when she tripped over herself, landing on her head.
Gardner laid flat and still when a crew rushed to her aid, testing her immediately for a concussion. All signs proved negative, coach Sonny Anderson said, but her status in the 200 and 4x400 relay are in question.
Anderson had nothing but praise for Snapp afterward.
"The competition was there. [Snapp] ran a great race," Anderson said.
Palmyra senior Rajeanna Marigna won two events, the 100 (12.34) and 400 (58.06), to help keep her fourth-place team in contention for the Group 1 title heading into today.
Pennsville girls led Group 1 with 41 points after eight events Friday. Sophomore javelin thrower Lindsey Minch rocketed the spear 122-09, beating Maple Shade's duo of Kelly Flagg (110-03) and Kristen Moule (104-04). Maple Shade was in second with 36 points at the end of the day.
Pitman finished the day in third with 34 points, winning two events thanks to discus thrower Chelsea Cioffi and 1,600 runner Rachel Greenberg, Cioffi throwing nearly 24 feet past the competition for a 121-8 victory and Greenberg ran a 5:25.71.
Time for elite to step to the line at SJ Groups
(Pub May 24)
It's widely thought that seniors Winslow Township's Barry Cephas, Absegami's Geoff Navarro and Kingsway's RJ Page represents the best South Jersey, and probably New Jersey, has to offer in the sprinting department.
Over the course of this weekend, Cephas and Navarro will line up against each other four times at the South Jersey Group 4 meet at Egg Harbor Township, the last time as anchors to tonight's finale, the 4x400 relay.
"Barry and I have been competing for years ," Navarro said. "We've traded wins in the past. It should be exciting."
Meanwhile, Page, who coach Melvin Carter says is "at the top of his game", faces a less stacked field at the South Jersey Group 3 meet today at Buena. The eighth-year coach isn't ready to admit that, though.
"This time of year, kids start peaking," Carter said. "We don't look past anybody."
The Boston University-bound senior's main competition looks to be Delsea senior Udochi Okoro, Moorestown senior Bryan Burnham and Highland junior Jamal Davis.
And going by what Carter said, Egg Harbor Township sophomore TJ Johnson -- the best sprinting underclassman this spring -- could possibly challenge Cephas and Navarro.
In a dual meet two weeks ago, Johnson and Navarro split the 100 and 200. Navarro, whose allergies were inflamed then, bounced back, showing his seniority by winning both races at the Cape Atlantic League Championships last Saturday.
Pleasantville senior Kenny Davis and Glassboro junior James Brown are the top dogs in the South Jersey Group 2 meet, also held at Buena today.
The Other Greyhound
Anyone who saw a track meet during the indoor championship season knows Kobe Bryant is to the Los Angeles Lakers what Kenny Davis means to Pleasantville.
Davis just won more. From Group 1 sectionals to Group 1 states, Davis collected eight gold medals and one Group 1 State Championship.
But Davis didn't win the Group 1 4x400 relay or the Indoor Group 1 State Championship by himself. And his lonesome didn't rank the Greyhounds No.2 in the Courier-Post's Top 20.
Senior Raymond Wilson is one of those guys who's cast under a long shadow but still able to shine. Check out his day at the CAL Individuals meet: wins the long jump (22-7.25), places second is the 400 (50.3) and serves on the runner-up 4x400 relay team (3:19.4).
Waiting to Boyle
The road to running the 800 was a long one for Shawnee senior Ian Boyle, full of tempting exits, roadblocks and detours.
Not to mention shot puts, bicycles, benches and failed soccer tryouts.
The same body that won him the 800 in a personal-best 1:58.0 at the Burlington County Open last Saturday – OK, maybe a tad shorter and stouter – failed Boyle in middle-school athletics.
"I was a big kid then," said Boyle, who was subsequently pushed to the field portion of track and field at Memorial Middle School in Medford, competing in the discus and shot put.
Yoho, yoho, the thrower's life was for he. But only it wasn't; this thrower was most apt at not using his hands.
A year after starting shot put and discus, Boyle went out for his eighth-grade soccer team. Or was it cross country?
"All they did in tryouts was run, run, run. Go out and run and see how far you can go," Boyle said. "The top 20 kids made the team. I wasn't even close to the top. I didn't make it. I was so mad."
Not ready to give in to running just yet, Boyle took his anger out on his bike, riding it five miles a day, every day after school. The treading wasn't the only thing that disappeared.
A thinner, fitter Boyle stepped to the line of his eighth-grade gym mile and left with, um, encouraging results.
"I did it in 6 minutes and I was like 'I want to try the 800,'" he said. "In the fall that year I ran like 7:20 [in the mile] so yeah, 6 minutes was good."
Boyle spent next fall riding the pine for his freshmen soccer team – no auditions needed – and came out for cross country the following year, running 19:30 as a sophomore and then 17:30 as a junior. That spring he ran a 1:59 800 and a 4:36 1,600.
The College of New Jersey-bound senior attributed the dip to hard work, running 60 to 70 miles a week during the summer.
His also attributes a sidelining injury this fall to the pounding mileage. Boyle is clearly back, up and running, joined by sophomore stud David Forward to form one of the best distance duos in South Jersey.
Boyle will run the 800 and a leg of the 4x400 relay today in Buena at the South Jersey Group 3 Sectional Championships. He'll team with Cherokee's duo of Alex Yersak and Kevin Schlicking next fall at TCNJ.
"I think I'm still getting better. I've only been doing this for so long," Boyle said. "I know kids, like Dave [Forward], he's in sixth, fifth grade running 5:30 miles or something. That's just not me."
Dominique
A brief look at Bridgeton senior Dominique Williams' day at the Cape Atlantic League Individual Championships on May 15:
Williams won the javelin (171-6) and the discus (149-7), took third in the shot put (48-3) and placed fourth in the 110 high hurdles (15.0), the latter against arguably the two best short-distance hurdlers in South Jersey, Egg Harbor Township's Stevenson Cajuste (14.1) and Pleasantville's Kenny Davis (14.1).
Who was the last shot putter who threatened in the high hurdles?
And the scary part is his hurdle and shot put performances were subpar for his standards.
Ladies' Man
It's been a season of ups and downs for Willingboro senior Tyrone McRae. The once infallible Chimeras, winners of 34 state championships between 1979 and 2004, were winless for the first time in school history, finishing 0-5.
McRae, though, has kept the winning tradition alive.
At the Burlington County Open last Saturday, the captain won the 200 (22.38) and 400 (49.57), both in personal bests.
"That's my first open 200 of the season," he said. "I expected to do all right, but I didn't expect to win. It's a major confidence booster."
With his high school career ticking away, the Cheyney University-bound senior said he has regained focus, even at the expense of a few broken hearts.
"You got to get the foolishness out of the way. The girls and all that," said McRae, smiling. "There're a lot of girls and you just got to stay away. You just got to block all that out.
"There's plenty of time for the women."
Taking a page out of the women-weaken-legs philosophy first practiced by Mickey Goodmill and on his boxing protege Rocky Balboa, McRae will look to compete in the 200 and the 4x400 relay today at the Central Jersey Group 3 meet in Tinton Falls.
Young Kings
Kingsway has a stellar set of freshmen, but you would be hard-pressed to spot them since they run like upperclassmen.
Highland's Jamal Davis (1:59.1) prevented Dragons Tivo Rivera and Rondell Gilmore from sweeping the 800 at the Tri-County Conference All-Star Meet last Thursday. Rivera finished first in a personal-best 1:58.5 and Gilmore third in a personal-best 1:59.9.
Junior Ryan Culbreath has been a great influence on the youngsters by showing what it takes to win, as he did in the 1,600 in 4:28, coach Melvin Carter said.
"Those kids have been working hard," Carter said. "Coming into the season, we knew we needed Culbreath to step up. But Tivo and Rondell Gilmore – these freshman have been doing really well for us too."
No more Mono
Mononucleosis never stopped Haddon Heights senior Mickey Borsellino from running this spring. It just stopped him from liking to run.
"Running with mono was such a hassle," Borsellino said. "Now it's fun again. I have confidence in my legs and everything now."
That confidence was on display when Borsellino waited until 200 remained to outkick Haddonfield senior Dan Carreon in the 1,600 at the Colonial Conference All-Star meet Monday.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Geoff Navarro
Absegami
Grade: Senior
Events: Sprints
Accomplishments: A force all year for the Braves, Navarro stamped his name on two more school records by winning the 200 in 21.1 and anchoring the 4x400 relay of Demetrius Rooks, Ford Palmer and Santiago Galeano past Pleasantville (3:19.4) and to a South Jersey-best 3:17.8 at the Cape Atlantic League Individual Championships May 15. He also won the 100 in 10.6, although not quick enough to top the school record of 10.4 – set by Navarro last year. Oh, and the 400 record -- that's his as well (48.2). Narvarro will compete in the 200 and the 4x400 at today's South Jersey Group 4 meet in Egg Harbor Township. Perhaps his biggest feat has been not letting the success inflate his head.
Comment: "I try to be humble," Navarro said. "When people ask me about my times, if you say you're dominant in certain things, the moment you lose is the moment people turn their backs on you. My coaches always say 'You're only one little fish in a big pond.' … My focus [this weekend] is to do everything within my power to have Absegami come away with a sectional title."
It's widely thought that seniors Winslow Township's Barry Cephas, Absegami's Geoff Navarro and Kingsway's RJ Page represents the best South Jersey, and probably New Jersey, has to offer in the sprinting department.
Over the course of this weekend, Cephas and Navarro will line up against each other four times at the South Jersey Group 4 meet at Egg Harbor Township, the last time as anchors to tonight's finale, the 4x400 relay.
"Barry and I have been competing for years ," Navarro said. "We've traded wins in the past. It should be exciting."
Meanwhile, Page, who coach Melvin Carter says is "at the top of his game", faces a less stacked field at the South Jersey Group 3 meet today at Buena. The eighth-year coach isn't ready to admit that, though.
"This time of year, kids start peaking," Carter said. "We don't look past anybody."
The Boston University-bound senior's main competition looks to be Delsea senior Udochi Okoro, Moorestown senior Bryan Burnham and Highland junior Jamal Davis.
And going by what Carter said, Egg Harbor Township sophomore TJ Johnson -- the best sprinting underclassman this spring -- could possibly challenge Cephas and Navarro.
In a dual meet two weeks ago, Johnson and Navarro split the 100 and 200. Navarro, whose allergies were inflamed then, bounced back, showing his seniority by winning both races at the Cape Atlantic League Championships last Saturday.
Pleasantville senior Kenny Davis and Glassboro junior James Brown are the top dogs in the South Jersey Group 2 meet, also held at Buena today.
The Other Greyhound
Anyone who saw a track meet during the indoor championship season knows Kobe Bryant is to the Los Angeles Lakers what Kenny Davis means to Pleasantville.
Davis just won more. From Group 1 sectionals to Group 1 states, Davis collected eight gold medals and one Group 1 State Championship.
But Davis didn't win the Group 1 4x400 relay or the Indoor Group 1 State Championship by himself. And his lonesome didn't rank the Greyhounds No.2 in the Courier-Post's Top 20.
Senior Raymond Wilson is one of those guys who's cast under a long shadow but still able to shine. Check out his day at the CAL Individuals meet: wins the long jump (22-7.25), places second is the 400 (50.3) and serves on the runner-up 4x400 relay team (3:19.4).
Waiting to Boyle
The road to running the 800 was a long one for Shawnee senior Ian Boyle, full of tempting exits, roadblocks and detours.
Not to mention shot puts, bicycles, benches and failed soccer tryouts.
The same body that won him the 800 in a personal-best 1:58.0 at the Burlington County Open last Saturday – OK, maybe a tad shorter and stouter – failed Boyle in middle-school athletics.
"I was a big kid then," said Boyle, who was subsequently pushed to the field portion of track and field at Memorial Middle School in Medford, competing in the discus and shot put.
Yoho, yoho, the thrower's life was for he. But only it wasn't; this thrower was most apt at not using his hands.
A year after starting shot put and discus, Boyle went out for his eighth-grade soccer team. Or was it cross country?
"All they did in tryouts was run, run, run. Go out and run and see how far you can go," Boyle said. "The top 20 kids made the team. I wasn't even close to the top. I didn't make it. I was so mad."
Not ready to give in to running just yet, Boyle took his anger out on his bike, riding it five miles a day, every day after school. The treading wasn't the only thing that disappeared.
A thinner, fitter Boyle stepped to the line of his eighth-grade gym mile and left with, um, encouraging results.
"I did it in 6 minutes and I was like 'I want to try the 800,'" he said. "In the fall that year I ran like 7:20 [in the mile] so yeah, 6 minutes was good."
Boyle spent next fall riding the pine for his freshmen soccer team – no auditions needed – and came out for cross country the following year, running 19:30 as a sophomore and then 17:30 as a junior. That spring he ran a 1:59 800 and a 4:36 1,600.
The College of New Jersey-bound senior attributed the dip to hard work, running 60 to 70 miles a week during the summer.
His also attributes a sidelining injury this fall to the pounding mileage. Boyle is clearly back, up and running, joined by sophomore stud David Forward to form one of the best distance duos in South Jersey.
Boyle will run the 800 and a leg of the 4x400 relay today in Buena at the South Jersey Group 3 Sectional Championships. He'll team with Cherokee's duo of Alex Yersak and Kevin Schlicking next fall at TCNJ.
"I think I'm still getting better. I've only been doing this for so long," Boyle said. "I know kids, like Dave [Forward], he's in sixth, fifth grade running 5:30 miles or something. That's just not me."
Dominique
A brief look at Bridgeton senior Dominique Williams' day at the Cape Atlantic League Individual Championships on May 15:
Williams won the javelin (171-6) and the discus (149-7), took third in the shot put (48-3) and placed fourth in the 110 high hurdles (15.0), the latter against arguably the two best short-distance hurdlers in South Jersey, Egg Harbor Township's Stevenson Cajuste (14.1) and Pleasantville's Kenny Davis (14.1).
Who was the last shot putter who threatened in the high hurdles?
And the scary part is his hurdle and shot put performances were subpar for his standards.
Ladies' Man
It's been a season of ups and downs for Willingboro senior Tyrone McRae. The once infallible Chimeras, winners of 34 state championships between 1979 and 2004, were winless for the first time in school history, finishing 0-5.
McRae, though, has kept the winning tradition alive.
At the Burlington County Open last Saturday, the captain won the 200 (22.38) and 400 (49.57), both in personal bests.
"That's my first open 200 of the season," he said. "I expected to do all right, but I didn't expect to win. It's a major confidence booster."
With his high school career ticking away, the Cheyney University-bound senior said he has regained focus, even at the expense of a few broken hearts.
"You got to get the foolishness out of the way. The girls and all that," said McRae, smiling. "There're a lot of girls and you just got to stay away. You just got to block all that out.
"There's plenty of time for the women."
Taking a page out of the women-weaken-legs philosophy first practiced by Mickey Goodmill and on his boxing protege Rocky Balboa, McRae will look to compete in the 200 and the 4x400 relay today at the Central Jersey Group 3 meet in Tinton Falls.
Young Kings
Kingsway has a stellar set of freshmen, but you would be hard-pressed to spot them since they run like upperclassmen.
Highland's Jamal Davis (1:59.1) prevented Dragons Tivo Rivera and Rondell Gilmore from sweeping the 800 at the Tri-County Conference All-Star Meet last Thursday. Rivera finished first in a personal-best 1:58.5 and Gilmore third in a personal-best 1:59.9.
Junior Ryan Culbreath has been a great influence on the youngsters by showing what it takes to win, as he did in the 1,600 in 4:28, coach Melvin Carter said.
"Those kids have been working hard," Carter said. "Coming into the season, we knew we needed Culbreath to step up. But Tivo and Rondell Gilmore – these freshman have been doing really well for us too."
No more Mono
Mononucleosis never stopped Haddon Heights senior Mickey Borsellino from running this spring. It just stopped him from liking to run.
"Running with mono was such a hassle," Borsellino said. "Now it's fun again. I have confidence in my legs and everything now."
That confidence was on display when Borsellino waited until 200 remained to outkick Haddonfield senior Dan Carreon in the 1,600 at the Colonial Conference All-Star meet Monday.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Geoff Navarro
Absegami
Grade: Senior
Events: Sprints
Accomplishments: A force all year for the Braves, Navarro stamped his name on two more school records by winning the 200 in 21.1 and anchoring the 4x400 relay of Demetrius Rooks, Ford Palmer and Santiago Galeano past Pleasantville (3:19.4) and to a South Jersey-best 3:17.8 at the Cape Atlantic League Individual Championships May 15. He also won the 100 in 10.6, although not quick enough to top the school record of 10.4 – set by Navarro last year. Oh, and the 400 record -- that's his as well (48.2). Narvarro will compete in the 200 and the 4x400 at today's South Jersey Group 4 meet in Egg Harbor Township. Perhaps his biggest feat has been not letting the success inflate his head.
Comment: "I try to be humble," Navarro said. "When people ask me about my times, if you say you're dominant in certain things, the moment you lose is the moment people turn their backs on you. My coaches always say 'You're only one little fish in a big pond.' … My focus [this weekend] is to do everything within my power to have Absegami come away with a sectional title."
25 June 2008
Majors or Minors? Riversharks do more for less
(Pub May 23)
CAMDEN -- Incessant talk of corrupt oilmen, bankrupt industries and a weakening economy can be enough reason to find escape in our national pastime.
Problem is that many can no longer root, root, root for their home team today without breaking their own citizen's bank.
While Major League Baseball has never been so expensive or exclusive, a similar-but-different baseball experience can be cheaply had at Campbell's Field, home of the hometown Camden Riversharks.
With a carousel spinning left of left field, a climbing wall stretching above right and the Ben Franklin Bridge overhanging the warm day, another nine-inning game of nine-on-nine 'ball took center stage Thursday, May 15.
And some of the 5637 fans in attendance barely noticed.
"You get to see a lot of girls walking around, and you get to watch baseball," said Matt Atkinson, 15, elaborating on the girls-and-game answer given by his Delsea Middle School classmate Brendon Hennis. "It's really cool. And we get to be out of school."
Not counting any looks they stole, Atkinson, Hennis and the rest of Mantua resident Catie Jone's class each received a beverage and a hot dog for the $10 admission during the special promotion. Concession prices are about on par with those at Major League Baseball and tickets normally sell for $6 to $12 depending on seat location and game time.
Getting more than she or her kids bargained for, Jones was handed 10-page trivia workbooks to dole out – and then crammed them into her bag before the announcer could reel off a single question, promising to save them "for another day."
Such fan interaction is vital to the life of the eighth-year Riversharks, a professional club that plays in the independent eight-team Atlantic League at a level between the minors' AA and AAA leagues, Filomeno said.
"You're more into the game," said Kate McGurk, a senior of Pennsylvania's Ridley High School. "I feel you're into it and they get your feedback."
McGurk wasn't kidding.
After making the necessary arrangements with Filomeno , McGurk and her senior classmates – wanting to make their final field trip unforgettable – took the field seventh inning and danced with Mr. Trash, a garbage-collecting usher who wears a top hat and a tuxedo.
"We were helping with the trash bag," she said.
Silly, sure, but Filomeno knows – even with the Riversharks standing at a league-best 16-6 – the sideshow often steals the spotlight.
"Our fans come because they want to see the fireworks, they want to see the giveaway, they want to see their child out in the infield singing the anthem," said Filomeno, 26, a Princeton resident. "We put all of our focus on the show.
"If the fans go home and don't know what the score was at the end of the night, we did our jobs during the game."
Every day is some day at Campbell's.
Friday means fireworks, Saturday spins kids around bases, Sunday is for team autographs, Monday has theme Karaoke, Tuesday brings the Bingo crowd and Wednesday is a wildcard, meaning anything from the upcoming "Christmas in July Night" to such gems as "Superhero Night" and "Fear Factor Night."
"We had them [kids] eating preserved duck eggs and chocolate covered bugs," said Filomeno of "Fear Factor Night," basing the concept on the extreme-eating reality show. "It was revolting. The kids signed up for it."
The 'Sharks play the Lancaster Barnstormers during their next home game Monday, June 2, or, as it's known at Campbell's Field, "Salute to Boy Bands Karaoke Night."
Filomeno has curtailed the number of the theme nights last year in favor of the moneymaker: more firework nights.
About 40 percent of fans – an average draw of 3636 according to 2007 data by Ballpark Digest – are new to the Riversharks, Filomeno estimates.
And for all they do to reach out to new fans, the 'Sharks partly have Major League Baseball to thank.
Major League Baseball's average ticket price rose 10.1 percent this year to $25.43, a trend the Philadelphia Phillies have partaken in and one Washington Township resident Michael Petulla cannot grasp.
"From a working-class, blue-collar standpoint, the Phillies are not as comfortable or affordable," said Petulla, 70, who was there for the first time Thursday wife Arlene. "They make an exorbitant amount of money, they get it from the TV, radio, ads and everything they sell … and yet they continue to raise ticket prices every year."
World Series champion Boston Red Sox lead the majors for the 10th straight year in ticket price, averaging $48.80. The New York Yankees, in spirit of Yankee Stadium's final year, have closed the gap on their divisional rival, increasing prices a league-high 18.1 percent for an average of $41.40.
The Phillies charge between $17 and $50 for an individual ticket, according to the team's Web site.
"Your average working Joe definitely cannot afford that and it's a shame because you should be able to take your older kids to a Yankees game," Filomeno said. "And it shouldn't be about 'Well, it's $80 for one ticket.' That's where we come in."
CAMDEN -- Incessant talk of corrupt oilmen, bankrupt industries and a weakening economy can be enough reason to find escape in our national pastime.
Problem is that many can no longer root, root, root for their home team today without breaking their own citizen's bank.
While Major League Baseball has never been so expensive or exclusive, a similar-but-different baseball experience can be cheaply had at Campbell's Field, home of the hometown Camden Riversharks.
With a carousel spinning left of left field, a climbing wall stretching above right and the Ben Franklin Bridge overhanging the warm day, another nine-inning game of nine-on-nine 'ball took center stage Thursday, May 15.
And some of the 5637 fans in attendance barely noticed.
"You get to see a lot of girls walking around, and you get to watch baseball," said Matt Atkinson, 15, elaborating on the girls-and-game answer given by his Delsea Middle School classmate Brendon Hennis. "It's really cool. And we get to be out of school."
Not counting any looks they stole, Atkinson, Hennis and the rest of Mantua resident Catie Jone's class each received a beverage and a hot dog for the $10 admission during the special promotion. Concession prices are about on par with those at Major League Baseball and tickets normally sell for $6 to $12 depending on seat location and game time.
Getting more than she or her kids bargained for, Jones was handed 10-page trivia workbooks to dole out – and then crammed them into her bag before the announcer could reel off a single question, promising to save them "for another day."
Such fan interaction is vital to the life of the eighth-year Riversharks, a professional club that plays in the independent eight-team Atlantic League at a level between the minors' AA and AAA leagues, Filomeno said.
"You're more into the game," said Kate McGurk, a senior of Pennsylvania's Ridley High School. "I feel you're into it and they get your feedback."
McGurk wasn't kidding.
After making the necessary arrangements with Filomeno , McGurk and her senior classmates – wanting to make their final field trip unforgettable – took the field seventh inning and danced with Mr. Trash, a garbage-collecting usher who wears a top hat and a tuxedo.
"We were helping with the trash bag," she said.
Silly, sure, but Filomeno knows – even with the Riversharks standing at a league-best 16-6 – the sideshow often steals the spotlight.
"Our fans come because they want to see the fireworks, they want to see the giveaway, they want to see their child out in the infield singing the anthem," said Filomeno, 26, a Princeton resident. "We put all of our focus on the show.
"If the fans go home and don't know what the score was at the end of the night, we did our jobs during the game."
Every day is some day at Campbell's.
Friday means fireworks, Saturday spins kids around bases, Sunday is for team autographs, Monday has theme Karaoke, Tuesday brings the Bingo crowd and Wednesday is a wildcard, meaning anything from the upcoming "Christmas in July Night" to such gems as "Superhero Night" and "Fear Factor Night."
"We had them [kids] eating preserved duck eggs and chocolate covered bugs," said Filomeno of "Fear Factor Night," basing the concept on the extreme-eating reality show. "It was revolting. The kids signed up for it."
The 'Sharks play the Lancaster Barnstormers during their next home game Monday, June 2, or, as it's known at Campbell's Field, "Salute to Boy Bands Karaoke Night."
Filomeno has curtailed the number of the theme nights last year in favor of the moneymaker: more firework nights.
About 40 percent of fans – an average draw of 3636 according to 2007 data by Ballpark Digest – are new to the Riversharks, Filomeno estimates.
And for all they do to reach out to new fans, the 'Sharks partly have Major League Baseball to thank.
Major League Baseball's average ticket price rose 10.1 percent this year to $25.43, a trend the Philadelphia Phillies have partaken in and one Washington Township resident Michael Petulla cannot grasp.
"From a working-class, blue-collar standpoint, the Phillies are not as comfortable or affordable," said Petulla, 70, who was there for the first time Thursday wife Arlene. "They make an exorbitant amount of money, they get it from the TV, radio, ads and everything they sell … and yet they continue to raise ticket prices every year."
World Series champion Boston Red Sox lead the majors for the 10th straight year in ticket price, averaging $48.80. The New York Yankees, in spirit of Yankee Stadium's final year, have closed the gap on their divisional rival, increasing prices a league-high 18.1 percent for an average of $41.40.
The Phillies charge between $17 and $50 for an individual ticket, according to the team's Web site.
"Your average working Joe definitely cannot afford that and it's a shame because you should be able to take your older kids to a Yankees game," Filomeno said. "And it shouldn't be about 'Well, it's $80 for one ticket.' That's where we come in."
One long jump for Heights' Roundtree
(Pub May 20)
New Heights: Haddon Heights junior Chris Roundtree leaped South Jersey's farthest triple jump this year when he came down 45-3.5 feet later.
Two timers: Haddon Heights Erica Bell won the triple jump in 33-11 and the 100 high hurdles in 15.9. West Deptford sprinter Bryan Johnson won the 100 (10.8) and the 200 (22.4).
Last race: Haddonfield junior Greta Feldman ended the track portion of the meet by catchingHaddon Heights' anchor to win the 4x400 relay in 4:09.4 with teammate Kirsten King, Lisa Bailey and Becky Schafer.
Quote: "I think right now when [Feldman] gets into that race with 200 to go, she's willing to do whatever it takes to try to win it," Russo said. "She really had to fight to make it up. She's really, really tough."
WOODBURY – Looking back on it, Haddon Heights jumper Chris Roundtree knew exactly where it all went right at the Colonial Conference All-Star Meet Monday.
Somewhere between the first and second phase of the triple jump, Roundtree checked off 'Hold' and 'Explode' from his list of things to do.
And after springing himself deep into Woodbury High School's sandpit on his final phase, Roundtree didn't need to dust himself off to know he landed the best jump in South Jersey this year – a 45-3.5.
"I held my second phase longer," said Roundtree, whose previous best was 44-6. "You really don't think about it, but when you do it it's like 'OK, I did that right, I did that right, now I got to finish it up.'
"My coach always tells me my speed, when I turn it up, I go farther. So when I jumped that's what happened."
Lindenwold's Perry Asare was second with an impressive jump of 44-3.25.
Before his triple jump and his fourth jump – the celebratory jump for joy – Roundtree looked well on his way in winning the long jump after sticking a 21-4.75.
But senior teammate AJ Toliver wouldn't allow it, jumping 21-5.25 in his final attempt. After all, Roundtree asked for it, Toliver said.
"He came back and said 'Don't let me beat you,'" Toliver said.
"We always push each other in everything," Roundtree said.
Roundtree thinks this jump will boost his confidence in time for next week's sectionals.
""There're a lot of good guys at sectionals and I just want to win," he said. "I'll look back on this day, and be like 'I just got to beat that.'"
Roundtree also placed third in the 110 high hurdles in 15.0, topped only by the West Deptford duo of Steve Mitchell (14.8) and Kevon Brown (14.9).
West Deptford sprinter Bryan Jackson made his medals clang, winning both the 100 (10.8) and the 200 (22.4) to become the meet's only male double champion.
Although there was no team scoring nor team trophy given in the fourth-year meet, the Haddon Heights' boys and girls brought back the most gold medals, each leading their conference rivals with four wins.
Senior Tartan Erica Bell has two of them and made it a team sweep in the triple jump by outleaping Sterling's Sam Hunger (31-4) with a 33-11 jump. Bell, the only girl double champion, won the 100 high hurdles in 15.9, beating runner-up West Deptford sophomore Magan Kustera (17.1).
The last time Kustera competed in Woodbury, the sophomore cleared a personal-best 5-6 in the high jump, tops among individuals at the Woodbury Relays.
And yet with all her success there, Kustera's expectations hit the floor once she saw a strong gust blow over the high-jump bar.
"I feel like it messed with my head a little," she said. "I was like 'I don't know if I'm going to be able to do this. Even if I do get over, the wind might blow it off or something."
Needing only 4-8 for a share of the win, Kustera managed to clear 5-2. The sophomore credits her training, focus and the guidance of coach Bill Moore, who, if it were up to her, wouldn't be leaning toward retirement after 36 years as head coach.
"This was going to be his last year, but I think I got him to stay for next year," Kustera said, smiling. "Maybe even the year after that."
So how about it, coach? Two more years?
"I can't tell you that far ahead right not," Moore said.
West Deptford freshman Bryanna Williams beat both the school record and runner-up Haddon Heights' Lanie Adams by a tenth of a second when she sprinted 12.2 in the 100.
After winning the open 800 in 2:19.3, Haddonfield junior Greta Feldman anchored her relay team of Kirsten King, Lisa Bailey and Becky Schaffer to a comeback win 4:09.4, making up 10 meters against Haddon Heights' anchor in the last 200.
"I didn't think I was going to catch her," said Feldman, splitting in around 60.0. "Usually my second half is stronger than the first half."
"I think right now when [Feldman] gets into that race with 200 to go, she's willing to do whatever it takes to try to win it," girls' coach Jason Russo said. "She really had to fight to make it up. She's really, really tough."
The Sterling team of Chris Ward, Matt Long, Greg Taylor and Rob Friedman won the 4x400 relay, closing in on the 2002 school record of 3:21.
Although given a nice lead over runner-up Haddon Heights (3:31.7), Friedman split a team-fast 49.8. The junior also held off Paulsboro's Willie Anderson (50.6) in the open 400, winning in 50.4.
Haddon Township runner Eileen O'Mara won the 1,600 easily in 5:25.9.
New Heights: Haddon Heights junior Chris Roundtree leaped South Jersey's farthest triple jump this year when he came down 45-3.5 feet later.
Two timers: Haddon Heights Erica Bell won the triple jump in 33-11 and the 100 high hurdles in 15.9. West Deptford sprinter Bryan Johnson won the 100 (10.8) and the 200 (22.4).
Last race: Haddonfield junior Greta Feldman ended the track portion of the meet by catchingHaddon Heights' anchor to win the 4x400 relay in 4:09.4 with teammate Kirsten King, Lisa Bailey and Becky Schafer.
Quote: "I think right now when [Feldman] gets into that race with 200 to go, she's willing to do whatever it takes to try to win it," Russo said. "She really had to fight to make it up. She's really, really tough."
WOODBURY – Looking back on it, Haddon Heights jumper Chris Roundtree knew exactly where it all went right at the Colonial Conference All-Star Meet Monday.
Somewhere between the first and second phase of the triple jump, Roundtree checked off 'Hold' and 'Explode' from his list of things to do.
And after springing himself deep into Woodbury High School's sandpit on his final phase, Roundtree didn't need to dust himself off to know he landed the best jump in South Jersey this year – a 45-3.5.
"I held my second phase longer," said Roundtree, whose previous best was 44-6. "You really don't think about it, but when you do it it's like 'OK, I did that right, I did that right, now I got to finish it up.'
"My coach always tells me my speed, when I turn it up, I go farther. So when I jumped that's what happened."
Lindenwold's Perry Asare was second with an impressive jump of 44-3.25.
Before his triple jump and his fourth jump – the celebratory jump for joy – Roundtree looked well on his way in winning the long jump after sticking a 21-4.75.
But senior teammate AJ Toliver wouldn't allow it, jumping 21-5.25 in his final attempt. After all, Roundtree asked for it, Toliver said.
"He came back and said 'Don't let me beat you,'" Toliver said.
"We always push each other in everything," Roundtree said.
Roundtree thinks this jump will boost his confidence in time for next week's sectionals.
""There're a lot of good guys at sectionals and I just want to win," he said. "I'll look back on this day, and be like 'I just got to beat that.'"
Roundtree also placed third in the 110 high hurdles in 15.0, topped only by the West Deptford duo of Steve Mitchell (14.8) and Kevon Brown (14.9).
West Deptford sprinter Bryan Jackson made his medals clang, winning both the 100 (10.8) and the 200 (22.4) to become the meet's only male double champion.
Although there was no team scoring nor team trophy given in the fourth-year meet, the Haddon Heights' boys and girls brought back the most gold medals, each leading their conference rivals with four wins.
Senior Tartan Erica Bell has two of them and made it a team sweep in the triple jump by outleaping Sterling's Sam Hunger (31-4) with a 33-11 jump. Bell, the only girl double champion, won the 100 high hurdles in 15.9, beating runner-up West Deptford sophomore Magan Kustera (17.1).
The last time Kustera competed in Woodbury, the sophomore cleared a personal-best 5-6 in the high jump, tops among individuals at the Woodbury Relays.
And yet with all her success there, Kustera's expectations hit the floor once she saw a strong gust blow over the high-jump bar.
"I feel like it messed with my head a little," she said. "I was like 'I don't know if I'm going to be able to do this. Even if I do get over, the wind might blow it off or something."
Needing only 4-8 for a share of the win, Kustera managed to clear 5-2. The sophomore credits her training, focus and the guidance of coach Bill Moore, who, if it were up to her, wouldn't be leaning toward retirement after 36 years as head coach.
"This was going to be his last year, but I think I got him to stay for next year," Kustera said, smiling. "Maybe even the year after that."
So how about it, coach? Two more years?
"I can't tell you that far ahead right not," Moore said.
West Deptford freshman Bryanna Williams beat both the school record and runner-up Haddon Heights' Lanie Adams by a tenth of a second when she sprinted 12.2 in the 100.
After winning the open 800 in 2:19.3, Haddonfield junior Greta Feldman anchored her relay team of Kirsten King, Lisa Bailey and Becky Schaffer to a comeback win 4:09.4, making up 10 meters against Haddon Heights' anchor in the last 200.
"I didn't think I was going to catch her," said Feldman, splitting in around 60.0. "Usually my second half is stronger than the first half."
"I think right now when [Feldman] gets into that race with 200 to go, she's willing to do whatever it takes to try to win it," girls' coach Jason Russo said. "She really had to fight to make it up. She's really, really tough."
The Sterling team of Chris Ward, Matt Long, Greg Taylor and Rob Friedman won the 4x400 relay, closing in on the 2002 school record of 3:21.
Although given a nice lead over runner-up Haddon Heights (3:31.7), Friedman split a team-fast 49.8. The junior also held off Paulsboro's Willie Anderson (50.6) in the open 400, winning in 50.4.
Haddon Township runner Eileen O'Mara won the 1,600 easily in 5:25.9.
Alas, Chiefs king of the county
(Pub May 18)
Winners: The Cherokee boys' team won its first county championship in its 33-year school history by scoring in all but two events for a 111.5 point total. The Lenape girls' team defended its championship, winning six events and placing in all but four for an 89-point beating.
Sophomore doubles: Sophomores Shawnee's David Forward and Lenape's Caitlin Orr each won the 1,600 and the 3,200.
Quote: "I just wanted for me and [teammate Erika Griffth] to get a good seed time for sectionals," Orr said of the 1,600. "The game plan was to stay with whoever wanted to lead. "
MAPLE SHADE -- The Burlington County Open turned 70 Saturday and the Cherokee boys' team made it a pre-season priority to be there to celebrate.
The Chiefs have made the trip to the meet's Maple Shade location the last 14 years, and before that, met wherever the competition was since establishing themselves in 1975.
But the Chiefs have never come so far as they did Saturday, improving upon fourth-place finishes their previous two years to win their first county championship ever, outscoring runner-up Northern Burlington by 59.5 points to win with 111.5 points.
Although the Chiefs never trailed after the first event, coach Steve Shaklee said they won this championship from behind, claiming only two events – both starring senior Chris Steliga – but scoring in all but two of the meet's 16 events.
"It was a definitely an overall team effort and that's what makes it so rewarding because, other than [Chris Steliga], we don't really have superstar athletes," Shaklee said. "They just nickel and dime you to death.
"Thirds, fourths, fifths, it all adds up. And if you do that in enough events you win a meet."
Steliga leaped 22-3.5 to win the long jump and collected two of Cherokee's four silver medals in the 400 (50.1) and the triple jump (41-4.25) all before coming back to anchor the 4x400 relay team of Kevin Merrigan, Niraj Patel and Will Rapp to a 3:25.96 come-back win, catching front-running Burlington Township with a 49.6 split.
"He's like a one-man team," Shaklee said of the senior.
Despite clinching the meet before the 4x400 finale, the relay team was still pressed to perform by coach Chris Callahan.
"He wanted us to go in with a winning mindset, to walk away as champions but to be completely honest, we all felt like total crap," Steliga said, laughing. "My legs were shot and I'm thinking like 'I don't wanna do this.' I get the baton in second and I'm like 'Great, now I actually have to do some work."
Senior runners Alex Yersak scored major points in the distance events, taking second in the 3,200 (9:36.14) and third in the 1,600 (4:30.4), just ahead of teammates Kevin Schlicking and Steve Burkeholder and behind winner Shawnee sophomore David Forward (4:26 .8) and runner-up Lenape junior Ryan Garvin (4:27.53)
After winning the 3,200 in an outdoor-best 9:29.11, Forward passed Garvin with about 300 to go in the 1,600 and managed to hold off the fleet junior on the homestretch. Teammate Ian Boyle won the 800 in a personal-best 1:58.0, passing Cinnaminson's Kenny Hoff (1:59.0) along the outside lane of the final bend.
Willingboro senior sprinter Tyrone McRae was the other male athlete to double victories, taking the 200 (22.38) and the 400 (49.57)
Thanks partly to wins by Cherokee's high hurdler Rachel Montague (14.91) and discus thrower Erika Cotton (104-3), the Lenape girls trailed 42-41 after six events, but won five of the next 10 en route to their second straight county championship, beating Seneca (57) and Cherokee (54) with 146 points.
Sophomore Caitlin Orr and senior Erika Griffith started the Indians' party, going 1,2 in the 3,200.
Orr later coupled her 11:31.18 win with a gutsy 5:13.68 performance in the 1,600, one in which an early kick – to stave off Moorestown's tandem of Allison Tetreault and Brianna Rogers -- slowed to a crawl.
"I poured it on so much with 300 to go, and I couldn't keep it. I could barely move," Orr said, smiling. "I don't know whether [Tetreault] was right behind me, but I heard [distance coach Jack] Walsh yelling at me, 'Go, Caitlin.' And I was like 'Oh, God' so I really just tried to go."
Senior Lindsey Walsh won the high jump with a modest 5-2 win, but was challenged on the second leg of the 4x400 relay.
After lead-off runner Mikki Livingston gave Walsh the lead, a Willingboro runner pushed the boundaries of sportsmanship by pushing Walsh off track, literally, a foul that went uncalled.
"It fueled me to finish the last half of the race," Walsh said.
Walsh remained focused, speeding past the runner with 200 meters left to give a lead that neither teammates Brianna Beddall nor Moira Cunningham would relinquish, winning in 4:01.53.
Walsh looked at the bigger picture of the championship.
"We're just trying to start a tradition so that even when we're gone, everyone else is still keeping the program strong," she said. "We want to make ourselves known throughout the state. You gotta start somewhere."
Northern Burlington senior jumper Ariel Woodard-Stephens was the only athlete not from Lenape to pair wins, taking the triple jump (35-9) and long jump (16-3.5), the latter achieved in a fewer number of jumps than done by runner-up Lenape senior Dana Cataldo.
Winners: The Cherokee boys' team won its first county championship in its 33-year school history by scoring in all but two events for a 111.5 point total. The Lenape girls' team defended its championship, winning six events and placing in all but four for an 89-point beating.
Sophomore doubles: Sophomores Shawnee's David Forward and Lenape's Caitlin Orr each won the 1,600 and the 3,200.
Quote: "I just wanted for me and [teammate Erika Griffth] to get a good seed time for sectionals," Orr said of the 1,600. "The game plan was to stay with whoever wanted to lead. "
MAPLE SHADE -- The Burlington County Open turned 70 Saturday and the Cherokee boys' team made it a pre-season priority to be there to celebrate.
The Chiefs have made the trip to the meet's Maple Shade location the last 14 years, and before that, met wherever the competition was since establishing themselves in 1975.
But the Chiefs have never come so far as they did Saturday, improving upon fourth-place finishes their previous two years to win their first county championship ever, outscoring runner-up Northern Burlington by 59.5 points to win with 111.5 points.
Although the Chiefs never trailed after the first event, coach Steve Shaklee said they won this championship from behind, claiming only two events – both starring senior Chris Steliga – but scoring in all but two of the meet's 16 events.
"It was a definitely an overall team effort and that's what makes it so rewarding because, other than [Chris Steliga], we don't really have superstar athletes," Shaklee said. "They just nickel and dime you to death.
"Thirds, fourths, fifths, it all adds up. And if you do that in enough events you win a meet."
Steliga leaped 22-3.5 to win the long jump and collected two of Cherokee's four silver medals in the 400 (50.1) and the triple jump (41-4.25) all before coming back to anchor the 4x400 relay team of Kevin Merrigan, Niraj Patel and Will Rapp to a 3:25.96 come-back win, catching front-running Burlington Township with a 49.6 split.
"He's like a one-man team," Shaklee said of the senior.
Despite clinching the meet before the 4x400 finale, the relay team was still pressed to perform by coach Chris Callahan.
"He wanted us to go in with a winning mindset, to walk away as champions but to be completely honest, we all felt like total crap," Steliga said, laughing. "My legs were shot and I'm thinking like 'I don't wanna do this.' I get the baton in second and I'm like 'Great, now I actually have to do some work."
Senior runners Alex Yersak scored major points in the distance events, taking second in the 3,200 (9:36.14) and third in the 1,600 (4:30.4), just ahead of teammates Kevin Schlicking and Steve Burkeholder and behind winner Shawnee sophomore David Forward (4:26 .8) and runner-up Lenape junior Ryan Garvin (4:27.53)
After winning the 3,200 in an outdoor-best 9:29.11, Forward passed Garvin with about 300 to go in the 1,600 and managed to hold off the fleet junior on the homestretch. Teammate Ian Boyle won the 800 in a personal-best 1:58.0, passing Cinnaminson's Kenny Hoff (1:59.0) along the outside lane of the final bend.
Willingboro senior sprinter Tyrone McRae was the other male athlete to double victories, taking the 200 (22.38) and the 400 (49.57)
Thanks partly to wins by Cherokee's high hurdler Rachel Montague (14.91) and discus thrower Erika Cotton (104-3), the Lenape girls trailed 42-41 after six events, but won five of the next 10 en route to their second straight county championship, beating Seneca (57) and Cherokee (54) with 146 points.
Sophomore Caitlin Orr and senior Erika Griffith started the Indians' party, going 1,2 in the 3,200.
Orr later coupled her 11:31.18 win with a gutsy 5:13.68 performance in the 1,600, one in which an early kick – to stave off Moorestown's tandem of Allison Tetreault and Brianna Rogers -- slowed to a crawl.
"I poured it on so much with 300 to go, and I couldn't keep it. I could barely move," Orr said, smiling. "I don't know whether [Tetreault] was right behind me, but I heard [distance coach Jack] Walsh yelling at me, 'Go, Caitlin.' And I was like 'Oh, God' so I really just tried to go."
Senior Lindsey Walsh won the high jump with a modest 5-2 win, but was challenged on the second leg of the 4x400 relay.
After lead-off runner Mikki Livingston gave Walsh the lead, a Willingboro runner pushed the boundaries of sportsmanship by pushing Walsh off track, literally, a foul that went uncalled.
"It fueled me to finish the last half of the race," Walsh said.
Walsh remained focused, speeding past the runner with 200 meters left to give a lead that neither teammates Brianna Beddall nor Moira Cunningham would relinquish, winning in 4:01.53.
Walsh looked at the bigger picture of the championship.
"We're just trying to start a tradition so that even when we're gone, everyone else is still keeping the program strong," she said. "We want to make ourselves known throughout the state. You gotta start somewhere."
Northern Burlington senior jumper Ariel Woodard-Stephens was the only athlete not from Lenape to pair wins, taking the triple jump (35-9) and long jump (16-3.5), the latter achieved in a fewer number of jumps than done by runner-up Lenape senior Dana Cataldo.
NB: Suk kept same approach when approaching milestone
(Pub May 17)
Last spring Williamstown ended its streak of 14 winning seasons by going 2-4. Had a couple contests gone in the Braves' favor, coach Mark Suk would've celebrated more than just the 15th-season milestone.
The head coach entered his 19th season stuck on 99 wins and remained stuck after losing to Delsea and Kingsway.
But on April 21 against Clearview, Williamstown -- fueled by a decent distance group led by senior Mike Esperanzate -- helped Suk reach the mark with a win.
The significance of the team's first win was rumored before the season, but Esperanzate and his teammates were made sure of it by Suk himself.
"He said, 'You guys have the chance to beat them and that would be my 100th win,'" Esperanzate said.
After losing to Highland and beating Cumberland, Suk has a career record of 101-55 and a season record of 2-3.
Some of Suk's career highlights include watching 1998 grad Aaron Pedrick win the Group 3 state title in the pole vault (14-6) and 2001 grad Kevin Fitzpatrick bring home the Group 3 state title in the javelin (192-11).
During his career's rougher patches, Suk finds escape in the remembrance of Fitzpatrick and of that 2001 team – the only Braves crew that's won the Gloucester County meet.
"It was pleasure and joy working with him[Fitzpatrick]," Suk said. "He did a lot for the school that year. "Those memories stick together for a lifetime and when things don't go well, I look back on that season."
Suk hopes his Braves can stop the losing streak at one season with a win over Deptford Monday. No matter the Braves' ups and downs, Esperanzate needs to only look at his coach for consistency.
"His attitude never changes. He's always positive," the captain said. "He has faith in us. He always says no matter how tough a team is, if we do our best we couldn't go down being happier, at the least. And if we do well we have a chance to beat them. Always."
Johnson aims high
Before the season, Ocean City coach Matt Purdue handed each of his athletes a questionnaire asking "What do you want to do for the season?"
The answer was easy for runner Brett Johnson.
"For every record I put a second below," said Johnson, fully aware of 2003 grad John Richardson's 1:51 half mile and 4:09 mile marks, adding "except for the mile – there I'm shooting for 4:02 or 4:03. That's obviously up there and I don't know if that's achievable, but I'm my biggest critic. I'm always shooting for the stars."
As the season winds down, Johnson and his North Jersey rivals, namely Manalapan's Robby Andrews and Hillsborough's Jason Walton (1:51.8 split in 800), are expected to go toe-to-toe-to-toe in a race that has the makings of a record breaker. Johnson can't wait.
"South Jersey has great competition," Johnson said. "But I always feel though I can't consider myself the best until I've gone up and beaten the best.
"If me, Walton and Andrews get to run in the 800 and possibly the mile, well, I'm not going to lie, I'm excited. But for now, I just want to take it one race at a time. Hopefully it will match the hype that everyone is pumping it up to be."
Roomies
Two of South Jersey's fastest long-distance runners will be flying down Hawk Hill next fall as both teammates and roommates.
Following the winter footsteps of Ocean City senior Ryan Birchmeier, Camden Catholic senior Kevin McDonnell has also committed to Saint Joseph University.
The duo has a few things in common going in; each runner has experienced dazzling personal bests and devastating injuries during his senior campaign; both sharpened their kicks into assets; both reside seaside during the summer, McDonnell as a lifeguard.
This reporter also heard Birchmeier – who is out for the spring with a torn hamstring – can cook more than just Top Ramen and Pop Tarts.
The tandem will learn under Paul VI coaching legend Mike Glavin and run alongside South Jersey alum Justin Heinze of Haddonfield and Stephen Young of Holy Cross, both college seniors for the 2008-09 season.
Army/Navy tough
Holy Cross seniors Mike Sheehan and Frank Allen are teammates today and they'll fight for the same team after graduation, in every way outside of collegiate rivalries, at least.
An elite distance runner, Sheehan will be at the Annapolis Naval Academy by late July. A maturing thrower, Allen is headed to West Point Acamedy to fight for his country, continue a family tradition and possibly play some offensive line for Army's football team.
Both enlisted in the military, both committed to continuing track, both Allen and Sheehan should be saluted.
As for Sheehan's status at states or any point this spring: doubtful. As fierce a competitor as there is, Sheehan, who injured himself while running a 3,200 two weeks ago, is resting up to make sure he passes the military's July physical.
The Pole-sters
The Boys' Indoor Athlete of the Year suddenly does not look as dominate.
Although West Deptford pole vaulter Dan Batdorf has not taken second to anyone this spring, that could change given the progress made by some state vaulters.
Toms River North senior Rick Villanova has cleared 15-0 this spring and Highland junior Eddie Zubrzycki set the Tri-County Conference meet record when he cleared a personal-best 14-6.5 Thursday.
Batdorf beat runner-up Villanova by a foot at the Indoor Meet of Champions when he arched a personal-best 15-6. Zubrzycki is the last in-state vaulter to top Batdorf, having done so in the beginning of the indoor season when Batdorf was still nursing a sprained right ankle.
Throwing up
While Washington Township shot putter Kwabena Keene scratches his way to the 60 feet milestone, other throwers from South Jersey – even from his own school – are closing in to his.
Keene won the Olympic Conference meet shot put (58-1) Wednesday pretty easily, but gone are the days where 50 feet would win it.
Pennsauken's Joseph Carmichael threw a personal-best 54-3 and Washington Township senior David Helterbrand took third with a hurl of 51-7.
Notables
In an 86-54 loss to Vineland, Absegami senior Geoff Navarro won the 100 (10.7), 200 (21.8) and 400 (48.6).
Winslow Township senior Barry Cephas needed to split 48.2 on the final lap to keep the Eagles' varsity 4x400 relay team undefeated in the state.
Cinnaminson junior Todd Campbell looked strong at the Burlington League Division meet last Saturday, winning the Liberty Division's 3,200 convincingly in a personal-best 9:48.6.
Haddonfield sophomore Colin Baker had a nice double at the Camden County meet, winning the Division 1 1,600 in 4:25.5 and finishing second to teammate Boo Vitez (9:43.7) in the 3,200 in 9:55.9.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jason Howitt
Highland
Senior
Events: Hurdles/Sprints/Jumps/Pole vault
Achievements: Howitt, a nine-event athlete, has stepped up time and time again for the No.1 ranked Tartans, winners of the Royal Division champs after beating Kingsway 84-56 Tuesday. Howitt scored 20 points and won three events in the clincher, including the 110 high hurdles (14.7), the 400 intermediate hurdles (56.4) and the hard-fought triple jump (42-9). Last Saturday in Division 2 of the Camden County Championship, the co-captain racked up three bronzes -- one off a personal-best 55.3 performance in the intermediate hurdles – and placed fourth in the high jump to help the Tartans win Division 2 with 108 points. At the Tri-County meet Thursday, the Temple University-bound senior won silvers in both hurdle events and the 4x400 relay, the latter anchored by Howitt in 50.2.
Comment: "I knew once I saw my first track meet [while in middle school] that I wanted to do it all," Howitt said. "I pride myself on being an all-around athlete. I take after my dad. And I absolutely love the sport. I love my teammates and coaches. I love making them proud." Said coach Bob Wagner: "He was just Superman again. He just does so much and I don't know if anyone knows who he is. We never know in a meet where we're putting him."
Last spring Williamstown ended its streak of 14 winning seasons by going 2-4. Had a couple contests gone in the Braves' favor, coach Mark Suk would've celebrated more than just the 15th-season milestone.
The head coach entered his 19th season stuck on 99 wins and remained stuck after losing to Delsea and Kingsway.
But on April 21 against Clearview, Williamstown -- fueled by a decent distance group led by senior Mike Esperanzate -- helped Suk reach the mark with a win.
The significance of the team's first win was rumored before the season, but Esperanzate and his teammates were made sure of it by Suk himself.
"He said, 'You guys have the chance to beat them and that would be my 100th win,'" Esperanzate said.
After losing to Highland and beating Cumberland, Suk has a career record of 101-55 and a season record of 2-3.
Some of Suk's career highlights include watching 1998 grad Aaron Pedrick win the Group 3 state title in the pole vault (14-6) and 2001 grad Kevin Fitzpatrick bring home the Group 3 state title in the javelin (192-11).
During his career's rougher patches, Suk finds escape in the remembrance of Fitzpatrick and of that 2001 team – the only Braves crew that's won the Gloucester County meet.
"It was pleasure and joy working with him[Fitzpatrick]," Suk said. "He did a lot for the school that year. "Those memories stick together for a lifetime and when things don't go well, I look back on that season."
Suk hopes his Braves can stop the losing streak at one season with a win over Deptford Monday. No matter the Braves' ups and downs, Esperanzate needs to only look at his coach for consistency.
"His attitude never changes. He's always positive," the captain said. "He has faith in us. He always says no matter how tough a team is, if we do our best we couldn't go down being happier, at the least. And if we do well we have a chance to beat them. Always."
Johnson aims high
Before the season, Ocean City coach Matt Purdue handed each of his athletes a questionnaire asking "What do you want to do for the season?"
The answer was easy for runner Brett Johnson.
"For every record I put a second below," said Johnson, fully aware of 2003 grad John Richardson's 1:51 half mile and 4:09 mile marks, adding "except for the mile – there I'm shooting for 4:02 or 4:03. That's obviously up there and I don't know if that's achievable, but I'm my biggest critic. I'm always shooting for the stars."
As the season winds down, Johnson and his North Jersey rivals, namely Manalapan's Robby Andrews and Hillsborough's Jason Walton (1:51.8 split in 800), are expected to go toe-to-toe-to-toe in a race that has the makings of a record breaker. Johnson can't wait.
"South Jersey has great competition," Johnson said. "But I always feel though I can't consider myself the best until I've gone up and beaten the best.
"If me, Walton and Andrews get to run in the 800 and possibly the mile, well, I'm not going to lie, I'm excited. But for now, I just want to take it one race at a time. Hopefully it will match the hype that everyone is pumping it up to be."
Roomies
Two of South Jersey's fastest long-distance runners will be flying down Hawk Hill next fall as both teammates and roommates.
Following the winter footsteps of Ocean City senior Ryan Birchmeier, Camden Catholic senior Kevin McDonnell has also committed to Saint Joseph University.
The duo has a few things in common going in; each runner has experienced dazzling personal bests and devastating injuries during his senior campaign; both sharpened their kicks into assets; both reside seaside during the summer, McDonnell as a lifeguard.
This reporter also heard Birchmeier – who is out for the spring with a torn hamstring – can cook more than just Top Ramen and Pop Tarts.
The tandem will learn under Paul VI coaching legend Mike Glavin and run alongside South Jersey alum Justin Heinze of Haddonfield and Stephen Young of Holy Cross, both college seniors for the 2008-09 season.
Army/Navy tough
Holy Cross seniors Mike Sheehan and Frank Allen are teammates today and they'll fight for the same team after graduation, in every way outside of collegiate rivalries, at least.
An elite distance runner, Sheehan will be at the Annapolis Naval Academy by late July. A maturing thrower, Allen is headed to West Point Acamedy to fight for his country, continue a family tradition and possibly play some offensive line for Army's football team.
Both enlisted in the military, both committed to continuing track, both Allen and Sheehan should be saluted.
As for Sheehan's status at states or any point this spring: doubtful. As fierce a competitor as there is, Sheehan, who injured himself while running a 3,200 two weeks ago, is resting up to make sure he passes the military's July physical.
The Pole-sters
The Boys' Indoor Athlete of the Year suddenly does not look as dominate.
Although West Deptford pole vaulter Dan Batdorf has not taken second to anyone this spring, that could change given the progress made by some state vaulters.
Toms River North senior Rick Villanova has cleared 15-0 this spring and Highland junior Eddie Zubrzycki set the Tri-County Conference meet record when he cleared a personal-best 14-6.5 Thursday.
Batdorf beat runner-up Villanova by a foot at the Indoor Meet of Champions when he arched a personal-best 15-6. Zubrzycki is the last in-state vaulter to top Batdorf, having done so in the beginning of the indoor season when Batdorf was still nursing a sprained right ankle.
Throwing up
While Washington Township shot putter Kwabena Keene scratches his way to the 60 feet milestone, other throwers from South Jersey – even from his own school – are closing in to his.
Keene won the Olympic Conference meet shot put (58-1) Wednesday pretty easily, but gone are the days where 50 feet would win it.
Pennsauken's Joseph Carmichael threw a personal-best 54-3 and Washington Township senior David Helterbrand took third with a hurl of 51-7.
Notables
In an 86-54 loss to Vineland, Absegami senior Geoff Navarro won the 100 (10.7), 200 (21.8) and 400 (48.6).
Winslow Township senior Barry Cephas needed to split 48.2 on the final lap to keep the Eagles' varsity 4x400 relay team undefeated in the state.
Cinnaminson junior Todd Campbell looked strong at the Burlington League Division meet last Saturday, winning the Liberty Division's 3,200 convincingly in a personal-best 9:48.6.
Haddonfield sophomore Colin Baker had a nice double at the Camden County meet, winning the Division 1 1,600 in 4:25.5 and finishing second to teammate Boo Vitez (9:43.7) in the 3,200 in 9:55.9.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jason Howitt
Highland
Senior
Events: Hurdles/Sprints/Jumps/Pole vault
Achievements: Howitt, a nine-event athlete, has stepped up time and time again for the No.1 ranked Tartans, winners of the Royal Division champs after beating Kingsway 84-56 Tuesday. Howitt scored 20 points and won three events in the clincher, including the 110 high hurdles (14.7), the 400 intermediate hurdles (56.4) and the hard-fought triple jump (42-9). Last Saturday in Division 2 of the Camden County Championship, the co-captain racked up three bronzes -- one off a personal-best 55.3 performance in the intermediate hurdles – and placed fourth in the high jump to help the Tartans win Division 2 with 108 points. At the Tri-County meet Thursday, the Temple University-bound senior won silvers in both hurdle events and the 4x400 relay, the latter anchored by Howitt in 50.2.
Comment: "I knew once I saw my first track meet [while in middle school] that I wanted to do it all," Howitt said. "I pride myself on being an all-around athlete. I take after my dad. And I absolutely love the sport. I love my teammates and coaches. I love making them proud." Said coach Bob Wagner: "He was just Superman again. He just does so much and I don't know if anyone knows who he is. We never know in a meet where we're putting him."
Anxious McDonnell staves off Forward at All-Star Meet
(Pub May 15)
Broken record: Seneca sophomore Michelle Brown was the only record breaker of the day, running a personal-best 55. 19 to break the 1992 mark of 56.0.
Fraction does it: Junior Xavier Fraction (1:56.67), whose status was in question after pulling his right hamstring during a recent practice, won the 800 in 1:56.67 with an impressive finish, blowing by the lead runner convincingly with 200 to go.
Quote: "I thought he had it but then I saw his arms and legs give, you know, body language," Fraction said. "He spent himself the first 600 meters and slowed down. I said to myself 'Why wait to move with 150 [meters] left?' so I just went then."
PENNSAUKEN—Camden Catholic senior Kevin McDonnell's heart was racing hours before the Olympic Conference All-Star Meet.
The anticipation of running possibly his last high school 1,600, coupled with the anxiety of going toe-to-toe with Shawnee super sophomore David Forward, had the Saint Joseph University-bound senior squirming in his chair, looking to the skies – or up at the classroom ceiling -- when taking a religion test Wednesday.
"I just looked at the paper and it'd be like 'What does Pentecost mean?'" McDonnell said, "and I'm like 'I got to race Forward today.'"
McDonnell doesn't know how he scored on the test, but, if nothing else, McDonnell passed his competition the moment he left the line, blitzing the field in a 61-second opening lap.
Thanks to a 20 meter lead and a 62-second final lap, McDonnell was able to stave off a closing Forward and avoid déjà vu of his South Jersey Open meltdown, finishing in a personal-best 4:19.13. Forward placed second, but can leave Pennsauken High knowing he achieved his sophomore goal of breaking 4:20 by finishing in 4:19.77.
"Kevin just went for it in the beginning," Forward said. "It was a really gutsy race. I'm glad he did because he pulled a lot of guys to a fast time."
"I really wanted this one today and to really get a 'W' in the mile too," said McDonnell, who is considering forgoing the 1,600 for the 3,200 at sectionals. "It's definitely a confidence booster."
In the girls' 1,600, Shawnee freshman Casey Doyle outlasted Seneca's Nicole McGrainer (5:09.18), winning in 5:08.4.
Seneca sophomore Michelle Brown was the only record breaker of the day, running a personal-best 55. 19 to break the 1992 mark of 56.0.
As well as she ran, Brown is kicking herself for her kick, one in which the clock –yes, the ol' distracting clock -- might have slowed her down.
I was looking at the clock, and was like 'OK, I'm going to get a good time' but I really wasn't finishing through," Brown said. "I'm still happy with it."
The unbeaten-in-New Jersey streak of Winslow Township's 4x400 relay team of Gerald Stephens-Holland, Davis McNeil, Barry Cephas and Eric Smith was in jeopardy heading into the bell lap.
Smith, who was substituting in for Darin Washington -- who was busy competing at the conflicting long jump – handed the baton to Cephas in a distant fifth place.
It was a strange spot for the Eagles to be, but Cephas was not rattled, splitting a 48.2 anchor lap to keep the streak alive with a 3:22.9 finish.
Although Cherokee senior Chris Steliga had cameras flashing with his final lap, which pulled the Chiefs to second in a season-best 4:23.14, Cephas was more concerned with Camden's closer during the top of the straightaway
"I know I had it in me," said the senior, who finished second to teammate Washington (10.91) in the 100. "But I thought he had me when we pulled up even at the curve."
No matter the gender competing, Washington Township owned the 400 intermediate hurdles with junior Tim Carey winning in 56.44 and senior Jackie Dim winning in 62.47.
Senior thrower Kwabena Keene won the shot put with a toss of 58-1 and placed second to Timber Creek sophomore Matt Huckabee (143-6) in the discus, something the sophomore conceived was possible only until the final throw.
"I didn't think I could do it at first, but during the last flight I knew I won," he said.
Teammate Montez Blair was the meet's only double male champion, winning the high jump (6-6) and the triple jump in a personal-best 43-8.5, outrulering Camden's Wayne Walls (43-8.25).
While that was the closest jump, Cherry Hill East senior Chantz Powell won the meet's closest race, edging Camden sophomore Syteek Farrington (14.61) in the 110 hurdles by one hundredth of a second, finishing in 14.60.
Reach Steve Wood at swood@courierpostonline.com.
Broken record: Seneca sophomore Michelle Brown was the only record breaker of the day, running a personal-best 55. 19 to break the 1992 mark of 56.0.
Fraction does it: Junior Xavier Fraction (1:56.67), whose status was in question after pulling his right hamstring during a recent practice, won the 800 in 1:56.67 with an impressive finish, blowing by the lead runner convincingly with 200 to go.
Quote: "I thought he had it but then I saw his arms and legs give, you know, body language," Fraction said. "He spent himself the first 600 meters and slowed down. I said to myself 'Why wait to move with 150 [meters] left?' so I just went then."
PENNSAUKEN—Camden Catholic senior Kevin McDonnell's heart was racing hours before the Olympic Conference All-Star Meet.
The anticipation of running possibly his last high school 1,600, coupled with the anxiety of going toe-to-toe with Shawnee super sophomore David Forward, had the Saint Joseph University-bound senior squirming in his chair, looking to the skies – or up at the classroom ceiling -- when taking a religion test Wednesday.
"I just looked at the paper and it'd be like 'What does Pentecost mean?'" McDonnell said, "and I'm like 'I got to race Forward today.'"
McDonnell doesn't know how he scored on the test, but, if nothing else, McDonnell passed his competition the moment he left the line, blitzing the field in a 61-second opening lap.
Thanks to a 20 meter lead and a 62-second final lap, McDonnell was able to stave off a closing Forward and avoid déjà vu of his South Jersey Open meltdown, finishing in a personal-best 4:19.13. Forward placed second, but can leave Pennsauken High knowing he achieved his sophomore goal of breaking 4:20 by finishing in 4:19.77.
"Kevin just went for it in the beginning," Forward said. "It was a really gutsy race. I'm glad he did because he pulled a lot of guys to a fast time."
"I really wanted this one today and to really get a 'W' in the mile too," said McDonnell, who is considering forgoing the 1,600 for the 3,200 at sectionals. "It's definitely a confidence booster."
In the girls' 1,600, Shawnee freshman Casey Doyle outlasted Seneca's Nicole McGrainer (5:09.18), winning in 5:08.4.
Seneca sophomore Michelle Brown was the only record breaker of the day, running a personal-best 55. 19 to break the 1992 mark of 56.0.
As well as she ran, Brown is kicking herself for her kick, one in which the clock –yes, the ol' distracting clock -- might have slowed her down.
I was looking at the clock, and was like 'OK, I'm going to get a good time' but I really wasn't finishing through," Brown said. "I'm still happy with it."
The unbeaten-in-New Jersey streak of Winslow Township's 4x400 relay team of Gerald Stephens-Holland, Davis McNeil, Barry Cephas and Eric Smith was in jeopardy heading into the bell lap.
Smith, who was substituting in for Darin Washington -- who was busy competing at the conflicting long jump – handed the baton to Cephas in a distant fifth place.
It was a strange spot for the Eagles to be, but Cephas was not rattled, splitting a 48.2 anchor lap to keep the streak alive with a 3:22.9 finish.
Although Cherokee senior Chris Steliga had cameras flashing with his final lap, which pulled the Chiefs to second in a season-best 4:23.14, Cephas was more concerned with Camden's closer during the top of the straightaway
"I know I had it in me," said the senior, who finished second to teammate Washington (10.91) in the 100. "But I thought he had me when we pulled up even at the curve."
No matter the gender competing, Washington Township owned the 400 intermediate hurdles with junior Tim Carey winning in 56.44 and senior Jackie Dim winning in 62.47.
Senior thrower Kwabena Keene won the shot put with a toss of 58-1 and placed second to Timber Creek sophomore Matt Huckabee (143-6) in the discus, something the sophomore conceived was possible only until the final throw.
"I didn't think I could do it at first, but during the last flight I knew I won," he said.
Teammate Montez Blair was the meet's only double male champion, winning the high jump (6-6) and the triple jump in a personal-best 43-8.5, outrulering Camden's Wayne Walls (43-8.25).
While that was the closest jump, Cherry Hill East senior Chantz Powell won the meet's closest race, edging Camden sophomore Syteek Farrington (14.61) in the 110 hurdles by one hundredth of a second, finishing in 14.60.
Reach Steve Wood at swood@courierpostonline.com.
Cherokee duo makes quick work at Lenape Districts
(Whoops, pub May 9)
Hail to the Sprints: Cherokee sprinters Kevin Merrigan, Will Rapp and Niraj Patel nearly swept the 100. Merrigan won in 11.21, Rapp followed in 11.31 and Patel finished fourth in 11.50.
Early dominance: Lead by a number of athletes, including throwers Jennifer Houghton and Andrea Leach, the Lenape girls' team swept four of the meet's first seven events.
Quote: "I like [this meet] because you get to see who's in your district and how you stack up," Leach said.
DELRAN -- Only until Cherokee sprinters Kevin Merrigan and Will Rapp left the baseball diamond did they really start to shine.
Both former junior varsity outfielders, Merrigan and Rapp have found greener pastures on whichever track they run, and the one at Seneca High, host of the Lenape Regional High School Districts meet Thursday, was no exception.
The duo went 1, 2 in the 100 – Merrigan winning in 11.22 – to help give the Chiefs, a team not known for its sprinters in recent years, a real force.
Merrigan was not accustomed to seeing positive numbers on the score sheet.
"I hit all right and my fielding, well it wasn't that good, so I didn't really standout," the Monmouth University-bound senior said. "Not like track where I could excel and compete with the top athletes in South Jersey."
The Chiefs have undergone a major transformation in the sprinting department this year. While Merrigan debuted in track last spring, joining marquee multi-athlete Chris Steliga, he recruited Rapp (11.31) this year.
And senior Niraj Patel, who was known as best sprinter on the 2007 junior varsity squad, is now known by coach Steve Shaklee as one of the Chiefs' most improved athletes, evident of his fourth-place finish in the 100 (11.5).
And their newfound depth was flexed last Saturday at the South Jersey Relays when the Chiefs' foursome punched their ticket to the North Carolina-based Nationals by meeting the 4x100 standard of 42.9, spiraling to a team-best 42.81.
"We know what we're capable of and we're capable of a lot because of all the hard work we put in," Merrigan said.
The 100 was one of many events the Chiefs excelled in Thursday. Junior Major Mobley won the 110 hurdles in 15.31 and senior Kevin Schlicking took second in the 1,500 in 4:13.08.
Shawnee sophomore David Forward entered the 1,500 wanting to couple his strong finish with an equally strong start.
Forward said he felt like he was on his first-lap target pace of 64 seconds after 300 meters, but the watch said otherwise, clocking him at 68 seconds after 400.
Despite the slow start, the sophomore broke free from the pack after another lap to finish in a meet-record 4:06.41.
"I should just sprint the first lap next time," Forward said, smiling. "But that's something I've been trying to practice on, getting out faster."
Not counting its dominant win in the 4x800, ran in 9:35:43 by the quartet of Carmen Delph, Miya Johnson, Allie Richman and Brianna Beddall, the Lenape girls' team swept four of the meet's first seven events.
Lenape's throwing duo of senior Jen Houghton and junior Andrea Leach flourished in the field, sweeping the shot put and individually setting meet records in two events; Houghton in the shot put (37-10) and Leach in the discus (33-3).
"I like [this meet] because you get to see who's in your district and how you stack up," said Leach, who also threw 33-3 for second in the shot put.
Turns out the Indians stack up well and girls' throwing coach Steve Lee knows why.
"They work hard and they know what it takes to compete," Lee said of Houghton and Leach. "They respond week in and week out."
Doing their best to break up the Indian's early monopoly, Cherokee's Rachel Montague won the 110 hurdles in 15.18 and Seneca's Michelle Brown took the 400 in 57.58.
The Lenape boys also fared well and no one better than junior Ryan Garvin. After anchoring the 4x800 relay team of Corey Halloway, Corey Halloway and Hayes Rainier to victory and to a season-best time of 8:18.09, Garvin came back in the open 800, outlasting Shawnee senior Ian Boyle by running a meet-record 1:59.
Hail to the Sprints: Cherokee sprinters Kevin Merrigan, Will Rapp and Niraj Patel nearly swept the 100. Merrigan won in 11.21, Rapp followed in 11.31 and Patel finished fourth in 11.50.
Early dominance: Lead by a number of athletes, including throwers Jennifer Houghton and Andrea Leach, the Lenape girls' team swept four of the meet's first seven events.
Quote: "I like [this meet] because you get to see who's in your district and how you stack up," Leach said.
DELRAN -- Only until Cherokee sprinters Kevin Merrigan and Will Rapp left the baseball diamond did they really start to shine.
Both former junior varsity outfielders, Merrigan and Rapp have found greener pastures on whichever track they run, and the one at Seneca High, host of the Lenape Regional High School Districts meet Thursday, was no exception.
The duo went 1, 2 in the 100 – Merrigan winning in 11.22 – to help give the Chiefs, a team not known for its sprinters in recent years, a real force.
Merrigan was not accustomed to seeing positive numbers on the score sheet.
"I hit all right and my fielding, well it wasn't that good, so I didn't really standout," the Monmouth University-bound senior said. "Not like track where I could excel and compete with the top athletes in South Jersey."
The Chiefs have undergone a major transformation in the sprinting department this year. While Merrigan debuted in track last spring, joining marquee multi-athlete Chris Steliga, he recruited Rapp (11.31) this year.
And senior Niraj Patel, who was known as best sprinter on the 2007 junior varsity squad, is now known by coach Steve Shaklee as one of the Chiefs' most improved athletes, evident of his fourth-place finish in the 100 (11.5).
And their newfound depth was flexed last Saturday at the South Jersey Relays when the Chiefs' foursome punched their ticket to the North Carolina-based Nationals by meeting the 4x100 standard of 42.9, spiraling to a team-best 42.81.
"We know what we're capable of and we're capable of a lot because of all the hard work we put in," Merrigan said.
The 100 was one of many events the Chiefs excelled in Thursday. Junior Major Mobley won the 110 hurdles in 15.31 and senior Kevin Schlicking took second in the 1,500 in 4:13.08.
Shawnee sophomore David Forward entered the 1,500 wanting to couple his strong finish with an equally strong start.
Forward said he felt like he was on his first-lap target pace of 64 seconds after 300 meters, but the watch said otherwise, clocking him at 68 seconds after 400.
Despite the slow start, the sophomore broke free from the pack after another lap to finish in a meet-record 4:06.41.
"I should just sprint the first lap next time," Forward said, smiling. "But that's something I've been trying to practice on, getting out faster."
Not counting its dominant win in the 4x800, ran in 9:35:43 by the quartet of Carmen Delph, Miya Johnson, Allie Richman and Brianna Beddall, the Lenape girls' team swept four of the meet's first seven events.
Lenape's throwing duo of senior Jen Houghton and junior Andrea Leach flourished in the field, sweeping the shot put and individually setting meet records in two events; Houghton in the shot put (37-10) and Leach in the discus (33-3).
"I like [this meet] because you get to see who's in your district and how you stack up," said Leach, who also threw 33-3 for second in the shot put.
Turns out the Indians stack up well and girls' throwing coach Steve Lee knows why.
"They work hard and they know what it takes to compete," Lee said of Houghton and Leach. "They respond week in and week out."
Doing their best to break up the Indian's early monopoly, Cherokee's Rachel Montague won the 110 hurdles in 15.18 and Seneca's Michelle Brown took the 400 in 57.58.
The Lenape boys also fared well and no one better than junior Ryan Garvin. After anchoring the 4x800 relay team of Corey Halloway, Corey Halloway and Hayes Rainier to victory and to a season-best time of 8:18.09, Garvin came back in the open 800, outlasting Shawnee senior Ian Boyle by running a meet-record 1:59.
Holy Cross Boys, Girls take it to Burlington Division
(Pub May 11)
Winners: The Northern Burlington boys won their first Liberty Division and the Burlington Township girls won their first since 2002. The Palmyra boys and the Florence Township girls each won the Freedom Division and both the Holy Cross boys and girl squads won their sixth straight Patriot Division.
Close call: Two individual wins by jumper/thrower Warren Oliver helped Palmyra win the meet's closest decision, a 13-point win over Florence Township, to give Palmyra its first division title since 2004.
Fast finish: Moorestown senior Kevin Healey needed a 61-second last lap to fend off Northern Burlington junior Michael Bowden (4:28) in the 1,600, winning in a 15-second personal best 4:26.
Quote: "Your goal is you. Your goal is not the other person on the track," Burlington Township coach Sorina Haddock said. "Your goal is to identify what your best is and attack that goal so the focus is always on you and not on somebody else."
NORTHERN BURLINGTON – Let's hope Holy Cross freshman Shannon Grogan approaches waiting in line differently than she does racing.
"I don't like people being in front of me," the sprinter said.
The only number Grogan took Saturday at the Burlington County Divisional meet was No.1 – four times – helping the Crusaders match the Holy Cross boys team by winning their sixth straight Patriot Division title.
Racing on Northern Burlington High's track, Grogan won the 100 (12.97), 200 (26.8), 400 (1:01.99) and joined her upperclassmen teammates, Rose Johnson, Beth Peak and Rachel Byrne, to win the 4x400 (4:22.6).
"I just try to follow the seniors and juniors because they're such great and do my best for the team," she said.
Grogan raced on her first track this past winter, and while achieving her main objective of staying in shape for spring-time soccer, the freshman took home more gold medals than a novice should. Even with her success, Grogan was set to skip spring track.
But when spring came around, so did she – at the persuasion of coaches Mike Gouth and Ed Battaglia. Still, she has trouble following everything her coaches tell her.
"They tell me to race the clock but I just race the people in front of me," she said. "If I see somebody in front of me my goal is to get them. That's the first thing."
The Crusaders won eight total events , including seven of the nine races, to help give them a meet-best 181 points. Maple Shade was second with 106.
Johnson, a senior, was the Crusaders other double champion, winning the 400 hurdles (1:08.79) and the high jump (personal-best 5-3).
Based on the scouting report Gould gives her before the race, Johnson – a self-described anxious competitor – can't afford to run a split second slower.
"He always lies and says like 'They did so great' and 'You guys got competition' and 'They're running 4:08' so I get nervous," Johnson said. "He always does that and then you start running and you're like 'What happened?"
The Holy Cross boys won the Patriot Division more narrowly, staving off a comeback by Cinnaminson by scoring 138 points. The Pirates scored 123.
Senior thrower Frank Allen hurled a personal best 52-4.5 to win the shot put and a meet-best 150-8 to win the discus.
Between the two events, Allen – a 6-4 former heavyweight wrestler who weighs in at a fit 270 pounds -- goes from yin to yang, running wind sprints with teammate Aaron Faunt (second in shot) to get hyped.
"I went from discus, where you have to be nice and relaxed, not even thinking anything, to this," Allen said. "I need something to get me going. I need to be explosive when I throw shot."
Other male winners for the Crusaders included junior Matt Cusack in the 1,600 in 4:36 and senior Rich Fisher in the 400 in 50.24. The duo joined Dan Gasper and Terrance Osborne to win the 4x400 team (3:29.23) and Cusack ran a 9:59.71 in the 3,200 to place second to Cinnaminson junior Todd Campbell's impressive personal-best 9:48.6.
Campbell separated from Cusack after a couple laps and just kept separating.
"I was just trying to keep moving in the middle," he said. "I didn't want anybody to come up on me in the last 800."
Despite three gold medals and one silver from Moorestown senior Bryan Burnham – winner of the long jump, 100, and 200 – and an "out-of-body performance" by Moorestown senior Kevin Healey, who won the 1,600 in 4:26 with a 61-second final lap, the Northern Burlington boys won their first Liberty Division title ever, scoring 145 points to Moorestown's 125.
The team Dave Specca, Thaddeus Richards, Jarrett East-Brown and Saidu Mustaphu nearly clinched the division after winning the 4x400 relay in 3:25.94, a school record.
Coach Tim Tedesco credits East-Brown, owner of three silvers, as being a major contributor.
"He brought us up in the relay to help give our anchor a chance," Tedesco said.
East-Brown passes the credit to his distance squad, led by 3,200 winner junior Michael Bowden.
"We got some pretty fast kids. Our distance kids are amazing," East-Brown said. "They just come out and perform every meet."
The Burlington Township girls outpointed Moorestown (112) and others to win the Liberty Division title, winning five events including Tiffany Chamberlain's victories in the 400 hurdles (1:05.71) and the 100 hurdles (16.06).
"We never thought we would come out here and win these kind of meets, but I think this year we're learning the importance of teamwork and how if we do our responsibility we'll get at that spot that we've always wanted to," Chamberlain said.
Palmyra –led Warren Oliver wins in the javelin (165-5) and the high jump (6-4) -- won the boys Freedom Division with 149 points and despite fielding limited numbers, Florence won the girls' with 145 points.
Winners: The Northern Burlington boys won their first Liberty Division and the Burlington Township girls won their first since 2002. The Palmyra boys and the Florence Township girls each won the Freedom Division and both the Holy Cross boys and girl squads won their sixth straight Patriot Division.
Close call: Two individual wins by jumper/thrower Warren Oliver helped Palmyra win the meet's closest decision, a 13-point win over Florence Township, to give Palmyra its first division title since 2004.
Fast finish: Moorestown senior Kevin Healey needed a 61-second last lap to fend off Northern Burlington junior Michael Bowden (4:28) in the 1,600, winning in a 15-second personal best 4:26.
Quote: "Your goal is you. Your goal is not the other person on the track," Burlington Township coach Sorina Haddock said. "Your goal is to identify what your best is and attack that goal so the focus is always on you and not on somebody else."
NORTHERN BURLINGTON – Let's hope Holy Cross freshman Shannon Grogan approaches waiting in line differently than she does racing.
"I don't like people being in front of me," the sprinter said.
The only number Grogan took Saturday at the Burlington County Divisional meet was No.1 – four times – helping the Crusaders match the Holy Cross boys team by winning their sixth straight Patriot Division title.
Racing on Northern Burlington High's track, Grogan won the 100 (12.97), 200 (26.8), 400 (1:01.99) and joined her upperclassmen teammates, Rose Johnson, Beth Peak and Rachel Byrne, to win the 4x400 (4:22.6).
"I just try to follow the seniors and juniors because they're such great and do my best for the team," she said.
Grogan raced on her first track this past winter, and while achieving her main objective of staying in shape for spring-time soccer, the freshman took home more gold medals than a novice should. Even with her success, Grogan was set to skip spring track.
But when spring came around, so did she – at the persuasion of coaches Mike Gouth and Ed Battaglia. Still, she has trouble following everything her coaches tell her.
"They tell me to race the clock but I just race the people in front of me," she said. "If I see somebody in front of me my goal is to get them. That's the first thing."
The Crusaders won eight total events , including seven of the nine races, to help give them a meet-best 181 points. Maple Shade was second with 106.
Johnson, a senior, was the Crusaders other double champion, winning the 400 hurdles (1:08.79) and the high jump (personal-best 5-3).
Based on the scouting report Gould gives her before the race, Johnson – a self-described anxious competitor – can't afford to run a split second slower.
"He always lies and says like 'They did so great' and 'You guys got competition' and 'They're running 4:08' so I get nervous," Johnson said. "He always does that and then you start running and you're like 'What happened?"
The Holy Cross boys won the Patriot Division more narrowly, staving off a comeback by Cinnaminson by scoring 138 points. The Pirates scored 123.
Senior thrower Frank Allen hurled a personal best 52-4.5 to win the shot put and a meet-best 150-8 to win the discus.
Between the two events, Allen – a 6-4 former heavyweight wrestler who weighs in at a fit 270 pounds -- goes from yin to yang, running wind sprints with teammate Aaron Faunt (second in shot) to get hyped.
"I went from discus, where you have to be nice and relaxed, not even thinking anything, to this," Allen said. "I need something to get me going. I need to be explosive when I throw shot."
Other male winners for the Crusaders included junior Matt Cusack in the 1,600 in 4:36 and senior Rich Fisher in the 400 in 50.24. The duo joined Dan Gasper and Terrance Osborne to win the 4x400 team (3:29.23) and Cusack ran a 9:59.71 in the 3,200 to place second to Cinnaminson junior Todd Campbell's impressive personal-best 9:48.6.
Campbell separated from Cusack after a couple laps and just kept separating.
"I was just trying to keep moving in the middle," he said. "I didn't want anybody to come up on me in the last 800."
Despite three gold medals and one silver from Moorestown senior Bryan Burnham – winner of the long jump, 100, and 200 – and an "out-of-body performance" by Moorestown senior Kevin Healey, who won the 1,600 in 4:26 with a 61-second final lap, the Northern Burlington boys won their first Liberty Division title ever, scoring 145 points to Moorestown's 125.
The team Dave Specca, Thaddeus Richards, Jarrett East-Brown and Saidu Mustaphu nearly clinched the division after winning the 4x400 relay in 3:25.94, a school record.
Coach Tim Tedesco credits East-Brown, owner of three silvers, as being a major contributor.
"He brought us up in the relay to help give our anchor a chance," Tedesco said.
East-Brown passes the credit to his distance squad, led by 3,200 winner junior Michael Bowden.
"We got some pretty fast kids. Our distance kids are amazing," East-Brown said. "They just come out and perform every meet."
The Burlington Township girls outpointed Moorestown (112) and others to win the Liberty Division title, winning five events including Tiffany Chamberlain's victories in the 400 hurdles (1:05.71) and the 100 hurdles (16.06).
"We never thought we would come out here and win these kind of meets, but I think this year we're learning the importance of teamwork and how if we do our responsibility we'll get at that spot that we've always wanted to," Chamberlain said.
Palmyra –led Warren Oliver wins in the javelin (165-5) and the high jump (6-4) -- won the boys Freedom Division with 149 points and despite fielding limited numbers, Florence won the girls' with 145 points.
NB: From Slow to Speedy, Kelly turns gears
Little did he know then, but Washington Township senior Chris Kelly may've locked up South Jersey's most improved award four years ago.
The then-freshman toiled the mile in 5:59, a pace that wouldn't win ribbons in gym nor have him confused for Speed Racer.
Slowly but surely, though, Kelly got faster, much faster.
At the stacked Henderson Invitational in West Chester, Pa. on May 2, Kelly, "the poster boy for hard work" as told by coach Rich Bostwick, ran the 3,200 in 9:53.51 and the 1,600 in a personal-best 4:27.55.
At the Woodbury Relays last month, Kelly anchored his distance medley relay team to a season-best 10:35.9, splitting 4:29 to smash any ideas by runner-up Cherokee senior Alex Yersak.
In some ways though, Kelly – whose 3.1 mile personal best at the end of his freshman cross-country season was above 20 minutes – has been catching Yersak for years.
"Training all three seasons, that's the best he can get," Bostwick said. "And now as a senior he's starting to get a little rivalry with Yersak. Think about that. Yersak was running like 16:00 [in cross country] as a freshman. He's always been good and now, here's this guy [Kelly] right behind him."
"It's not easy. I'm not going to lie," Kelly said after anchoring then for the first time. "I just tried to go out fast. It was a really, really tough finish."
At the Gloucester County Championship Wednesday, Kelly won the 3,200 in 9:56.7, followed by senior teammate Alex Clemson. Kelly also ran the 1,600 in 4:35, taking third to junior teammate Xavier Fraction (4:29.2) and Kingsway junior Ryan Culbreath (4:31.4).
The Minutemen won easily with 119.5 points. "I've never been on this kind of level of competing before," Kelly said. "I've always been like J.V. or thought of as 'Ah, he's just a two-miler.' But now it's like, 'Oh, all right, well let's see what he can do in the mile."
Ocean Deep in Distance
Ocean City is not acting like a team that lost its Indoor Group 3 State Champion in the 1,600 for the season.
Even with senior Ryan Birchmeier sidelined with a torn left hamstring, the Red Raiders are hoping to nationally qualify in the 4x1,600 today at the Ocean City Relays, a meet revived after a dormant decade, coach Matt Purdue said.
"We figured we would give teams a shot to qualify for that 4x1,600," Purdue said.
Senior Connor Martin, freshman Miles Schoedler, senior Stephen Hoffman and junior Brett Johnson fell short of the Nike Outdoor Nationals' 17:40 standard at the South Jersey Relays last Saturday, winning in 18:00.41.
Purdue feels the standard time – an average mile split of 4:25 – is achievable for a myriad of reasons: Saturday marked the first time Martin ran the 1,600, doing so in 4:33, Hoffman and Schoedler improve with each race and Johnson ran the last leg on tired legs – having gone 3:53 in the 1,500 two days prior – knowing the goal was virtually impossible when receiving the baton.
While Johnson, who split 4:19, stars in individual events, good role players are needed to win relays.
""It's been a nice surprise to have Miles join us. He's been working hard all spring," Purdue said. "And I think all the success Connor and Stephen had in cross country is giving them the confidence to run well on the track."
Martin said that part of his confidence stems from knowing Johnson is anchoring the relay.
"You still need to perform, but he's your closer," Martin said. "He's the best."
At the Woodbury Relays last month, Johnson was handed the baton about seven seconds behind Shawnee sophomore David Forward – perhaps the second fastest distance runner in South Jersey – and won the distance medley relay by four seconds, splitting a still-talked-about 4:10.
101 Dominations
Helping Haddon Heights move into conference clinching position Tuesday was West Deptford's 78.5-61.5 win over defending champ and previously unbeaten Haddonfield last week.
The victory -- or was it the one against the tri-meet's third wheel, Collingswood? – marked the 100th win for West Deptford's winningest coach Mark Dixon.
The 14-year head coach bumped his record to 101-36 with a 115-25 thumping over Audubon Tuesday.
As is the case this year with Boys' Track Indoor Athlete of the Year senior Dan Batdorf, who had cleared an outdoor-best 15-1 against Haddonfield, the Dixon-led Eagles (7-1) have always thrived in the pole vault.
A pole-vault coach for four years before heading the team, Dixon knows the difference a good vaulter makes, having produced four state champions,12 South Jersey champions and someone who qualified for the state championship each year.
But its impact might be felt most felt during dual meets.
"I think its an advantage for us because we can walk into a lot of meets and go 'Hey, we're going to take nine points here' because the other school doesn't think about it," said Dixon, the school's gym teacher. "Coaches may not know about it and be apprehensive so they just go and give it away. So you go into many meets up 9-0. I'll take that."
Drought over
With a 93-47 win over Willingboro Thursday to end its season, Northern Burlington won its first conference title in 40 years.
Not only did the Greyhounds clinch up the Burlington County League Liberty Division since 1968, but they defeated the Chimeras for the first time ever.
Coached by Tim Tedesco, the Greyhounds are led by junior distance runner Michael Bowden and senior hurdler Chris Tomori.
Atlantic County sparkles
With four teams in the Courier-Post's Top 20 – three in the top 10 – squaring off for the Atlantic County Championship Thursday, the only thing that you could be sure of was that a lot would be learned.
Turns out Pleasantville was another sure thing.
The Greyhounds stomped Absegami (96), Oakcrest (91) and Egg Harbor Township (88) by scoring 133 points.
No stranger to winning, senior Greyhound Kenny Davis beat the Egg Harbor Township duo of Stevenson Cajuste (14.5) and Tre Lathan (14.8) to win the high hurdles in 14.3.
Absegami senior Geoff Navarro (10.5) edged Egg Harbor's Tejay Johnson (10.6) in the 100 but was outleaned by Johnson (21.8) in the 200, losing by a tenth of a second.
Absegami junior Ford Palmer doubled in the 1,600 (4:27.7) and the 800 (1:57.4) followed by Oakcrest's Aaron Johnson (1:58.0) and Ray Johnson (1:58.7).
Area Highlights
Triton pole vaulter Matt Rawlik claimed the school record by clearing 13-2 in a 89-51 loss to Seneca.
Seneca newcomer Drew Kanz led the win, taking the triple jump (42-6), the long jump (19-4), the high jump and the 200 (23.8).
Kanz also won the triple jump and the high jump (6-2) at the Lenape Regional District Championship Thursday.
Cherry Hill East won 10 of 16 events in its 81-60 victory over Eastern Tuesday with distance runner Dave Berger, sprinter Ryan Mason and hurdler/jumper Chantz Powell each taking two events. Powell won the 110 hurdles in 14.6, Mason claimed the 200 in 22.8 and Berger won the 3,200 in 10:07 after running a 4:32 mile.
Palmyra's Warren Oliver won the javelin (158-3), the triple jump (40-8), the long jump (20-4) and a share of the high jump with teammate Jim Childs in a division-clinching 79-56 win over New Egypt.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Kwabena Keene
Washington Township
Grade: Senior
Events: Shot put/ Discus
Accomplishments: Keene, long known for catapulting shots to orbit, has added discus to his repertoire this year, proving just as capable of chucking the disc at the Henderson Track & Field Invitational. The University of North Carolina-bound senior set two personal bests at the West Chester, Pa. meet on May 2, winning the shot put with a man-size toss of 58-9 and placing second in the discus with a throw of 152-1. Keene won both events at Wednesday's Gloucester County Championships to lead the Minutemen to the win. With about a month left in the season, Keene hopes to reach the 60-foot milestone to join his North Jersey counterparts, Morristown's Nicholas Vena and Scotch Plains-Fanwood Mike Alleman.
Quote: "I'm trying to become the Goliath," Keene said. "I know I'm definitely the David compared to them, because Alleman and Vena are definitely not small people. I'm trying to get there though."
The then-freshman toiled the mile in 5:59, a pace that wouldn't win ribbons in gym nor have him confused for Speed Racer.
Slowly but surely, though, Kelly got faster, much faster.
At the stacked Henderson Invitational in West Chester, Pa. on May 2, Kelly, "the poster boy for hard work" as told by coach Rich Bostwick, ran the 3,200 in 9:53.51 and the 1,600 in a personal-best 4:27.55.
At the Woodbury Relays last month, Kelly anchored his distance medley relay team to a season-best 10:35.9, splitting 4:29 to smash any ideas by runner-up Cherokee senior Alex Yersak.
In some ways though, Kelly – whose 3.1 mile personal best at the end of his freshman cross-country season was above 20 minutes – has been catching Yersak for years.
"Training all three seasons, that's the best he can get," Bostwick said. "And now as a senior he's starting to get a little rivalry with Yersak. Think about that. Yersak was running like 16:00 [in cross country] as a freshman. He's always been good and now, here's this guy [Kelly] right behind him."
"It's not easy. I'm not going to lie," Kelly said after anchoring then for the first time. "I just tried to go out fast. It was a really, really tough finish."
At the Gloucester County Championship Wednesday, Kelly won the 3,200 in 9:56.7, followed by senior teammate Alex Clemson. Kelly also ran the 1,600 in 4:35, taking third to junior teammate Xavier Fraction (4:29.2) and Kingsway junior Ryan Culbreath (4:31.4).
The Minutemen won easily with 119.5 points. "I've never been on this kind of level of competing before," Kelly said. "I've always been like J.V. or thought of as 'Ah, he's just a two-miler.' But now it's like, 'Oh, all right, well let's see what he can do in the mile."
Ocean Deep in Distance
Ocean City is not acting like a team that lost its Indoor Group 3 State Champion in the 1,600 for the season.
Even with senior Ryan Birchmeier sidelined with a torn left hamstring, the Red Raiders are hoping to nationally qualify in the 4x1,600 today at the Ocean City Relays, a meet revived after a dormant decade, coach Matt Purdue said.
"We figured we would give teams a shot to qualify for that 4x1,600," Purdue said.
Senior Connor Martin, freshman Miles Schoedler, senior Stephen Hoffman and junior Brett Johnson fell short of the Nike Outdoor Nationals' 17:40 standard at the South Jersey Relays last Saturday, winning in 18:00.41.
Purdue feels the standard time – an average mile split of 4:25 – is achievable for a myriad of reasons: Saturday marked the first time Martin ran the 1,600, doing so in 4:33, Hoffman and Schoedler improve with each race and Johnson ran the last leg on tired legs – having gone 3:53 in the 1,500 two days prior – knowing the goal was virtually impossible when receiving the baton.
While Johnson, who split 4:19, stars in individual events, good role players are needed to win relays.
""It's been a nice surprise to have Miles join us. He's been working hard all spring," Purdue said. "And I think all the success Connor and Stephen had in cross country is giving them the confidence to run well on the track."
Martin said that part of his confidence stems from knowing Johnson is anchoring the relay.
"You still need to perform, but he's your closer," Martin said. "He's the best."
At the Woodbury Relays last month, Johnson was handed the baton about seven seconds behind Shawnee sophomore David Forward – perhaps the second fastest distance runner in South Jersey – and won the distance medley relay by four seconds, splitting a still-talked-about 4:10.
101 Dominations
Helping Haddon Heights move into conference clinching position Tuesday was West Deptford's 78.5-61.5 win over defending champ and previously unbeaten Haddonfield last week.
The victory -- or was it the one against the tri-meet's third wheel, Collingswood? – marked the 100th win for West Deptford's winningest coach Mark Dixon.
The 14-year head coach bumped his record to 101-36 with a 115-25 thumping over Audubon Tuesday.
As is the case this year with Boys' Track Indoor Athlete of the Year senior Dan Batdorf, who had cleared an outdoor-best 15-1 against Haddonfield, the Dixon-led Eagles (7-1) have always thrived in the pole vault.
A pole-vault coach for four years before heading the team, Dixon knows the difference a good vaulter makes, having produced four state champions,12 South Jersey champions and someone who qualified for the state championship each year.
But its impact might be felt most felt during dual meets.
"I think its an advantage for us because we can walk into a lot of meets and go 'Hey, we're going to take nine points here' because the other school doesn't think about it," said Dixon, the school's gym teacher. "Coaches may not know about it and be apprehensive so they just go and give it away. So you go into many meets up 9-0. I'll take that."
Drought over
With a 93-47 win over Willingboro Thursday to end its season, Northern Burlington won its first conference title in 40 years.
Not only did the Greyhounds clinch up the Burlington County League Liberty Division since 1968, but they defeated the Chimeras for the first time ever.
Coached by Tim Tedesco, the Greyhounds are led by junior distance runner Michael Bowden and senior hurdler Chris Tomori.
Atlantic County sparkles
With four teams in the Courier-Post's Top 20 – three in the top 10 – squaring off for the Atlantic County Championship Thursday, the only thing that you could be sure of was that a lot would be learned.
Turns out Pleasantville was another sure thing.
The Greyhounds stomped Absegami (96), Oakcrest (91) and Egg Harbor Township (88) by scoring 133 points.
No stranger to winning, senior Greyhound Kenny Davis beat the Egg Harbor Township duo of Stevenson Cajuste (14.5) and Tre Lathan (14.8) to win the high hurdles in 14.3.
Absegami senior Geoff Navarro (10.5) edged Egg Harbor's Tejay Johnson (10.6) in the 100 but was outleaned by Johnson (21.8) in the 200, losing by a tenth of a second.
Absegami junior Ford Palmer doubled in the 1,600 (4:27.7) and the 800 (1:57.4) followed by Oakcrest's Aaron Johnson (1:58.0) and Ray Johnson (1:58.7).
Area Highlights
Triton pole vaulter Matt Rawlik claimed the school record by clearing 13-2 in a 89-51 loss to Seneca.
Seneca newcomer Drew Kanz led the win, taking the triple jump (42-6), the long jump (19-4), the high jump and the 200 (23.8).
Kanz also won the triple jump and the high jump (6-2) at the Lenape Regional District Championship Thursday.
Cherry Hill East won 10 of 16 events in its 81-60 victory over Eastern Tuesday with distance runner Dave Berger, sprinter Ryan Mason and hurdler/jumper Chantz Powell each taking two events. Powell won the 110 hurdles in 14.6, Mason claimed the 200 in 22.8 and Berger won the 3,200 in 10:07 after running a 4:32 mile.
Palmyra's Warren Oliver won the javelin (158-3), the triple jump (40-8), the long jump (20-4) and a share of the high jump with teammate Jim Childs in a division-clinching 79-56 win over New Egypt.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Kwabena Keene
Washington Township
Grade: Senior
Events: Shot put/ Discus
Accomplishments: Keene, long known for catapulting shots to orbit, has added discus to his repertoire this year, proving just as capable of chucking the disc at the Henderson Track & Field Invitational. The University of North Carolina-bound senior set two personal bests at the West Chester, Pa. meet on May 2, winning the shot put with a man-size toss of 58-9 and placing second in the discus with a throw of 152-1. Keene won both events at Wednesday's Gloucester County Championships to lead the Minutemen to the win. With about a month left in the season, Keene hopes to reach the 60-foot milestone to join his North Jersey counterparts, Morristown's Nicholas Vena and Scotch Plains-Fanwood Mike Alleman.
Quote: "I'm trying to become the Goliath," Keene said. "I know I'm definitely the David compared to them, because Alleman and Vena are definitely not small people. I'm trying to get there though."
Walls jumps himself in front at Buena
(Pub May 4)
Leaders: Glassboro won four events, the 4x800, the 4x100, the 4x110 shuttle hurdles and the triple jump, to lead Division 1. Absegami, Camden and Winslow Township each led Division 2 with two wins apiece.
Ford tough: The Absegami quartet of Kambui Little, Demetrius Rooks, Geoff Navarro
and Ford Palmer ran away with the Division 2 sprint medley, blazing to a meet-fast 3:33.76. Palmer also anchored the winning 4x800 to a meet-best 8:07.31.
On the Prowl: Camden's tandem of Wayne Walls and Ameer Waugh won the triple jump relay combining for 86-9 feet.
Quote: "We wanted to show up as a team today and together we'll try to get better for sectionals and then go into states," Waugh said.
BUENA – No matter what he tweaked or added to his triple-jump routine, Camden junior Wayne Walls knew he wasn't the same jumper as he was during the winter.
Turns out the right remedy to get the lead out of his legs, at least during the South Jersey Relays , involved five early hours of penciling in empty circles and not warming up for the event.
Even with the SAT excuse in his pocket, Walls managed to jump a season-best 44-0, Saturday's farthest jump, joining senior teammate Ameer Waugh to win the Division 2 triple jump relay with a combined total of 86-9.
Eager to give his all to the Buena meet, Walls thought about bumping his SAT test date to June 7 – until coach Greg Foster told him to think again.
"If you don't take the SATS, you're not jumping," the second-year coach told him. "I strong-armed him into taking it."
But Walls wasn't too giddy to jump anyway, not after landing a dud at Thursday's South Jersey Open. A multi-event athlete, Walls thought he had a better chance of placing in the 4x400 hurdles than in the triple jump.
"I didn't think I was going to do well at all because of the other day," Walls said. "I messed up a little bit there. I really didn't want to do it."
Given more than enough math problems to mull over in the morning, Walls was given another number to consider.
"I twisted his arm," Foster said," and said 'Listen, we got sectionals coming up in three weeks and you haven't been triple jumping. You could use the practice."
Walls jumped 43-0 feet in his first attempt raw and eventually warmed to the task, outleaping Timber Creek's Eric Smith (43-2.5) by ending it with the winning 44-0. Waugh -- who joined the other half of the winning Division 2 long-jump tandem, Syteek Farrington, to cover 41-11.25 -- placed third, hopping 42-9.
Walls had worked on slowing his steps, concentrating on each of the three phases and building leg muscle through a combination of leg exercise and workouts.
Foster knew it was just a matter of time before Walls put it all together.
"We have high expectations because he jumped 45 feet indoors," the coach said. "We're happy he's finding his rhythm back."
The Glassboro duo of Ryan Chance and PJ James won the Division 1 triple jump, combining for 85-5. Chance was also part of the 4x110 shuttle hurdles team, alongside teammates Derick Palme, Tom Jones and Chris Rennles, that outleaned Burlngton Township to win in 1:03.82.
Cherokee's foursome of Kevin Merrigan, Niraj Patel, Chris Steliga and Will Rapp won the meet's 4x100 relay for the first time in school history in a meet-best 42.81.
Traditionally a team built on distance, Cherokee has morphed with Merrigan. A senior, Merrigan has been the Chiefs' catalyst for change, dropping the baseball glove for spikes last year and recruiting Rapp, a junior, this year.
Coach Steve Shaklee said despite its inexperience, the relay team has gelled nicely under the guidance of assistant coach Chris Callihan.
"One of the things we do really well is handoffs and that's because Chris is very technically and gets them the technique they need to do it properly," Shaklee said. "That makes a big difference in a 4x100."
Two days after setting the current U.S. best in the 1,500, Ocean City junior Brett Johnson was back anchoring the Red Raiders' 4x1,600 team of Connor Martin, Miles Schoedler and Stephen Hoffman to a come-back 18:00.41 victory.
A personal-best 4:34 mile by Hoffman brought the Red Raiders from fourth to second. Then Johnson, hot on the trail of frontrunner Haddonfield sophomore Colin Baker for three laps, pulled away in a 60 second last lap for a 4:19 split.
Johnson knew he needed to run closer to the miracle mile of 4:00 to qualify his time for Nationals (the standard is 17:40), but opted to cruise instead, trailing frontrunner Haddonfield sophomore Colin Baker for three laps before pulling away with a fast 60 second final lap for a 4:19 split.
"I felt really good. I just opened it up," Johnson said. "During the last lap, I was probably being an idiot and looking back, but I didn't want to exert more than I had to do. "
Leaders: Glassboro won four events, the 4x800, the 4x100, the 4x110 shuttle hurdles and the triple jump, to lead Division 1. Absegami, Camden and Winslow Township each led Division 2 with two wins apiece.
Ford tough: The Absegami quartet of Kambui Little, Demetrius Rooks, Geoff Navarro
and Ford Palmer ran away with the Division 2 sprint medley, blazing to a meet-fast 3:33.76. Palmer also anchored the winning 4x800 to a meet-best 8:07.31.
On the Prowl: Camden's tandem of Wayne Walls and Ameer Waugh won the triple jump relay combining for 86-9 feet.
Quote: "We wanted to show up as a team today and together we'll try to get better for sectionals and then go into states," Waugh said.
BUENA – No matter what he tweaked or added to his triple-jump routine, Camden junior Wayne Walls knew he wasn't the same jumper as he was during the winter.
Turns out the right remedy to get the lead out of his legs, at least during the South Jersey Relays , involved five early hours of penciling in empty circles and not warming up for the event.
Even with the SAT excuse in his pocket, Walls managed to jump a season-best 44-0, Saturday's farthest jump, joining senior teammate Ameer Waugh to win the Division 2 triple jump relay with a combined total of 86-9.
Eager to give his all to the Buena meet, Walls thought about bumping his SAT test date to June 7 – until coach Greg Foster told him to think again.
"If you don't take the SATS, you're not jumping," the second-year coach told him. "I strong-armed him into taking it."
But Walls wasn't too giddy to jump anyway, not after landing a dud at Thursday's South Jersey Open. A multi-event athlete, Walls thought he had a better chance of placing in the 4x400 hurdles than in the triple jump.
"I didn't think I was going to do well at all because of the other day," Walls said. "I messed up a little bit there. I really didn't want to do it."
Given more than enough math problems to mull over in the morning, Walls was given another number to consider.
"I twisted his arm," Foster said," and said 'Listen, we got sectionals coming up in three weeks and you haven't been triple jumping. You could use the practice."
Walls jumped 43-0 feet in his first attempt raw and eventually warmed to the task, outleaping Timber Creek's Eric Smith (43-2.5) by ending it with the winning 44-0. Waugh -- who joined the other half of the winning Division 2 long-jump tandem, Syteek Farrington, to cover 41-11.25 -- placed third, hopping 42-9.
Walls had worked on slowing his steps, concentrating on each of the three phases and building leg muscle through a combination of leg exercise and workouts.
Foster knew it was just a matter of time before Walls put it all together.
"We have high expectations because he jumped 45 feet indoors," the coach said. "We're happy he's finding his rhythm back."
The Glassboro duo of Ryan Chance and PJ James won the Division 1 triple jump, combining for 85-5. Chance was also part of the 4x110 shuttle hurdles team, alongside teammates Derick Palme, Tom Jones and Chris Rennles, that outleaned Burlngton Township to win in 1:03.82.
Cherokee's foursome of Kevin Merrigan, Niraj Patel, Chris Steliga and Will Rapp won the meet's 4x100 relay for the first time in school history in a meet-best 42.81.
Traditionally a team built on distance, Cherokee has morphed with Merrigan. A senior, Merrigan has been the Chiefs' catalyst for change, dropping the baseball glove for spikes last year and recruiting Rapp, a junior, this year.
Coach Steve Shaklee said despite its inexperience, the relay team has gelled nicely under the guidance of assistant coach Chris Callihan.
"One of the things we do really well is handoffs and that's because Chris is very technically and gets them the technique they need to do it properly," Shaklee said. "That makes a big difference in a 4x100."
Two days after setting the current U.S. best in the 1,500, Ocean City junior Brett Johnson was back anchoring the Red Raiders' 4x1,600 team of Connor Martin, Miles Schoedler and Stephen Hoffman to a come-back 18:00.41 victory.
A personal-best 4:34 mile by Hoffman brought the Red Raiders from fourth to second. Then Johnson, hot on the trail of frontrunner Haddonfield sophomore Colin Baker for three laps, pulled away in a 60 second last lap for a 4:19 split.
Johnson knew he needed to run closer to the miracle mile of 4:00 to qualify his time for Nationals (the standard is 17:40), but opted to cruise instead, trailing frontrunner Haddonfield sophomore Colin Baker for three laps before pulling away with a fast 60 second final lap for a 4:19 split.
"I felt really good. I just opened it up," Johnson said. "During the last lap, I was probably being an idiot and looking back, but I didn't want to exert more than I had to do. "
NB: Johnson adds to early legend
(Pub May 3)
Brett Johnson, who seems to be entering the realm of Chuck Norrisesque folklore in only his junior year after posting times of 1:52.8 in a dual-meet 800 and a split of 4:10 in the 1,600 leg of a distance medley relay, added a new wrinkle to his season story, traveling to North Country to set a U.S. best in the 1,500 Thursday.
In the Ironman Invitational race ran at Don Bosco, the Ocean City runner posted a 3:53.71, more than 11 seconds better than runner-up Dos Bosco Prep's Robert Molke (4:05.19). No sightings of a giant blue ox reported either.
The O.C. Finale
A hamstring injury initially thought to be a sprain for Ocean City senior Ryan Birchmeier is now being ruled a tear, effectively ending a dazzling year for the long-distance runner and the chance of seeing one of the greatest distance duos, alongside junior teammate Brett Johnson, in South Jersey history, assistant coach Bill Moreland said.
The Saint Joseph University-bound runner came back last spring from an IT band injury suffered during the 2006 cross-country season. Heavy summer mileage helped Birchmeier pull off two of the most impressive seasons this year, taking second only to Johnson in the Cross Country Group 3 State Championships in 16:10 and first in the Indoor Track Group 3 State Championships' 1,600 in a season-best 4:20.
Birchmeier injured himself during a pre-season sprint workout.
A Tough Loss
The cause of injury has yet to be determined, or at least discovered by this reporter, but reports from a team source say that Holy Cross senior Mike Sheehan may not compete again this spring. Best case scenario, says the source, is the long-distance runner being ready for the Non Public State Championship.
Sheehan – who anchored the team of Terrance Osborne, Rich Fisher and Matt Cusack with a 4:22 mile split to win the Group 2 distance medley relay at April 21 Woodbury Relays in 10:32.3 – plans to join the naval academy in Annapolis upon graduation.
Comes in Threes
For the sake of closure, Haddon Heights junior Josh Black is also out for the season, coach Matt Martin said. Even if healthy, Black -- who hasn't competed since injuring his back late in the cross-country season – has missed too much time to contend at the level that made him elite this past fall.
Even without Black, the Garnets are enjoying a turnaround year thanks to a myriad of surprises including jumpers Chris Roundtree, AJ Toliver and runner Colin Lynch.
After beating West Deptford April 14 and seeing West Deptford take down defending conference champ, Haddonfield, Wednesday, Haddon Heights needs to beat No.19-ranked Haddonfield Tuesday to clinch the Colonial Conference.
Names
Due to space limitations, a couple cool names were bumped to this issue. To recap, Egg Harbor Township freshman runner Dustin Roadside, Washington Township junior runner Xavier Fraction, Cherokee junior jumper Major Mobley, Haddonfield sophomore runner Boo Vitez and Glassboro junior sprinter James Brown all have some great tags. But no matter how a moniker is constructed, the holder needs a varsity letter to be considered.
Tivo Rivera – While the device with the same name can record missed episodes of "The Office", this Tivo is much more valuable. The Kingsway mid-distance runner, known as Tivosiel to his parents, entered this year as one of track's most heralded freshmen and has shown why this spring, fixing himself into the Dragons' 4x400 and 4x800 relays and belting out consistent 2:00 to 2:03 splits in the latter. Not bad for a ninth grader.
Ford Palmer – If there was ever a name that seemed to guarantee glory on the gridiron, Ford Palmer might as well be it. A rare double sport athlete in football and track, specifically mid-distance running, this Absegami junior has been among the best 800 runners in South Jersey since last spring when he placed seventh at the Meet of Champions in 1:54.41.
Last Saturday at the Penn Relays Palmer joined Geoff Navarro, Demetrius Rooks and sophomore Santiago Galeano to win a 4x400 heat (event No.192) in 3:21.40, a school record that eclipses the 20-plus-year-old mark of 3:23.
While Palmer placed second to Lenape junior Ryan Garvin (1:55.55) in the 800 at Thursday's South Jersey Open in 1:55.97, senior teammates Navarro and Rooks combined for three gold medals; Navarro won the 100 (11.1) and the 400 (48.96) and Rooks won the 400 intermediate hurdles in 54.69.
Thursday Notables
Just because a number of triple jumpers surpassed 43 feet at the South Jersey Open doesn't make the feat any less impressive. Coming in first with a moon jump of 43-5.5 was Schalick senior Matt Kates, second was Haddon Heights junior Chris Roundtree (43-2.75), third was Glassboro freshman P.J. James (43-2.25) and fourth was Glassboro junior Ryan Chance (43-2).
Pennsauken shot putter Joseph Carmichael threw a personal-best 52-11 to stave off Holy Cross senior Frank Allen (49-1).
And despite coming in second in the 1,600, Bishop Eustace junior Andy Arnold came a long way from last year in the event, finishing behind only Shawnee sophomore David Forward in a personal-best 4:24.66. Arnold finished 16th in the 1,600 in 4:29.73 at the Indoor Meet of Champions this past winter.
Reach Steve Wood at swood@courierpostonline.com.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
David Forward
Shawnee
Grade: Sophomore
Event: Distance
Accomplishment: Success in the 3,200 has kept Forward away from his first love, the 1,600, at group meets. When given the chance, though, Forward makes it count. After lowering his personal record by 11 seconds last year at the SJ Open, the sophomore came full circle Thursday, shaving nearly seven more seconds off his personal record by finishing the last 800 in 2:08 to hold off Bishop Eustace's Andy Arnold in 4:22.82. Forward plans to run another 1,600 today as part of the South Jersey Relays' 4x1,600.
Quote: "I think I could've gone out faster," Forward said. "All week I was planning to go out in 64 [seconds], 65 , but every time when there's one lap left there's doubts in my mind and I'm like 'Let him go just this once.' But I felt pretty good. The striders on the line, my legs felt really light and I knew I had something left."
Brett Johnson, who seems to be entering the realm of Chuck Norrisesque folklore in only his junior year after posting times of 1:52.8 in a dual-meet 800 and a split of 4:10 in the 1,600 leg of a distance medley relay, added a new wrinkle to his season story, traveling to North Country to set a U.S. best in the 1,500 Thursday.
In the Ironman Invitational race ran at Don Bosco, the Ocean City runner posted a 3:53.71, more than 11 seconds better than runner-up Dos Bosco Prep's Robert Molke (4:05.19). No sightings of a giant blue ox reported either.
The O.C. Finale
A hamstring injury initially thought to be a sprain for Ocean City senior Ryan Birchmeier is now being ruled a tear, effectively ending a dazzling year for the long-distance runner and the chance of seeing one of the greatest distance duos, alongside junior teammate Brett Johnson, in South Jersey history, assistant coach Bill Moreland said.
The Saint Joseph University-bound runner came back last spring from an IT band injury suffered during the 2006 cross-country season. Heavy summer mileage helped Birchmeier pull off two of the most impressive seasons this year, taking second only to Johnson in the Cross Country Group 3 State Championships in 16:10 and first in the Indoor Track Group 3 State Championships' 1,600 in a season-best 4:20.
Birchmeier injured himself during a pre-season sprint workout.
A Tough Loss
The cause of injury has yet to be determined, or at least discovered by this reporter, but reports from a team source say that Holy Cross senior Mike Sheehan may not compete again this spring. Best case scenario, says the source, is the long-distance runner being ready for the Non Public State Championship.
Sheehan – who anchored the team of Terrance Osborne, Rich Fisher and Matt Cusack with a 4:22 mile split to win the Group 2 distance medley relay at April 21 Woodbury Relays in 10:32.3 – plans to join the naval academy in Annapolis upon graduation.
Comes in Threes
For the sake of closure, Haddon Heights junior Josh Black is also out for the season, coach Matt Martin said. Even if healthy, Black -- who hasn't competed since injuring his back late in the cross-country season – has missed too much time to contend at the level that made him elite this past fall.
Even without Black, the Garnets are enjoying a turnaround year thanks to a myriad of surprises including jumpers Chris Roundtree, AJ Toliver and runner Colin Lynch.
After beating West Deptford April 14 and seeing West Deptford take down defending conference champ, Haddonfield, Wednesday, Haddon Heights needs to beat No.19-ranked Haddonfield Tuesday to clinch the Colonial Conference.
Names
Due to space limitations, a couple cool names were bumped to this issue. To recap, Egg Harbor Township freshman runner Dustin Roadside, Washington Township junior runner Xavier Fraction, Cherokee junior jumper Major Mobley, Haddonfield sophomore runner Boo Vitez and Glassboro junior sprinter James Brown all have some great tags. But no matter how a moniker is constructed, the holder needs a varsity letter to be considered.
Tivo Rivera – While the device with the same name can record missed episodes of "The Office", this Tivo is much more valuable. The Kingsway mid-distance runner, known as Tivosiel to his parents, entered this year as one of track's most heralded freshmen and has shown why this spring, fixing himself into the Dragons' 4x400 and 4x800 relays and belting out consistent 2:00 to 2:03 splits in the latter. Not bad for a ninth grader.
Ford Palmer – If there was ever a name that seemed to guarantee glory on the gridiron, Ford Palmer might as well be it. A rare double sport athlete in football and track, specifically mid-distance running, this Absegami junior has been among the best 800 runners in South Jersey since last spring when he placed seventh at the Meet of Champions in 1:54.41.
Last Saturday at the Penn Relays Palmer joined Geoff Navarro, Demetrius Rooks and sophomore Santiago Galeano to win a 4x400 heat (event No.192) in 3:21.40, a school record that eclipses the 20-plus-year-old mark of 3:23.
While Palmer placed second to Lenape junior Ryan Garvin (1:55.55) in the 800 at Thursday's South Jersey Open in 1:55.97, senior teammates Navarro and Rooks combined for three gold medals; Navarro won the 100 (11.1) and the 400 (48.96) and Rooks won the 400 intermediate hurdles in 54.69.
Thursday Notables
Just because a number of triple jumpers surpassed 43 feet at the South Jersey Open doesn't make the feat any less impressive. Coming in first with a moon jump of 43-5.5 was Schalick senior Matt Kates, second was Haddon Heights junior Chris Roundtree (43-2.75), third was Glassboro freshman P.J. James (43-2.25) and fourth was Glassboro junior Ryan Chance (43-2).
Pennsauken shot putter Joseph Carmichael threw a personal-best 52-11 to stave off Holy Cross senior Frank Allen (49-1).
And despite coming in second in the 1,600, Bishop Eustace junior Andy Arnold came a long way from last year in the event, finishing behind only Shawnee sophomore David Forward in a personal-best 4:24.66. Arnold finished 16th in the 1,600 in 4:29.73 at the Indoor Meet of Champions this past winter.
Reach Steve Wood at swood@courierpostonline.com.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
David Forward
Shawnee
Grade: Sophomore
Event: Distance
Accomplishment: Success in the 3,200 has kept Forward away from his first love, the 1,600, at group meets. When given the chance, though, Forward makes it count. After lowering his personal record by 11 seconds last year at the SJ Open, the sophomore came full circle Thursday, shaving nearly seven more seconds off his personal record by finishing the last 800 in 2:08 to hold off Bishop Eustace's Andy Arnold in 4:22.82. Forward plans to run another 1,600 today as part of the South Jersey Relays' 4x1,600.
Quote: "I think I could've gone out faster," Forward said. "All week I was planning to go out in 64 [seconds], 65 , but every time when there's one lap left there's doubts in my mind and I'm like 'Let him go just this once.' But I felt pretty good. The striders on the line, my legs felt really light and I knew I had something left."
Penn Relays: Winslow 4x400 wins then bows with bronze - Day 3
(Pub April 27)
Winslow Wins: The team of Darin Washington, Barry Cephas, Gerald Stephens-Holland and Davis McNeil won the 4x400 South Jersey Large School Championship in a year-best 3:17.98, holding off Delsea, the 2007 winner.
Big Penn: An estimated crowd of 49,831 attended the final day of the 114th Annual Penn Relays, the largest turnout this weekend and the second largest ever.
Quote: "I'm not saying it's not scary, because you have all these people watching you," McNeil said. But you got to remember to keep your mind straight, and focus on the race and give it everything you got."
PHILADELPHIA – Winslow Township won't say that missing the cut for the 4x400 Championship of America, arguably the biggest high-school race at the Penn Relays, was beneficial, but things sure went its way in the 4x400 Philadelphia Area Championship Saturday.
Having beaten Delsea by nearly six seconds in a year-best 3:17.78 to win the 4x400 South Jersey Large School Championship, Winslow Township soon discovered its time was two tenths of a second too slow to qualify for the eight-team race, sending the Eagles to scrap in the 12-team consolation race.
And scrap the Eagles' team of Darin Washington, Barry Cephas, Gerald Stephens-Holland and Davis McNeil did, placing third in 3:22.59
Representing the top seed, Washington, a senior, started off on the inside lane and then – with the bang of a gun – restarted after the fight for inside position left two runners facedown.
It hurt Washington to race having had strained his right calf during his previous race, but he welcomed a new start after being boxed in the moment he left the stripe.
And he wasn't about to make the same mistake with 49,831 fanatics watching.
"I knew I had to get out much faster," the senior said.
This time Washington launched off the line, grabbing the lead after 100 meters and then slipping to second before his handoff with Cephas .
"The restart to me was a godsend," coach Larry Hickman said. "On the second start Darin really got out and did what he was supposed to do."
Before running out of luck, the Eagles lucked out once more when the frontrunner from Father Judge (Pa.) dropped off along the homestretch to pick up his dropped baton, a mistake that Cephas – who ran a team-quick 48.0 leg in the preliminary – pounced on, dusting him before the stunned crowd.
The Eagles' foursome lost to Engineering & Science (3:22.24) and North Penn (3:22.40), suffering their first head-to-head defeat since last spring's Meet of Champions, but kept their unblemished record against state schools intact. Delsea finished sixth in 3:26.17.
Sterling's 4x400 team of Chris Ward, Greg Taylor, Robert Friedman and Matt Long outlasted Burlington Township (3:29.23), Holy Cross (3:30.06) and others to win the South Jersey Small School Championship in 3:27.85, but did not advance.
Throughout the final day of the Penn Relays, many teams slowed even when stacked among better competition, a phenomenon that Hickman chalks up to fatigue and chilly, breezy weather.
West Deptford pole vaulter Dan Batdorf only had to look at the flags to see a bad omen.
The flags atop Franklin Field rippled in one direction, the towel wrapped around the standard pole blew another and the end result was Batdorf tying for sixth with a jump of 14-3.25.
"You can feel it when you run," said the senior who arched 15-6 indoors. "Sometimes you'll be running and you feel a gust of wind and it completely ruins the jump."
Egg Harbor Township senior Stevenson Cajuste started the high-school portion of the meet by placing seventh in the 400-meter Hurdles Championship in a personal-best 54.94.
A week after jumping 7-0, Timber Creek high jumper Montez Blair came back to Earth, clearing 6-7.75, good for a medal and a share of fourth pace.
The field wasn't kind to Cherokee senior Chris Steliga either. After advancing to the championship round with a jump of 22-8, the long jumper fouled three times, finishing eighth.
Steliga tried to make adjustments in between his botched attempts,
"After my first [foul] I was thinking 'No big deal, it happens,'" Steliga said, "but on the second one, I was off by like three feet and I was like 'Oh, shoot' so I had to move my steps up. The last one I fouled by a quarter of an inch."
Seeded second in the 4x800 Championship of America after running a school-record 7:51.07, Washington Township's team of Steve Morrone, Nick Krauss, Tim Carey and Xavier Fraction had trouble finding their legs, finishing in 8:06.95.
Although most of the girl events concluded Friday, the 4x400 Philadelphia Area Championship was saved for Saturday. After winning the South Jersey Large School Championship Thursday, the Camden relay team of Jamie Jones, Miriam Boyd, Shaquanda Gainey and Kamice Smalls finished fourth in 3:57.67. Woodrow Wilson placed sixth in 4:01.11.
Winslow Wins: The team of Darin Washington, Barry Cephas, Gerald Stephens-Holland and Davis McNeil won the 4x400 South Jersey Large School Championship in a year-best 3:17.98, holding off Delsea, the 2007 winner.
Big Penn: An estimated crowd of 49,831 attended the final day of the 114th Annual Penn Relays, the largest turnout this weekend and the second largest ever.
Quote: "I'm not saying it's not scary, because you have all these people watching you," McNeil said. But you got to remember to keep your mind straight, and focus on the race and give it everything you got."
PHILADELPHIA – Winslow Township won't say that missing the cut for the 4x400 Championship of America, arguably the biggest high-school race at the Penn Relays, was beneficial, but things sure went its way in the 4x400 Philadelphia Area Championship Saturday.
Having beaten Delsea by nearly six seconds in a year-best 3:17.78 to win the 4x400 South Jersey Large School Championship, Winslow Township soon discovered its time was two tenths of a second too slow to qualify for the eight-team race, sending the Eagles to scrap in the 12-team consolation race.
And scrap the Eagles' team of Darin Washington, Barry Cephas, Gerald Stephens-Holland and Davis McNeil did, placing third in 3:22.59
Representing the top seed, Washington, a senior, started off on the inside lane and then – with the bang of a gun – restarted after the fight for inside position left two runners facedown.
It hurt Washington to race having had strained his right calf during his previous race, but he welcomed a new start after being boxed in the moment he left the stripe.
And he wasn't about to make the same mistake with 49,831 fanatics watching.
"I knew I had to get out much faster," the senior said.
This time Washington launched off the line, grabbing the lead after 100 meters and then slipping to second before his handoff with Cephas .
"The restart to me was a godsend," coach Larry Hickman said. "On the second start Darin really got out and did what he was supposed to do."
Before running out of luck, the Eagles lucked out once more when the frontrunner from Father Judge (Pa.) dropped off along the homestretch to pick up his dropped baton, a mistake that Cephas – who ran a team-quick 48.0 leg in the preliminary – pounced on, dusting him before the stunned crowd.
The Eagles' foursome lost to Engineering & Science (3:22.24) and North Penn (3:22.40), suffering their first head-to-head defeat since last spring's Meet of Champions, but kept their unblemished record against state schools intact. Delsea finished sixth in 3:26.17.
Sterling's 4x400 team of Chris Ward, Greg Taylor, Robert Friedman and Matt Long outlasted Burlington Township (3:29.23), Holy Cross (3:30.06) and others to win the South Jersey Small School Championship in 3:27.85, but did not advance.
Throughout the final day of the Penn Relays, many teams slowed even when stacked among better competition, a phenomenon that Hickman chalks up to fatigue and chilly, breezy weather.
West Deptford pole vaulter Dan Batdorf only had to look at the flags to see a bad omen.
The flags atop Franklin Field rippled in one direction, the towel wrapped around the standard pole blew another and the end result was Batdorf tying for sixth with a jump of 14-3.25.
"You can feel it when you run," said the senior who arched 15-6 indoors. "Sometimes you'll be running and you feel a gust of wind and it completely ruins the jump."
Egg Harbor Township senior Stevenson Cajuste started the high-school portion of the meet by placing seventh in the 400-meter Hurdles Championship in a personal-best 54.94.
A week after jumping 7-0, Timber Creek high jumper Montez Blair came back to Earth, clearing 6-7.75, good for a medal and a share of fourth pace.
The field wasn't kind to Cherokee senior Chris Steliga either. After advancing to the championship round with a jump of 22-8, the long jumper fouled three times, finishing eighth.
Steliga tried to make adjustments in between his botched attempts,
"After my first [foul] I was thinking 'No big deal, it happens,'" Steliga said, "but on the second one, I was off by like three feet and I was like 'Oh, shoot' so I had to move my steps up. The last one I fouled by a quarter of an inch."
Seeded second in the 4x800 Championship of America after running a school-record 7:51.07, Washington Township's team of Steve Morrone, Nick Krauss, Tim Carey and Xavier Fraction had trouble finding their legs, finishing in 8:06.95.
Although most of the girl events concluded Friday, the 4x400 Philadelphia Area Championship was saved for Saturday. After winning the South Jersey Large School Championship Thursday, the Camden relay team of Jamie Jones, Miriam Boyd, Shaquanda Gainey and Kamice Smalls finished fourth in 3:57.67. Woodrow Wilson placed sixth in 4:01.11.
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