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NJ State Meet of Champs - Previews, predictions and records

Previews - Girls - Boys
Predictions - Girls  - Boys
Meet Records - Girls - Boys
State Records - Girls - Boys

31st Girls New Jersey Meet of Champions Preview

By JIM LAMBERT

There should be lots of fireworks on the track when the 31st NJSIAA/Star-Ledger/M-F Athletic Girls Meet of Champions is held on Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Bennett Center in Toms River.

And it won’t take very long for the sparks to starting flying as the best race of day very well could be the first one as three of the nation’s best quarter milers clash in the 400-meter run.

Defending champion Nijgia Snapp of  Oakcrest owns the fastest time in the nation this season in the two-lapper with the 55.33 she ran to win the Group 4 title last Sunday. But the Seton Hall-bound Snapp has lost her last two head-to-head meetings with Amber Allen of Passaic Tech this season, and will be also be racing Michelle Brown of Seneca for the first time this winter.

Snapp owns a 4-2 edge in the season series with Allen from their races at the Colgate Games, where Allen ran her season best and US #9 55.9 in the semifinals before beating Snapp in the championship round.

Snapp and Allen were both in the Group 4 400, but in different heats.

Meanwhile, Brown ran a US #10 56.56 to win the state Group 3 title last week and beat Snapp to capture the M of C 400 crown last spring.

Snapp said her meet and facility record of 55.19 could go down and indicated that a sub 55 is not out of  the question.

The biggest star of the meet is of course the sensational Jillian Smith of Southern, who has six M of C titles on her resume (four individually and two on relays).

The Michigan-bound Smith said on Wednesday night that she will bypass the 800 and attempt to win the 1,600 for the third straight year. Smith will be seeing to join Cathy Feeney of Wayne Valley (1988-90) as the only three times winners of the event. 

Smith hasn’t lost a race since June of  2007, is a two-time national champion, owns US #1 times this season in both the mile (4:51.88) and the 1,000 (a NJ record 2:46.09), and her 2:13.44 win in Group 4 800 is US #5.

With Smith running the 1,600, her teammate, junior Chelsea Cox, has a great chance of winning the 800 and capturing her first individual M of C title.

Cox, second indoors and outdoors in the 800 at the M of C last year, also qualified in the 1,600, but since she wouldn’t be in the seeded heat in the 1,600, Cox will be running the 800. Her biggest challengers should be Ariann Neutts of Roxbury, the Group 3 runner-up in 2:14.64, and possibly Ajee’ Wilson of Neptune.

The electrifying Wilson set the state freshmen records in both the 800 (2:13.70) and 1,600 (4:58.78) in winning both races in Group 3. Wilson’s coach, Dawn Bowles, a former Neptune and LSU great who won the 1991 NCAA hurdles title, said on Thursday night that Wilson won't decide between the 800 and 1,600 until race day.

The 3,200 should be a hot race as all four Foot Locker cross country finalist from New Jersey will lock horns in a field that consists of nine sub 11 minute runners this season.

Defending champion Lanie Thompson of Voorhees (US#6 10:51.88), Chelsea Ley of  Kingsway (US#4 10:46.87),  Katie Kellner of West Windsor South (Us#8 10:52.48), Briana Jackucewicz of Colts Neck (US #5 10:51.54) and Laura Vigilante of Mendham (US #9 10:53.14) should force a quick pace in a race that should take close to 10:30 to win. Thompson, Ley, Kellner and Vigilante all ran at the FL Championships in San Diego in December. Jackucewicz was a FL finalist in 2005.

55 dash: Junior Dominique Booker of Montclair Immaculate is the runner to watch here. She was second a year ago and has the top time in the state this season, a US #2  6.98. But she will have plenty of quality of sprinters looking to knock her off, led by Janay Mitchell of Teaneck and Audrey Wilson of Deptford.

55 hurdles: This one is impossible to predict. There are a number of  hurdlers capable of winning. Briana Barlow of New Brunswick, the M of C 100 hurdle winner last spring, Briana Feldhaus of Randolph, Ugonna Ndu of Union, surprise Group 3 winner Stephanie Hicks of Nottingham, Azudei Dubois of Irvington and Ashley Porterfield of  Neptune, all have run between 8.30 and 8.36. 

High jump:  For all its success (a state record tying six state indoor group titles), Hopewell Valley has never had a M of C winner indoors. But Emily Kianka is in position to change that.

Kianka has been the top jumper in the state all season, making 5-7 at the Mercer County Championships and improving her personal best to a New Jersey season best and US #7 5-7 ½ while winning the Group 2 title last Sunday. 

Among those looking to spring the upset will be 5-6 jumpers Mary Durek of Shawnee and 2008 outdoor M of C winner Lauren Calorel of Lacey, and Group 4 champion Alexis Wachter of Southern Regional, who has made 5-5.

Shot put: Shannon Watt of  Jackson has been the state’s No. 1 thrower this season with a best and US#9 44-2 ½, but has been bothered by a sore groin the last couple weeks, which forced her to abandon her  normal spinning technique last week. But she miraculously still threw 41-1 from a standing position at the front of the circle to win the Group 4 title.

If she resumes her spinning, Watt should come out on top. If it’s an issue, then Lisa Stuto of Brick and teammates Genevieve Rybicki and Victoria Imbesi of  Our Lady of Mercy could emerge victorious.

Pole vault: This figures to be a Morris County duel between friendly rivals Chrissy Finkel of Montville and Nicole Pompei of Hanover Park, the state’s only 12-0 vaulters. Pompei won the M of C last spring. Finkel won the indoor M of C two years ago. Pompei has made 12-1 this season and Finkel 12-0.

4x400: It’s tough to bet against any team that has Chelsea Cox and Jillian Smith on the final two legs. Southern is the top seed with a 3:57.35, but Michelle Brown led Seneca, the Millrose Games champion, has run 3:57.59, while Hopewell Valley has the fastest time in the state of 3:56.69.

Predictions

55 Booker breaks 7.00

400 Snapp goes sub 55

800 Cox in the 2:12 range

1,600 Smith in around 4:53

3,200 Thompson first in close to 10:35

HH Feldhaus in a blanket finish

HJ Kianka clears 5-8

SP Watt throws around 43-0

PV-Finkel on misses

4x400 Southern in a meet record


NJ GIRLS INDOOR TRACK & FIELD MEET OF CHAMPIONS RECORDS


60 Yard High Hurdles                             Cheryl Morrison, Lincoln                                               8.0              1979

55 Meter Hurdles (hand)                      Wendy Vereen, Trenton                                                7.8              1984

55 Meter Hurdles (auto)                   Charmaine Walker, Plainfield                                         7.86            1997

 

60 Yard Dash                                        Judy Davis, Lincoln                                                         7.0             1979

 

55 Meter Dash (hand time)                   Wendy Vereen, Trenton                                               6.7              1984

55 Meter Dash (auto time0                   Ogechi Nwaneri, Chatham                                        6.93            2008

 

 

200 Meter Dash                                    Krystal Cantey, Winslow Township                              25.07            2006

 

440 Yard Dash                                      Robin Stephens, Lakewood                                        1:02.1          1979

400 Meter Run                                     Nijgia Snapp, Oakcrest                                                  55.19            2008

 

880 Yard Run                                        Mary Ellen Damutz, Hightstown                                    2:24.7          1979

800 Meter Run                                     Jasmin Jones, Hackensack                                         2:11.50         1987

 

One Mile Run                                        Mary Beth Hogan, Cranford                                          5:21.5          1979

1,500 Meter Run                                   Joetta Clark, Columbia                                                 4:36.8          1980

1,600 Meter Run                                   Michelle Rowen, Washington Township                    4:49.5          1983

 

Two Mile Run                                        Ann Gladue, Bayley-Ellard                                          11:17.5          1979

3,000 Meter Run                                   Theresa Gschwind, Summit                                        10:11.5          1980

3,200 Meter Run                                  Ashley Higginson, Colts Neck                                     10:26.53        2007

 

High Jump                                           Tatiana.Smolin, Randolph                                            5-10 1/2        1984

 

Pole Vault                                           Jen Holly, Barnegat                                                    12-6               2008

 

Shot Put (8 lbs)                                  Beth Bittel, Toms River North                                        41-6. 3/4      1979

                (4 kg)                                   Nicole Sims, Plainfield                                                 49-9 3/4        1991

 

4x440 Yard Relay                                Plainfield                                                                     4:00.1          1980

4x400 Meter Relay                             Montclair                                                                     3:55.24*       1998

                                                            (Melisa Barber, Aleah Williams

                                                            Chantel Coppedge, Mikele Barber)

41st Boys NJ Meet of Champions - Preview

By JIM LAMBERT

The big news heading into Saturday’s 41st Boys NJSIAA/Star-Ledger/M-F Athletic Meet of Champions involves someone who won’t be running.

Clayton Parros of Seton Hall Prep, the US #1 400 runner this season with a 47.58, will not be competing due to a strained hamstring, Seton Hall Prep coach Steve Trembley said on Thursday night.

Parros won the M of C 400 last winter and was supposed to have a showdown with Isaiah Gill of Plainfield for NJ quarter mile supremacy. Parros and Gill haven’t met since Gill’s thrilling 400 win in 47.16 over runner-up Parros (47.36) at the M of C last spring.

Parros injured his hamstring while winning the 200, his third win of the day, at the New Jersey Prep Championships at Lawrenceville on Wednesday.

Trembley said the injury isn’t that bad and feels Parros could be back in action at Tuesday’s Eastern States Championships at the Armory Track & Field Center in

``We’re handling this very cautiously,’’ said Seton Hall Prep coach Steve Trembley. ``There is more to lose than to gain if Clayton runs on Saturday. ``We’re still hopeful that he can run the 400 at Easterns and go after that state record (47.20).’’

Without Parros in the 400, Gill now becomes the clear favorite, but will have to push himself to have any shot at   at the facility record of 48.92 set at the M of C two years ago by Charles Cox of Monmouth.

Gill seems to be peaking at the right time, dropping his times steadily down to  a US #14 49.39, which he ran to win the Group 4 race last Sunday.

 While Gill is the fastest runner in the race, he'll still have to earn the title against a tough field of challengers headed by Ryan Spadola of Freehold Township. Spadola got out slow last week before charging to a second place finish behind Gill in Group 4 in 49.84. Spadola appears to have the best chance of pulling off the upset, but he must run the first 100 much harder than he did last week. If he does, it could be a great race.


The are several other storylines to keep an eye.

Nick Vena of Morristown will aim for another record in the shot put, sophomore twins Jim and Joe Rosa of West Windsor-Plainsboro North could make history, and Doug Smith of  Gill St. Bernard’s will once again chase his first title.

Vena, who set a national sophomore and state record in the shot put this season with a US#3 67-8 ¼, is the defending champion. There’s little doubt he’ll keep his title and remain undefeated this season.

The only question is whether he can take down the meet record of 67-3 set in 1998 by Kevin DiGiorgio of Bayonne.

After a brief midseason lull, Vena has regained his rhythm in the circle, unloading bombs of  67-0 at the Varsity Classic in New York on Feb. 6, and a meet record 67-6 ½ to capture the state Group 3 championship last Saturday.

 The 3,200 features yet another quest by Smith to grab M of C gold after experiencing some agonizingly close losses over his career at the M of C.

The Arizona State-bound Smith was second indoors and outdoors last year in the 3,200, both times by the narrowest of margins.

Last winter, he came up just short to current Princeton University star Brian Leung of West Windsor-Plainsboro South, 8:59.77 to 9:01.86. It was even closer in the spring when Smith was runner-up to Tyler Udland of Millburn, 9:04.80 to 9:05.73.

``It would be pretty amazing,’’ Smith said of how a victory would feel. ``It would be like a huge weight off my chest.’’

Smith comes into this race with the top time in the state this season with a US #6 9:16.50.

Smith will be up against a talented field, led by Group 3 winner Joe Rosa, Group 2 winner Sean Pohorence of Morris Hills, Non Public A champion D.J. Thornton of Union Catholic, Group 4 winner Mark Leininger of Colts Neck and David Forward of Shawnee .

Rosa has run a US#11 9:22.23, Pohorence a US #13 9:23.60, Leininger a US #14 9:24.58, Thornton a US #19 9:27.03, and Forward a US #23 9:27.64.

If Joe Rosa wins and his brother Jim, the top seed in the 1,600, also finishes first, they’d become the first brother tandem to win titles at the same M of C. They also have a shot at the state sophomore records (4:15.6 for a mile/9:08.01 for 3,200).

The 1,600 lost some of its juice with the absence of the state’s top two milers, Robby Andrews of Manalapan and Brett Johnson of Ocean City.

Johnson missed the state sectionals when he went to the Boston Indoor Games to run the mile, placing seventh in 4:13.00.

Andrews, the national record holder at 1,000 meters and the Millrose Mile champion, missed the 1,600 at the Group 4 meet because of a bad blister, but plans to run the mile at   Easterns.

But the 1,600 still has the makings of a great race because Liam Tansey of Morris Hills, the state Group 2 1,600/800 winner, and Jim Rosa, who also qualified in the 3,200, have decided to go head-to-head in the 1,600. Xavier Fraction of Washington could also choose the 1,600 over the 800.

Tansey would have been favored to win the 800, but chose the 1,600 because he believes a race against Jim Rosa and possibly Fraction presents his biggest challenge.

Jim Rosa has run 4:16.45 this season in the 1,600. Tansey has run only 4:24.19 this season, but that's because he’s run just fast enough to win. Tansey went 4:15.74 to place fifth in the 1,600 at the M of C last spring.

Fraction, the Group 4 1,600 winner, has run 4:18.72 in the 1,600 this winter and was fourth at the M of C last June in 4:15.66.

And don’t forget junior Pat Schellberg of Delbarton, the Non Public A winner who has gone 4:18.7 this year.

 800: With Tansey headed for the 1,600, the door appears wide open for sophomore star Tivo Rivera of Kingsway or senior Sean Lunkenheimer of Old Bridge to grab glory. But if Fraction picks this race, he could steal it with his big late kick.   

Rivera broke the state sophomore record when he won the Group 2 title in a US #8 1:56.32. Lunkenheimer took the Group 4 title with a huge kick in a US #14 1:57.20.

 55 dash: Red hot sprinter Damiere Byrd of Timber Creek is the fastest runner in the state this season, having blazed a state sophomore record 6.39. He should make a run at the meet record of 6.38. Among those chasing him will be Group 2 winner James Brown of Glassboro (6.43), and Group 4 champion Stephon Knox of Plainfield (6.52).

 55 hurdles: Josh Evans is the man to beat, something no one has been able to do this season. The Irvington senior who is headed to National Champion Florida on a football scholarship, ran 7.41, the top time in the state and No. 3 in the nation.

Evans, second in the hurdles at the M of C last winter and spring, expressed a desire to get under 7.35, something just 11 hurdlers in state history have accomplished. If he does that, he’ll break the meet record of 7.36.

But Evans must hold off some strong contenders, led by Group 2 champion Kevon Brown of West Deptford (US # 10 7.49), Group 4 winner Rolston Braithwaite of Trenton (7.55),  Group 2 runner-up Pierre Darisme of Rahway (7.56), and Group 4 runner-up Stephon Knox of Plainfield (7.60).

 High jump: This could very well come down to who has the least amount of misses as Alex Smith of Rumson, Glenn Scheideler of Randolph and Uchenna Njoku of Cherry Hill East have all made 6-8 this season, No. 1 in the state and No. 10 in the US.

 Pole vault: This is another event without a clear favorite, although Group 2 champion Justin Amezquita, a junior at Gov. Livingston, is the state leader at 14-9.

State Group 1 champion Greg Hoffman of Park Ridge has made 14-7, while Greg Kelley of Toms River North, Chris Wyckoff of Toms River East, and Mike Maira of Seneca  have all cleared 14-6 this season. The Rutgers-bound Wyckoff cleared 15-0 last June to win the M of C.

The meet record of 14-6, set by Anthony Abitante of Gov. Livingston in 2005, the initial year the event was contested, is in jeopardy.

4x400 relay: Timber Creek comes into the race as the top seed with the 3:24.90 it ran to win Group 3, but Rahway (US #7 3:21.76) and Camden (3:24.32) are the two fastest teams in the state this season. Also keep an eye on Group 4 4x400 champion Freehold Township, which is unbeaten in the event and has run 3:25.63.

 
Predictions

55 Byrd breaks meet record of 6.38

400 Gill holds off  Spadola and wins in low 49.

800 Rivera edges Lunkenheimer in around 1:55.8

1,600 Tansey’s kick gives him tight win in the 4:14 range

3,200 Smith finally wins the big one, running close to 9:05.

HH Evans smashes meet record of 7.36

HJ Smith wins on misses at 6-8

SP Vena hits 68 and gets meet record

PV Amezquita wins on misses at 14-6

4x400 Timber Creek takes first in around 3:23

NJ BOYS INDOOR TRACK & FIELD MEET OF CHAMPIONS  RECORDS

   

60 Yard High Hurdles                             Reggie Blackshear, Metuchen                                6.9          1973

                                                                    Renaldo Nehemiah, Scotch Plains                         6.9          1977

55 Meter High Hurdles (hand)              John Manley, Neptune                                              7.3          1979

                                                                    Craig Morris, Monmouth Regional                         7.3          1980

                                                                Barry McLain, Trenton Central                                     7.3          1981

55 Meter High Hurdles (auto)                Sultan Tucker, Delsea Regional                          7.36        1996

 

60 Yard Dash                                        John Chambers, Neptune                                           6.1          1974

55 Meter Dash (hand)                            Mike Parker, Salem                                                     6.3          1981

                                                            Dennis Mitchell, Edgewood                                              6.3          1983

55 Meter Dash (auto)                            Damier Johnson, Long Branch                                6.38         2008

 

200 Meter Dash                                    Bryant McCombs, Old Bridge                                       22.17        2005

 

440 Yard Dash                                       Dave Law, Snyder                                                       49.0          1973

400 Meter Dash                                    Lance Wigfall, East Orange                                        48.50        2003

 

880 Yard Run                                        Joe Savage, Roselle Catholic                                    1:55.5         1969

                                                            Gary Trojanowski, St. Joseph                                          1:55.5         1972

800 Meter Run 
                                     Jean Destine, Elizabeth                                              1:53.77       1991

 

One Mile Run                                        Vince Cartier, Scotch Plains                                         4:06.6         1972

1,500 Meter Run                                    Cliff Sheehan, Westfield                                               3:59.6         1981

1,600 Meter Run                                   Chris Lear, Pingry                                                          4:16.27        1992

 

Two Mile Run                                        Chris Inman, Essex Catholic                                         9:07.8         1973

3,000 Meter Run                                    J.J. Clark, Columbia                                                      8:45.8         1981

3,200 Meter Run                                   Brian Leung, West Windsor-Plainsboro South        8:59.77       2008

 

4x440 Yard Relay                                  Seton Hall Prep                                                              3:22.1        1970

4x400 Meter Relay                                Monmouth Regional                                                    3:22.42        2007

                                                            (Kelly Fisher, Joseph Ortiz

                                                            Christopher Cox, Charles Cox)
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