New Jersey Weekly Roundup
Thursday, April 13, 2006 By Ed Grant
Following Horace Greeley's advice, several New Jersey teams headed to the Arcadia Invitational in California last weekend and thus escaped some of the worst weather Garden State athletes have ever encountered in their annual early April pursuit of places in the select fields for the 3200R and DMR at the Penn Relays. Ridgewood, already a qualifier for either event, ran 8:02.70 in the 3200 and 10:26.30 in the DMR in both cases finishing behind Msgr. Farrell of Staten Island in possible previews of what could happen the last weekend of April in one of the two events. But it was Indian Hills who provided the big moment for the small NJ contingent when it outran the Golden State teams in the spring medley in 3:29.98.
The race was somewhat reminiscent of what happened more than 50 years ago at the Coliseum Relays when Fordham sprang the biggest upset in collegiate relay history with its world record performance in the 2MR against highly favored teams from Michigan and California, among others. And it came in much the same way---Indian Hills trailing badly after the first to legs, put into position with a 48.9 400 leg from indoor Eastern champ Garrett Kroner and then going on to win by four yards from Upland of California.
Just as that 1954 race was the breakthrough for Fordham anchor Tom Courtney-who would win in Melbourne two years later---so this race put Bruno into the spotlight after an indoor season disturbed by an injury incurred while warming up at the state group championships. (Bruno would go on to break the state soph record with his 1:56.3 at the Easterns, but lost any chance to win the AG 800 which, as it turned out, might have been his for the asking.)
While Ridgewood and Indian Hills went west last weekend, Irvington's sprint crew headed south to the Norfolk State Invitational where the Camptowners improved their 400R time to 42.33, also won the 1600R at 3:25.39 and saw Randy James take the HH in 14.31.
Meanwhile, at home, the athletes, officials and spectators, shivered through a cold, wet Saturday which saw several meets go unfinished or (in the case of the Skyland Relays) wind up in more pleasant climes on Monday. The only meet that escaped the wintry weather was the Camden-Gloucester Relays which delayed action one day and saw Winslow Twp score a fast sprint triple in 42.8, 1:28.9 and 3:24.8 in the boys' action and Camden a 48.0, 1:42.5 and 4:02.0 in the girls.. (Wilson ran 42.9 in the boys' 400, with Camden and Delsea both posting 43.4s.). Josh Butler of Delsea added a6-8 in the HJ.)
Bishop Eustace was missing two top hands in the girls' small-school division and still won 11 of 13 events for a 126-36 win over Audubon with the boys defeating indoor Gr. I relay champs Haddon Heights, 128-74. Winslow Twp took the large school boys title, 110-74, over Delsea and Washington Twp and Delsea the girls' crown, 106-82, over Camden.
In the Skyland meet, Somerville had a wing-ding team battle with Hillsboro, placing a close second to the Raiders in the 1600R from the Raiders to save a 83-82 win. Hillsboro topped Montgomery for the girls' title, 102-88. Most of the running events were in Saturday's wicked weather, but, on Monday, Hillsboro ran 3:27.6 in the boys' 1600R and 10:50.7 in the DMR, while Voorhees---with all-state CC frosh Melanie Thompson back in action, won the girls' DMR in 12:42.1, Montgomery took the 800R in 1:47.0 and Watchung Hills the 1600R in 4:09.3.
There were some remarkable efforts in other Saturday meets, however, At the Passaic County Relays, Shaquan Brown of Paterson Kennedy had a 55.3 in the IH and a 49.0 anchor for the 1600R only to see his team lose a close one to Wayne Valley, 77-72 Kennedy did salvage the girls' crown with soph Kristen Crawford on four winning teams, including something new for her---the 400H team event.
In the non-scoring Wrobo Invitational at Notre Dame, several members of the host team also ignored the elements. Gigi Gibilisco took the boys; 800 in 1:58.8 and indoor state 400M champ Kristen Mahon won that event in 58.8 and also took the 400H in 1:04.9. The Irish also showed they are ready to challenge Indian Hills for SMR supremacy as Guy Castronova took the 400 in 50.7 and Justin Chukumba---one of their 200 legs on the state's fastest indoor SMR---doubled the hurdles in 15.2and 56.4.
Scotch Plains showed both depth and endurance as it ran away with both team titles at the Comet Relays in Englewood. The Raider boys scored in 11 events, including the closing 1600R which had only two entries. River Dell had a similar sweep at the BCSL American meet in Rutherford with hurdler Keith Brunner and weight man Zack Shapiro leading the boys and Kelly McDermott picking up four gold medals for the girls.
Colts Neck's two indoor 3200M champs escaped the weather by competing on Friday evening against older runners at the first of three Princeton distance invitationals. Craig Forys ran 14:42.16 in the men's 5K and Ashley Higginson 17:54.22 in the women's race. Frosh Briana Jackucewicz did not compete due to illness.
Fortunately, there is one more weekend for Penn qualification in the distance relay with a lot of meets to choose from on Saturday: the Hudson County Coaches Relays at Kearny, the Blue Devil Relays at Westfield, the Morris Hills Relays, the Colts Neck Relays. the Bridgeton Relays for boys and the West Deptford Relays for girls, where Ocean City will try to solidify its place in the girls' DMR, led by Brittany Sedberry and Renee Tomlin.