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Metro Rewind, week 2 - Jan 15, 2009 By Jim Lambert
A look back at the weeks action on the Metro Region
A flurry of US #1 performances and a pair of tickets into the Millrose Games Mile were punched to highlight action in the DyeStatMetro region over the past week.
 And the Star of the Week was clearly Benjamin Cardozo sophomore Chamique Francis. Francis, who attended Queens High School of Teaching last year, but didn’t run there, won the invitational 400 meters last Saturday at the Hispanic Games at the New Balance Track and Field Centrer in New York in 55.48, the fastest time in the United States so far this season. She also anchored Cardozo’s winning 4x200 relay that included Lateisha Philson, Tessa West and Ahtyana Johnson. They ran 1:40.23, tops in the nation. Then this past Wednesday, Francis led Cardozo(photo left by John Nepolitan) to a new US#1 in the 4x400, slicing five seconds off its previous national best with a 3:51.55 win at the Millrose Games Trials at the New Balance Track and Field Center.
Cardozo’s foursome consisted of senior Tess West, who led off in 58.1, sophomore Claudia Francis, who ripped a 56.0, sophomore Ahtyana Johnson (60.0), and then Chamique Francis blasted a 57.3 closing quarter. The two Francis girls are not related.
Also at the Millrose Trials, freshmen twins Mariah and Dominique Claudio lit up the track to fuel St. John Villa of Staten Island to the Catholic High School Athletic Association title in 3:58.72. Villa will run the Millrose Games for the first time. ``We felt we had to go under 4:00 to win or race and we knew we could do it,’’ said Dominique Claudio, who anchored in 57.2.
The first three legs for Villa were handled by junior Samantha Lauro (63.5), Mariah Claudio (56.1) and junior Alexis Bivona (59.2). Joining Villa in the Millrose CHSAA race will be Bishop Ford (3:59.17), St. John Baptist (4:01.54), St. Anthony’s (4:02.33) , Kellenberg (4:04.30), and Spellman (4:10.97).
Michelle Brown of Seneca produced one of the most sensational performances of the night. The junior grabbed the baton in third-place and about 25 meters off the lead. She burned a 56.2 anchor and shot past Willingboro and Jackson to cross the line first in 3:57.54, bumping out Columbia (3:58.09 from the previous heat) for the final NJ qualifying spot. Hopewell Valley joined Seneca, who each qualified for the Millrose Suburban Division 4x400 for the first time, as NJ qualifiers by winning its heat in 3:56.69. Hopewell Valley’s lineup consisted of freshman Miranda Mackey (59.2) , junior Nikki Ferrara (60.3), senior Julie Alexander (57.7), and sophomore Julia Rockey (59.3).
The Garden State produced six sub 4:00 teams. Besides Hopewell Valley and Seneca, Columbia (3:58.09), Jackson (3:58.14), Willingboro (3:58.45) and Camden (3:59.11) all went sub 4:00..Brown had a feeling she was going to reel in the front runners,``I knew on the backstretch right before the turn that I could get them,’’ said Brown, the NJ Meet of Champions 400 winner last spring. ``I heard my teammates yelling and screaming the whole last 50 meters and that carried me through the finish line.’’
In the New Jersey boys’ 4x400, Rahway took the track knowing it had to run its fastest to have any chance of advancing to Millrose. It responded with a sizzling 3:21.76, the second fastest time of the meet. Only Newburgh of New York ran faster (3:21.30). Rahway will make its first appearance at Millrose in the 4x400 since 1981. It will be joined by Camden, which won its heat in 3:24.32 to clinch the second and final NJ berth.
Rahway’s splits were 51.9 for Russell Jenkins, 49.6 for Chris Whyte, 49.9 for Ricky Draughn, and 50.3 for Chris Brown. ``We had a meeting right before the race and we said it was all about running for time no matter what kind of lead we had ,’’ said Draughn. ``Rahway hasn’t been to Millrose since 1981, so it was time to start a new legacy right here, right now.’’
The six-team Suburban Division 4x400 boys field at Millrose will consist of Rahway (3:21.76), Newburgh (3:21.30), Camden (3:24.32), Freeport (3:24.84), Mt. Vernon (3:27.35) and Amityville (3:24.31).
For the girls, the Suburban Division field will be Hopewell Valley (3:56.69), Seneca (3:57.54), Mt. Vernon (3:56.57), Newburgh (3:57.82), Brentwood (3:56.92) and Hempstead (4:00.41). Charlene Lipsey anchored Hempstead to a 4:00.41 win in the Nassau County race with a split of 56.4.
Clayton Parros of Seton Hall Prep also had a spectacular week. After winning the won the boys’ 400 in 47.78, No. 6 in NJ history and No. 2 in the nation this season, he came back Wednesday night with a blazing 47.3 third leg for Seton Hall Prep at the Millrose Games 4x400 Trials.
On of the best race of the night at the Millrose Trials came in the always exciting CHSAA 4x800.
Senior James Farley, after several attempts to get by Fordham Prep’s Carlos Petrovich, finally nudged by him midway down the final straightaway to five Archbishop Farrell the victory in 7:54.73. Fordham Prep was second in 7:55.11. Farley got the baton about 20 meters behind Petrovich before hammering out a 1:54.5 anchor. ``At first, I looked at his stride and tried to get into a rhythm that was slightly faster than his, and before you knew it, I was able to get right on him,’’ said Farley. ``But everytime I tried to get by him, he kept pushing a little harder to keep me behind him. On that last lap, I know my legs started failing a little and I know his must have be too. But I was able to push one last time and finally get ahead of him.’’ Farley was surprised that it was Petrovich and not Mike Jennings who he was dueling with. Jennings anchored in 1:56.5 for Fordham Prep last Saturday when it ran 7:52.99 (the second fastest time in the nation this season) to place second at the Hispanic Games. ``They made a change to try to get a big lead and they did that,’’ said Farley of Jennings’ 1:57.2 second leg. ``But thankfully, our third leg (Mark Bernardo) got it close for me.’’ Bernardo put together a 1:58.6 carry to move from fifth to second. ``That was big,’’ said Farley. ``It made my job a lot easier.’’
The first two legs on Farrell's all senior lineup were handled by Alex Orlando (2:00.7) and Corey Orazem (2:00.8).
The rest of the Millrose qualifiers in the CHSAA 4x800 were Bishop Ford (8:00.84), St. Joseph’s By The Sea (8:01.02), Chaminade (8:03.08) and St. Anthony (8:03.61).
 Junior Marco Bertolotti of Port Washington NY (photo left by John Nepolitan) and Emily Lipari of Roslyn NY were the big winners in the mile at the Hispanic Games, earning an automatic berth in the Millrose Games. Bertolotti made a huge late surge and got by the favorite, Brett Johnson of Ocean City about 25 meters from the finish to tinw the boys’ mile in 4:15.14. Johnson, second in 4:16.01, has already been intvited to run at Millrose, while third-place finisher Doug Smith of Gill St. Bernard’s ran 4:16.19 to give him a great chance at being invited for the second straight. Phi Wood of Pennington NJ was fourth in 4:16.96, putting himself in good position as well for a Millrose bid.
Lipari, a junior, also rallied for her victory Iin the girls’ mile, closing fast to edge Melanie Thompson of Voorhees NJ, 4:54.40 to 4:55.65. Ariann Neutts of Roxbury NJ was third in 5:00.80
Morris Hills (photo right by John Nepolitan) made a lot of noise as well at the Hispanic Games, roaring across the line first in the boys’ 4x800 in a US#1  7:51.07, No. 7 in NJ history. Morris Hills claimed victory as Vinny Chiusano (1:57.4), Tyler Hendrickson (2:00.4), Lucas Clyne (1:57.9) and Liam Tansey shared the baton. Fordham Prep, second in 7:52.99, used Zach Keefer (1:59.1), Harley Griffiths (1:59.1), Carlos Petrovich (1:57.9), and Mike Jennings (1:56.5).
Sean Pohorence of Morris Hills and Dominique Booker of Montclair Immaculate also scored victories at the Hispanic Games. Pohorence won the boys’ two-mile in 9:30.70 and Booker, the national leader in the girls’ 55 dash, won that event in 7.09. Her best this season is 7.08. Brianna Welch of North Shore NY took over the US#1 spot in the 3,000 by outdueling Aisling Cuffe of Cornwall for the win at the Hispanic Games in 10:03.74.
At last Thursday’s Southern Connecticut Conference Development meet at the New Haven Track and Field Center, senior Cas Loxsom of Wilbur Cross (file photo below by John Nepolitan) in Connecticut zipped through splits of 26 and 53 on his way to a near state record of 1:21.29 in the 600. That’s the fastest time in the nation this season.
At the Southern Tier Invitational at Cornell University last Saturday, Alec Faldermeyer of Minisink Valley in New York extended his US #1 in the weight throw with a throw of 74-9.
At the Arkansas High School Invitational last Saturday at the Randal Tyson Track on the campus of the University of Arkansas, Newburgh Elite TC (Newburgh NY) had a pair of hot runner-up finishes in the sprint relays. In the 4x200, Newburgh ran 1:29.91 to take second to Track Eastern Carolina (New Bern, N.C.), which blazed a #3 all-time mark of 1:27.02. In the 4x400, Newburgh ran 3:21.28 to take second again to Track Eastern Carolina, which ran a US#1 3:19.28.
The Rahway girls and Union boys highlighted a historic day in Union County track lore with some history of their own by grabbing team titles for the first time ever at the Union County Relays last Saturday at the Jersey City Armory. It was the first time since the 1970’s that Union County ran its championship meet on an actual track. For the last few decades, the county meets were held on the slippery and slow 11 laps to a mile gym floor surface of the Dunn Center in Elizabeth. Junior Nichelle Harris was the catalyst for the Rahway girls, anchoring two victories and running on another scoring relay to lead her team to a surprising, 44-34 win over runner-up and defending champion Union.
Meanwhile, on the boys’ side, Rahway was in control for most of the meet and seemed headed to complete the team sweep, but a mishap in the sprint medley proved costly and Union capitalized, rallying for a 54-53 win. Rahway, second last year to Union Catholic, was leading Union, 39-26 with just three events to go. But a baton pass from its second to third man in the sprint medley was out of the exchange zone, resulting in a disqualification. Rahway crossed the line in second place, but had its eight points removed from the scoring. Union, led by Jon Jackson and Bayaan Oluyadi, won the sprint medley (3:44.14) and the high jump (11-10) to take a 46-43 lead. Union got second in the meet concluding 4x400 to finish off the victory. Oluyadi anchored Union’s winning 4x800 in 2:05.1, ran 53.5 for the 400 on the victorious SM, and 52.9 on the 4x400. Martin Prokopovich cleared 6-0 and Stanley Pluviose 5-10 for Union in the high jump. Pluviose added a 8.1 leadoff for the runner-up shuttle hurdles team. Jackson, a senior who is running track for the first time this season, anchored the winning SM with a 2:02.2 800 carry, split 52.5 as the anchor on the 4x400, and led off the winning 4x800 with a 2:02.1 as he gave his team the lead for good.
At last weekend’s 40th Annual Dartmouth Relays at the Leverone Field House in Hanover NH, Westerly RI sr Andrew Springer turned back Charlestown MA sr Omar Abdi, 4:16.73 to 4:17.95 in the boys Invitational mile. Shenendehowa NY sr Alex Leuchanka 3rd at 4:18.06.
Canadian Julie Labonte (St. Justine QC) blasted the meet record in the girls shot with 51-05, while Lancaster NY jr Melissa Kurzdorfer shone in 2nd with a US#1 47-09. In her specialty, Kurzdorfer won the weight throw in 54-09.50, with Lebanon frosh Julia Westover 2nd in 49-01.75. In the girls Invitational mile, Garden City NY jr Emily Menges crossed in 4:59.93, 3-seconds up on Burnt Hills NY sr Sam Roecker at 5:03.82. Shenendehowa NY freshman Lizzie Predmore claimed the girls 2 Mile in 11:01.57 over junior teammate Danika Simonson (11:12.41). Schuylerville NY soph Sarah Palmer climbed 5-06.00 to win the girls HJ. Two teams broke 10:30 in the boys DMR, led by Shenendehowa NY's US#1 10:24.41. Westerly RI, which had won the seeded section in a US#1 mark at the Brown Invit. a week ago, only to lose the top spot to East Greenwich RI in the unseeded race, was 2nd this time in 10:29.60. Garden City NY took the girls DMR in a 12:20.92, which trails only the 12:14.39 from North Shore NY run on the Armory's banked track. Shenendehowa was 2nd in a solid, but well-beaten 12:33.19. The sprint medley relays went to Kellenburg NY girls (4:15.70) and the Amity CT boys (3:40.76).d
At the Section One Coaches Invitational last Friday at Rockland Communtiy College last Friday, the Ramapo boys showed off their sprint strength with Ryan Whitley taking 1st in the HH, Kevin Malivert winning the 55 dash, Mike Abelard and Chidi Ezemma going 1-2 in the 300 and winning gold in the 4 x 400 and 4 x 200.
The Suffern girls took gold in every individual running final on the oval. The team was lead by 4 time Footlocker Finalist Shelby Greany who opened her season with a 10:44.0 (3,200) and 5:11.7 (1,600) wins. Jenn Clayton was a triple winner taking the 55, 300 and long jump.
At the North Jersey Championships on Monday at the Rothman Center in Hackensack, N.J., Amber Allen (Passaic Tech) won the 600 then took the 300 in a new meet record of 41.5. Holy Angels took the girls large school crown to break the string of 5 by Ridgewood. Suzanne Markolovic takes the 1600 and 3200 to lead Holy Angels. For the 3rd year in a row Don Bosco Prep claims the boys large school title. Marvin Whilby in the 55 anb Raphael Vargas in the 3200m take individual titles for the team titlists. NXN Qualifier Taro Shigenobu (Ridgewood) takes the 1600 and adds a 2nd in the 1000
Sadiki White (Allentown HS, NJ) blazed a 1:56.14 800 at the NYRRC Thursday Night at the Races.
COMING NEXT WEEK - A recap of the New Jersey State Relay Championships, The Yale Invitational and The Stanner Games including other Metro action |
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