DyeStat


The Internet Home of Track & Field




 Ironman Invitational
Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, NJ
April 30, 2009


Dyestat Metro on site with John Nepolitan
 

Results

Photo Galleries
Field Events
Track Events

Preview

Participating schools (as of 4/29)

Order of events

Previous Years Coverage
2008
Bosco's Leighton Spencer runs fast 5000

Highlights

  • Don Bosco's Leighton Spencer takes the 5000 in a fast 15:02.7 over team mate Rob Molke (15:17.6)
  • Conroy Walker (Hackensack, NJ) is a double winner taking the long jump (20' 11.25) and the triple jump (43' 5.5")
  • Marvin Wilby (Don Bosco Prep) takes the 100 then anchors the winning 4 x 200
  • Insoo Hwang (Ridgewood, NJ) wins the 400 IH by over 2 seconds crossing the line in 56.7
  • Dyestat messageboard legend Rob "A" Albano (Pequannock) goes out hard in the 1500 then has to hold off the late rush of Michael Belgiovine (Don Bosco) winning in 4:07.0 - 4:07.5
  • Tenafly comes from behind in the final leg to win the 4 x 800 over St Joeseph Regional 
  • As a result of a  school function New York powerhouse Fordham Prep has to pull most of its stars, but still  has a winner when John Horvath takes the pol evault with team mates Anthony Carr and Keegan Talty also in the top 4


Preview - By Rob DeCarlo

The 2nd Ironman Invitational is set for Thursday 4/30 at Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, NJ. The Ironmen will host a group of North Jersey teams, including distance rivals Ridgewood and perennial contenders Hackensack as well as NY neighbors Pearl River and national powerhouse Fordham Prep in a small invitational with the goal of fast times, big jumps and long throws in a showcase event. The meet wiill begin with the field events at 4:30, followed by the track events at 6:00, with the lights coming on for the showcase Open 1500m and the meet-closing 4x200m & 4x800m.
 
Sprints/Sprint Relays: The Ironmen, led by senior Marvin Whilby, will look to put up fast times in the 4x200m, 800m medley and 100m with the hopes of posting a national qualifier in both short relays. Contenders in the 4x200 should include St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, NJ) fresh off a solid early-season time of 1:32.4 at the Bergen County Relays. Hackensack, Ridgewood & Fordham Prep should round out the top 5. Depending on their lineup, Fordham Prep's Zach Keefer, defending Ironman Invite 400m champ should be the favorite in the open 400m.
 
Distance/4x800m: Leighton Spencer leads a deep field here, as many North Jersey runners have entered for a chance to run 5000m on the oval, the opening event on the track. Spencer projects to run in the low-mid 15's here, with teammates Rob Molke and Rafael Vargas chasing. In the mix should be Taro Shigenobu (Ridgewood), Dave Oster (Verona) Chris Banafato (Bridgewater) Jared Hanko (Trinity Christian) and several others, including Dyestat message board celebrity Rob "Rob A" Albano, of Pequannock.
 
The 1500m, another unique event in NJ, features a group of 8-10 runners looking to run between 4:10 and 4:20, but not projected to be anywhere near the impressive run by Brett Johnson in last spring's inaugural event.
 
In the 4x800m, DBP will double back it's "A" squad from the 5K/1500m, looking to challenge Fordham Prep, a team with a low 7:50 indoors and a 7:59 last week at Penn. Also in the field are Ridgewood, Tenafly and St. Joseph's, with Tenafly and senior Dayne Mosconi chasing a school record which has stood for decades.
 
The Open 1500m will feature a field of local amateur, professional and masters runners looking to post a fast time and impress the locals. Aidan Walsh, Alex Wechsler, Deon Bascom and Attila Sabahoglu look to follow a pace set by Stephen Flanagan (DBP '08/Fairfield - 4:07 1500m) in hopes of running at or near 4:00/mile pace. Walsh (3:52 1500m) is a former standout runner for FDU, and Wechsler (3:49 1500m/4:11 mile) ran for DBP and most recently graduated from Lafayette. Bascom, out of Pitt, brings low 1:50 and sub 4:10 credentials to the race, and should help keep the pace honest. Sabahoglu, fresh off his races at the Penn Relays, is looking to test his legs in an early season race. The rest of the men's field and the women's field will be comprised of local and masters athletes from the North Jersey area, including coaches, alumni and parents.
 
Hurdles: Fordham Prep is the prohibitive favorite here, as Wayne Seaton leads a deep and talented squad in both the 110HH and 400H. Tenafly also brings in talented hurdlers in both the short and long hurdle races, led by James Doherty and Hackensack & Ridgewood (InSoo Hwang) have never been short of talent in these events.
 
Jumps/Vault: Fordham Prep's Jourdan White is the class of the HJ field, with a clearance of 6'6 indoors. If White falters or doesn't enter, Tommy DeVita of Ridgewood and Greg Hazell of Don Bosco Prep should resume their rivalry which started indoors and continued through the Bergen County Relays outdoors.
 
The TJ should go Fordham Prep's Andrew Hemming, a 45 foot jumper; however, Greg Hazell of Don Bosco Prep has already gone over 43 this spring and the sophomore is poised for a breakout.
 
Long Jumpers from St. Joseph's Regional (NJ) have surpassed 21 feet this spring, as has Don Bosco Prep's Scott Weismiller. It should take well over 20' to medal here in a deep field which, like the throws, follows a 4 throw, no final format.
 
Weismiller is also the favorite in the PV, having cleared 14'6 indoors, but there are 5-7 vaulters who could give him a fight if he struggles to raise the bar, including teammate John Lynch and Steve Spreitzer from Ridgewood.
 
Throws: Junior Tim Byrne of Don Bosco Prep is coming off a breakthrough performance in the discus, throwing 145'+ in a Tuesday Tri-Meet. Stephen Mozia of Hackensack and Jack Simmons of Ridgewood should contend. The shot should again feature all three throwers, all with nearly identical PR's and 2009 bests in the 45-46 foot range.



Participating schools
(as of 4/29)

Don Bosco Prep
Bridegwater-Raritan
Hackensack
Trinity Christian
Verona
Voorhees
McNair Academic
Passaic Valley
Pequannock
Ridgewood
Tenafly
Fordham Prep (NY)
Xavier (NY)
Sy Joseph Regional
Pearl River (NY

Order of events

Field Events (Beginning at 4:30 PM; Warmups beginning at 3:30 PM)
Shot Put     (40’ minimum)
High Jump    (5’6” Opening Height)
Pole Vault     (10’0” Opening Height; up to 11’0” then 6” thereafter)
Long Jump    (18’0 minimum; 4 jumps per athlete - NO FINALS!)
Triple Jump    (38’0 minimum; 4 jumps per athlete – NO FINALS!)
Discus        (100’ minimum)

Track Events (Beginning at 6:00 PM; Warmups beginning at 5:00 PM)
1. 5000m        
2. 400H        
3. 800m Medley     (1-1-2-4)
4. 1500m        
5. 100m Trials  
6. 110H Trials  
7. 400m        
8. OPEN 1500m
9. 110H Finals     (Top 6)
10. 100m Finals     (Top 6)
11. 4x800m   
12. 4x200m   
DyeStat