Bears, Vikings win titles at Battle of Monmouth
Old Bridge boys
dominate Magee Invitational
VERONICA YANKOWSKI East Brunswick’s Alex Shatskov crosses the finish line at the Battle of Monmouth meet at Battlefield State Park in Manalapan last Saturday.
Alex Shatskov runs every race to the finish, and it’s a good thing. That approach led him to victory at Saturday’s Shore Coaches Battle of Monmouth meet held at Battlefield State Park in Manalapan.
Shatskov overcame a late-race surge from Marlboro’s James Coomber to win the Junior Division race in 17:17.9. It was one of many impressive performances for the Bear boys, who won the junior team competition and enjoyed several other high finishes.
For most of the 5K junior race, Coomber sat behind Shatskov letting the Bear do the pace setting. But just before the runners left the woods for the final 600 meters, run in the open field of the park, the Mustang took the lead on an uphill climb.
Quite often a move like that can be decisive, breaking the spirit of the front-runner. Shatskov, though, was unfazed by Coomber’s surge.
"I don’t mind having someone pounding on you while you’re leading," he pointed out. "I felt comfortable. When he went for the lead, I let him take it."
It was Coomber’s turn to be the hunted, and Shatskov was always alert to not let the Mustang open up any kind of lead. The Bear was waiting for his time, which would come with 400 meters remaining.
"I always give it my best to the end," noted Shatskov. "With 400 meters to go, I just took off."
Coomber matched Shatskov stride-for-stride initially, but faded, unable to match the strength and leg speed of the East Brunswick junior.
"I was third here last year, and I wanted to be one of the top guys this year," noted the Bear harrier.
This time, he was "the" top guy.
Cliff Gerber ran a fine race behind his teammate and Coomber, placing third (17:33) to help East Brunswick win the team title with a three-runner total of 18. Third scorer Lucas Welsh was 15th (18:43) overall and 14th in team scoring to help the Bears turn back Howell (26).
East Brunswick was third in senior division (47) behind champion South Brunswick (28) and West Windsor Plainsboro-North (44).
Matthew Randal paced the South Brunswick winners taking second behind Raritan’s Greg Howe (16:54), who had the best time of the day. Randal posted a 17:02.3. Scott Yeager, 10th (17:50), and Dan McDonald, 17th overall, 16th in team scoring (18:16.9), were the other scorers for the Vikings.
E.B. was led by Mike O’Rourke’s eighth place (17:45.3).
The Bears were also third in both the sophomore and freshman division races.
In the sophomore run, Nick Rowan paced the Bears with a sixth place (18:29.4) as they totaled 41 points to trail Southern Regional (27) and J.P. Stevens (44).
In the freshman competition, Keith Kesten paced the Bears with his ninth place (11:35.7 for two miles).
East Brunswick’s girls finished third in the Senior Division with a team score of 33, behind Toms River North (27) and Pingry (32).
The Bears "A" team was led by Erin Goldenberg (22:07.1), who finished seventh in the race dominated by Red Bank Catholic’s one-two punch of Kelly Byrnes (20:25.9) and Mary McCudden (20:59.9).
Old Bridge’s boys, one of the two best teams in New Jersey, made a strong case for the No. 1 spot after the Knights thoroughly dominated the Bernie Magee New Jersey Catholic Track Conference Cross Country Invitational held at Warinanco Park in Elizabeth on Saturday.
Old Bridge was the overall winner by more than 200 points (35 to runner-up Bridgewater-Raritan’s 245) while sweeping all four class races.
Dan Harding, one of the state’s best himself, captured the senior division race in the fastest time of the day, 16:40.9. Tim Paule was third (16:59.07) and Eddie Jimenez, fourth (17:02.12), over the looping 3.2-mile course.
In the junior division, Rich LeFergola was first, posting a 16:45.42, the second best mark of the day behind Harding. Ryan Bennett (17:00.27) and Brett McInerney (17:36.86) finished third and seventh respectively for the Knights.
Matt Sperber led the winning effort in the sophomore division with his third place (17:51.96). Ryan Quiros was next across the line in fourth (18:08.1) and Mitch Slater polished off the win in ninth place (18:20.99).
Patrick Bennett’s third place in the 3,200-meter frosh race led the Knights to the freshman division title. He clocked 12:43.11. Umar Saeed (12:52.63) and Frank Vulpis (12:54.6) finished seventh and eighth.
Warinanco Park will be the venue Saturday for the Stewart Invitational. This is also a class race.