RBR runners sweep DM at Monmouth County Relays
Falcon’s Kuehl tops
in shot put
Red Bank Regional’s bevy of distance running standouts helped the Bucs sweep the boys and girls distance medleys at the Monmouth County Relays.
Monmouth Regionals’ Adam Kuehl delivered a message to everyone loud and clear that he is the one to beat in the shot put when he had the best throw of the day, 57-9 3/4.
He easily beat his key rival, Matawan’s Uzoma Orji, who was second (50-11 1/2).
Red Bank’s girls finished second to Middletown South (48-33) in the team competition despite winning the most events — three.
The Bucs lost to South’s depth and were also hurt when their sprint medley relay was disqualified.
As expected, Amanda and Katy Trotter had a hand in RBR’s distance medley and 4×800 wins.
In the DM, the Bucs were unchallenged as Laura Orsini, Elizabeth Mayer, Melissa Dooley and Amanda Trotter turned in a 13:22.75 that was 12 seconds up on Red Bank Catholic’s quartet of Shannon Gillespie, Jillian Danback, Julia Barker and Kelly Byrnes, who posted a 13:34.01 in second place.
In the 4×800, Katy Trotter anchored the Bucs to their win in 10:29.40. Orsini ran the opening 800 meters followed by Amanda Trotter and Jamie Grohl.
Red Bank’s sprinters had their moment in the 4×200 relay. Alexis Brutman, Rosalie Bostic, Aloma Bailey and Melissa Taylor were the only team under 2:00 (1:59.77).
RBR’s other points came from a fifth place in the 4×50 shuttle hurdles (Dooley, Taylor, Christine Hurley and Katie Kingsbery, 34.34) and the shot put (Melissa Thornton and Jennifer Chien, 54-2).
RBC, which was third with 27 points, picked up its win in the 4×50 shuttle hurdles. Danielle LoPresti started it off followed by Lauren Russo and Allyson Angelo.
Katelyn Danback brought the home first with her anchor leg. RBC clocked 33.74.
Shore Regional was tied for 10th (8). The Blue Devils’ top team was its 4×400 squad of Laura Hayden, Leigh Adams, Nicole Ullmeyer and Ashley Dwyer, who posted a 4:35.54 in third place.
Red Bank Regional boys were the story of the cross-country season dethroning Christian Brothers Academy at the Monmouth County championships and adding the Central Jersey Group III banner to their trophy case.
The Bucs used their harriers to again beat CBA, this time in the DM. Jovannie Cortez ran the opening 1,200-meter leg and handed the baton off to Zachary Bogusz for the 400 meters.
Then it was on to Greg Langley for the 800, and Robbie Dennis ran the anchor 1,600. The Bucs nipped CBA, 11:32.98-11:33.25.
In the 4×800 the order was reversed with CBA topping the Bucs foursome of Steve Waite, Langley, Michael Siciliano and Cortez, 8:39.39-8:42.45.
The Bucs’ sprint medley team of John Baker, Frank Monteforte, Colin Cheney and Joe Kingsbery, all of whom are sophomores, ran a 3:56.25 for third place. CBA’s 3:50.05 was tops.
Bogusz, Baker, Kingsbery and Siciliano did a 3:49.54 in placing fifth in the 4×400.
The Bucs’ 26 points put them in third place behind CBA (70) and Wall (32).
Shore Regional, using its harriers from the Group I state cross-country championship team, was fourth in the DM. The Blue Devils ran Paul Murphy, Matt Hunt, Thomas Dunphy and Marc Altneau and clocked 11:40.23.
Helped by Kuehl’s long 57-9 3/4, the Golden Falcons won the shot-put relay. Craig Kutiak’s 38-8 1/2, combined with Kuehl’s mark, gave the Falcons a 96-6 1/3 total which bettered Matawan’s 93-11.
The Falcons’ Barry Bostick tied three others for the best high jump of the meet, 6-0.
He and Mike Rucker (5-6) teamed up for an 11-6 to put the Falcons in third place behind Holmdel (12-0).
Monmouth was fifth in the team competition with 16 points.
The NJSIAA Group Relays at Princeton University are next. Groups II and III go Sunday followed Jan. 13 by Groups I and IV.