MHS track team remains unbeaten

Athletes set for tougher competition

By: Rudy Brandl
   
   Manville High’s track and field athletes may not make much noise in the championship meets, but they’ve been unbeatable in dual meets so far this season.
   The Mustangs improved to 4-0 in regular season action with last week’s 88-29 rout at Roselle Park. MHS took first in all 13 individual events, finishing second only in the meaningless meet-ending 4×400 relay.
   Manville has made a habit of dominating the weight events. Against Roselle Park, the Mustangs also ruled the sprints, hurdles and jumps.
   "I’m a little surprised," Manville head coach Tony Treonze said. "Our team has come along a little bit, but some of the other teams have been down this year."
   The MHS athletes have feasted on Sky Division foes but will face some tougher competition in the upcoming weeks. Manville got a little taste of the larger Mountain Valley Conference schools from the Mountain and Valley divisions at last week’s MVC Relay Championships and will see many of the same competitors at this week’s conference individual championship meet. The two-day affair was slated to begin yesterday and conclude today at Ridge High.
   Manville scored 14 points in last week’s conference relays, taking second place in the shot put and third in the discus. The team has a solid trio of weight men but isn’t deep enough in other events to produce a championship-caliber relay unit.
   The senior trio of Chris Greene, Jimmy Noble and Kile Galasso combined to score 14 points in the MVC Relays at Governor Livingston High in Berkeley Heights. All three boys hit their season-highs in the shot put, with Greene (45-10½), Noble (41-11½) and Galasso (40-8) all surpassing 40 feet for the first time on the same day. Their cumulative distance of 127-6 fell less than four feet shy of Ridge (131-5½), which got a big boost from a 52-foot heave by standout John Langhauser.
   "That was good and I was happy with that," Treonze said. "They all had very good throws, but that one kid from Ridge beat us."
   Greene, Noble and Galasso weren’t as impressive in the discus but still managed to take third place (317-3). Greene (114-0), Noble (102-0) and Galasso (100-7) broke into triple digits but all three have hit longer distances this season.
   The Mustangs will be competing as individuals for the rest of the season, with a handful of dual meets and three big championship events still on tap. Treonze expected senior sprinter/jumper Chris Wass and junior sprinter/jumper Amy Cutler to challenge for medals at the conference meet.
   Manville’s top athletes will also compete in the Somerset County Championships at Hillsborough High next Wednesday and the Central Jersey Group 1 Championships in Neptune on May 23-24.
   Last week’s lopsided win over Roselle Park assured the Mustangs a winning record for the regular season. They still have dual meets scheduled at home vs. David Brearley (May 15) and at Middlesex (May 22) and could have a make-up against Bound Brook sometime during the month.
   Greene and Wass dominated the meet at Roselle Park with four first places apiece. Greene swept the shot put (42-1), discus (122-9) and javelin (141-8) with an additional win in the high jump (5-0), while Wass prevailed in the 100 (12.5), 200 (24.5), 400 (58.5) and long jump (19-3½).
   Mike Andreyko and Nghi Nguyen combined to win the other five individual events. Andreyko swept the 110 high (21.3) and 400 intermediate (68.0) hurdles and also won the 3,200 (11:23). Nghi doubled in the 800 (2:28.3) and 1,600 (5:30) and finished second behind Andreyko in the 3,200 (12:05).
   Rich Ozieblo supported Nguyen with second places in the 800 (2:36.1) and 1,600 (5:42). Noble finished second in the 110 hurdles (21.6) and shot (39-7) and placed third in the javelin (110-7). Matt Nile took second in the 400 hurdles (73.0) and third in the 400 dash (62.9), while Chris Nordone contributed a third place in the 200 (27.5).
   Amy Cutler, who has qualified for the State Group 1 Championships in her first two years on the team, started what she hopes will be another May surge by scoring in two events against co-ed competition. Cutler placed third in the long jump (15-2½) and high jump (4-4). She also posted a good time in the 200 (28.5).
   Teammate Kaitlyn Nile also ran well in the 200 (29.7), while senior Christine Andreyko competed in the 1,600 (7:25).
   The Mustangs continued their busy May schedule with this week’s MVC meet, hoping to score as many points as possible against some old rivals.
   "It’s a championship meet, so we have to take our best team," Treonze said. "We should do well in the weights. We have three guys capable of staying in the same range. We might be able to get a couple of guys in there in the distance events."