Bordentown boys’ track repeats as South Jersey Group I champs as Novak dominates.
By: Sean Moylan
Bordentown Regional High School boys’ varsity track and field Coach Charlie Miller doesn’t have to do much tweaking when it comes to superstar distance runner Rob Novak. All he needs to do is sit back and enjoy.
This past Friday and Saturday, Novak won four events at Egg Harbor to lead the Scotties to a fourth consecutive South Jersey Group I Sectional title.
Novak won the 800 meter race (2:00.8), the 1600 (4:32.9), the 3200 (10:03.3) and he ran the anchor leg for Bordentown’s first place 4 x 400 relay team, which posted a 3:29.27 time.
"I don’t know what else to say. It’s all been said," said Coach Miller about his sophomore sensation.
The win in the mile came on Friday night. On Saturday morning, Novak captured the 800, and later that day he "wowed" the crow by winning the 3200 and coming right back to be part of Bordentown’s victorious 4 x 400 relay squad (Kelvin Barnett, Freddie Mendenhall and Mike Steffen were the Scotties other runners).
If not for Novak’s unbelievable performance, Bordentown senior Steve DiLemme would have certainly grabbed most of the headlines.
DiLemme placed second in the 1600 (4:38.2) and the 3200 (10:05.1) and took third in the 800 with a terrific 2:03.9 time.
"After the 800 he (DiLemme) said ‘I can’t feel my legs"," said Coach Miller, whose athletes always give it their all.
With a second place finish in the 200 (22.93 second), and third place finishes in the 400 (52.1 seconds) and the 100 (11.3 seconds), Kelvin Barnett was a major point scorer for the Scotties.
"Kelvin . . . He’s our secret weapon," said Coach Miller, who has waited a long time to have a sprinter as great as Barnett.
Jason Alm took third in the 400 intermediate hurdles (59.9 seconds).
"That was great because he (Alm) was injured most of the year," said Coach Miller.
While rain kept Mike Malone from clearing his usual 11 feet 6 inches in the pole vault, he did take third in the event with an 11 foot vault. No one vaulted any higher.
In the 400. Freshman Mike Steffen moved into next weekend’s state round by placing fifth with a stellar 52.9 second time.
Bordentown scored 97 ½ points take the title and thrill its head coach.
"What solidified it (the Sectional title) was Kelvin’s (Barnett) second place finish in the 200. After that the Pennsville coach said to me, ‘Okay that’s it congratulations’," noted a very happy Coach Miller.
Considering Novak is only a sophomore, Bordentown can be good for a long time to come. But right now it is concentrating on making a run at a State title this weekend at Egg Harbor Township.
GIRLS
Lenore Crumel led the Bordentown girls’ varsity track and field team to a solid third-place finish (43 points) with a win in the 400 (1:01.2) and second-
place finishes in the 100 (12.5 seconds) and 200 (26.52). She also took fourth in the long jump with a 15 foot 4 inch jump.
The Scotties’ Justine Sulia also had a great day with a second place finish in the 3200 (12:07.2) and a fifth place finish in the mile (5:40.9). Teammate Amanda Pone also advanced to the States with a 5th place finish in the 3200 (12:33).
Bordentown’s Brooke Bercari captured 6th in the 400 hurdles (1:11.2).
FLORENCE
Shellise Jenkins from Florence took fifth in the shot put with a 34 foot 4 ½ inch throw to move on to the next level. They’ll all compete at Egg Harbor Township this Friday and Saturday.