Lucky ‘trip’ results in 4×400 win for BRHS

By: Sean Moylan
   Rob "Super" Novak is a superior athlete with a kind, compassionate heart.
   So when he was forced to choose between aiding in his Bordentown teammates’ good fortunes or helping a fellow athlete in the 4×400 meter relay race at last Wednesday’s Ridgewood Winter Games II at Rockland Community College in Suffern, New York, his mind was torn.
   In the end, though, Novak couldn’t let his teammates down.
   Novak started the fourth and final leg of the race in second place behind by 50 or so meters. In other words — he was well within "Novak" striking distance. But as Novak began to make his winning move with 100 meters to go, the runner ahead of him started running like there would be no tomorrow if he lost.
   "With a lap and a half to go he (Novak) started flying," said Bordentown varsity track and field coach Charlie Miller.
   "The kid ahead of him was going so fast he collapsed right before the finish line and Rob passed him to win the race.
   Rob didn’t know whether to pick him up or win the race."
   According to Miller, Novak felt terrible about winning in that matter. However, he was running for three other guys and they were running for him. And they needed his 51.2 second split time to post a stellar 3:35 winning time.
   And yet, Freddie Mendenhall, Bordentown’s first leg runner was nearly as good as he ran a fine 51.5 split to give the Scotties the early lead.
   "Freddie (Mendenhall) is coming on," added Miller, who sees Mendenhall as a star.
   Marvin Carter ran the second leg and he kept the Scotties in the race and in third place. Then Dan Millian ran a 54.6 second time, which catapulted Bordentown into second place and set up Novak’s heroics.
   Bordentown recently declared that it was going to Maryland to compete in the national Indoor Championships on March 12th and 13th. The qualifying time for the 4×400 relay in that meet is 3:27.5. Bordentown can run that time and better.
   All of the Scotties know they can run faster. Furthermore, Bordentown has a secret weapon waiting in the wings.
   "When Mike Steffen comes back (from an injury) we can take seven seconds off our time," noted Miller.
   Meanwhile, the Bordentown girls’ 4×400 team of Tina Della Fave, Marie Minch, Amanda Pone and Megan Davis took third with a time of 5:05.
   Rockland has an old track and therefore, the Scotties found themselves running in some unusual races.
   Novak competed in a 1,000 "yard" race in which he placed third with a 2:25 time.
   "He (Novak) walked across the finish line," noted Miller, who felt Novak was still exhausted from an asthma attack he had had the day before.
   However, Novak did win the 2-mile race with a fine 9:59 time.
   Chris Phipps took third in the mile with a 5:02 time while Mendenhall placed sixth in the 600-yard race with a 1:19 time. Meanwhile, Millian and Carter both competed in the 300-yard race while Kevin O’Connor ran in the 600-yard race.
   On the girls’ side, Pone placed in the top 10 in the 2-mile event with a 13:14 mark. She also ran a 6:26 mile. Davis ran the mile two while Della Fave competed in a 300 yard hurdles race.
   When the Scotties go to Nationals, Novak will compete in the 800 while Mendenhall could run in that race and the 400. Bordentown is expecting to compete in the sprint medley relay and the 4×400 race too.
   This Friday, Bordentown is scheduled at Jersey City for a meet. It’s safe to say, the Scotties have never had an indoor season as spectacular and eventful as this one. Let’s hope it never ends.