By: Carolyn M. Hartko
The NJSIAA Meet of Champions for Winter Track and Field went off as scheduled this past Sunday at Princeton University’s Jadwin Gym. Monroe Township High School senior Rob McGowan, the only Falcon to qualify for this year’s state finals, beat his seed time to finish ninth in the 400 meter race. McGowan, who ran in the second fastest heat in that event, crossed the line in 51.03.
"It kind of felt like the race I ran at sectionals, because I ended up stuck behind some guys and I couldn’t pass them until the end," McGowan said. "I ended up moving up from fifth and tying for third at the end of the race. In sectionals, I was in fifth and I moved up to third also. It was almost the same exact race, except I went faster. But it didn’t really feel like I did because the competition just stayed with me again."
McGowan has been fighting nasty blisters on his left foot throughout this season. He had been hoping that just running one race wouldn’t aggravate the condition, but his luck didn’t hold for the entire length.
"I got a pretty bad blood blister," McGowan said. "My foot’s not holding up too good, but it was alright for the race. I didn’t feel it until the very end."
"Rob ran a good race," Falcon boys’ head coach Frank Bonich said. "At groups, he ran 52 and change, so he improved on that. But now we’re looking ahead to nationals."
The National Scholastic Championships are scheduled for the weekend of March 13 at the 168th Street Armory in New York City.