Rebels lead assault on meet records at Rebel Relays

BY TIM MORRIS Staff Writer

BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

 CHRIS KELLY staff Freehold Township’s Megan Matza anchors the Patriots’ 4x400-meter relay team at Saturday’s Rebel Relays in Howell. CHRIS KELLY staff Freehold Township’s Megan Matza anchors the Patriots’ 4×400-meter relay team at Saturday’s Rebel Relays in Howell. With meet records falling by the wayside, it was only fitting that host Howell got in on the action.

Saturday’s Relays produced 15 new meet records between the boys and girls. Highlighting the record assault was Howell’s Sprint Medley girls team. Jamie Leacock (400), Jessica Johnson (200), Amanda Urquhart (200) and Kellee Hand (800) teamed up to run a 4:22.4, which was more than seven seconds under Woodrow Wilson’s former record of 4:29.9.

Howell’s girls picked up two other relay wins in the field, capturing the shot put and javelin relays. Carly Graffeo, Lorna Dougherty and Annamaria DiPaolo were the trio who won the shot put at 91-7 3/4, while it was DiPaolo and Graffeo along with Brittany Napoli, who won the javelin (257-2).

The Rebels were second to Toms River North, 98-79, in Division III.

Manalapan also was in a record-setting mode as Mary Seery and Kim Dale won the triple jump in a meet record 62-0. The old mark was 59-11 by Middletown South.

The Braves were fifth (38) in the team competition.

Over in boys Division III, Freehold Township swept the hurdles relay, winning both the 3×400 and shuttle hurdles.

For the 3×400, it was Sean Coyne, Greg Hager and Mike Weidman posting a 3:03.9. In the shuttle hurdles, it was the quartet of Coyne, Bill Moody, Hager and Paul Proctor who made up the victorious quartet. They clocked 1:07.4.

Southern Regional was first with 106 points in the division. Freehold Township was fourth (63).

Matawan (114) won the boys’ Division I and Lakewood (90), Division II. Matawan and St. Rose tied for the girls Division I title with 62 points and Montgomery won Division II.

Nine boys-meet records fell, led by Pennsauken, which set records in the 4×200 (1:30.8); 4×400 (3:27.9), high jump (12-2), triple jump (78-0), shot put (146-0) and discus (400-8).

Lakewood set records in the 4×100 (43.3) and long jump (36-3) and Southern in the javelin (450-1).

In addition to the meet records set by Howell and Manalapan in the girls competition, the other new marks were set by Toms River North, Distance Medley (1:10.1), shuttle hurdles (1:10.1) and 4×800 (9:5.0), and Winslow, long jump (29-3).

Local stars prepare for

Penn Relays

The Penn Relays start tomorrow and run through Saturday in Philadelphia at Franklin Field.

Colts Neck’s Distance Medley Relay quartet of Zach Tedoff, Chris Clark, Ryan Jagielski and Craig Forys will be looking to add the Penn Relays Championship of America trophy to the national championship they won during the indoor season. The Cougars ran the fastest time in the nation in the winter, 10:15.08, in winning the Eastern States championship.

Christian Brothers Academy, which chased the Colts at the nationals and Eastern States undercover, remains Colts Neck’s most serious opposition.

The high school DMR is Friday.

Colts Neck’s Ashley Higginson (3,000 meters) and Freehold Township’s Danielle Dailey (shot put) both qualified individually.

Higginson was the state champion at 3,200 meters indoors and finished fourth at the national championships this winter. Dailey was the Monmouth County and Shore Conference shot put champion and was fourth at the state Meet of Champions.

Higginson and Dailey are competing tomorrow.