MHS boys, girls fourth in county track

Cougars’ Forbes nearly wins three golds

By: Justin Feil
   The Montgomery High girls’ track and field team didn’t have one of its best days and still finished fourth at the Somerset County Championships on Thursday.
   The Cougar boys’ team had one of its strongest days and also finished fourth in the team standings.
   "The boys were ahead with three events left," said MHS boys’ coach Jen Riddell. "All of a sudden everyone got really excited. Then, we didn’t score a point in those events and the other teams got firsts or seconds.
   "We were real close to Franklin. We were one point away (from third) and a couple points off of Somerville. I was absolutely thrilled with the way they did."
   It was quite a day for the Cougar boys, who had finished sixth at the Somerset County Relays earlier in the year, but were carried by a number of outstanding individual performances. They were led by Brad Forbes, who came within a quarter-inch of winning three events.
   Forbes won the 400 meters in 50.16 seconds, stunned 100-meter champion Mason Robinson of Somerville to capture the 200 in 22.43 and long jumped 21-2¼ for second place.
   "He had his best jump of the season," Riddell noted. "Everything looked great. He was first in the 400 and first in the 200. Then I brought him back in the 4×400 and he strained him hamstring again (in finishing third). He has two weeks to get better before sectionals and he’ll be in the training room working on that."
   The MHS boys also picked up key points from Chris Kondorossy, who was second in the shot put and third in the discus, and Ben Copeland, who was second in the 400 hurdles and fifth in the 110 hurdles. Chris Treble was second in the high jump while Kevin Schroeck was sixth. Ryan Warner was third in the 800.
   "I think it reaffirms what I knew they could do," Riddell said. "We need to concentrate on keeping all my top kids healthy. I’ve seen these guys over the years and they’re capable of doing well."
   The girls also had plenty of athletes do well on Thursday, but the Cougars’ usual depth finished just a spot or two lower than it has at other times.
   "Nothing really went right for us," said MHS girls’ coach Jim Goodfriend. "We beat Hillsborough before, we beat Ridge, and we beat Franklin in county relays and Skyland Relays and Skyland regular. Franklin is a bad match for us. Their sprinters push ours back a little. We didn’t have a good day."
   It’s all relative, however, for the Cougars who still had their share of medalists. Kandi Givner was fourth in the 100 while Casey Hartnett was fifth. Hartnett was second in the triple jump and took third in the 200 while Givner was sixth in the 400. Jenn Carson was second in the high jump. Tara Gorka was second in the 800 and fifth in the 400 hurdles, Eleanora Spinazzi was second in the 1600 and Amanda Herrmann was second in the 3200 while Spinazzi ran fifth. Sharon Tompa was fourth in the 100 hurdles. Amy Lum was fourth in the triple jump and fifth in the long jump. Deanna Repollet was fifth in the discus and javelin. Kelly Meier was sixth in the pole vault.
   "Hopefully we’ll do well in the sectionals," Goodfriend said. "We’ve had a good year. We won county relays. We won Rebel Relays and we won our division. We have to hit on all cylinders. I’m not dominant, but I have quality people in every event. Everybody has to cover the events. We just didn’t have a good day."
   There have been plenty so far for the Cougar girls, who will compete in the Willingboro Relays next Monday before looking to the sectionals.