By: Kyle Moylan
Although she left before the event was completed, Allentown’s Jen Grabowski placed fifth in the high jump at the Group II championships, held this past Friday night at Notre Dame High School.
Grabowski cleared 4-10 on her first try and then had to leave for Senior Prom.
"She was on that day," noted Allentown Coach Jacqueline Mulryne.
The rain didn’t even bother Grabowski’s jumps. Well, at least not directly.
Due to the rainy weather conditions, the opening height was lowered to 4-8. According to Mulryne, Grabowski was over that height with plenty to spare. She also didn’t have any trouble clearing 4-10 on her first try.
"She never got a chance to attempt five feet because she was already late for the prom," Mulryne said. "I’m confident she would have made it because she was on that day. I stuck around and got the results and called her later to tell her she advanced."
Grabowski’s fifth-place finish earned her a spot in last night’s Meet of Champions at South Plainfield. Grabowski also advanced in the triple jump with a sixth-placed finish of 35-2 ¾.
"The triple jump went very smoothly," Mulryne said. "She was done with that before she ever even made her first high jump and they both started at the same time."
Grabowski also competed in the long jump on Saturday. After a very long day on Friday, however, Mulryne noted "she wasn’t at her best." Mulryne finished with a distance of 15-5 ½.
Lina Sancilio placed seventh in the javelin with a throw of 105-10. With the top six finishers in each event moving on to The Meet of Champions, this seemed to leave Sancilio in a bad spot. This past Monday, however, Mulryne discovered Sancilio advanced as a wild card.
"I haven’t even got a chance to tell her yet," Mulryne said Monday afternoon.
Safyia White didn’t advance in the 400, but she did tie a personal best with a time of 1:01.2. Brittany Loriquet was sick and unable to compete.
NEHS
For the first time in the history of its track program, New Egypt managed to qualify someone for the Meet of Champions. Fittingly, it is Lee Hopkins.
Hopkins capped off what has been a storybook athletic career by competing in The Meet of Champions in the javelin last night.
Hopkins earned his way to The Meet of Champions by placing third in the javelin at the Group I meet with a throw of 166-2. Hopkins had also qualified to compete in the discus at the Group I meet at Egg Harbor, but chose not to participate in the event.
"He was 40 feet away from the big boys in that event, so we decided to focus on the javelin on Saturday," New Egypt Coach Sam Palumbo said.
Matt Monkan was seeded 12th in the 3200 and placed 12th with a time of 10:27.09.
"There were seven kids under 10 minutes that no one was going to touch," Palumbo said. "Matt was right with everyone else."
Brian Whiteley, just a sophomore, competed in two events. On Friday, he placed 10th in the 400 with a time of 52.9. On Saturday, he placed 14th in the 800 with a time of 2:05.01.
"He’s a sophomore and there were only four kids that beat him in the 800 that weren’t seniors," Palumbo said. "Next year he has a good shot to make it to The Meet of Champions.
"The same is true with the 400. Only four people that weren’t seniors finished ahead of him. We’re hoping he can make it to the Meet of Champions in both the 400 and 800."
That would be a school first. For now, the first of just making it there belong to Lee Hopkins, who will leave the school with records in track, wrestling and football.
