BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer
Shaker (N.Y.) and Colts Neck shook things up at the Reebok Grand Prix Saturday.
The two schools turned in electrifying 4×800 relays that produced the two fastest times in the country this year at the new Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island, New York City. Shaker, the indoor national champion, cranked out a 7:38.97, just in front of Colts Neck’s 7:39.54.
There was some consolation for the Cougar quartet: they tied the state record held since 1979 by Trenton Central High School. Trenton ran a 7:39.5 hand-timed in winning the Penn Relays that year.
Colts Neck coach Jim Schlentz said his chargers had run the perfect race with personal bests across the board.
“The dream goal was 7:40,” he said. “Realistically, we wanted to run 7:43 and break CBA’s [Christian Brothers Academy] Shore Conference record.
“How often do you get your dream goal?” he added.
Colts Neck and Shaker had hooked up indoors at the National Scholastic Championships at the Armory in New York City, with Shaker prevailing in the best time in the nation. Both teams had the same quartet Saturday. The difference this time for Colts Neck was staying with Shaker from the start, and being pulled along rather than chasing. The two teams were never separated by more than a step or two.
It all started for the Cougars with a 1:55.4 from Chris Clark on the opening leg. Zach Tedoff followed with a 1:55.9 split, and by that time, the Cougars knew something special was up.
“We couldn’t believe our eyes that we were doing what we were doing,” said Ryan Jagielski, who ran the third leg.
Jagielski produced the fastest leg of the meet for Colts Neck, a 1:53.7. When he handed the stick off to Craig Forys for the anchor leg, the Cougars were just a half-step behind Shaker.
Joe Belokopitsky, a 400-800 runner for Shaker, ran a conservative 58-second first quarter with Forys, fresh off his victorious 4:11.27 1,600 at the state championships, stalking him.
The pace picked up dramatically on the last lap. Belokopitsky, relying on his explosive acceleration, was able to hold the formidable Forys off, retaining the slim margin he had gotten at the exchange. The final 200 meters had everyone on the edge of their seats as both runners ran flat out.
Forys anchored the Cougars home with a pb 1:54.45. His last quarter was 56.4.
The Cougars were anything but disappointed.
“We left there saying ‘we can move’,” said Jagielski. “We’ve always talked about what would happen if we all ran our fastest. We all popped one at the same time.”
Jagielski added that the atmosphere at Icahn Stadium contributed to the state record.
“I didn’t feel great all day,” he said. “I didn’t think I could run fast, but there was so much excitement. The crowd was great.”
Schlentz said that what makes the Cougars tick (the same foursome won the indoor Distance Medley Relay national championship and were third in the DMR at the Penn Relays) is their commitment to one another.
“They’re a band of brothers,” he said. “They’ll give every last ounce of energy not to let the others down. They’ll die at the line.”
Colts Neck’s magnificent relay team still has one race together. Saturday, they will look to add the outdoor national title to their indoor crown at the Nike Nationals in Greensboro, N.C.