BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer
SCOTT PILLING staff Freehold Township’s Lindsey Mount competes in the javelin during the Colts Neck Relays on Saturday. The Freehold District’s distance running talent and depth were on full display at Saturday’s Colts Neck Relays.
The host Cougars won the girls Distance Medley Relay (DMR) and the boys Sprint Medley, while Freehold Township’s girls won an important 4×800.
Colts Neck’s girls have the finest stable of distance runners in the state, if not the country (the cross country team was ranked 17th in the nation in the fall). To make things interesting, they split the DMR team that ran the fifth-fastest time in the country during the indoor season into A and B teams, anchored by stars Ashley Higginson (A) and Briana Jackucewicz (B). The Cougars were looking to have both teams run under 12:30 in a top flight field that included the likes of Ramapo, Freehold Township and Howell, which had all finished in the top 20 at the national championships.
The Cougars didn’t get what they wanted, but they did get a come-from-behind win by Higginson.
“We knew there were a lot of good teams in the race,” said Higginson. “Howell did so well; they ran a great race.”
Led by Kellee Hand’s lead-off 1,200 (3:46), Howell controlled the race from the start, building a solid lead heading into the anchor 1,600-meter leg. That’s when state champion Higginson took over. The Cougars were 15 seconds in back of Howell, and in fifth place when she got the baton, but her 5:02.3 easily made up the deficit.
“I was a little concerned,” said Higginson. “The plan was for me and Bri [Jackucewicz] to work together.”
Jackucewicz was even further behind at the exchange, and Higginson was on her own as she took off after the teams in front of her.
“I had to prove to myself that I could mentally stay in the race and not give up,” she said.
Higginson quickly began to close ground on the runners in front of her, and grabbed the lead on the third lap. Ramapo and Cherry Hill East were still in it at the bell, but Higginson had another gear and left everyone behind, bringing Colts Neck A home in first in 12:31.8, a new Freehold Regional District outdoor mark.
Kristen O’Dowd ran the opening 1,200 leg for the A team in 3:50.2, followed by Carrie Schmidt (64.0 400) and Allison Donaghy (2:34.5 800).
Howell was fourth in 12:43.7.
Freehold Township’s girls got exactly what they needed in winning the 4×800, a qualifying time for next week’s Penn Relays. The Patriot quartet of Allyson Moskal, Megan Matza, Charlotte Walsh and Janel Parker had to run under 10:00 in order to get a qualifying mark for Penn. They shattered the 10:00 mark, posting a 9:37.8, led by Parker’s big 2:19 anchor that settled the issue. Five teams in all broke 10:00 in the race.
Moskal ran a 2:22, Walsh 2:26 and Matza 2:29 as all of the Patriots broke 2:30.
The Cougars’ Craig Forys “only” ran a 4:24 in the boy’s DMR, where Colts Neck was fifth (10:48.4) to Northern Highlands (10:29.9), but he came back with a vengeance in the Sprint Medley, where his 1:57.1 anchor 800 rallied the Colts to victory in 3:37.6. Forys ran down the anchors of South Brunswick (3:37.7) and Cherokee (3:39.4) in the homestretch.
Evan Stivala opened the Sprint Medley off, running a 52.4 400. The combined 200s of Tyler Talcott and Mike Moore was 48.1.
Howell and Freehold Township traded victories in the boys hurdles event.
The Rebels won the shuttle hurdles and the Patriots captured the 3×400 intermediates.
Conrad Zwolinski, Ben Edwards, Dan Verez and Jay Leacock edged Freehold Township by 0.1, 1:04.0-1:04.1, in the shuttle race.
That was after Freehold Township had opened the relays off with a narrow win over Howell in the 3×400, 2:55.7-2:56.1.
Sean Coyne, Dan Mulerz and Paul Proctor made up the triumphant team.
Edwards did have the satisfaction of turning in the fastest time of the day, 56.5.
Freehold Township took the girls high jump at 9-10. Walsh (5-2) and Anita Wise (4-8) were the winning tandem. Walsh tied with Colts Neck’s Jessie Pagliano for best individual jump at 5-2.
Marlboro High School traveled to Kearny for the Hudson County Track Coaches Association Relay Carnival, and the girls finished fifth overall. The Mustangs struck gold in the discus relay with Kristen Batts (11-8) and Ilyssa Harbutkin (91-7) reaching a combined distance of 203-5.
Fourth annual Rebel
Relays Saturday
This week it’s the Rebel Relays at Howell High School that is showcased. The event will start on Friday at 6 p.m. with Frosh/Soph Night. The varsity teams take over on Saturday, starting at 9 a.m. This is the fourth edition of the Rebel Relays, and it has proved to be a popular event, attracting teams from all over the state. A field of 76 teams is expected this year. A special feature during the day will be a Master’s One-Mile Run.