First all boys team repeats as division champs
By: Kyle Moylan
When most coaches start with a team, they are either worrying about building a program or continuing its excellence.
When Sam Palumbo started with the New Egypt High School boys’ track team, however, he was more focused on just keeping it going.
Actually, boys’ track team is a bit misleading. When Palumbo started, it was a coed team. There weren’t enough girls at New Egypt to sustain a team of their own. Besides, the boys needed help filling out all of the events anyway.
That was then. But how about now?
"We’re the first boys’ team from the school to win back-to-back division championships," Palumbo laughed. "This is crazy. If you back a few years ago, I never would have thought we’d be a track power."
But that’s what New Egypt is. Not only did wins over Trenton Catholic, Palmyra, Florence and Riverside earn New Egypt its second straight Freedom Division championship, this past weekend the Warriors repeated as the Burlington County Scholastic League champions.
Not only did New Egypt win the BCSL championship, it placed someone in the top three in almost every event in that meet.
Jamel Turner, just a junior, won the 100 (11.3) and triple jump (38-8). Langston Lacroix, a freshman, placed second in the 200 (22.9). Not bad when one considers Palumbo didn’t come into the year thinking sprints would be a strength.
"At the beginning of the year I was worried that we wouldn’t have anyone in the sprints," Palumbo said. "Jamel and Langston have both been great."
And when the distances get longer, New Egypt is just as good. Brian Whiteley, a junior, placed first in the 400 (51) and 800 (2:07). Sean Vazquez won the 1600 (4:53) and 3200 (10:35). Vazquez also placed second in the 800 (2:08). Matt Smith placed second in the 1600 (4:54) and 3200 (10:40). Davion Clanton added a third in the 400 (54.4).
In the 4×400, Whitely, Clanton, Wes Bolton and Justino Romero combined to placed second in a time if 3:38.1.
"We lose some people in the weights, but we’re not losing anyone on the track (to graduation)," Palumbo said. "We should contend again next year."
Josh Howard was second in the shot put at 38-4. Justin Conklin was second in the discus at 111-2.
In the high jump, Bolton was third at 5-8. Matt Van Norman won the pole vault at 11-6 and Toomas Sepp was second at 11 feet.
"Three years ago we had no one in the pole vault and now we have the conference champion," Palumbo said. "This is just amazing. We’re picking up a lot of points in events no one would have expected from us."
New Egypt, 5-0 in the regular season, was expected to face Point Pleasant Beach yesterday. On May 27, New Egypt will take part in the Central Jersey Group I meet at Hillsborough. Palumbo believes Whiteley (800), Vazquez (1600 and 3200) and Van Norman (pole valut) are all capable of winning this event. Of course, Palumbo isn’t writing off anyone else’s chances either. He rather likes being stunned by the talent on his team.
"This is just all unbelievable," Palumbo said. "I’ve coached the team four years. The first year it was a struggle to fill out spots. Now we’ve won the division and division meet two years in a row. It’s a wild turnaround."
AHS BOYS
Christian Schackelford won three events 100 (11.3), 200 (23.7) and 400 (50.9) to lead the Allentown High School boys’ track team to a 79-61 win over Hopewell Valley back on May 10. Schackelford also added a third in the long jump at 18-9.
White (2:00.7 in the 800), Jarrett Huneke (16.9 in the high hurdles), the 4×400 relay team (3:37.1), Brett Taft (5-3 in the high jump and 11 feet in the pole vault) and Andrew Byrnes (36-3 ½ in the triple jump) also recorded wins for Allentown.
Steve Cox was second in the 100 (11.5) and 200 (24) and third in the javelin (130-7). Nick Sancilio also placed in two events, coming in second in the javelin (144-6) and third in the discus (124-7). Andrew Byrnes was second in the 400 (51.9), Huneke second in the 400 hurdles (59.8), Bruins second in the high hurdles (17.9) and third in the 400 hurdles (1:00.5), Taft second in the long jump (19-4), Anthony Trappanese second in the pole vault (11 feet), Steven Gries second in the high jump (5-3), Taft second in the long DeClaro third in the 800 (2:06.3), Jon Solewin third in the 1600 (4:49.7) and Mike Bartoli was third in the 100 (12.1).
This past Saturday, Allentown placed 12th in the Mercer County Tournament. White was second in the 800 (2:00.38) and Trappanese was fourth in the pole vault (11-6).
AHS GIRLS
Allentown placed 11th in the Mercer County Tournament this past Saturday, highlighted by Bea Pesciotta’s third place in the javelin with a throw of 104 feet 5 inches.
Bisola Egbe finished in the top 10 in both the 100 and high hurdles. Rachael Scheuerman and Hayley Odell both finished in the top 10 in the 200. Safiya White won a fifth-place medal with a time of 59.71 seconds in the 400. The 4X400 meter relay team of Hayley Odell, Erica Doll, Brittany O’Brien and Quiana Volney just missed a sixth-place medal with an excellent effort in a highly competitive race. Chelsey Quaglietta tied for a sixth-place medal in the pole vault (8 feet), with Kate Borsuk and Lauren Theobold both finishing in the top ten. Brittany Loriquet won a sixth-place medal and also finished in the top ten in triple jump.
Allentown is scheduled to compete against Princeton High School today at home. The freshman and sophomore girls will be competing in a CVC wide meet Saturday at Steinert High School.
In regular season action, Allentown was defeated by a powerful Hopewell Valley squad, 10-36, back on May 10.
The 4×400 relay team (4:15.5), White (1:08.2 in the 400 hurdles) and Quaglietta (8 feet in the pole vault) had Allentown’s wins. Bisola Egbe added seconds in the 100 and 110 hurdles (16.5).