Seniors set track and field records
By: Rudy Brandl
Taryn O’Connor made most of the headlines for the Hillsborough High indoor track and field team this winter, but she’s more likely to share the spotlight with her teammates in the spring outdoor campaign.
The HHS girls are shaping up as an outdoor juggernaut, with the addition of a few key athletes joining others who will be continuing after solid indoor seasons.
The Raiders had their fair share of talented athletes but weren’t built for great team success on the indoor circuit. Hillsborough’s stable of jumpers and hurdlers will produce many more points outdoors.
This rule also holds true for O’Connor, who will make twice as great an impact outdoors adding the discus to her signature event, the shot put. She continued her climb up the state’s shot put ladder all the way to the top this winter.
The HHS senior became the fifth state champion in school history when she captured the gold medal at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions in February. O’Connor also won major titles at the State Group 4, Somerset County and Skyland Conference championship meets.
"It was nerve-wracking to sit through throw-by-throw," Hillsborough head coach Rich Refi said. "It’s awesome that she won. You go through a lot of different emotions. It’s up and down, but it definitely was awesome to have a Meet of Champions winner."
O’Connor and Brick Township’s DeAnne Hahn enjoyed quite a rivalry this winter. Hahn gained the early edge by unleashing the longest throw at the State Group 4 Relays, but O’Connor launched a couple of 47-footers that caught everyone’s attention. O’Connor was ranked third in the nation for a while and wound up beating Hahn at the State Group 4 Championships and Meet of Champions.
"She’s a true competitor and always wants to do better," Refi said. "A lot of credit goes to Chris (assistant coach Guglielmo) for working with her. That was a huge thing."
O’Connor ended the season by becoming the third HHS individual track and field athlete to claim a national medal and receive All-America status. Although the season-ending performance wasn’t her best, O’Connor still surpassed a 45-foot mark that most female throwers dream about. It’s a number she had never hit before this season.
"I’m happy with what I accomplished," she said. "I’m not happy with some of my throws in the last couple of meets. I guess I’m in a little slump right now. I’m going to work really hard to break out of it in the spring."
Some slump. O’Connor left the season with the indoor season’s fourth-best distance in the nation. She broke her own school record several times during the season and established new county standards with most of those efforts. O’Connor always looked forward to the challenge of facing other top throwers, although she rarely faced anyone in her league.
Fellow senior Melissa Arango emerged as the other big story for the HHS girls this winter. Arango started strong and maintained a high level of hurdling throughout the season. She also flourished in her few opportunities to compete in the triple jump and long jump, proving she’s be a huge asset to the outdoor team.
Arango ran the school’s fastest automatic time ever in the 55 hurdles. She also set a school and county record in the triple jump. Arango also a member of the school’s impressive female shuttle hurdles team with Erica Reiss, Ebony Young and Ali Leifer.
"She really became a valuable senior," Refi said. "A lot of seniors don’t do it, but she really did a great job. She was a nice surprise. We were fortunate to have really good seniors."
O’Connor and Arango were joined by fellow upperclassmen Leifer and Isis Bonney, juniors Angela Davia, Stephanie Ogrodnik, Nicole Rocha and Anna Spaniol and sophomores Michelle Dennis, Carlin Dunne, Meredith Mayes, Allison Moran, Ashley Redelico and Young. The Raiders already have started outdoor workouts, hoping to build on a busy indoor campaign.
"We didn’t figure on winning any of the big meets and we came in about where we expected," Refi said. "It was a good season. We performed well and did the best we could do."

