BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer
SCOTT PILLING staff Matawan’s John Cella competes in the 400-meter hurdles during Thursday’s Monmouth County Championships in Neptune. Matawan’s Donna Alexander won the one that got away and added a second title at the Monmouth County Track and Field Championships last week at Neptune High School.
Alexander finished second at last year’s meet in the triple jump to Marlboro’s Ada Unachukwu, when the latter got off a Shore Conference record 38-10 1/2 to upset her.
Saturday, Alexander hopped, skipped and jumped 37-7 1/2 to top Unachukwu’s 35-7 1/4 and win the championship that had eluded her last year.
On the first day of the two-day meet Thursday, the Husky senior picked up her first gold of the meet in the long jump, leaping 18-4. No one else even made it out 17 feet.
Alexander would add a second place in the 200-meter dash (25.81) behind Unachukwu (25.01).
With Alexander accounting for 28 points, Matawan’s girls finished fourth (60) behind defending champion Colts Neck (89), Marlboro (66) and Rumson-Fair Haven (62 1/2).
Erin Scurry gave Matawan three individual wins by taking the javelin with a throw of 131-7. She was also second in the shot put (37-0 1/2) and was sixth in the triple jump (33-10 1/2). Teammate Monica Kloc was third in the discus (106-1).
Maria Moya was third in the pole vault (8-6) for the Huskies, and sprinter MacKenzie Chambers was sixth in the 100.
Mater Dei’s Marie Walsh was second to Colts Neck’s Ashley Higginson in the 1,600 (5:02.84) and 3,200 (11:08.80), and was third in the 800 (2:18.16). It was a solid triple for the Seraph soph.
Raritan’s Christine Altland was third in both the 1,600 (5:11.35) and the 3,200 (11;08.90). She helped the Rockets finish eighth (18).
The county championships were a breakout for Holmdel sophomore George Galasso, who was third in the 1,600 and second in the 3,200.
In the former, he raced indoor Meet of Champions winner Dennie Waite of Red Bank Regional to the line, running 4:17.78.
In the 3,200, when Colts Neck’s Craig Forys took off with three laps remaining, he was the only runner to go with the state champion and state record holder. He would not be able to match Forys’ next gear, but was impressive nonetheless with his 9:29.90 behind Forys’ 9:23.46.
Locally, Christian Brothers Academy (29) and Matawan (28.5) were the top boys teams, finishing fifth and sixth. Monmouth Regional left Neptune with the championship after scoring 86 points.
The Colts were led by Christian Yuskevich, second in the 400 intermediate hurdles (56.35), and Mike Slater, third in the 800 (1:57.40). Slater, Charles Rooney, Bill Sharpe and Justin Cornell were third in the 4×400 relay (3:25.92).
Matawan received second places from Anthony Grasso in the shot put (53-6) and Andrew Trolian in the discus (162-0). Trolian also placed fifth in the shot put (48-7 1/2).
St. John Vianney, which tied for 10th (22), got third places from pole vaulter Chris Favaloro (12-6) and sprinter Paul Barolette in the 100 (10.81) and 200 (21.72) dashes. Mike Reese was fourth in the pole vault (12-6).
Neptune will again be the host this weekend for the Shore Conference Championships, which will be held on Friday and Saturday.