BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer
SCOTT PILLING staff Colts Neck’s Ashley Higginson leaves the competition behind en route to winning the 1,600-meter title at Thursday’s Monmouth County Championships in Neptune. Craig Forys and Ashley Higginson matched each other win-for-win at the two-day Monmouth County Championships held at Neptune High School.
The Colts Neck runners, whose brilliant careers almost parallel each other, each won the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meter races and were named the Male and Female Most Outstanding Track Performers. At this point in time, the track belongs to them.
Higginson’s triple led the Cougars to their second straight team title, while Forys’ trio of firsts helped the boys finish second to Monmouth Regional (86-76).
For both, the 800 was their biggest test. But that came on Saturday, the second day of the meet. The championships opened on Thursday with the 1,600, the only final on the track that day.
Higginson, who made this week’s Sports Illustrated’s “Faces in the Crowd,” motored away from Mater Dei’s Marie Walsh over the last half of the race to win in 4:55.21, seven seconds up on Walsh. Teammates Allison Linnell (5:14.47) and Allie Flott (5:17.53) were fifth and sixth as the Cougars began the defense of their championship in a big manner.
SCOTT PILLING staff Freehold Township’s Anita Wise soars through the air while competing in Thursday’s county championships in Neptune. Forys had someone to follow in the boys 1,600: he was lined up with indoor Meet of Champions 1,600 winner Dennie Waite of Red Bank Regional.
Waite took it out fast. But with 600 to go, Forys unleashed his long drive to the line and Waite was left in his wake. Forys stopped the clock in a quick 4:13.88. It was his fourth straight win in the 1,600, a record.
In the 800, Higginson was tested by Freehold Township’s Janel Parker, the defending champion. A year ago, Parker’s closing speed could overcome Higginson’s overall strength. But this is a different Higginson this year, stronger and faster.
Despite running into a strong headwind on the backstretch, she broke free of Parker in the final 200 and won going away in 2:15.32.
“I wanted to run a good 800,” said Higginson.
Parker remarked that she succumbed to Higginson’s strength.
“I stayed with her until she started to pick it up,” said Parker. “She’s so strong.”
Parker posted a 2:17.06.
When Forys bolted to the lead on the first lap of the 800, it was obvious that something was up.
“I wanted to try to go real fast,” said the Cougar. “The wind on the backstretch was tough.”
Despite battling that stiff wind on his own, Forys still pb’d with 1:54.24 – not as fast as he wanted, but very fast considering the conditions. Runner-up Robby Andrews of Manalapan was more than two seconds behind him on the line as he pb’d with a 1:56.65.
Higginson let the other contenders do the work in the first half of the 3,200, then took off. Her negative splits produced a 10:57.66, nine seconds up on Walsh (11:08.80).
As for her triple, Higginson said the favorable schedule made it possible.
“It was fun,” she pointed out, “I was trying to get team points.”
When Forys put the hammer down with three laps remaining in his 3,200 race, only Holmdel’s George Galasso was able to stay with him. Galasso hung on, but when Forys went into his next gear, it was all about second place for the Hornet.
Forys, the new state record holder in the event, won in 9:23.46
“I tried to use it [the triple] as a workout,” noted Forys. “It was a pretty good weekend.”
Colts Neck’s girls, led by Higginson’s triple, overwhelmed the competition with their balance, getting points everywhere. The Cougars scored 89 points, 23 points better than runner-up Marlboro (66).
It was the second straight title for the Cougars and marked the second consecutive year that they completed the county triple crown, capturing the cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field titles.
Colts Neck’s sprinters/hurdlers left their imprint at the meet. Meryl Wimberly was third in the 400 (59.01) and teammate Kathlyn Herrick was sixth (1:01.31). They teamed up with Samantha Santos and Julia Tomaro to run an outstanding 4×400. Their 4:01.28 pushed the winning team from Rumson-Fair Haven under 4:00 (3:59.43). Wimberly split 57.9.
Tomaro was sixth in the 400 hurdles and Karissa Herrick was fourth in the 100 hurdles.
“I think I’m back,” was Jesse Pagliano’s response to winning the high jump. The senior negotiated 5-4 for the first time this spring. A sprained ankle and sore back among other injuries had slowed her down. She is back at the right time.
Teammate Lindsey Rappleyea (5-2) gave the Cougars a one-two finish.
“It’s a team effort,” Pagliano said of the one-two finish in the high jump. “We work together.”
Both Pagliano and Rappleyea did their share of work at the championships. Pagliano was fourth in the javelin (117-5) and fourth in the triple jump (34-9 1/2). Rappleyea placed fourth in the long jump (16-1 3/4).
Tracey Vill took sixth in the pole vault and Crystal Butler was fifth in the discus (102-7).
Flott came back to take fifth in the 3,200 (11:23.19) after placing in the 1,600.
Marlboro’s girls have a pretty good one-two punch of their own in Ada Unachukwu and Kristen Batts. They combined for four wins and were a big reason the ‘Stangs finished second to Colts Neck.
On the track, Unachukwu won both the 100- and 200-meter dashes going away, turning in a personal best 12.14 for the century and 25.01 for the 200. Minus her rival, Ocean Township’s Georgina Nembhard (who pulled a hamstring long jumping), Unachukwu was unchallenged.
“I had a pretty good start in both races,” noted Unachukwu. “I tried my best. Every race, you strive to win.”
Unachukwu came back and anchored the Mustangs’ 4×400 relay team to a third place and a school record 4:02.75.
The sophomore also took third in the triple jump with a fine 35-7 1/2. Matawan’s Donna Alexander, who was second to Unachukwu’s Shore record 38-10 l/2 last spring, got a measure of revenge, winning with a 37-7 1.2.
Batts has emerged as perhaps the MOC favorite in the discus. Earlier this year she did 148-2 in a dual meet, and if there were any doubters, her winning 146-7 toss and two others in the 140-plus range are proof that she is sending the discus a long way.
“I like to get a big throw off in the beginning,” said Batts. “It allows me to work on things with my other throws. I was trying to work on my steps.”
Batts could afford to do some experimenting, since she won by almost 20 feet.
On Thursday, she won the shot put with a throw of 37-11 1/2. This competition was much closer, with Matawan’s Erin Scurry second at 37-1 1/2.
Batts was named the meet’s Most Outstanding Field Performer.
No team did more with less than Marlboro. With Jenna Meagher winning the pole vault on the first day at 9-6, she, Unachukwu and Batts were good for 50 points. Brittany Pietrosh was fifth in the 800 (2:20.47). She, twin sister Lauren Pietrosh and Emily Cellini joined Unachukwu on the 4×400 team.
Howell’s Jamie Leacock won the 400 intermediate hurdles (1:04.58) and was second in the 100 hurdles (11.55). In the intermediate hurdles qualifying round, Leacock lower her school and Freehold Regional District record to 1:03.38.
“It’s good to know my times are coming down,” said the Rebel hurdler..
Howell finished fifth (36) with Brittany Napoli getting second place in the javelin (122-5). Lindsey Lambert was fourth in the 3,200 (11:14.61) and Amanda Luccarelli, was third in the 100 dash (12.57).
Freehold Township got a fifth place in the 100 (12.63) and 200 (25.26.53) and a fourth place in the 100 hurdles (16.18) from Tanika Peart. With Parker’s runner-up in the 800, the Pats scored 15.50 points and were ninth. Crystal Mahoney was fifth in the shot put (36-3 1/2) and Meghan Donovan and Anita Wise tied for sixth in the high jump.
Kristen Andrews of Manalapan was second behind her rival Leacock in the 400 intermediates.
Shannon Mayrose of Freehold Borough took third in the high jump (5-0) and teammate Blair Hassell was fifth in the javelin (110-4).
For the boys, Colts Neck had more than Forys in finishing second to Monmouth Regional. Devin Moore broke his own school record with his 13-0 second place in the pole vault. Kevin Kelly was runner-up in the javelin (179-2).
John Krewer was fourth in the shot put (51-9 1/4) and discus (148-2). Ashton Gooding finished fifth in the triple jump (41-4). Evan Stivala was third in the long jump (21-1 1/2). On the track, Matt Sullivan was third in the 110 hurdles (14.77) and Brenden Krewer was fourth in the 800 (1:58.37).
In what was a replay of the Freehold District Championships, Colts Neck was fourth from the unseeded section (3:26.94). Andrew Sobieski, Vytautas Ulke, Stivala and Brenden Krewer made up the quartet.
The 4×400 went to Freehold Township after a sizzling duel with Manalapan.
The Pats quartet of Dan Mularz, Bobby Searby, O’Shane Rennie and Ryan Spadola is greater than the sum of its parts. There are no sub-50 quarter-milers here, just four very even runners who ran between 50.5 and 51.5 Saturday.
“We’re all equal,” said anchor Spadola. “We have great depth.”
They needed it, with Bryan Collins out with an injury; Rennie stepped in and replaced him without the Pats missing a beat.
It was Spadola, sixth in the open 400 (50.35), who brought the Pats back to a come-from-behind win on his leg. He trailed the Braves’ superb Robby Andrews by two full strides when he got the baton. Spadola knew better than to rush things, especially with a strong headwind greeting the runners on the backstretch. Spadola tucked in behind Andrews and struck, when the time was right.
“I sat behind him for the first 200,” noted Spadola. “In the last 150 I found extra strength.”
With Andrews in pursuit, Spadola crossed the line in 3:24.95, the second-fastest time in school history. The only other team faster had All-American 400 hurdler Jordan Gray running the anchor.
Mularz was fifth in the 400 hurdles and sixth in the 110 high hurdles.
Marcus Goode was second in the triple jump for the Pats (42-10 1/4). Joe Solek took fifth in the 800 (1:59.44).
Manalapan’s indoor state champion Mike Goldwasser bested a good field in the pole vault. The senior was the only vaulter over the bar at 13-6 (the height that won the indoor state title). Goldwasser was sixth in the 400 hurdles (58.0) and ran on the Braves’ second-place relay team as he helped the Braves take third place (45).
It was a big meet for the Braves’ Andrews. Besides his pb behind Forys in the 800, he was fourth in the 1,600 running out of the unseeded section with a 4:26.54. He triple jumped in competition for the first time ever and his 41-10 was good enough for fourth place.
He anchored the Braves’ 4×400 relay team to a second place (3:26.61) behind the Pats. Derek Sammack and Brandon Russo joined Andrews and Goldwasser on the relay team.
Jack Gilburn was fourth in the long jump (21-1 1/2) and third in the javelin (165-2) for the Braves.
Howell’s David Hayes was “overjoyed” to run a personal best in the 400. The Rebel senior broke 50 seconds for the first time in finishing third behind Monmouth’s Cox brothers, Charles (48.10) and Chris (48.39). Hayes clocked 49.60. He was sixth in the 100 (11.25) and anchored the Rebels’ 4×400 team to a fifth place (3:28.03). Matt Borzomati, Conrad Zwolinski and Dan Verez ran the first three legs for Howell.
Marlboro’s Dmitriy Markoukin confirmed he is one of the best triple jumpers in the area with his sixth place 40-10 1/2.
Chris Favaloro of Marlboro, who is a senior at St. John Vianney, was third in the pole vault (12-6).
Next up for the District track and field athletes will be a return to Neptune for the Shore Conference Championships on Friday and Saturday.