By: Kyle Moylan
Building on the steady success of recent years, the Allentown High School boys’ track team was scheduled to send an athlete to The Meet of Champions last night for the first time since the mid 1990s (when Andy McCarthy went).
Sadiki White, just a sophomore, placed third in the 800 at the Group III championships this past weekend in South Plainfield. White did it in a time of 1:57.24.
"White has the school record, but this wasn’t it," Allentown Coach Mike Gaeta noted. "He broke it a couple of weeks ago. We’re hoping he breaks it again at The Meet of Champions.
"It’s great for a sophomore to be running with this group of guys. He’s up against the best."
White was also hoping to qualify for The Meet of Champions as part of the 4×400 team. White, Garth DeBlasio, Mike Bartoli and Matt Henderson combined to run a time of 3:27.
"It was a good time, but it just wasn’t good enough," Gaeta said.
DeBlasio also competed in the 800 and finished with a time of 1:59.
Allentown’s other two athletes at the Group III championships were pole vaulters Antonio Trappanese and Brett Taft. Taft didn’t place, but did clear 12′ 6". After winning the event at Central Jersey Group III the previous week, Trappanese failed to clear 12′ 6"
"We really thought Trappanese would advance," Gaeta said. "He was doing 14 feet in practice. The previous week he did 13 feet. That would have been enough to advance him to The Meet of Champions. There were guys there that he has beat on numerous occasions. Unfortunately, it was his day."
Fortunately, it was White’s day.
"It’s pretty exciting," Gaeta said. "It’s a special thing for athletes and coaches to go to The Meet of Champions. It validates all the hard work we’re doing here to take that next step up."
GIRLS
Bea Pesciotta and Mary Sancilio are both sophomores. Making it to the Group III championships capped off a great season for them. It also gave the pair an idea of what to expect when they go back there next season.
"It’s a good learning experience," noted Allentown girls’ track Coach Jacqueline Mulryne. "When they go back there next year and have a chance to place in the future, they will not be so nervous because they’ll know what it’s like to be there. It can be very intimidating."
Pesciotta competed in the javelin and Sancilio participated in the high jump. Neither recorded an official distance.
Brittany Loriquet was 11th in the triple jump at 33′ 6". She was ninth in the long jump.
Mulryne tries to run an ambitious schedule to give her athletes a feel for what it’s like to take part in big, intimidating meets. Allentown will do this again next season. It’s young and it’s talented. Pesciotta and Sancilio have two more years to make their mark.
"Each year we like to take a step up," Mulryne noted. "It really was an accomplishment to get here (the Group III championship). Next year we’ll be even better."

