Gray reaches Meet of Champs in pole vault

By: Sean Moylan
   While juniors Romel Penales and Zacharia Ahmed were the undisputed stars of the Hightstown High boys’ varsity track and field team most of this and the winter season, in the backround there was always this talented sophomore by the name of Patrick Gray, who seemed to get a little better in the pole vault each and every time out.
   This past weekend Gray officially became a star when he cleared a personal best 13 feet to place 5th overall in the pole vault event at the All-Group III NJSIAA State Championship Meet at South Plainfield High. Gray scored the Rams’ only 2 points of the meet.
   From there Gray moved on to compete in Wednesday’s Meet of Champions at the very same location. But the opening height was set at 13 feet, which, as we noted, was Gray personal best mark. And without attempts at lower heights, Gray could not quite clear that opening mark. Yet for a sophomore to make the Meet of Champions is a major accomplishment in itself. He’ll be back.
   Meanwhile in the shot put event at the All-Group III State meet, Ahmed made an excellent throw of exactly 50 feet. Unfortunately, he was up against an amazing field of throwers and that terrific mark only earned him 10th place overall. Penales was right behind him in 11th place with a fling of 46′ 9 ¾".
   Penales also competed in the discus where his 127′ 3" hurl earned him 14th place (a tie). Previously, he had recorded a 136′ 7" throw in the discus at Sectionals.
   Tommy Apgar, a sophomore at Hightstown, triple jumped 40′ 9 ½" to place 13th in that event at the All-Group III state meet. He had posted a 41′ 9" mark at Sectionals.
   The best thing is Gray, Penales, Ahmed and Apgar are all scheduled to return and compete for Jim Firtek’s Hightstown High boys’ varsity track and field team next season. But the Rams should have very good returning athletes in nearly every event. That’s one of the bonuses of having a young team.