Christian Brothers Academy had proved it had a fine collection of talent for the relay season. The Colts had the NJSIAA Non-Public State title and Monmouth Relay crowns to back it up.
What coach Karl Torchia wasn’t sure about was how the Colts’ relay depth would hold up when the season got down to individual competition.
Torochia needn’t worry. His Colts have plenty of quality to go with their depth. They ran off with the Monmouth County Indoor Championship Saturday at the Bennett Indoor Complex in Toms River, rolling up 61.50 points to easily out-distance runner-up Colts Neck (25).
Brendon Pierson won the 1,600 meters (4:31.7) and was second to Manalapan’s RobbyAndrews in the 800 (2:03.94).
As usual, the Colts picked up a number of points in the distance races. Mark Weber (4:35.36) and Rich Grandelli (4:36.94) were fourth and sixth behind Pierson in the 1,600. Ben Horel (9:47.18) and Vin Ferrer (9:50.57) were second and third behind Colts Neck’s Mark Leininger (9:43.70) in the 3,200.
Kyle Vitale added a sixth place (2:08.01) to Pierson’s second in the 800.
Hurdler Chris Debski was fifth (8.20) and sprinter Justin Cornell tied for fifth in the 400 (52.74).
The Colts got a second win on the track in the 4×400 relay (3:32.09).
High jumper Jake Bartlett gave the Colts a field win capturing first place in the high jump with a leap of 6-2.
Matawan High School produced the other two individual champions.
John Bartlett won the pole vault (13- 0). He was the only vaulter to scale
that height.
The Huskies’ duo of Erin Scurry and Quasha Brown
were a dominating pair during
the relay season and they
were equally dominant Saturday
going one-two in the shot put. Scurry’s 34-8 won it with Brown second at 33-3.
Getting second places were Raritan’s John Krajunas in the high jump (6-0), St. John Vianney’s Mike Reese in the pole vault (12-6) and Middletown North’s Paul Muller in the shot put (47-2) for the boys and Matawan’s Mackenzie Chambers, for the girls in the 55-meter dash (7.60).
Saturday, it’s back to Toms River for the Shore Conference Indoor Championships. Thatwill be the final tune-up before the state championships begin the following weekend at the Bennett Complex.