Au-Yeung, LiPuma into Meet of Champs
By: Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
Four years of work culminated in Steve Au-Yeung and John LiPuma reaching the Meet of Champions.
It is the first time for each of the West Windsor-Plainsboro North senior captains in an outdoor track and field season. Both also went with the Knights cross country team last fall. They took the wild card route out of the Group III meet last weekend to Thursday’s scheduled MOC.
”Once you’re there, you’re there and anything can happen,” said Knights head coach Brian Gould. “Last week was a perfect example. A lot of guys hit PRs and finished higher than expected. These two guys are great like that. They don’t settle for what people think they should do.”
LiPuma recorded a new personal best of 4:21.90 for seventh place in Group III on Friday. The top six from each event advance automatically, but LiPuma received the wild card as one of the next six fastest finishers from all groups.
”In winter track, I did the same thing,” LiPuma said. “I finished seventh and I thought, I have to have made it, but they didn’t have wild cards. I was a little worried, but I felt like no way 4:21 doesn’t make it. I had some worries and doubts.
”It’s big. It’s the big goal you always try to reach. I never reached it. I was a little disappointed last year that I didn’t make it. It’s great that it happened in my senior year. The fact I made it out of Group III, I ran a great time doing it. It’s a pretty big accomplishment to make it out of Group III.”
Au-Yeung wasn’t as much of a sure thing after he finished. Even though he ran a new personal record of 1:57.68, he finished 10th in the Group III boys’ 800 meters. Junior teammate Ryan Sleeper was ninth. It left little wiggle room for a wild card, but Au-Yeung got in with one spot to spare.
”When I finished at groups, we weren’t too sure I’d make it,” Au-Yeung said. “There was a chance, but I came in 10th overall out of Group III. We were basically praying I’d make it with a wild card.
”It is really, really special to me. I’ve been dreaming about going to the Meet of Champions since freshman year. The last two years, I haven’t even made it past sectionals. It’s been a big goal to make it this far. I’m happy to make it that far.”
Thursday’s MOC was the final scholastic meet in a big senior year for Au-Yeung and LiPuma. They finished their fall season at the cross country MOC and will finish their spring season at the MOC before both compete in college.
”It’s been a great year, all the team stuff in cross country and just running great in the mile,” said LiPuma, who is headed to La Salle University. “I improved so much in the 800. It’s about as good as it could be. I didn’t make Meet of Champions in indoor. That second (in the 4xmile) at indoor nationals makes up for it. There’s not much else that I could ask for. (Except) one more good one day.”
There have been plenty of good days for the senior leaders. They made sure the group meet was one of them as both responded to the competition.
”I was pretty confident,” said Au-Yeung, who will run for New York University. “I told myself, give it all I have, take a risk, take a chance, go out harder than usual. It brought me to where I am — to the Meet of Champions.
”Previously, I had a problem, I would take it out slow, 60 seconds for the first quarter. At groups, I took it out in 56. Taking it out faster than usual, it helped me run that faster time that helped me get to the Meet of Champions.”
LiPuma, too, picked the ideal time to drop some more time in the mile. Coming into his freshman year, he ran 5:40 and the incremental drops are part of the reason he favors track to cross country season.
”There was a pretty big drop when I started freshman year,” he said. “I got it down to 4:52. It’s a lot easier to drop time while you’re up there. As you get faster, five seconds becomes a lot. Between freshman and sophomore year, I dropped 20 seconds. Between sophomore and junior year, I dropped seven. So far, I’ve dropped four. Hopefully I can take some more off.
”I ran 4:25 last year. Ever since then, the goal has been 4:20. I’ve been trying to do that since counties last year. It’s been on my list.”
Au-Yeung and LiPuma had to dedicate themselves to the sport to be able to produce their best at the ideal time. Both showed steady progressions through the years leading up to the group results.
”LiPuma looked unbelievable in practice,” Gould said. “I think he knew it was coming, You never have to guess if John will get out and take a risk. By the third lap, he’s taking a shot at the front every race. I never worry about them. He’s rock solid consistent. You know he’s going to be there every time. That risk-taking is guts. That kid is tough.
”He was running 5:40 as freshman. His journey through high school is remarkable. That’s what I’ll remember — how hard he worked and how much he improved.”
Gould has known Au-Yeung as long as any of his athletes. He coached him in middle school when Au-Yeung was a 100-meter sprinter. He’s become a top half-miler and steady cross country runner as well.
”He rises to every challenge,” Gould said. “He’s another guy I know he’s been doing all the work and I know he can do it in big races. Whether he made it out or not, I was ecstatic for him.”
Gould wasn’t sure until that night that Au-Yeung had made the MOC. He figured a nearly two second personal record would be enough to dim any potential disappointment of a 10th place finish.
”He had a big PR. I talked to him like his season was over. I asked him how he felt,” Gould said. “He said, ‘I’m not satisfied.’ I think he’s really ready for a big one. I’m excited for him. He’s done so much work. He’s done a lot of great things. It seems like he’s very, very hungry to finish the whole thing up at his best.”
Added Au-Yeung: “I constantly told myself to keep trying and keep moving forward. Running is my sport. I have to keep going forward.”
Four years of going forward has helped Steve Au-Yeung and John LiPuma finish their careers where they had always wished — at the top, at the Meet of Champions.