SOUTH BRUNSWICK: Viking girls defend GMC Relay crown

Rebound from sixth-place Group IV finish

By Rich Fisher, Sports Editor
   After learning about big-meet intensity at the high school level on Saturday, the South Brunswick High girls track & field team put that knowledge to use on Tuesday.
   The Vikings finished a solid but somewhat disappointing sixth at the NJSIAA Group IV Relays on Saturday, then bounced back to crush the competition in winning their second straight Greater Middlesex Conference Relays title Tuesday night. Both events were at Toms River.
   ”We were hoping to do a little better at Saturday’s meet,” coach Stefan Moorhead said after Tuesday’s meet. “We were hoping for a top three or four. There were a few things we didn’t do as well as we could have.”
   That, however, had something to do with youth.
   ”We only had one senior competing,” Moorhead said. “Hopefully the young kids learned the intensity they have to bring in meets like this.
   ”The nice thing with the timing is we got to come right back at it (Tuesday) and avenge some of the things we didn’t do well Saturday. The high jump team improved by 6 inches. The way they jumped today would have tied for first. It definitely shows what they’re capable of.”
   SBHS was dominant at the GMC’s, amassing 64 points. The next-highest total was 30. The Vikings won five of eight events, setting meet records in two. All 18 girls who competed won at least one medal.
   The highlight was the sprint medley team, which set meet and school records in 4:15.01 behind Alicia Osley (400 leg), Rachel Johnson (200), Melissa Dardani (200) and anchor Sophia Ginez, who ran a personal record 2:16 in her 800 leg. The distance medley also set a meet standard of 13:24.38 thanks to Jenni Smilgis (1,200), Janae Baker (400), Amanda Smilgis (800) and anchor Lyndsey Sample (1,600).
   Other first-place teams were the shuttle hurdles (Sharon Liu, Darlene Braithwaite, Jen O’Laughlin and Lauryn Strebeck, 35.52), the 4×800 (Ashley Edwards, Jenni Smilgis, Jamielyn Samper, Lyndsey Sample, 10:27.05) and the high jump (Emily Skalko, PR 5-2; Brooke Sassman, 5-0, for a 10-2).
   The Vikes had two other medal winners with third-place finishes. Those teams included the 4×200 (Mariah Browne, Dardani, Osley and anchor Jamie Thompson, 1:49.05), and the shot put (Janel Walker, 35-5½; Amber Browne, 31-8¾, for 31-8¾).
   The final event added to the team point total as the 4×400 team of Baker, Thompson, Samper and Strebeck took fifth in 4:14.04.
   ”They all definitely gave a great effort,” Moorhead said. “Overall I’m pleased. To win the county relays is nice and to take a top six in the state is nice, but we’re capable of more there. We don’t want the kids to get complacent.”
   As for the Viking boys, they only had the high jump team place at the Group IV Relays, but finished a respectable fifth with 22 points at the GMC Relays.
   The shot put team of Jordan Foreman and Dominic Padovano combined on a 91-9¼ to take second place.
   ”Jordan threw 48 feet, which was a PR by over 3 feet, which is huge in the shot put,” Moorhead said.
   The Vikes’ other medal winner was the high jump team of Padovano and Derek Forthun, who each jumped 5-8 to take third in 11-4.
   Other point scorers were the sprint medley, who took fourth in 3:49 behind Shri Kamat (400), Jaron Baker (200), Kyle Morse (200) and Jon Bellizio (800); the fifth-place shuttle hurdles (Jordan Boulware, Forthun, Adam Abdalla, Padovano, 34.65) and the sixth-place distance medley (Belizzio, 1,200; Matt Kilbride, 400; William Pan, 800; Danny Boyle, 1,600; 11:17.20).
   ”We had to make a couple lineup changes in the afternoon with kids sick, and some kids were running more than one race that they hadn’t planned on,” Moorhead said. “Guys were kind of in flux with some new guys and some returners.”
   One guy who has stood out this winter has been Padovano.
   ”He’s really coming into his own as a sophomore,” Moorhead said. “At Group IV he jumped 5-10, then threw the shot almost 46 feet. And he’s also a good hurdler. That’s a rare combination, and his best outside event is discus. He’s on his way to some really big things.”
   The Vikings’ next competition will be at the Lavino Relays at Lawrenceville on Saturday, which will serve as a tune-up for the GMC Championships.