By Rich Fisher, Sports Editor
After the incredible performances the South Brunswick High girls track & field team has been enjoying the past month, what occurred Sunday at Toms Rivers’ Bennett Center might seem a bit pedestrian.
”I think coming off the excitement of winning sectionals, there was a bit of a letdown,” coach Stefan Moorhead said. “But we definitely had some bright spots.”
Indeed, upon closer look at the Vikings’ performance, there were more positives than initially meets the eye.
Yes, the Vikings finished in a six-way tie for 17th place overall in the NJSIAA Group IV championship, after handily winning the Central Jersey Group IV title.
But their eight points were only 9½ shy of third-place Hunterdon Central.
”I told the girls, 17th doesn’t look great when we just won a sectional, but the difference of where we finished and third place was 10 points,” Moorhead noted. “That’s just a matter of a few things going better here and there. A few things we could have definitely done that would have gotten us third or fourth.
”Sometimes those places can be misleading in a group meet. The team that won Group IV boys (Plainfield) had just two kids that scored.”
And at this point, the meets have as much to do with individuals advancing as it does with team scores. Maybe even more so.
And in that area, the Vikings did not do too shabby as seven girls and one boy have qualified for Saturday’s Meet of Champions.
Sophia Ginez has another outstanding day, advancing in the 1,600 and 3,200.
Ginez had her highest finish, either indoor or outdoor, by taking third in the 1,600 and lowering her school indoor record to 5:04.29. She finished fifth in the 3,200 in 11:09.76, after winning the sectionals last week.
”Sophia definitely has a chance to knock down her 1,600 down in the Meet of Champions,” Moorhead said. “She might even get to five minutes or under. And she qualified in the 3,200 as well, which is what matters at this point.
”I think in the 1,600, she has a good shot at a medal in the Meet of Champions. She’s been very consistent all year and throughout her career. She keeps dropping times there.”
Ginez was the Vikings’ only automatic qualifier, but they also had several wild cards. Freshman Cayla Del Piano finished seventh in the 3,200 in 11:15.65 (a personal best by eight seconds) and will advance as a WC.
Also making it as a wild card was the ever-improving 4×400 relay team of Junior Jamie Thompson, sophomore Janae Baker, junior Jamielyn Samper and freshman Alicia Osley. The quartet ran a season-best time of 4:07.40.
”Running your season best at the state meet is what you hope for in any event,” Moorhead said. “They weren’t in a seeded heat so they had to run fast against the clock if they wanted a chance.
”They went out and ran well, They won their heat by three seconds, then had to wait for what to see what the other heats did.”
The improvement of the four runners has been remarkable considering this is their first time together and cohesion is so important.
”I would say they’re coming together the last two weeks as a unit,” Moorhead said. “With a relay team you need some chemistry and we’re starting to get that. Alicia has fit in very well as the anchor and the other girls have accepted her. They’ve really bonded the last few weeks. It started in the (Greater Middlesex Conference) meet and in the states they’ve taken it to a new level.”
Emily Skalko jumped 5-0 in the high jump, along with four other girls. While Columbia’s Brittany Jackson and Hunterdon Central’s Colleen Spiller automatically advanced, Skalko managed to get through as a wild card.
”Other than the distances and the relay, we did have a little bit of a letdown,” Moorhead said. “After we got together after the meet, one of the first things I said was that it was a little bit of a letdown, but all the girls who competed are coming back. We can not only use that experience next year, but before next year we’ll use it for the spring. We expect to compete for a championship.”
On the boys side, Brian Oni advanced as a wild card with a seventh-place finish of 6.72 in the 55 meters. Just a junior, Oni will also be back next season.
”This is his first year doing winter track, and he just missed qualifying automatically,” Moorhead said. “In spring track, he did some good things in the 100 and 200. But the 55 is even shorter than both of those, so if you make one little mistake you can ruin the race. He’s been working on his start, trying to get out fast.
”He’s definitely quick. His speed is some of the best around. I’m glad he’s still got another year with us.”
The MOC will start at 10 a.m. for the girls and 1 p.m. for the boys at the Bennett Center’s “Bubble.”

