by Rich Fisher, Sports Editor
It would stand to reason that boys and girls track and field teams at the same high school would do their best to work with each other. They spend a lot of time together on buses, at practice and at meets, so why not try to get along.
Sadly, that’s not always the case.
Gladly, it is the case at South Brunswick.
”You go to other schools, and there’s just no interaction between the teams,” said Wil Rivera, head coach of the 5-1 Viking boys team.
”I’m aware of some schools where the coaches don’t get along, and they’re not sharing and getting input from each other,” said Stefan Moorhead, head coach of the 5-0 Viking girls team. “It’s kind of a shame.”
Actually, it’s kind of insane, considering how much help each team can be to the other. South Brunswick is a perfect example. Not only are both teams winning big, both have been performing well at invitational meets.
The Viking girls were Central Jersey’s dominant team in the winter and will likely continue in the spring. But rather than use that success as cause for jealousy, the boys use it as an example.
”The kids like to do well and not show each other up, but the girls are kind of leading way right now,” Rivera said. “The boys are trying to keep up with them. They set the bar, the boys are trying to get over it.”
”With the girls winning so much the past two years, I would think a little of that is rubbing off on the boys and they want to get a little taste of that too,” said Moorhead, who coaches both teams in the winter. “There are a lot of new kids on the boys program who also bring some energy, so that’s good.”
Probably the biggest advantage each team has is that the entire program shares coaches.
”We have different guys we can throw ideas off of, see what they’re doing,” Rivera said. “Stef had some great long jumpers and triple jumpers, we can ask the other coaches ‘Do you see something here we’re not seeing?’”
”We’re not trying to keep secrets from each other,” Moorhead said. “We’re all on the same side.”
And both are winning sides.
With all the success the girls have had recently, today (Thursday) marks the first time under Moorhead that a distance medley relay team qualified for the Penn Relays.
The quartet of Cayla Del Piano, Janae Baker, Jen Smilgis and Sophia Ginez qualified by running a personal record 12:10.83 at the New York Armory last winter. They are one of 19 foursomes chosen for the race (as opposed to sprint relays, which number in the hundreds), and the final entry qualified at 12:23.
”We’re well under the cutoff,” Moorhead said. “We’re hoping to at least equal our PR, if not improve it, and finish in the top five, which would be a medal.”
As for the regular season, the Vikings have won every dual meet by over 100 points, giving plenty of athletes a chance to compete. Of the 93 girls on the roster, at least 50 have scored a team point.
”There are pros and cons to that,” Moorhead said. “It’s good to find out what some of the younger kids can do in competition, and we don’t have to over-tax all the better kids.
”But at the same time, it would be nice on occasion to get a little test and get some more competition. We have some strong teams coming up so hopefully that will happen.”
The boys are not winning by such vast margins, but they are winning nonetheless.
Rivera said some of the early highlights have been the performances of Dominic Padovano, Derek Forthun and his triple jumpers.
Going against the state’s discus record holder at East Brunswick, Padovano won the event with a PR 152 feet.
”It was nice to see him step up to the challenge,” Rivera said.
Forthun has gone from strictly a high jumper to a versatile performer, as he has done long jump, shuttle hurdles and pole vault this spring.
”We had a spot in the long jump, we were kind of iffy there,” Rivera said. “He came in and jumped 19 feet the first time.”
In the triple jump, Nihkil Yerramilli (41-4), Justin McClendon (41-0) and freshman Javon Tyree (40-10) all went over 40 feet in the same meet.
”That’s great to see,” Rivera said. “Even if we’re not getting competition from the other team, those three are all pushing each other and competing with each other.”

