It was a memorable night for Mark Lee and his Christian Brothers Academy (CBA) teammates. “It was one of the greatest experiences of my life,” he said. “It’s an experience I never though I’d be a part of.”
Lee and his Colt teammates Rich Bohny, Dan Mykityshyn and Dan Bailey were in New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden Friday night, competing in the MillroseGames’Metro 4×800-meter high school relay. CBA was one of eight teams from the tri-state area invited to the race.
The Colts, who came into the race with the third best time in the country (7:55.51), finished second (8:06.22) behind Abington, Pa., (8:01.00).
“They [Abington] ran great,” said Lee.
From Bohny’s opening leg, the Colts’ strength was their consistency. They never fell off the pace set by the other contenders even as Abington steadily began to separate itself from the rest.
The race for second was for Garden State bragging rights. Haddonfield, which had run 7:55.44 ahead of CBA’s 7:55.51 at the Hispanic Games at the New York Armory, was dueling it out with the Colts again. This time it was CBA winning the duel, thanks to a strong finishing kick by anchor Lee.
CBA may have finished second, but they did have the satisfaction of being tops among New Jersey teams.
There was a strong Shore Conference presence in the relay with Red Bank Catholic and Freehold Township included in the field.
Kevin Byrne’s 1:5.6.6 anchor leg brought RBC from far back to fourth (8:11.60). Freehold Township was eighth (8:23.10).
Lee said the Millrose 4×800 had been a goal all season for the Colts, but when Colin Johnson was injured and unable to compete, it wasn’t looking good.
“Dan Bailey stepped up big,” said Lee.
With Bailey emerging as a solid 800 runner, the Colts were back in business and eventually onto the biggest indoor stage in the country, Madison Square Garden.
Shore Conference Championships
The Shore Conference (SC) Indoor Championships were contested on Friday night as well. The meet was held in the John Bennett Indoor Complex in Toms River.
St. John Vianney had a pair of champions. Chelsea Delaneywon the girls 1,600-meter title in 5:15.97, and the boys 4×400 relay team finished first in 3:32.36. Anthony Corona, Alex Marinescu, Chris Randise and Kyle Tuohy made up the Lancers’ winning quartet.
Middletown North’s Luke Zirngibl followed up his exciting 800 win at the Monmouth County Championships with a repeat at the conference meet. His 1:58.43 was just .01 ahead of Jackson Memorial’s Greg Caldwell (1:58.44).
Zirngibl also placed in the 400 meters, taking third in 15.87. That 400-meter sprint speed has made the difference in the homestretch for the Lion.
Also claiming SC gold was Raritan hurdler Bennett Jackson. He won the 55-meter hurdles in 7.62. He recorded the fastest time in qualifying (7.65) and ran even faster in the final.
The NJSIAA State Sectional Championships are being held this week back at the Bennett Complex. They began on Wednesday (Feb. 3) and will continue through Sunday.