Champions were crowned in what was one of the biggest and busiest weekends of the 2015-16 winter scholastic season. Here are some of those champions.
Colts Neck High School’s Jordan Brannan ran the state’s fastest 3,200-meters this winter when he won the NJSIAA Indoor Track and Field Meet of Champions race in 9:14.94.
The MOC was held at the Bennett Indoor Athletic Complex.
Christian Brothers Academy’s Mike Zupko turned in the year’s fastest 400 meters when he won the MOC title in 49.35.
Courtney Campbell of South Brunswick High School equaled the best girl’s high jump in the state this indoor season when she cleared 5-6 and won the MOC crown on fewer misses.
Christian Brothers Academy’s Sebastian Rivera was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the Region 6 Tournament at the Pine Belt Arena in Toms River. The senior won the 113-pound final by a technical fall over Howell’s Kyle Slendorn.
It was Rivera’s second Region 6 title and his third medal in at the tournament.
Luke Ecklof gave St. John Vianney it’s first Region wrestling champion since 2004 when he won the 106-title, defeating Lacey’s Hunter Gutierrez, 6-0, in the final. This was his first Region 6 title and first medal.
Zach Turner of Allentown registered his 100th career wrestling victory in style, scoring a pin fall in the Region 7 final over Christopher Stout of Hamilton West. Turner is 32-4.
The Region 7 Tournament was held at Robbinsville High School.
Sayreville High School’s Anthony Porcaro won his second straight Region 5 heavyweight championship. The top seed edged Montgomery’s Dylan D’Amore, 3-1, in sudden victory in the final to remain undefeated (27-0).
Hunterdon Central High School was the host to the Region 5 Tournament.
East Brunswick High School’s Shanelle Colmon was named the Most Valuable Player of the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament championship game. She scored eight points including two three-pointers in the decisive third quarter when East Brunswick rallied to take the lead on Monroe Township. The Bears extended the lead in the fourth quarter and went on to win their first GMC tile since 2002 beating top-seeded Monroe, 42-31, at Kean University in Union.
Colmon’s teammate Sabria Glasgow scored a game-high 14 points and had five rebounds. Colmon scored down and had three rebounds and two assists in the victory that lifted the Bears to 20-3 on the season.
St. Joseph’s High School’s boys’ basketball team regained the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament championship when the Metuchen school defeated South Brunswick, 56-48, in the final at Kean University in Union.
Alonzo Fink scored a career-high 25 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the victory to earn the MVP honors. St. The Falcons improved to 20-5 with the triumph.
Bryan Harris scored 14 points off the bench in sparking Mater Dei Prep to a stunning come-from-behind victory over Christian Brothers Academy in the Shore Conference Tournament championship game at Monmouth University in West Long Branch.
Mater Dei trailed by as many as 18 points in the second half. Harris scored eight of his team-high points in the fourth quarter when he Seraphs out-scored the Colts 25-7 en route to the 50-43 victory and the school’s first-ever SCT basketball title. CBA was aiming for its 17th SCT title.
Harris was named the game’s Most Valuable Player.
Mater Dei improved to 24-1.
St. John Vianney’s girls’ basketball team is back on top after claiming the Lancer’s first Shore Conference Tournament championship since 2005. The Lancers beat their rivals, Manasquan, 59-48, at Monmouth University in West Long Branch.
MVP Kelly Campbell paced the Lancers with 16 points and seven assists.
St. John Vianney, the state’s top-ranked team, is 25-1.