By Tim Morris
Ocean Township High School’s Eliot Gindi continued his sparkling spring on the track, capturing the NJSIAA Group III title at 1,600 meters.
The Spartans’ runner has not lost a race at 1,600 this season, as he again held off his rival, Jordan Brannan from Colts Neck High School, to win in 4:15.98.
The Group III championships were held June 3-4 at Northern Burlington County Regional High School.
Gindi finished fourth in the 800 (1:54.41).
Next up for the Spartans’ standout was the Meet of Champions (MOC) June 8.
Group I schools traveled to Egg Harbor Township High School, and Shore Regional High School enjoyed the long trip, especially Drew Maher.
Maher ran a super double, leaving as a double state champion. He won the 1,600 in a quick 4:18.99 and the 800 in 1:53.37. The question for the Blue Devils’ standout is which race he’ll run at the MOC.
Hannah Birdsall, Megan Quill, Amanda Fontana and Megan Hellmers won the 4×400 relay championship in 4:01.83. Birdsall ran 57.73 for the 400, finishing second.
Non-Public A also ventured to Egg Harbor Township, where Red Bank Catholic (RBC) High School’s Cassie Riley won the high jump at 5-4.
RBC also won the 4×800 relay with Shayne McNally, Kaitlin Ryan, Carly Friend and Michelle O’Malley. Their winning time was 9:33.09.
The NJSIAA sectional championships (May27-28) were the ticket to the group championships. Several area athletes picked up sectional championships.
At the North Jersey, Section II, Group III meet held at Ridge High School, Red Bank Regional High School’s Lauren Sapone won a pair of gold medals. The Buccaneers’ runner won the 800 in 2:15.48 and the 1,600 in 5:02.05.
Northern Burlington hosted the Central Jersey Group II and III meet, where Gindi was the standout, winning the 800, 1,600 and 3,200, leading Ocean Township to the team championship with 91 points.
Gindi ran in 1:57.72 to win the 800. He won the 1,600 in 4:20.90 and the 3,200 in 9:26.58. In both the 1,600 and 3,200, he defeated Brannan, who was the indoor MOC winner in the 3,200.
Dean Golan came up with his best vault of the season at 13-6 to take first in the pole vault.
The Spartans won the 4×800 with Jason Seo, Matt D’Auria, Tom D’Auria and Gindi.
Ocean Townships’s Ali Chomsky won the girls javelin with throw of 121-7.
In Group II, Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School’s Douglas Young won the boys pole vault, lifting himself over the bar at 13-6.
The Group I schools went to Hillsborough High School, where some Blue Devils struck gold.
Shore Regional’s Birdsall won the 200 (26.84) and ran leadoff for the 4×400 relay team that set a meet record. Quill, Fontana and Hellmers teamed with Birdsall to finish in 4:02.05, shattering the former meet record of 4:07.93 by Robbinsville High School in 2011.
Runner-up Abraham Clark High School, which chased the Blue Devils, also came in under the former mark, clocking 4:03.17.
For the boys, Maher captured the 1,600 championship in 4:32.31 and was second in his best event, the 800 (1:56.51).
Thrower Zach Bartram won the javelin at 166-9.