BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer
A memorable indoor track and field season by the Monmouth Regional boy’s track and field team reached new heights at the National Scholastic Indoor Championships.
The Golden Falcons left the New York City Armory on Sunday with three All-Americans.
Charles and Chris Cox finished second and third in the 400 and were one-half of the 4×400 team that placed sixth (the top six finishers at the NSIC earned All-American recognition).
For coach Jim Calvert, whose Falcons won just about every title available this winter, including the NJSIAA State Group II championship, it was a fitting ending to a remarkable campaign.
“It caps it all off,” he said. “It was a great accomplishment for the kids.”
The Cox twins set the stage with their finishes in the 400-meter dash final held Sunday morning. Charles, undefeated all season through the state meets and the Eastern States, was beaten to the line for the first time by Marcus Boyd of Fort Worth, TX. It took the third fastest time in the nation this year, 47.54, by the Texan to beat the New Jersey state champion (48.26).
Chris won his finals heat in 48.62 and that time held up for third place overall.
Both Coxes had won their qualifying races on Saturday. Chris in 48.63 and Charles in 49.15.
With Chris and Charles running the final two legs of the 4×400, the Falcons were in a good position to claim All-American status. Their presence alone, however, doesn’t guarantee success in such a fast event. A team can afford no weak links and the Falcons wouldn’t have won a state title, let advance to the national final, without two strong lead-off runners.
Kelly Fischer and Joe Ortiz continued to run faster throughout the season, helping the Falcons exceed expectations.
“They’re a good bunch of kids,” Calvert said of his relay team. “I realized during the season that their times would keep dropping. They work very, very hard.”
The Falcons won their qualifying heat in 3:21.14 on Friday and came back on Sunday afternoon to post a 3:20.70. Speed City, CA. was first in 3:16.28.
The impact that the Cox twins have had on the team has gone well beyond what they accomplished on their own. Calvert said their presence helped everyone on the team become better.
“The kids enjoyed working out with them,” said Calvert. “The kids want to be like them. They emulated them. That’s what pushed them.”
Ocean Township’s girls can proudly boast of having an All-American team as well in their 4×55-meter shuttle hurdles relay team. The quartet of Georgina Nembhard, Sam Kay, Vicki LaMarre and Jaimie Brown finishes third in 35.25. They finished second to Ridgewood (34.14) in their section and their time held up for third. New Rochelle was first (33.93).