Area harriers took their first steps toward the state championships at Saturday’s NJSIAA state sectional championships.
Holmdel Park and Warinanco Park, Elizabeth, were the venues for the sectional championships, where the top 10 individuals and top five teams punched their tickets to the Nov. 13 Group state championships at Holmdel Park.
Holmdel High School was assigned to the North Jersey II section this year, but the trip to Elizabeth was well worth it for the Hornet boys. They captured the NJ II Group III title, packing their first four runners in the first 12, and their fifth runner in at 25. Holmdel’s 48 points easily topped Ridge (77).
North Hunterdon’s Dale Taylor was the state sectional individual champion posting a 16:45 over one of the state’s oldest courses. Behind Taylor, the Hornets began their victory parade with Alexsander Emerel (17:04) and Jeffrey Cody (17:12) running second and third. Terry Wu (17:41) and Jayram Sataluri (17:42) gave Holmdel another one-two punch finishing 11th and 12th. Fifth scorer Brian O’Keefe (17:56) was 20th.
Holmdel’s scorers were separated by just 52 seconds and each broke 18:00, making them the only team in the section to achieve that.
Holmdel’s girls finished eighth (167) led by the tandem of Lisa Picascia (20:27) and Wendy Shuwei Wang (20:33), who were 13th and 15th.
Middletown South’s boys and girls both finished seventh in Group III.
The boys, scored 171, paced by the 15th place of George Baburov (17:47).
The girls scored 152, led by the 20th place of Alex Beaver (20:45).
At Holmdel Park, which hosted the Central Jersey sectional, Tom Walsh and Matawan have made it through to the Group meet.
Walsh was third in the Group II race (17:01) behind Cranford’s Kevin Brown (16:33) and Joe McKenney (16:34), helping Matawan nail down the fifth and final team qualifying spot.
Shawn DeFrance, 16th (17:46) and Daniel DeCosta (18:14), 24th, also ran well for the Huskies.
Raritan’s Matt Dahl is going on after his fourth place (17:06) behind Walsh.
Matawan’s girls also finished fifth (132) and advanced. The Huskies were led by Rebecca Young ((21:13) and Michelle Cornacchia (21:20), who were ninth and 11th.
Raritan’s Christine Altland qualified individually with a fifth place (20:52).
In CJ Group I, Keyport’s Lori Zimmerman ran her way to the Group championships with an eighth place (24:22). The Red Raider girls were seventh (161).
While public schools were beginning the race to the state championships, Christian Brothers Academy was at Warinanco Park winning its 23rd straight Catholic Track Conference championship.
The Colts, the top-ranked team in the state, were led by the fifth place of Kevin Rogers (16:47). Behind him were a parade of Colts, Greg Leach (16:47) and Chris Horel (16:47) in sixth and seventh, Justine Wheat, 10th (16:55) and Brian Keating, 11th (16:59).
Saturday, CBA will go head-to-head with Toms River North, ranked No. 4 in the state, at the Shore Conference Championships at Ocean County Park, Lakewood. This race will provide both teams with a glimpse of what to expect at the Meet of Champions.
The Mariners, are coming off a big win in the South Jersey Group IV sectional, where they beat No. 3-ranked Cherokee.
The individual favorites for SC titles are Colts Neck’s Craig Forys among the boys and Jen Clausen of Jackson and Leah Brogan of Monsignor Donovan among the girls.
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer