Indoor track teams ready for county championships
Meet set for Saturday
at Red Bank Regional
County titles will be on the line Saturday night when Red Bank Regional High School hosts the 2001 Monmouth County Indoor Track and Field Championships.
The first major individual test of the indoor season comes early this year, but the major contenders have already stated their cases.
The team title should be another stroll through the gym for Christian Brothers Academy in the boys’ competition. In scoring a perfect score 80 points (eight wins in eight relays) in capturing the Monmouth County Relay title last month, the Colts displayed their top to bottom balance in sprinting, hurdling, distance running and high jumping.
Host Red Bank Regional figures to give the Colts their severest test. They will be relying on the versatility of its athletes to score points in a number of events.
On the girls’ side, Middletown South, Red Bank Regional and Red Bank Catholic will vie for the top honors. South’s Eagles may have the most depth of the contenders, but the host Bucs have the most talent in the Trotters, twins Amanda and Katy, and Sarah, who score a bundle of points in the distance events.
The highlight of the meet will be in the girls’ distance events from 800 meters up to 3,200.
Some of the finest distance running talent in the state resides in this county, and Saturday everyone will be going head to head for the first time.
The versatility of the Trotters makes them a threat to win the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 races.
At the Merli Invitation back in December, Katy won the 800, Amanda the 1,600 and Sarah, the 3,200.
They will, however, be severely tested Saturday by cross country stars Julie Ullmeyer of Shore Regional and Christy Planer of Rumson-Fair Haven, along with Holmdel’s Christina Vullo (coming back from an ankle injury that cut her cross country season short).
Amanda Trotter defeated Ullmeyer, the Shore’s top freshman, in their first-ever meeting over 1,600 meters in the Small School division at the Merli, running a 5:16.51 that day.
Amanda has since run a 5:11 mile in winning the Seton Hall Invitational. Sarah won the 3,000 at the invitational, and Katy was runner-up in the 800.
RFH’s Planer will be making her indoor debut and that will shake things up. Planer has run 5:12 for the 1,600 outdoors. She has been anxiously awaiting her return to competition and will probably run the 1,600.
From the Freehold District, Jen Gaffey (winner of the 3,200 in the Large School division at the Merli) and Diana Diercksen are distance contenders, as are Lauren Dike, Nicole Lombardy and Tara Froehlich of Middletown South and RBC’s Julia Barker and Mary McCudden.
There is no Walton Kingsbery for the boys this year, leaving the distances races wide open.
From CBA there is Tom Falvey, Nat Glackin and Trevor Rozier Byrd. Colts Neck has Israel Payan, Jorge Ventura and Jesus Salinas, and Howell has Mike Cerchia and Matt Forys.
Host Red Bank has Greg Langley and Jon Crook (Merli winners at 3,200 and 800 meters respectively). RBR’s Travis Keany won the Merli 1,600 Small School division.
Freehold Borough’s Alex Kennedy and Marlboro’s Lee Geller figure to be the two sprinters to beat in the 55-meter dash. They have not run against each other this winter.
Kennedy started his season off with a win in the 55-meter dash at the Merli Invitational in the Small School division. Geller was a runner-up in the Large School sprint.
At 55-meters neither Kennedy nor Geller has an edge on the other. Their showdown will be determined by who gets out of the blocks with the lead.
In the 400 Red Bank Regional’s Jordan MacNeil is the one to beat. Marlboro’s Brandon Portelli looms as a threat as does Glackin, if he runs this in addition to the 800.
MacNeil and teammate Topher Ruggiero loom large in the high hurdles.
RBC’s Jillian Danback and Suraya Kornegay give the Caseys the sprinters to beat in the girls’ 55-meter dash and hurdles (Danbach) and the 400 (Kornegay).
Freehold Borough’s Erin Turner-Byfield, RBR’s Elizabeth Russell and Freehold Township’s Katie Cherecwich are also very talented sprinters who could win.
A wild card here is Howell’s Cara Hammond if she competes in the 55-meter dash.
A highly competitive race for the 1,600-meter relay looms among the three contenders, South (county relay winner), RBR and RBC.
In the field, Middletown South’s Katie Pachuta is separating herself from the field. She threw 40-5 1/2 in winning the Seton Hall Invitational. It was her first mark ever over 40 feet.
Derek Gilson of Middletown North won the boys’ shot put at the Merli with a 54-6 3/4 that is the best mark in the county this year.
RBC’s Amy Krilla is tied for the best high jump this year (5-2). Her consistency makes her the jumper to beat. Middletown South’s Lindsay Dike has also done 5-2.
Consistency is what works for CBA’s Doug Coppola, the boys’ favorite, with teammate Tom Wolf right with him. Coppola has done 6-2. MacNeill can’t be overlooked here either.
After Saturday’s championship, attention will again turn toward relays. On Jan. 14 the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s State Relays begin with Groups IV & I
Groups III & II will run on Jan. 21. The State Relays will be held at Princeton University.