By: Redd E. Patrick
Like every season since he took over as the head man five years ago, Monroe High School boys track coach Frank Bonich knew his team would be very competitive in 2006.
With the nucleus of last year’s 7-2 squad returning, Bonich felt his team could compete for the White Division title of the GMC.
After the Falcons beat South Plainfield on opening day to avenge one of last year’s losses, that championship feeling was enhanced. Now, with the emergence of certain athletes, Bonich feels MHS has a very good shot. He feels the division title will come down to Monroe and defending champion John F. Kennedy. That meet will take place in two weeks.
"I feel good about our chances," said Bonich, who has a won-loss mark of 22-7. "I liked our team before the season, but I like it even more now.
"I knew what to expect from kids like Scott Roman, Billy Phillips, Zach Theinert, Adam Modzelewski and those guys, but we’ve also had so many pleasant surprises, which I think could push us over the top."
One of those surprises has been senior pole vaulter J.J. Ferrito.
"We were weak last year in the pole vault," said Bonich. "But J.J. has emerged. He’s come close to clearing 11-0 this season, which would tie the school record, and we think he will go further than that."
Junior Mike Barszcz, who hasn’t competed since his freshman year, has emerged as the team’s job hurdler with personal bests of 1:00.7 in the intermediates and 16.5 in the 110s. He’s also cleared 5-6 in the high jump.
The Falcons’ weight corps has been bolstered by surprises Ed Niedzielski, a senior and Andrew Cocuzza, a junior.
"Ed came out a month ago for the first time and he threw the shot 42 feet," said Bonich. "So he will only get better. And Andrew is throwing the discus in the 120s, which is a good start."
It was a quiet day for the Falcons at the inaugural Colts Neck Relays on Saturday as the boys team had a sixth-place finish (3:45 in the sprint medley), while the girls team had a third place in the pole vault (9-6), a fourth place in the long jump (28-11) and a fifth place in the 4×100 (53.8).
The Monroe boys and girls each took a 2-0 record into Wednesday’s dual meet with New Brunswick. The clubs raised their record to 2-0 last week with victories over Woodbridge. The boys won 92-48, while the girls prevailed 93-47.
Phillips was a triple winner to lead the boys, taking the 100 in 11.3, the 200 in 23.3, while taking part on the winning 4×400 team in 3:37.
Theinert won the 800 in 2:03, while also running a leg on the relay along with Adan Farrah and Barszcz, who also won the intermediate hurdles (16.5).
Other winners included Ryan Brown in the 1600 (4:58), Roman in the 3200 (10:49), Ferrito in the pole vault (10-6), Niedzielski in the discus (110-9) and Matt Sussman in the javelin (138-7).
Nicole Ragucci, who is emerging as one of the GMC’s most versatile athletes, starred in the girls meet by winning four events – the 100 (12.5), 200 (27.1), 400 (56.8) long jump (16-1). Allie Push and Christine Leili were double winners with Push taking the 1600 (6:07) and 3200 (14:03) and Leili winning the discus (96-7) and shot (30-6).
This weekend, the Falcons will be in Howell for the Rebel Relays.
