BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer
PHOTOS BY TIM MORRIS Above, Shore’s Julie Ullmeyer leads the pack during the girls 1,600 at Monmouth Regional on Saturday. At left, Red Bank Regional’s Joe Kingsbery (r) and Steve Waite surround eventual winner Craig Forys in the boys 1,600.
The move up from Group I to Group II did nothing to derail the Shore Regional Blue Devils’ express. Shore’s girls won their third straight NJSIAA Central Jersey Championships last weekend in Tinton Falls rather handily, 78-52.5 over Somerville.
Of Shore Regional’s three straight sectional championships, coach Mel Ullmeyer said this may have been the most impressive.
"After moving up to Group II, everyone said it was going to be a lot tougher," said Ullmeyer. "Our kids just worked harder. We won Group II bigger than we did Group I."
It was the Blue Devils’ stock of distance runners piling up the points, and Kristen Pierce, who scored points in four events, that paved the way for the triumph at Monmouth Regional High School.
Shore swept the first three places in the 1,600 with Ullmeyer at the front of the parade in 5:16.51. Martine McGrath (5:26.15) and Laura Embrey (5:26.74) were second and third.
Ullmeyer, the daughter of coach Mel Ullmeyer, came back and won the 3,200 (11:50.76). Embrey, who is a sophomore, was fourth (12:29.52), and junior Nicole Ullmeyer, Julie’s younger sister, was fifth (12:42.55).
McGrath, a junior, picked up more points in the 800, finishing second to Spotswood’s Valerie Bonczek (2:24.87-2:26.13).
Since the arrival of Julie Ullmeyer on the West Long Branch campus, the fortunes of the Blue Devils’ cross country and track and field programs have gone from nowhere to state power. Ullmeyer will be running for The College of New Jersey, Ewing, next year, but don’t expect that to be the end of the Blue Devils’ run.
She leaves behind a string of underclassmen whose talent was evident last weekend. They were molded under her leadership and have known what it takes to win.
Sophomore Pierce, another of the outstanding underclassmen on the team, was the busiest of the Blue Devils. She was runner-up in the 400 hurdles (1:04.61) and 100 hurdles (15.91), third in the 400 meters (1:00:30), and fourth in the 200 (26.40).
Erin Ahearn, Andrea Spahn, Kristina Bristol and Laura Hayden finished the track scoring for Shore, placing fifth in the 1,600-meter relay (4:14.52).
Following the relay, seniors Hayden, Ahearn, Spahn and Julie Ullmeyer celebrated together one last time. They started the winning streak two years ago on the same track, and Saturday they were leaving as champions for the final time.
Shore’s boys had a solid meet as well, finishing third (47). The Blue Devils didn’t have an individual winner, but did have four second places.
Bernard McKenna was second in the shot put (51-3) and discus (144-6). Scott Britton was runner-up in the 800 (1:59.37) and Matt Villane was second in the 400 hurdles (57.15).
In Group III, Long Branch’s Mike Bland was upset in the 100-meter dash, but came back strong to capture the 200.
In the 100, a slow start by Bland paved the way for Hightstown’s Sylvester Sommerselle to get the win in the blanket finish in 10.96.
Tunell Polk, who has been chasing teammate Bland all season, finally got the best of him, but was second on the line in 10.97, the same time as Bland.
In the 200, it was Bland reversing the photo finish, nipping Sommerselle, 21.88-21.99.
Polk did pick up state sectional gold, taking the long jump at 21-5 1/4.
With 47.5 points, the Green Wave finished third in their section, which was won by Willingboro 72.5).
Red Bank Regional was third (68) in Group III despite not having an individual winner. Joe Kingsbery had a pair of seconds in the 800 (1:56.82) and 1,600 (4:20.07), and Rob Dennis was runner-up in the 3,200 (9:52.36).
Rahmir Cottman jumped 6-4 in the high jump and was second on misses to Willingboro’s Chris Smith, while Kade Weston was second in the discus (159-10).
One week after setting the state record in the pole vault, Ocean’s Adam Sarafian finished second in the Group III state sectional. He lost on misses at 14-0 to John Calvo of Lawrence. Sarafian accomplished the more important goal of moving on. The top six finishers, including ties from the state sectional meets, all qualified for the NJSIAA State Group Championships today and tomorrow at Egg Harbor Township.
Ocean Township’s Tiffany Grant tore up the Monmouth Regional track in the girls’ Group III 400 meters, running a scorching 56.58. She led five other runners under 60 seconds in her heat.
Lakewood’s Shavon Greaves was the only sprinter preventing the Spartan sophomore from being a double champion. Greaves, a freshman, edged Grant for the 200 title, 24.76-24.88.
Greaves also denied the Spartans’ Georgina Nembhard in the 100, finishing ahead of her in 12.22 to Nembhard’s 12.46.
Grant and Nembhard joined forces with Andrea Lopez and Erica Mazza to finish third in the 1,600-meter relay in 4:03.23.
Pole vaulter Sara Fylak finished second at 8-6 for Ocean.
Ocean was third in CJ III (53) behind champion Willingboro (88) and Hopewell Valley (75).