Fort Lee’s 4 X 200 relay meets the challenge by Paul Schwartz of The Record

ORADELL – The Fort Lee boys 4-x-200 team has been unchallenged in the first three weeks of the North Jersey track season.

But the team of Tahj Martin, Jacob Im, Wesley Weingord and Michael Huertas knew that their race on the first day of the Jack Yockers Bergen County Relays wouldn’t allow them to take that success for granted.

“We’ve been dominant this spring but we knew today that we would have a tough race,’’ said Weingord. “We haven’t been pushed in the 4-x-200.”

Bergen Catholic led for most of the race, despite some great passing from the Bridgemen, but Fort Lee got another great pass from Weingord to Huertas, the anchor, and went on to hold off the Crusaders, running a North Jersey best and school record 1:30.4.

It wasn’t enough to keep NV/Demarest from taking a 58-40 lead over River Dell in division B, with Fort Lee third with 32 points after the first day. Ridgewood led NV/Old Tappan, 40-39 in A with Pascack Valley a surprisingly close third with 35 points. Other leaders are Cresskill ©, Emerson (D) and Don Bosco (E).

“It’s the first time all year we’ve been behind’’ said Huertas, who watched as BC built the lead behind state Non-Public A indoor 55 champion Jahmel Johnson and Rahmir Johnson (no relation) who placed in the indoor Eastern States 200 meters in early March. “But Wesley got me in great position and I zoned in and concentrated just on catching the B.C. anchor.’’

“We have confidence that we’re going to get the job done and we have confidence in each other,’’ said Im. “We pass well and we run well.’’
Ridgewood got some help from one referee’s decision and took a big hit from another on the first day of the two day meet.

Kyle Mack shared the fastest 400 hurdles time with Andrew Peterson of Northern Valley/Demarest at 55.6, but an incorrectly recorded time for the Maroons’ third runner appeared to give the division A victory to NV/Old Tappan. But a recheck caught the mistake and reversed the scoring.

The Maroons weren’t as lucky in the 4-x-1,600 as their anchor runner began to show signs of stress in the final 20 meters, fell at least twice and staggered across the finish line and collapsed again. He was helped to the fence a few feet away from the finish line, and leaned against the fence for support with his coach assisting. Approximately 45 seconds later, he apparently threw the baton down while being helped to the trainer. He was disqualified for unsportsmanlike conduct for throwing the baton and an appeal to the Jury of Appeals was denied, costing the Maroons 10 points.