Clifton girls reverse weights and distances to win Liberty by Paul Schwartz of The Record
CLIFTON – Three weeks ago, the Passaic Tech girls defeated Clifton in a dual meet at Passaic Tech, 80-60, dominating the distance races and the weights. Wednesday, the Mustangs turned the tables at their home track to win the Big North Liberty Division meet, 173-129, and this time it was Clifton that dominated the distance and weight events.
“Those kids really stepped up today and carried us to the win,’’ said Clifton coach Mike Rogers. “We broke even with them everywhere, and the throws and distance races carried us.’’
In fact, the 65-27 margin in the three throws and 1,600 and 3,200 races provided almost all of the margin of victory for the Mustangs, who got a thrilling come-from behind win in the 1,600 from Mollie Slanina and a 1-2-6 finish in the shot put led by Catherine Davey.
But Rogers conceded that his star, Alenys Morales, who neither threw or ran a distance race, also had much to do with the Clifton reversal.
Morales, a junior, won four events, the 100 (12.96), 200 (26.97) long jump (16-7 ½) and 100 hurdles (15.45), and probably could have placed in two or three other events if the rules permitted more than four events per performer.
“For a guy like myself who ran distance and knows distance better than anything else, I appreciate everything she does for us,’’ said Rogers, a distance star at Garfield. “From the first time she started she’s been all about the team, and every time we have a chance to do as a well as a team in a meet, she runs great.’’
Morales’ performance helped the Mustangs beat PCT despite a stellar performance from the Bulldogs’ junior standout, Carly Spinnler, winner of the 400, 400 hurdles and 800 in less than 75 minutes.
By contrast, the Passaic Tech boys team watched other teams’ stars roll up multiple victories, three by Jason Thobourne of Kennedy, three by Luis Peralta of Passaic and two by Kevin Heredia of Clifton, but PCT used its depth to record a workman-like 130-102 win over Clifton to reinforce its unbeaten dual season.
“Everyone did their part and we just grinded it out,’’ said PCT coach Jeff Cioletti, whose team got only three wins (Thomas Laskowski javelin, Jason Rodriguez 3,200 and Shayne Coley 110 hurdles) but scored in every event but the pole vault.
“We had a boy like Brayan Tortos break 60 seconds for the first time in the 400 hurdles (for second) and a soph like Jackson Burnett go toe-to-toe with Heredia, who’s one of the best 800 guys in the state. That’s the kind of team this year’s group is.’’
Thobourne had a typically terrific day, winning the high jump at 6-6, long jumping a seasonal best of 21-8 ½ and winning the triple jump with a North Jersey best 45-10 ½ trip. Heredia dominated the 1,600 in 4:29.31 and pulled away to a seasonal best 800 win of 1:59.31.
And Peralta, the Passaic soph who is starting to develop a reputation as one of the most versatile athletes in the state, had perhaps the best of all. He won the 400 hurdles in a personal best 56.10, the 400 handily in 50.63 and the 200 in 22.64 edging 100 champ Ramir Tonn Davis of Eastside. Then, in the 4-x-400, he nearly brought the Indians from last to first, with a spectacular 49.6 400 anchor leg.