Stern leads way at Track Universe meet with trio of wins by Paul Schwartz of The Record
On Dec. 28, nearly a dozen local teams joined top programs from New York and New Jersey at the Track Universe meet at the Armory Track Center in New York.
Lauren Stern of Mahwah won the 55 hurdles (8.4), long jump (16-9 ¾) and triple jump (36-10 ¼) as North Jersey athletes won 12 of the 28 events. The senior joined J.P. Stevens star Nadale Buntin who won the boys 55, 400 and triple jump as the only triple winners at the meet.
Ramapo junior Sarah Adams led a 1-2-4-5 finish in the girls 400, running 60.1. She also anchored the Green Raider 4-x-400 team which included 400 medalists Sophia Schwartz, Stephanie Behrens and Megan Schneider to a North Jersey leading 4:07.2 clocking in the 4-x-400 relay.
Nicole Lester of Ridgewood edged Ramapo’s Amanda Katz on misses in the pole vault as both cleared 11 feet, Katz, for the first time indoors. Ridgewood’s Katherine Muccio easily won the 200 in 26.4 and Caroline O’Sullivan of NV/Old Tappan breezed to an 800 win in 2:28.2.
Tyler Hrbek cleared 14-6 again and defeated his NV/Old Tappan teammate, defending state champ Seth Kricheff, who made 14 feet in the boys pole vault. OT shot putters Chris Bazela (49-10 ½) and Pat Passaloqua (44-6 ¾) went 1-2 in their specialty. Danilo Romero of Ridgewood took the high jump at six feet, while Steve Shields of Bergen Tech won the long jump (19-11), took second in the 55 hurdles and third in the triple jump.