Close knit River Dell girls team scores close sectional victory by Paul Schwartz of The Record
TOMS RIVER — They insist that this year’s River Dell team is closer than any of the Golden hawks girls team that have won the last three North 1, Group 2 sectionals.
And since Emma Gallagher, Emma Mirkovich and Eve Schoenberg have been part of all four River Dell indoor sectional championship teams, who’s going to argue with them?
The trio of seniors, along with Amanda Mirkovich, one of two freshman twin sisters of Emma Mirkovich, took third in the final event, the 4-x-400 relay to give River Dell the closest of its four sectional title wins, 55-53, over Pascack Hills.
“The first two years we won by a lot (10 and 63 points, respectively) and last year it was pretty close (just 3 points over Demarest) but we really to battle to win this one,” said Gallagher. “We spend so much time together even more than we have in the past.”
“It started in cross-country and kept going,” said Schoenberg, who won the 800 (as part of a 1-2-3 Golden Hawk sweep). “We had pasta parties every week in cross-country and this time we made it part of indoor track.”
Pascack Hills, with Nicole Vadon winning the 55 and Hannah Figueroa and Kai Lash going 1-2 in the 400, kept the pressure on River Dell and beat the Golden Hawks by a spot in the relay, but the third place was enough to win the title.
Old Tappan wins with depth
The Golden Knights took their second North 1, Group 3 title in three years, and University of Pennsylvania bound senior Caroline O’Sullivan was in the middle of it as usual, winning the 400, 800 and 1,600 and anchoring the fourth place 4-x-400 relay.
But it was contributions from Julia Powell and Taylor Newman, who each won an event and a combined 18 points from Mary Scrivanich and a pair of OT girl vaulters that paved the way to the 75-60 win over defending champ Northern Highlands.
Powell reversed a Big North National loss to Alexandra Ruocco of NV/Demarest to win the high jump at 5 feet and Newman, the second seed in the final ran a personal best 7.51 to win the 55, while Scrivanich took a pair of fourths behind O’Sullivan in the 800 and 1,600 and vaulters Ariana Cavalli and Marissa DeGia went 3-4 behind Melissa Purcell of Pascack Valley in the pole vault. Newman and Scrivanich also teamed with O’Sullivan and Serena DeBenedetto in the relay.
Isabel Hebner edged twin sister Monica in a sizzling 10:40.95 3,200, tops in New Jersey this year and third in the nation. Monica was second in 10:40.98, second and fourth respectively.
Demarest boys keep rolling
Last year it was 67 1/2-48 over Mahwah; this year it was 67 1/2-46 over Indian Hills and the Norsemen won boys North 1, Group 2 again.
“I thought we were a little flat in some events, but we had enough to bring it through,” said Demarest coach Mike Theuerkauf.
Tim Larsen won both the 1,600 and 3,200 with Josh Munoz second in the latter event. Munoz won the 800 with teammate Jake Ragusa fourth and the Norsemen scored in the 55 hurdles, shot, high jump and relay.
Indian Hills’ Hank Anderson won the 55 hurdles and high jump and Asim Greene of River Dell and Liam Landau of Pascack Hills scored easy wins in the shot and pole vault, respectively.
Kricheff, Kim star for Old Tappan boys
Seth Kricheff made 15 feet in the pole vault for the second time pacing a 1-2-3 pole vault sweep and Old Tappan went 1-2-6 in the shot, but Morris Hills just had enough on the track to win 75-66 and to take its second straight North 1, Group 3 and record seventh sectional title.
Justin Kim scored an impressive win in the 3,200 to make things close going into the relay, but Morris Hills managed 71 points in the seven running events to just 23 for OT to overcome the Knights’ 43-4 field advantage.
Owari Hoo of Teaneck took the 55 dash and Dan Monchek ran a sectional record 7.79 to win the hurdles, while sophomore Dan Stipanov scored an upset win in the high jump.