Sectional begin for Indoor Track by Paul Schwartz of The Record
It’s the turn of the Group 2 and 3 teams for their sectional meets starting Friday at the Bennett Center in Toms River. Groups 1 and 4 meets are Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The North 1, Group 2 boys meet Saturday at 3:30 p.m. is likely to have a new team champion, with River Dell graduating most of the stars from the team that won state group and sectional titles the last two years. Northern Valley/Demarest, which won a Group 3 sectional title in 2014, is heavily favored, mostly on the strength of its distance team, which dominated the cross-country sectionals, but the Norsemen could score heavily in every event but the 55 and 400. Mahwah is probably better than River Dell for second . A fun race to watch could be the 55 with David Zambrano of Newton battling Manchester star Quazier Dailey.
Illness and injury has threatened two-time defending champion River Dell in the girls meet, although the Golden Hawks might have enough to squeak through again. Sparta, NV/Demarest and Ramsey are all poised to capitalize on River Dell’s misfortune. Only Sparta (2012) has previously won an indoor sectional. Key events figure to be the 55 hurdles, high jump and shot put.
Over the last few years, the rivalry between Morris Hills and Indian Hills boys has been a good one, though inconsistent, as the teams have shifted between Groups 2 and 3 indoors. Indian Hills has held the upper hand recently in cross-country and last year indoors, both in Group 3, but Morris Hills won five Group 2 sectionals between 2008 and 2013, mostly at the Braves’ expense. The two teams battle again in Group 3 this year, but each has one eye on a Northern Valley/Old Tappan team whose strength in the field is enormous. Pascack Valley middle distance runner Jeff Roberts and Northern Highlands’ Dan Monchek (hurdles), Tim DeLorenzo (high jump) and Brendan Holleran (hurdles) can all win their events and have an impact on which team claims the title.
Northern Highlands should have little if any trouble returning to the top spot in the girls meet for the third time in four years with some overwhelming strength in the sprints and despite little expectation in the field events. Roxbury, Morris Hills, NV/Old Tappan and Pascack Valley all figure to be 25 or more points behind although Wayne Hills could end up in the runner-up spot. The 1,600, 3,200 and pole vault are the most interesting events with Jessica Ippolito of Fair Lawn and Melissa Purcell of Pascack Valley renewing their terrific rivalry in the latter event.
Looking ahead
We’re down to the last few meets of the 2016-17 season but all of the remaining events on the schedule are packed with possibilities. Wednesday sees the Bergen County championship at the Armory with the pentathlon a highlight of the meet. It’s the only meet on the schedule besides the sectionals and always provides some of the year’s best performances, especially in the indoor only 300, 600 and 1,000 meter runs.
Nice things we missed
Overlooked between the Group 1 and 4 sectionals on Saturday and the Varsity Classic Monday were some nice local performances at the New Jersey Catholic Track Conference Meet at Ocean Breeze on Sunday.
Caleb Shaia of Bergen Catholic led a 1-4-5 Crusader domination of the 1,600 with the year’s best North Jersey time of 4:21.09. Soph Braedon Fiume was fourth in 4:25.57 and Will O’Connell was fifth in 4:28.32. Jahmel Johnson was third in the 55 (6.63), Connor Secora sixth in the 600 (1:26.03) and Peter Theuerkauf was fifth in the 3,200 (9:52.55) for BC.
Christian Rasnake had a great day for IHA, taking second in the 55 (7.43) and fifth in the 300 (42.68), both in North Jersey leading times. She also was third in the 55 hurdles. Fiona Ralph won the 600 in 1:40.64, and Victoria Sheldon was second in the 3,200 in 11:41.74.
Tiffany Bautista won the high jump (5-2) and was second in the triple jump (35-4 1/4) and long jump (17-7 3/4) for Paramus Catholic. Javon Turner was second in the boys high jump (6-0) and was fifth in the 55 (6.64).