Tenafly win caps legendary day by Paul Schwartz of The Record
Tenafly’s boys and girls won their opening day dual meets over Teaneck Monday, the girls easily, 85-55, and the boys by taking first and third in the high jump, the meet’s last event, 71-69.
What a fitting way to celebrate the naming of the Tenafly track in honor of legendary coach Bob Waterman, who did little else but win during his amazing 28-year career.
And how fitting that Ben Stein’s win and the gutsy third place finish by senior Justin Berschadsky came in the high jump, an event Waterman, now 77, competed in into his mid-70s before his wife convinced him to stick to Masters long jumping and running.
It was a beautiful afternoon and nearly 200 people from nearly every year of his sensational career joined both teams for the brief but moving ceremony, that started on the track, moved to the large rock by the fieldhouse where the plaque was installed and then to the Clinton Inn where Waterman and friends celebrated his day. Waterman, who coached all three seasons at Tenafly from 1968 to 1996, won 50 major meet titles in his Hall of Fame career.
State champion Caitlin Wittreich Northwood (1996 group 3 800 meter champion), all the way from Calgary, Alberta, met 2016 group 3 and State Meet of Champions 800 meter titlist Lexi DelGizzo for the first time and they discovered that Northwood’s college teammate from Rutgers, Julie Culley, will be DelGizzo’s coach at Georgetown next year.
1972 state group 3 pole vault champion Mark MacCracken, who held the Bergen County record at 14 feet 7 1/2 inches from 1972 to 1992 and still ranks ninth on the all-time Bergen County list, resplendent in coat and tie, helped the current Tiger vaulters refine their skills, spending a half hour working with the vaulters.
Former coaches Gordon Wallace, Marty McGlinchey and Leigh Barker and former athletic directors Ed Craumer and Bill Jaeger were among those present and current A.D. Dan Kilday presented Waterman with a copy of the plaque in the rock and the boy and girl seniors unfurled a large banner (Bob Waterman Track) which will mark the spot that so many champions and championships were made.
Congratulations coach.
OOPS — Apologies to Sophomore Alexis Tetto of Immaculate Conception. Tetto, placed in the 100 and 200 at the NJIC Meadowlands meet and in Bergen Group D last spring while attending North Arlington and transferred to IC this spring, but she was listed as a returning runner for North Arlington instead of at Immaculate Conception. After she completes her 30 day transfer penalty she’s expected to help IC in the NJIC Meadowlands and Bergen Group E.
EARLY SEASON MAGIC — Paramus Catholic sophomore Tiffany Bautista had an excellent day under very difficult conditions at Saturday’s Season Opener Relays at River Dell, jumping 17-2 3/4 in the long jump and 37-1 in the triple jump. Her jumps were 14 inches and nearly three feet better than the days’ second best jumps in the long and triple jump, respectively. Her triple jump was 1/2 inch better than her outdoor personal best of last year and the long jump was just 3/4 inch short of her outdoor PB.
Caroline McGann of Holy Angels tied her personal best in the pole vault at 11 feet on a windy day that saw state indoor boys champ Seth Kricheff clear only 12-6, two feet below his personal best.
And in Monday’s 73-67 dual meet against archrival Wayne Hills, Wayne Valley senior Jordan Montero threw the javelin a school record 186 feet six inches breaking the mark held by current Miami Dolphin tight end Chris Pantale, who threw 183-11 in 2008. The mark counts as a school record, but because it was done in a dual meet, can’t count towards Passaic County rankings. If it could, Montero’s mark would be third on the all-time list, behind Caleb Hart of Hawthorne Christian, who threw 189-10 in 2014 and Shaun Murray of DePaul who threw 186-11 in 2008.
Montero’s best major meet throw was 172-7 last year, tied for 16th on the all-time Passaic list.