Chatham, Roxbury girls share Morris County Relays title; Delbarton also claims crown

MADISON — Elyse Panagakos has had plenty of time to get accustomed to indoor track. A Chatham senior, she finally figured out how to turn her pre-race anxiety into excitement.

But COVID-19 added a new twist to Morris County Relays.

Everyone was required to wear masks inside Drew University's Simon Forum and Athletic Center. So athletes would take theirs off right before heading to the starting line, and put them back on shortly after rejoining their teams.

Many teams were about half their usual size, leaving more empty space on the infield. Whippany Park, Dover and Morris Catholic withdrew from the meet all together.

Even teams which did participate were not immune. Mendham coach Roy Hamblen estimated he was missing 25 of his 75 athletes on Saturday.

But neither COVID nor the competition could silence the Chatham girls on Saturday. The Cougars shared the girls title with Roxbury, each totaling 60 points.

On the boys side, Delbarton edged Chatham and Randolph by two points to earn its first title since 2018.

This is Chatham's first Morris County Relays girls title. Roxbury last won in 2015, six overall.

"Winter track is a little bit crazy," said Panagakos, who was part of the Cougars' winning shuttle hurdles and 4x200. "Freshman year, I used to get very nervous. The stress has been more manageable before running. It's more exciting before a race. Before, it was straight nervousness and dread. It's more of a fun atmosphere now."

Chatham won five of the nine girls events on Saturday, including the 4x400 that ended the meet. Roxbury got victories in shot put and pole vault, but placed in six other events.

The Gaels were third in the 4x4 to force the tie.

"It was huge for us," Roxbury senior thrower Willow Bradley said. "We wanted it so bad, and we came together, especially in the 4x4. I'm just happy we're champs."

Delbarton won the 4x800, distance medley and high jump, but placed in six of the nine events.

There were no indoor track meets in Morris County last winter.

"It's awesome being able to run with my teammates, who are all so good," said Green Wave sophomore Everett Jania, who missed his first season with stress fractures in his le.

"It's a blessing, being able to run with a star-struck team like this one. (Morris County Relays) is really really important. I'm so happy we were able to win it."

Jane Havsy is a storyteller for the Daily Record and DailyRecord.com, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK. For full access to live scores, breaking news and analysis, subscribe today.

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Girls results

Team scores: Chatham and Roxbury 60; Mendham 36; Morristown 26; Randolph 16; Mountain Lakes 14; Parsippany Hills 11; Morris Hills, Mount Olive and Kinnelon 8; Morris Knolls 7; Hanover Park 2; Montville and West Morris 1

4x200: 1. Chatham (Daryn Foertsch, Sarah Sabin, Ella Spina, Elyse Panagakos) 1:54.84; 2. Morristown 1:55.2; 3. Roxbury 1:55.99; 4. Mount Olive 1:56; 5. Mendham 1:5608; 6. Morris Hills 1:57.58.

4x400: 1. Chatham (Elsa Spoor, Lauren Tracey, Ella Spina, Katelyn Hoffelder) 4:17.25; 2. Mendham 4:17.81; 3. Roxbury 4:29.49; 4. Mount Olive 4:30.12; 5. Randolph 4:37.99; 6. Morris Knolls 4:39.29

4x800: 1. Mendham (Ava Augustine, Megan Smith, Madison Orlins, Grace Vives) 10:13.52; 2. Chatham 10:21.54; 3. Roxbury 10:36.26; 4. Mountain Lakes 10:44.5; 5. Randolph 11:03.71; 6. West Morris 11:09.66.

Shuttle hurdles: 1. Chatham (Elyse Pangakos, Katherine O'Neil, Elisabeth Herr, Sophia Insua) 35.51; 2. Parsippany Hills 37.38; 3. Roxbury 37.73; 4. Kinnelon 39.91; 5. Mountain Lakes 40.32; 6. Morristown 40.43.

Sprint medley: 1. Morristown (Caitlin Collins, Bayliss Simon, Jordan Robinson, Nia Freeman) 4:36.71; 2. Roxbury 4:37.39; 3. Morris Hills 4:38.5; 4. Mendham 4:38.92; 5. Chatham 4:45.9; 6. Parsippany Hills 4:57.55.

Distance medley: 1. Chatham (Lauren Davis, Elsa Spoor, Sarah Petitjean, Sydney Grossman) 12:57.77; 2. Mendham 13:01.67; 3. Mountain Lakes 13:34.99; 4. Randolph 13:55.92; 5. Parsippany Hills 14:00.52; 6. Morris Hills 14:03.82.

High jump: 1. Chatham (Elsa Spoor, Grace Monks) 9-10; 2. Roxbury 9-6; 3. Morristown 9-1; 4. Kinnelon 8-10; 5. Mountain Lakes 8-6; 6. Montville 8-3.

Pole vault: 1. Roxbury (Alexis Merola, Katherine Cammarata) 16-6.

Shot put: Roxbury (Willow Bradley, Danielle Meribe) 71-1.75; 2. Randolph 63-7; 3. Morris Knolls 60-6.75; 4. Mendham 57-1; 5. Hanover Park 52-6.5; 6. Morristown 50-10.5.

Boys results

Team scores: Delbarton 44; Chatham and Randolph 42; Morris Hills 28; Roxbury 27; Morris Knolls 24; Mount Olive 18; Kinnelon 14; Mendham 13; Mountain Lakes 12; Morristown 3; Parsippany and Parsippany Hills 1

4x200: 1. Chatham (Jack Davenport, Ted Joel, Charles Henne, Luke Pike) 1:38.42; 2. Mount Olive 1:38.62; 3. Roxbury 1:38.7; 4. Mendham 1:39.22; 5. Morris Knolls 1:40.62; 6. Morristown 1:42.15.

4x400: 1. Randolph (James Kehayas, Hunter Rodrigues, Frank Zarro, Daniel Byrne) 3:38.6; 2. Chatham 3:39.03; 3. Mendham 3:45.18; 4. Morris Hills 3:47.64; 5. Morris Knolls 3:47.69; 6. Roxbury 3:48.21.

4x800: 1. Delbarton (Aidan Nevistich, Everett Jania, Reagan Crann, Collin Boler) 8:33.31; 2. Randolph 8:45.12; 3. Morris Hills 8:48.93; 4. Roxbury 9:02.15; 5. Mendham 9:03.25; 6. Parsippany 9:08.56.

Shuttle hurdles: 1. Randolph (Matthew Hyatt, Daniel Pinyan, Mike Wigdor, Frank Zarro) 32.28; 2. Morris Knolls 34:17; 3. Chatham 36.13; 4. Morris Hills 36.2; 5. Delbarton 36.6; 6. Parsippany Hills 37.18.

Sprint medley: 1. Chatham (Charles Henne, Jack Davenport, Ted Joel, Aidan Johnson) 3:49.29; 2. Roxbury 3:49.42; 3. Randolph 3:49.67; 4. Delbarton 3:51.89; 5. Morris Hills 3:56.6; 6. Morris Knolls 3:58.79.

Distance medley: 1. Delbarton (Aidan Nevistich, John Cuzzocrea, Everett Jania, Collin Boler) 11:05.08; 2. Chatham 11:06.74; 3. Kinnelon 11:07.8; 4. Roxbury 11:31.88; 5. Morristown 11:40.65; 5. Mendham 11:42.56.

High jump: 1. Delbarton (Jeffrey Cianfrocca, Anthony Implicito) 11-4; 2. Kinnelon 10-10; 3. Mountain Lakes and Morris Knolls 10-6.

Pole vault: 1. Morris Hills (Alexander Kuzmich, Samuel Madison) 20-0; 2. Randolph 18-0.

Shot put: 1. Mount Olive (Nicholas Frattina, Andrew Paoli) 92-11.5; 2. Delbarton 82-1.25; 3. Morris Knolls 81-9.5; 4. Roxbury 76-11; 5. Morris Hills 76-2.5; 6. Randolph 72-5.

This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: Morris County Relays: Chatham, Roxbury girls share title, Delbarton wins