Track & Field: Matawan boys, Manalapan girls turn heads at troubled Monmouth County Relays
MIDDLETOWN – There’s a “Wall of Fame” at Matawan High School featuring records and accolades for the program’s historically successful boys track & field program.
“We look at it every day,” senior Cameron Cooper said.
For a fleeting moment at Thursday’s Monmouth County Relays, it looked like Cooper and his teammates would add their name. They won the 4x200 in a time that was recorded at 1:28.46, but then deleted because officials allowed the third-leg runners to cut inside prematurely. The Huskies got to keep their gold medals but all times from the boys and girls 4x200s were wiped out (Rumson-Fair Haven won the girls race in 1:43). What would have been a program record was instead struck from the record.
It was one of several problems with the meet. Later on, after placing second in the boys shuttle hurdles, Matawan was forced to re-run the race alone because a hurdle was out of place. During the re-run, the Huskies’ anchor fell and they were disqualified.
And no team scores were kept because host Middletown North’s pole vault pit was unavailable – an issue that could have been addressed by holding the pole vault at another site. Without team titles on the line, numerous top runners scratched from the meet.
Despite these problems, Matawan showed signs of regaining championship form. The Huskies also won the triple jump and placed second in the 4x100 (43.71).
“I think we can go far,” said Cooper, who ran on the 4x100, 4x200 and shuttle hurdles. “We’ve got guys who are really hungry and ready to prove we can compete with the top runners in the state.”
A key ingredient is sprint coach Tom Kalieta, who as a Matawan athlete in 2016 won the NJSIAA Meet of Champions in both the 200 and 400 meters and recently returned to his alma mater as an assistant.
“He pushes us hard,” Cooper said. “He wants us to be better than him, and he was great.”
'Fever dream' for Manalapan girls
The breakthrough continues for Manalapan’s girls. After shattering the program record in the distance medley during a seventh-place finish at last week's Penn Relays (time of 12:07), the Braves won the 4x800 (9:38) and sprint medley (4:12) Thursday.
In the sprint medley it was Gabriela Daly, Callie Butash, Maddie Bacharde and Sadie Honig carrying. In the 4x800 it was Kaitlyn Uhl, Alivia Schweibinz, Bacharde and Honig.
“It’s been great that our whole team is on this high right now," Honig said, crediting distance coach Bob Andrews. “It feels like a fever dream.”
Honig split 2:19 and 2:17 for her 800s Thursday after anchoring the distance medley with a 4:54 split for 1600 meters at the Penn Relays.
“That gave us lot of confidence, for me and for my team,” she said of the showing in Philadelphia, where the Braves were the top New Jersey finisher in the race. “This has been unexpected, but it was sure to come with all the hard training we’ve been doing.”
Top Boys Performers
1. Cole Herman, Rumson-Fair Haven
The senior posted the meet’s top marks in the long jump (21-6.5) and high jump (6-2) and ran on the winning sprint medley (3:35.47).
2. Joe Seib, St. Rose
The junior put the shot 57-1.5, joining teammate Josh Huisman (61-4) for the gold, and heaved the discus 145-1, the third-farthest of the meet.
3. Aidan Cale, Christian Brothers
The senior posted the meet’s top 400 hurdles time (57.79) and ran on the winning 4x400 (3:26.40).
4. Kane Perry, Shore Regional
The junior posted the meet’s top discus throw (152-7) and also put the shot 51-0.
5. Matthew Remishofski, Wall
The senior anchored the winning 4x1600 (18:22) and distance medley (10:48).
Top Girls Performers
1. Sarah Trinchillo, Holmdel
The senior recorded the meet’s top marks in the long jump (17-7) and triple jump (35-5) and ran on the second-place shuttle hurdles (1:08.85).
2. Eve Segal, Ocean Township
The senior posted the meet’s top marks in the shot put (41-9) and discus (124-0).
3. Alexandria Scott, St. John Vianney
The senior clocked 1:00.88 in the 400 hurdles, five seconds ahead of the field and just a half-second slower than the Monmouth County record.
4. Sadie Honig, Manalapan
The junior anchored the sprint medley and 4x800 to victories with 800 splits of 2:17 and 2:19, respectively.
5. Sophia Laudi, Holmdel
The senior threw the javelin 126-5, which was 29 feet father than the next-closest competitor.
Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Track: Matawan boys, Manalapan girls star at Monmouth County Relays
