Winter track: North Jersey trio grabs gold at State Meet of Champions

Jaden Marchan, Liam Paneque and Luke Pash have dominated the North Jersey winter track scene all season. Sunday, the talented trio showed the rest of New Jersey why, with signature wins at the State Meet of Champions at Ocean Breeze on Staten Island.

Marchan gave Leonia its first ever State Meet of Champions track winner in any season, winning the boys 400 meters by nearly a second in 47.73 and added a second medal later in the meet, taking fourth in the 200 meters.

Paneque led the boys long jump from his first jump to the last jump of the meet, punctuating the first North Jersey win in the winter event by leaping 23-0, after his opening jump of 22-9 was never headed.

Pash controlled his boys 3,200 race from the opening gun although the Ridgewood star didn't take the lead until just over 800 meters to go on the way to a 35 meter win over Peyton Shute of Woodbury in 8:59.77, becoming the first North Jersey boy under the nine minute barrier in 47 years.

While the trio was the only three area gold medalists on a glitteringly sensational day at the Ocean Breeze facility, North Jersey athletes grabbed 27 total medals and came close to several more on the state's final day of official competition. There were 10 meet records set in the 28 events.

Marchan caps Leonia's greatest ever sports weekend

Marchan knew when he chose to run this winter for the first time, after playing basketball the previous three winters, that it was time for everyone to find out what he knew all along.

"I knew coming into this season that it was time to show everyone the best version of myself,'' said Marchan, who had won medals the previous two springs in the spring MOC (eighth in 2022 and third last year). "It was about doing what I knew I was capable of doing and stay on top.''

By his second indoor meet, he had broken the state record in the 600 meters and took down all-American Quincy Wilson of Bullis (MD) in a stunning upset at the Armory. He broke the Bergen County 400 record by running 47.64 at the Bergen County of Champions and the 200 record by running 21.55 twice at the Eastern States meet.

Sunday he entered the race as the heavy favorite and established his position early, grabbing the rail and the lead from Del Lindsay of St. Peter's Prep and Shakur Taylor of East Orange Campus and pulling away with every step of the second lap.

"I was a little bit under the weather this week, but I knew if I could get to the front, no one was going to be able to get by me,'' said Marchan. "When I did I knew this my race to win and I did.''

The win came a day after the Hibler brothers, Seach (second at 126 pounds) and August (third at 144 pounds) came agonizingly close to state wrestling titles and the same that day Iris Kim took a second in the 500 yard freestyle and third in the 200 freestyle at the state swimming Meet of Champions.

"I really don't know any of those kids very well, because the Hiblers just moved in this year and Iris is a year behind me, but I know they work as hard as I do and it's get to see everyone do so well for Leonia.''

Marchan lost a race to a New Jersey runner for the first time this season in the 200, when 55 winner Malachi James of Burlington City set a meet record in the race running 21.28.

"Once I got to the 100 meter mark (of that race) I knew I wasn't going to win the race, but to able to finish off indoor by winning a state championship was what I wanted.''

Coaches fool Paneque, but he doesn't need the boost

Paneque led the boy long jump from his first jump to the last jump of the long jump competition. But long jump coach Chris Woodford wanted to put a charge under his junior star before his final jump in the competition.

"He jumped 22-9 on his first jump, but he didn't look great in some of his other marks,'' said Woodford.

So after eventual runner-up Rece Englehart of Moorestown took his final jump and the scoreboard mistakenly showed 22-11 1/4 instead of the actual 22-1 1/4, Woodford quickly hatched a plan to motivate Paneque.

"They didn't tell me the mark was wrong,'' said Paneque. "They led me to believe I was behind.''

So Paneque promptly delivered his second 23 foot jump of the year, 23 feet on the nose and punctuated his title.

"I really had fun during that event because the coaches told me to focus on it as if it was just a dual meet,'' said Paneque. "I love long jumping here.''

,Paneque actually competed in all three jumps on Sunday, finishing fifth in the triple jump at 44-11 despite skipping his last three attempts and bowing out in the high jump one height short of a medal at 6-2.

"I skipped my run throughs for the high and triple jumps because the long jump went so long and I'm really tired now,'' said Paneque. "But I'm doing the high jump Friday at Nike Nationals (in New York) and then I get a day off to go up to Boston and do the long jump fresh in Boston at New Balance. I feel there are big things still coming this season.''

Pash keeps going

There are things that he does in races that even surprise Luke Pash's coaches.

Sunday's spectacular effort was one of those times.

Ridgewood cross-country and distance coach Patrick Ryan wasn't surprised that Pash won his race with comparative ease and became the first North Jersey boy to win the race since Mohamed Khadraoui of Kennedy went back-to-back in 2003 and 2004 and first Bergen County boy since Bob Keino of Ridgewood won in 1993. He wasn't even surprised that Pash broke nine minutes, the first North Jersey boy to do that since Kevin Byrne of Paramus Catholic ran a then-state record 8:59.7 for the longer two mile distance in 1977.

"The move he made right before he took over the lead is something we've never even talked about before,'' said Ryan. "He's such a great instinctive runner and that's something you can't teach.''

The moment Ryan referred to, came midway through the 12th lap of the 16 lap race.

Shute, the state runner-up in cross-country and the state leader at 3,200 meters all season, took the lead on the first lap and clicked off a series of 200 laps between 34 and 35 seconds with Pash on his outside shoulder the entire time. Cherokee's Nick Kuenkel joined the duo for several laps before Pash made his move.

"I knew I was going to go off of Shute the whole time and then I went up on his side to push him to go faster,'' said Pash of his move on the backstretch with about 900 meters to go. When he didn't want to go I went.''

"I made sure he knew that I was there the whole time.''

Pash opened up the pace, running a 33.25 13th lap and opened a small gap that grew to 15 meters on the next lap, the race's first lap under 32 seconds. His last 400 was 63.09, fastest of anyone in the field, but slower than his 57 second final 400 in anchoring the Maroons' winning distance medley team to a win in the Varsity Classic last month.

"I felt like I was in full control of the race the whole time,'' said Pash, "My main goal was to win and my secondary goal was to get a PR and break nine minutes.''

When he saw the scoreboard reflect his success, he threw his arms and smiled.

Pash and his team have one more race this winter, the distance medley at Nike Nationals at the Armory on March 9, site of his 4:10.94 anchor split a month ago. "I really think we can win that race,'' he says.

Other Meet Highlights

While Marchan, Paneque and Pash were the only winners on Sunday, they were far from the only top North Jersey performers.

Passaic Tech's Reynier Galvez was perhaps a tactical mistake away from joining the trio on the winner's spot on the podium, finishing second in the boys 800 in 1:53.19, an indoor personal best and just less than a second of off the Passaic County record of 1:52,21, set by future Oregon All-American Luis Peralta of Passaic in 2019.

"I got boxed in on the third lap (by Robert Poplau of Cherokee and Patrick Coyle of Red Bank Catholic) and I knew I had to get out as soon as possible,'' said Galvez, who couldn't get out fast enough to cover the final move by race winner Luke Schagelin of Morris Knolls.

"I slowed down and then went around those guys, but he was gone,'' said Galvez ruefully. "I sort of got a bad start and I almost had to push my way out, but I'm really excited about I got so close to my best time last year outdoors (1:52.78) which means I'm going to go a lot faster outdoors.''

Galvez almost got a second medal along with his 4-x-400 relay teammates after running just .04 second short of the Passaic County record in the 4-x-400 in a season and North Jersey best 3:23.62. The Bulldogs finished ninth, one spot out of a medal.

Galvez will race next Saturday at the Nike Nationals in New York.

Pompton Lakes junior Owen Keating missed pole vaulting all of last winter and spring but nearly made up for the lack of repetitions in one meet Sunday, taking an astounding 15 attempts before finishing third by tying his own Passaic County record of 15 feet.

Keating skipped the opening height of 12-6 and made his first vault at 13 feet before his odyssey really got going. He had two misses at 13-6 and 14-0 before clearing each height on his final try. He then missed once at 14-6 and twice more at 15 feet before succeeding. Then he missed three times at 15-6 to end his long but fruitful day.

Ryan Merlino of Oakcrest and Cade Zeolla of West Morris both cleared 15-6 with Merlino getting the win on fewer misses at the final height.

The Demarest 4-x-800 relay quartet of Maxim Gilbert, Enrico Parrella and juniors Ivan Timochko and Luke Davis got the day off to a medal-winning start in the day's first final, taking fourth in 8:02.65 despite being 12th after two legs. But the opening pair of legs kept the Norsemen competitive and Timochko brought the Norsemen into seventh with the fourth best split of his leg before Luke Davis blistered the best 4 lap leg of the entire race (1:56.34) to overtake Summit, Westfield and West Windsor Plainsboro North and take fourth.

Cannon blasts breakthrough performance to earn 800 medal

Three months ago, Bridget Cannon was known for being an attacking midfielder and captain of Ramapo's Bergen County winning freshman soccer team.

Sunday, she became only one of two public school freshmen to medal at the state's most important winter track meet, when she took seventh out of the unseeded heat with a huge personal best of 2:15.56. It's believed to be a Bergen County freshman record and is the fourth fastest time in the country for a ninth-grader this season.

And she can thank a move she made near the end of the second lap for her breakthrough performance.

She got out well but five other girls in her heat got out faster and she was sixth after the lap, nearly 10 meters behind heat leader Corinne Stewart of Montclair. Cannon stayed calm and gradually moved up to be in about fourth place as the race neared the completion of her second lap when she swung out four wide to grab the lead in 66.29, more than a second faster than she'd ever reached the midway point before.

Instead of slowing down, she maintained her pace and opened up a seven yard gap on the field which Verona sophomore Gwendolyn Neale narrowed to nothing as the pair hit the final straightaway,

Somehow Cannon maintained her form and held off Neale by .05 seconds. Both girls were rewarded with the final two medal places.

"That's a move you usually see takes so much out of a kid that you never advise it,'' said Ramapo head coach Bill Manzo. "Unless it works.''

"I blocked everything out of my mind and went for it,'' said Cannon, who never had run an 800 meter race until she led off the Ramapo 4-x-800 relay at the Bergen County Relays on Jan. 22. "I went out for winter track because I wanted to stay in shape for soccer and (Ramapo distance coach Mike) Nangle said I looked like an 800 runner. I'm starting to figure this out.''

Summaries

Boys

55: 1. Malachi James, Burlington City, 6.22 (meet record, old record, 6.34 by Louis Akpadago, Hamilton North, 2020).

200: 1. Malachi James, Burlington City, 21.28 (meet record, old record, 21.68 by Shamali Whittle, Hamilton North, 2020); 4. Jaden Marchan, Leonia, 21.73. (Also: 10. Jayden Mckenzie, Eastside, 22.09.

400: 1. Jaden Marchan, Leonia, 47.73; 5. Ryan Trocolar, Pequannock, 49.52.

800: 1. Luke Schagelin, Morris Knolls, 1:51.93; 2. Raynier Galvez, Passaic Tech, 1:53.19. (Also: 13. Luke Davis, Demarest, 1:57.45).

1,600: 1. Stephen Kyvelos, Manalapan, 4:12.45.

3,200: 1. Luke Pash, Ridgewood, 8:59.77. (Also: 12. Aidan Morrow, Hasbrouck Heights, 9:27.39; 15. Joshua Tejada, Teaneck, 9:33.04).

55 HH: 1. Yashahya Brown, Washington Twp., 7.18 (meet record, old record, 7.19 by Jermaine Collier, Trenton, 2012); 5. Adrian Laing, Paramus Catholic, 7.68; 8. Tyler Caswell, Glen Rock, 7.85. (also: 9. Cecai Jaramillo, Paramus Catholic, 7.76 in heats).

Shot put: 1. Joshua Huisman, St. Rose, 67-4; 5. Jack Small, Old Tappan, 55-11. (Also: 17. Michael Clark, Passaic, 49-11 1/2).

High jump: 1. Malakai Pressley, Freehold Boro, 6-8; 3. Jordan Russell, Weehawken, 6-4; (Also: 12. Liam Paneque, Demarest, 6-2.

Long jump: 1. Liam Paneque, Demarest, 23-0; 7. Noah Traverso, West Milford, 21-6 1/2; 8. Jason Lessieu, Bergen Catholic, 21-2 1/2.

Triple jump: 1. Daniel Arana, Franklin Township, 48-2 3/4 (meet record, old record, 46-9 1/2 by Jaden Johnson, Timber Creek, 2022); 5. Liam Paneque, Demarest, 44-11; 7. Noah Traverso, West Milford, 43-8. (Also: 10. Jason Lessieu, Bergen Catholic, 43-2 1/4; 12. Joseph Mendy, Kinnelon, 42-9 1/4; 17. Kymani Clarke, Fort Lee, 42-1; 21. Jack Monolucas, Lodi, 40-9).

Pole vault: 1. Ryan Merlino, Oakcrest, 16-0; 3. Owen Keating, Pompton Lakes, 15-0; 5. Alan Villavicencio, Tenafly, 14-0. (Also: Ray Stellmach, Ridgewood, no height).

4-x-400 relay: 1. Toms River North, 3:17.98. (Also: 9. Passaic Tech (Jordan Lawton, Esnmeidy Ortiz, John Swaney, Raynier Galvez (48.48); 22. Demarest (Adam Kaufman, Enrico Parrella, Ivan Timochko, Luke Davis), 3:29.69).

4-x-800 relay: 1. Colts Neck, 7:58.03; 4. Demarest (Maxim Gilbert, Enrico Parrella, Ivan Timochko, Luke Davis), 8:02.65. Also: 15. Ridgewood (DJ Murphy, Jack McKenna, Tom Mevissen, Chris Brady), 8:18.41; 17. River Dell (Chris Baxter, Alex Sharfian, Liam Schwabik, Aiden Grivas), 8:21.02; 21. Passaic Valley (Basell Dahhan, Nicholas Raguseo, Tavi Victoria, Nicholas Montiel), 8:31.57.

Girls

55: 1. Sianni Wynn, Pennsauken, 6.81 (meet record, old record, 6.92 by Dominque Booker, Immaculate Conception (Montclair), 2009). (Also: 23. Alexandra Samperi, Hasbrouck Heights, 7.70).

200: 1. Sianni Wynn, Pennsauken, 24.00 (meet record, old record, 24.34 by Mariah Fede, Paramus Catholic, 2020); 8. Kylie Castillo, Ridgefield, 25.14. (Also: 19. Zuri Williamson, Teaneck, 26.31).

400: 1. Rhia Randolph, Union Catholic, 55.53. (Also: 9. Kylie Castillo, Ridgefield, 58.34).

800: 1. Clemmie Lilley, Rumson-Fair Haven, 2:08.30 (meet record, old record, 2:08.81 by Victoria Van Riele, Gov. Livingston, 2018); 7. Bridget Cannon, Ramapo, 2:15.56.

1,600: 1. Paige Sheppard, Union Catholic, 4:48.13 (meet record, old record, 4:48.23 by Jillian Smith, Southerm 2009). (Also: 10. Christina Allen, River Dell, 5:01.36; 16. Kara Langbaum, Wayne Hills, 5:08.98; 23. Allie Courtney, Northern Highlands, 5:18.55).

3,200: 1. Rosemary Shay, Middletown South, 10:26.44. (Also: 17. Mika Tampadong, Becton, 11:31.90).

55 HH: 1. Taylor Cox, Union Catholic, 7.73 (meet record, old record, 7.82 by Sydney McLaughlin, Union Catholic, 2015); 5. Abby Dennis, Old Tappan, 8.30 (Also: 17. Kailey Attali, Demarest 8.68 in trials; 19. Izabella Samu, Glen Rock, 8.70; 25. Fibianna Ajetunmobi, New Milford, 9.45).

Shot put: 1. Jessica Oji, Livingston, 44-9 1/4. (Also: 16. Elliot Eddy, Hasbrouck Heights, 37-1 1/4; 24. Chloe Brjibag, West Milford, 34-1; 27. Riley Butler, Midland Park, 32-1 1/4).

High jump: 1. Alanna Woolfolk, Clayton, 5-8; 7. Mackenzie Beazley, Passaic Valley, 5-4; 8. Brooke Wichmnn, Westwood, 5-2. (Also: 12. Taylor Peters, Butler, 5-2; t.18. Deborah Amoh, Clifton 5-0; Gabrielle Snell, Paramus Catholic, NH).

Long jump: 1. Ashley Noel, Montclair, 18-8 (record, old record, 18-7 1/2 by Nakaja Weaver, North Brunswick, 2019); 4. Grace McQueeney, River Dell, 17-9 1/2 (Also: 9. Alexandra Samperi, Hasbrouck Heights, 17-4 1/2; 13. Julia Tozduman, Lyndhurst, 17-1; 14. Abby Romero, IHA, 16-10 3/4; 22. Anna Steines, Ramsey, 16-3 1/2).

Triple jump: 1. Sophia Curtis, Ocean City, 40-9 1/4 (meet record, old record, 39-6 1/4 by Alexandra Bonn, Union Catholic, 2023); 7. Abby Romero, IHA, 36-9 1/2. (Also: 14. Kailey Attali, Demarest, 35-7 1/2; 15. Calyse Villaneuva, Passaic Tech, 35-1; 19. Valerie Portuphy, Eastern Christian, 34-6 1/4; 21. Jordan Myers, Paramus, 34-2 3/4).

Pole vault: 1. Ella Karolewski, Hillsborough, 12-0; 5. Allie Tuite, Old Tappan, 11-0; 6. Jamie Kim, Old Tappan and Isabella Formoso, Bergen Tech, 10-6. (Also: 9. Emerson Wiatrak, Ridgewood, 10-6; 10. Jenna Monaco, Dumont, 10-6; 11. Salome Sanchez, Old Tappan, 10-0. Emai Hanada, Ridgewood, Calyse Villaneuva, Passaic Tech and Hrysa Kostara, Tenafly no heighted).

4-x-400 relay: 1. Timber Creek, 3:52.06. (Also: 14. Ridgewood (Kennedy Lubkemann 58.95; Kelsey D'Alonzo, Payton Wennersten, Lindsey Zadow), 4:05.26; 21. IHA (Piper Portacio, Paige Burgess, Elizabeth Burgess, Veronica Costello), 4:07.81).

4-x-800 relay: 1. Haddonfield, 9:16.28; 7. Ridgewood (Cellina Rabolli 2:18.63; Peyton Wennersten; Ayla Cooke; Avery Sheridan 3:21.13), 9:39.48; 10. Ramsey (Ashleigh Gorman, Emmy Bender, Katie Rubin, Kate Marie Monaco), 9:47.28.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Winter track: Highlights from the State Meet of Champions