Indoor Track: Locals shine at NJSIAA Group I & IV championships

TOMS RIVER - The Skyland Conference and Greater Middlesex Conference held its own at the NJSIAA Group I and IV championships on Friday at the Bennett Center in Toms River.

The top six finishers in each event advance to next weekend's Meet of Champions.

The South Brunswick girls team came in second in Group IV, falling to Rancocas Valley 29-26. The Vikings held a 26-19 lead heading into the last event of the night, the 4x400 relay, but Rancocas Valley took first in 3:58.11 while South Brunswick finished in ninth to give the Red Devils the title.

South Brunswick's Courteney Campbell won the high jump for the second year in a row, clearing 5-feet, 6-inches. It was her first indoor Group title after winning the high jump during the outdoor season last year and two Meet of Champions titles.

"It feels good, it was nerve racking," Campbell said. "I think it shows I'm very determined, even in my last jump in the jump off my legs were a little heavy, but I still pushed through it, I'm just trying to inspire my team."

According to Campbell, she won in a jump off over Ridge's Jessica Creedon. Montgomery's Abrianna Barrett was third, clearing 5-2.

"It was a crazy jump off, we both missed 5-6 with three tries, then they go off to a jump off," Campbell said. "They lower it to 5-5 and you have one jump, if you miss it, you miss and if the other person makes it they win. We both made 5-5, and they raised it back to 5-6. I made it and she missed it."

The Vikings' Nicole Notarianni was second in the 55 meter hurdles in 8.52 and Essence Baker was second in the 800 meter run, finishing in 2:16.82.

Montgomery's Peyton Schanckenberg took third in the shot put with a throw of 40-11.75. In the 400 meter dash, Sayreville's Dakota Gerges (58.11), Old Bridge's Joely Serpe (58.16) and Ridge's Brooke Fazio (58.24) went 3-4-5.

In the 1600 meter run, Ellie DiMarcello of North Hunterdon finished second in 5:04.03, while her sister Anna took fifth in 5:11.33.

Brandon Kong of Bridgewater-Raritan won the Group IV pole vault, clearing 14-feet, 6-inches. Hunterdon Central's David Bausmith was second, clearing 14-feet.

"It was really just getting out of my head, just focusing on a couple of things and just hopefully winning again like last year and PRing, which I ended up doing today," Kong said. "It was nice, I feel like I could do much more, but it's a slow progression, I feel like I gave it my all. I felt more comfortable (because of winning last year) so I think that was very beneficial."

Old Bridge's Rey Rivera repeated as the Group IV 800 champion, winning in a meet record 1:53.17. Rivera broke the old record he set last year of 1:54.56. Ridge's Will Phinney was third in 1:57.38 and Franklin's Billy Hill finished fifth in 1:57.76. Hill also took third in the 1600 meter run in 4:17.51.

"The goal was just to go out in 54 seconds through the four and just see how I could compete with whoever was with me in the race, if there was anybody with me, just go after it today and get a measure of where I am for next week," Rivera said. "I actually didn't even know, I didn't even know I had the old Group IV record until my coach told me, but that's cool, it's definitely a confidence booster going into next week."

Perth Amboy's Juan Alejandro took second in the Group IV 55 meter hurdles in 7.57, and Christian Wiedman of Old Bridge was fifth in 7.77.

South Brunswick's Harmodio Cruz was third in the 400 meter dash in 49.41 and Hunterdon Central's David Scheier was fifth in 49.93.

In Group I, South Amboy's Patrick Walsh placed second in the 3200 meter run in 9:38.56. Joe Wells was fourth in the 1600 meter run in 4:30.75, New Providence's Mark Pasquariello was fifth in 4:33.47 and Metuchen's Caelan Johnson was sixth in 4:34.52.

New Providence's Cheney Price won the pole vault, clearing 13-0.

Metuchen's 4x400 relay team of Jessica Harding, Tracy Michalski, Jodie Zeng and Kate Santus came in second place in 4:14.47.

The Meet of Champions will be held next weekend at the Bennett Center in Toms River. The girls MOC is scheduled for Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m. while the boys will be held on Sunday, also at 10 a.m.

"I'm looking forward to doing better than last year because last year I no-heighted," Kong said of the MOC. "So I'm looking forward to hopefully winning it."

Staff Writer Lauren Knego: lknego@gannettnj.com; on Twitter: @laurenknego