Track and field is usually looked at as an individual rather than a team sport. While the area has outstanding individuals like Red Bank Catholic’s Cate DeSousa, Rumson-Fair Haven’s Clemmie Lilley and Middletown South’s Maddie Hussey, it also has some remarkable teams. During the indoor season, Rumson-Fair Haven and Middletown South went one-two at the Monmouth County Relays and the Monmouth County and Shore Conference Championships with the Bulldogs besting the Eagles each time. Rumson won the Group II state relays title and Central Jersey II titles as well. The outdoor season should be every bit as competitive between these two teams.
RFH’s outstanding blend of sprinters, long sprinters and distance runners made them untouchable during the indoor season. Lilley is more than delivering on all the promise she displayed as a freshman last year. She jumped up to the 400 and 800 meters in the winter. In winning the state sectional 800 championship, the sophomore’s personal best 2:15.76 broke the meet record that was held by US Olympian Ajee Wilson when she was at Neptune. The Bulldog lowered her 400 record to 56.57.
Megan Burns (Sr.), Kate Hennen (Jr.), Reese Reynolds Malone (So.), Izzy Rodriguez (So.) and Ryan Malone (Jr.) are the stable of sprinters who can score in events from 100 to 800 meters.
For the distance events, Rumson can turn to reliable Julia Shanes (Sr.) and Sarah Butler (Sr.).
Middletown South has less depth but more balance than the Bulldogs and will be looking to the field events in the spring. Hussey, still a junior but already one of the state’s elite throwers, is a double threat outdoors in the shot put and discus. Her personal bests are 40-1 ¾ for the shot put and 117-1 for the discus. Pole vaulter Caden Cerminara (Sr.) can give the Eagles more field points.
On the track, the Eagles have sprinter Abigail Michaelson (Sr.) leading the way with Riley Bent (So.), Jennifer Schuster (Jr.) and Yolanda Torres (Jr.) giving the team a formidable 4×400 relay squad. Rosemary Shay (Jr.) and Gwen Afanasewicz (Sr.) are South’s top distance runners with proven track records.
Colts Neck can be in the mix as well thanks to its depth. The Cougars won the Central Jersey Group III sectional title in the winter. Kylie Jacoutot, a state champion in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles, is a top sprinter as well. Elizabeth Scarpa (Sr.) and Olivia Petschauer (Jr.) are the team’s distance stars. In the field, the Cougars have Catherine Vota (Sr.) who was the county discus champion in ’22, and pole vaulter Alyssa Koval (Sr.).
RBC’s DeSousa is one of the premier 800 to 1,600 runners in New Jersey. The state champion will be looking to add more titles to her resume before she graduates to the University of Virginia. The Caseys’ Kennedy Miller (So.) has emerged as a contender in the shot put and discus.
For versatility, it would be hard to top Saint John Vianney junior Alexandria Scott. Her events include the 200- and 400-meter dashes, the 100 and 400 hurdles and the long jump – and she is dangerous in all of them.
Holmdel’s Brielle McClarnon can build on her indoor season which saw the sophomore consistently medal in the 800 meters. When Holmdel finished fourth in the CJ II championships last spring, 65 of its 66 points were in the field. Some of those scorers return led by versatile jumpers Sara Trinchillo and Alexa DiNardo. Both do the long and triple jumps and will be contenders in championship meets in both. Javelin thrower Sophia Laudi is back as is discus thrower Julia Saporito (Jr.) for the Hornets.
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