Winter track State Meet of Champions preview: track events
The New Jersey Winter Track State Meet of Champions returns to Ocean Breeze Athletic Center on Staten Island Sunday at 10 a.m. for the first time since March, 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down high school sports in New Jersey for the spring 2020 season.
Here's an event by event look at the 18 running events in the meet, 14 from the results of the six group meets on Feb. 17-18 and four as Showcase events which include the 24 top athletes from the entire season (the 200 and 4-x-800 relay events).
North Jersey athletes in bold-face. A reminder: All seeds are based ONLY on the state group meets in the regular 14 events, although the group winners had the option of improving their seed times. The meet
ENTRIESNorth Jersey winter track entries in the State Meet of Champions
Boys
55:
Returning medalist: Spencer Anderson, Morristown-Beard (5).
Top seeds: Xavier Donaldson, Seton Hall Prep, Xavier Hayletts, Bergenfield; Cole Cramer, Southern Reg.
Outlook: Donaldson, Anderson and Samuel Thomas of Northern Burlington are red hot, but don't count out Hayletts, who easily medal and could become the first North Jersey winner of the event since the late Joe Dawkins of Hackensack won in 1995.
200:
Returning medalist: Alec Stilliano, Middletown South (5).
Top-seeds: Donaldson; Premier Wynn, Pennsauken; Rajahn Dixon, Eastern.
Outlook: Donaldson is a heavy favorite here and although there will only be four runners in each heat, this race is affected by lane draw more than any other. Bergen Catholic senior Logan Casey looked great in his Eastern States prelim Wednesday and he and Demarest's Christhoper Short are high seeds. Also look out for Paramus Catholic soph James Dely.
400:
Returning medalists: Bryce Tucker, Pennsauken (2); Premier Wynn, Pennsauken (3); Xander Roberts-Bogin, Pleasantville (4); Nicholas DeVita, Seton Hall (8).
Top-seeds: Donaldson, Ryan Matulonis, Seton Hall; Lathan Brown, Deptford.
Outlook: It's likely Donaldson skips this race, especially if his team wants gold in the 4-x-400. That would make Matulonis the top seed. But Tucker and especially Morristown junior Jason Meza are major threats. If healthy look for Kinnelon's Jack Ahart to be in contention for a medal.
800:
Returning medalists: Gabriel Rodriguez, Union (2); Jaden Enis, Monroe Twp. (3); Collin Boler, Delbarton (4); Mark Viggiano, Ocean Twp. (8).
Top-seeds: Boler, Viggiano; Luke Schagelin, Morris Knolls.
Outlook: Boler is just running the 800, despite being the fastest 1,600 runner in the state. But Viggiano and Rodriguez have faster 800 times in other meets. Bergen Tech senior Dylan Decambre has had a remarkable winter and should be in the mix to the very end. Look for Ramapo junior Ryan Welch to score a medal.
1,600:
Returning medalist: Colin Riley, Dayton (7).
Top-seeds: Akshay Vadul, Edison; Ryan Beegle, Chatham; Avery Keith, Westfield.
Outlook: This analysis might have been moot had Collin Boler chosen this event. But he didn't so as many as a dozen runners can win the race (provided they run this instead of the 800 or 3,200). If he runs it, don't bet against Union Catholic junior Jimmy Wischusen. (And if he runs the 3,200 instead, the same advice applies).
3,200:
Returning medalist Avery Keith, Westfield (6).
Top-seeds: Wischusen; Peyton Shute, Woodbury; Brian Boler, Delbarton..
Outlook: As mentioned earlier, if he runs it's likely to be Wischusen (and maybe a sub-9 minute race). As many as 10 runners could get under 9:20 and Lakeland's Owen Horevay is looking to get closer to 9:10. He's in great position to earn a medal. Keep an eye on three North Jersey standouts, Ridgewood soph Luke Pash and group 4 rivals Hisham Ettayebi of Clifton and Bryce Teto of Paramus -- they're three of the best racers in the state and if they can stay close enough going into the final two laps and sniff a medal, they will go after it to the end.
55 HH:
Returning medalists: Tucker (2); Kam Coleman, CBA (8).
Top-seeds: Yashahya Brown, Washington Twp.; Eric Foster, Willingboro; Joseph Kurak, Manchester Twp.
Outlook: Nathaniel Rayan of Scotch Plains-Fanwood threw a proverbial bomb into the seeding when he won the Eastern States title Wednesday in the fastest time in four years and more than .2 of a second faster than anyone else has this year. Demarest's Jack Attali is just off of running the sixth fastest hurdle race in Bergen County history and the fastest in 12 years in North Jersey. Another race like that will easily earn him a medal.
4-x-400 relay:
Top-seeds: Pennsauken, Toms River North, Seton Hall Prep.
Outlook: If Donaldson is in top form, this race could be a great three-way battle. Ridgewood and Chatham are potential medal winning teams.
4-x-800 relay:
Top-seeds: Toms River North, Union Catholic, Seton Hall Prep.
Outlook: Five teams have broken 8 minutes this season and Ridge and Summit, along with the top-seeds should have a terrific battle. Look for Chatham to contend for a medal. River Dell and Indian Hills hope to improve their chances for a Penn Relays berth.
Girls
55:
Returning medalists: Taylor Cox, Union Catholic (3); Victoria Henry, West Windsor Plainsboro North (8).
Top-seeds: Sianni Wynn, Pennsauken; Taylor Aska, Union Catholic; Cox.
Outlook: Wynn and Aska are likely to battle to the finish but don't rule out Cynthia Boakye of Elizabeth. It's not a strong event for the North Jersey contingent.
200:
Returning medalists: Sierra Latonnel, Union (2); Kyla Massenburg, Hunterdon Central (8).
Top-seeds: Boakye; Aska; Wynn.
Outlook: Boakye, Aska and Wynn will be favored unless Wynn skips this race to concentrate on the 400. Ayanna Chape of Hackensack and Gina Rubio of Paramus Catholic are potential medalists.
400:
Returning medalist: Clemmie Lilley, Rumson-Fair Haven (7).
Top-seeds: Wynn; BrookeLyn Drakeford, Piscataway, Lilley.
Outlook: The battle between Wynn, the freshman and Lilley, the sophomore should be spectacular. But don't rule out the experienced Drakeford or Holy Angels soph Gina Certo, who should earn a medal. Chape and Ridgefield's Kylie Castillo are also in the hunt for a top-eight finish.
800:
Returning medalists: Kaleigh Gunsiorowski, Union Catholic (3); Kelsey Niglio, Cherokee (5); Maameyaa Nyinah, Union Catholic (8).
Top-seeds: Sofia Day, Mainland; Gunsiorowski; Emma Zawatski, Freehold Twp.
Outlook: There are several scenarios that could play out, depending on choices made by Zawatski and Christina Allen of River Dell, who might run the 1,600 instead. Day, Gunsiorowski, Kadence Dumas of Eastern and Peyton Hollis of Union Catholic are certain to be running the race. If Allen runs the event, the Eastern States champ will certainly medal.
1600:
Returning medalists: Allen (2); Cate DeSousa, Red Bank Catholic (3); Zawatski. (4).
Top-seeds: Zawatski; Julia Scrudato, Montgomery; DeSousa.
Outlook: The 14 year old meet record of 4:48.23 set by Jill Smith of Southern is clearly in jeopardy if all the leading contenders choose the event. Allen and DeSousa ran the ninth and 10th fastest times in SMOC history in their finishes last year and Zawatski had already run 4:50 for the full mile this year. Look for Remy Dubac of Clifton and Delana Einreinhofer of Wallkill Valley to medal along with Allen.
3,200:
Returning medalists: Tilly O'Connor, St. Rose (2); Lindsay Hausman, Kent Place (4); Leanna Johnston, IHA (5); Liliah Gordon, Northern Burlington (7).
Top-seeds: DeSousa, Hausman, Johnston.
Outlook: Eleven girls broke 11 minutes at the state group meet and the three top-seeds had a classic battle in the Non-Public A meet. Johnston has a shot at lowering her own Bergen County record in the event and if Einreinhofer chooses to run the event, she'll have a great chance to medal here too. Look for Morgan Uhlhorn of Lakeland to become Passaic County's ninth sub-11 minute girl.
55 HH:
Returning medalists: Ajanae Thompson, Union Catholic (2); Cox (3); Shea Burke, Pt. Pleasant Boro (4); Nyjae Shipley, Rahway (6).
Top-seeds: Cox; Quaycian Davis, East Orange; Thompson.
Outlook: If anyone can break up the top trio it's Old Tappan's Abby Dennis who ran the fourth fastest time in Bergen history in a runner-up finish at Wednesday's Eastern States meet. Morgan Ryerson of Mount Olive and Belle Bennett of Northern Highlands can earn medals with personal best trial heats.
4-x-400 relay:
Top-seeds: Eastern, Union Catholic, Rumson-Fair Haven.
Outlook: Add Timber Creek to the mix as the meet concludes. Ridgewood looks to run a season's best.
4-x-800 relay:
Top-seeds: Union Catholic; Cherokee; Rumson-Fair Haven.
Outlook: Union Catholic and Cherokee are well ahead of the rest of the field. Randolph, River Dell and Ramapo are potential medal-winning teams.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Winter track State Meet of Champions preview: track events
