Falcons do it again, win Group III team title
Ocean's Nembhard, Grant among individual winners
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

The Monmouth Regional express rolls on.Each week the competition has been getting better and better, but that hasn't prevented the Monmouth Regional boys from remaining the class of the field.

Last weekend at South Plainfield High School, the Falcons flew past the best that State Group III could offer, winning the school's first State Group championship since 1980. The Falcons topped Delsea, 47-41, in winning their fourth championship meet of the year.

Sprinters Charles Cox and Raymond Davis were again the big scorers for the Falcons, but like any championship team, they received help elsewhere. A victory in the pole vault by Andrew Brown was big for the Falcons, as Brown cleared 14-4.

Cox won his specialty, the 400, in 47.73 and took third in the 200 (22.28).

Davis, was second in the 400 intermediate hurdles (53.38) and fourth in the 110 hurdles (14.93).

Cox and Davis joined forces with Kelly Fisher and Rashon Verett to place second in the 4x400 relay (3:25.15).

Edrick Alleyene was sixth in the shot put for the champions (51-5 1/4).

Ocean Township's duo of Georgina Nembhard and Tiffany Grant almost brought the state title back home with them. They combined for 36 points, tying Hopewell Valley for second place, just one and one-half points behind Camden Wilson (37 1/2).

Nembhard began the 2006 season known more for her 200-meter success (she won the State Group III title last year). She has continued to excel in the half-lap sprint, but has now become a state champion in the 100.

Nembhard started her meet off with a personal best 11.91 in her qualifying heat of the 100, and that matched that time in winning the final.

"I had a very good start," said Nembhard. "I ran a really good first 50."

Nembhard was third despite that good start, but wasn't panicking.

"There were a lot of good girls in the race," she said. "I knew I wouldn't be alone."

Nembhard's superior strength came into play in the second 50 meters of the race as the Spartan pulled away at the very end.

"I was second in this race last year," said Nembhard, who has yet to lose a championship 100 this spring.

Nembhard defended her 200 crown running 24.24 with Grant, third (25.08).

Grant easily defended her State Group III 400 title, winning in 55.41.

Grant, who was to defend her outdoor Meet Of Champions title Wednesday, had the fastest time of any of the Group's winners, which was important to her in measuring herself against the competition.

Rumson girls win Group II relay

Rumson-Fair Haven's girls had a big day in Group II, tying for eighth place with 22 points.

Highlight of the meet, held at Egg Harbor Township High School, was the state championship won by the 4x400 relay team of Gabby Kelly, Sarah Robinson, Jaime Carroll and Melissa Bellin. The foursome turned in a 4:01.67.

Freshman Bellin accounted for the other points, placing second in the 400 (57.59) and fourth in the 100 hurdles (15.47).

Red Bank Regional's Tommy Friscia, the indoor MOC champion, was second in the boys Group III 800, clocking 1:55.83. He placed fifth earlier in the 1,600 (4:23.17).

Buc pole vaulter Sean Barlett was third (13-0).

Christina Nelson will conclude her scholastic career in style having qualified for the MOC in 800 and 1,600. She burst on the high school scene as a freshman running on the Penn Relays and national championship Distance Medley Relay Team the Bucs put together around Amanda and Katy Trotter.

Since that splash, Nelson has enjoyed a very solid career and has been no stranger to big races.

Last weekend she got under 5:00 for the 1,600 for the first time this spring (4:59.07) in taking sixth, and came back to place fourth in the 800 (2:15).

Shore Regional's highly successful 4x400 relay team will go out competing against the state's best. Kirk Taylor, Derek Schultz, Matt Villane and Matt Reidy tuned in a 3:24.63 in Egg Harbor to finish second to Bridgeton (3:23.40).

Villane finished third in the 400 intermediate hurdles (55.62).

For the Blue Devil girls, Kristin Pierce was fourth in the 400 hurdles (1:07.47) and sixth in the 100 hurdles (15.73).

South Plainfield High School hosted the Non-Public A Championships where Red Bank Catholic's girls were eighth with 23 points.

Sprinter Carolyn Mercurio placed in two events. She was second in the 200 (26.39) and third in the 400 (1:00.44). Erin Lunny was sixth in the 3,200 (11:38.18). In the field, Caitlin Cottell was runner-up in the discus throw (104-0).

For the Casey boys, Matt Gannon took third place in the shot put (44-7 1/2).

The top six finishers from all of the Group meets qualified for Wednesday's MOC, which was held at South Plainfield.