Cox wins Eastern States, 4x400 relay team is third

The indoor track and field season has been all about time for Monmouth Regional's Charles Cox.

The Golden Falcon speedster has wanted to run faster with each race, and he has done just that. In the process, he kept finishing in first and proved that he was the best 400-meter runner in the state, winning the NJSIAA Indoor Meet of Champions.

Two days after winning his first indoor MOC title, the Monmouth Regional senior added the 2007 Eastern State's championship to his golden resume. Held in the New York City Armory on Feb. 27, the Eastern States field included many of the sprinters Cox beat at the state meet, as well as the best from states around the East coast. Cox turned in his fastest 400 of the indoor season, 48.27, in remaining undefeated in championship races.

The top three finishers at the Easterns was a replay of the state MOC, with a reversal of second and third place. This time Old Bridge's Allan Lunkenheimer was second (48.67) while Chris Cox, Charles' brother, was third (48.69) getting under 49 seconds for the first time this winter.

The personal bests did not stop there for the Cox brothers. They teamed up with Kelly Fisher and Joe Ortiz, to crank out Monmouth's fastest 4x400 relay of the season. With Chris and Charles running the last two legs, the quartet turned in a 3:20.14, more than two seconds faster than their meet-record setting 3:22.42 at the MOC. The Falcons were second to Newburgh (3:19.96) in their heat and ended up finishing third overall. Pleasantville, which was not in the heat with Newburgh and Monmouth, turned in a 3:18.90 to win the title.

Ocean Township's sprinter Georgina Nembhard was third in the 55 dash (7.11) and fourth in the 200 (25.79).

Anchored by the newly crowned state 1,600-meter champion Dennie Waite, Red Bank Regional's boys were eighth in the Distance Medley Relay (12:31.67) Mike Kolodziej (1,200), Joe Friscia (400) and Mark Degenhart (800) ran the opening three legs. The Bucs were tops among Shore teams, beating such notables as Christian Brothers Academy (10:36.27) and Colts Neck (12:37.82), which finished ninth and 10th.

Red Bank Catholic's girls were in ninth in the DMR (12:27.91). The team consisted of Janine Louie, Katie Andree, Katie Rochford and Erin Lunny.

In the field, Monmouth's Brandon Cately was 13th in the shot put (50-11).

Rumson-Fair Haven sophomore Alex Smith tied for seventh in the boy's high jump after clearing the bar at 6-2.

The curtain falls on the indoor season at two locales this weekend. The Armory will host the National Scholastic Indoor meet on Friday through Sunday and in Landover, Md. they'll run Nike Invitational on Saturday and Sunday.

- Tim Morris