Monmouth, RFH relay teams smash CJ records
RBR's Waite wins twice
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

You can't afford to have any weak links in a 4x400 relay.

Monmouth Regional's boys and Rumson-Fair Haven's girls don't, and that's why they are Central Jersey Group II champions.

The dynamite teams highlighted a great weekend for area track and field athletes at the NJSIAA Central Jersey Groups II and III Championships held at Monmouth Regional on Friday and Saturday.

Charles Cox anchored Monmouth Regional's indoor All-American team to its fastest time yet, 3:15.97. The mark not only broke Monmouth's Group III record of 3:22.70, but smashed the overall state sectional record of 3:18.80 held by Trenton. Rashon Verrett, Kelly Fisher, Chris Cox and Charles Cox were never better - and they had to be, since runner-up Willingboro was also under both records with their 3:17.47.

Rumson's team of Jaime Carroll, Gabriella Kelly, Sara Robinson and Melissa Bellin became the first CJ Group II squad to break 4:00 with their 3:58.54. Long Branch had held the sectional record of 4:01.00 since 1997. Chasing the Bulldogs, runner-up Ewing also broke the meet record with their 4:00.58.

Monmouth's domination of the 400-meter dash was a prelude to what transpired in the relay. State champion Charles Cox took almost a full second off the old sectional record of 47.94 that had stood since 1983 by Franklin's Clark Waddell with his 46.95. Cox needed all of the reserves he could muster in the final strides to get to the line ahead of Willingboro's Jason Boyd, who ran 46.96.

But finishing third and fourth were Chris Cox (48.07) and Verrett (49.70). The Falcons were ready to fly. Add to that mix Fisher, the long jump champion (21-6) and 200-meter dash qualifier, and you have one of the finest relay teams in Shore Conference history.

Along with anchoring the Falcons to their relay record, Cox also got even with Red Bank Regional sprinter Kerone Rhoden. They split two thrilling dashes at the county championships, with Rhoden winning the 100 and Cox the 200. Rhoden won the 200 over Cox at the Shore Conference Championships.

At the sectionals, they would battle once, over 200 meters. Cox won the 400, and Rhoden took the 100 (11.10).

In the 200 qualifying rounds, Cox put down the fastest time and he repeated that in the final with a quick 21.54. Rhoden was back in fourth (22.26). Chris Cox was sixth (22.92).

Getting equal help from their throwers, Monmouth boys ran away with the team title by 30 points, scoring 94 to Willingboro's 64.

Edrick Alleyene and Brandon Catley were the answer to the Cox brothers in the field. They went one-two in both the shot put and discus. Alleyene had throws of 54-3 1/2 and 154-7 while Catley backed him with effort of 54-1 1/2 and 151-0.

The girls' 400 final was a good indicator as to what the rest of CJ II would be up against in the relay. Gabriella Kelly (57.12) and Melissa Bellin (57.31) went one-two for the Bulldogs, giving them the two best runners in the relay field.

Kelly finished fourth in the 200 meters (26.69), while her relay teammate Jaime Carroll was third in the 800 (2:20.78) and fourth in the 1,600 (5:26.17). Teammate Hannah Satzke was fifth (5:28.63). Satzke was also sixth in the 3,200 (12:15.84).

The Rumson girls were fourth (43).

Rumson high jumper Alex Smith kept his championship streak going. Having won the county and conference titles earlier this year, the Bulldog won the CJ Group II title on fewer misses at 6-2.

Nembhard is back

Just two weeks ago, Ocean Township's Georgina Nembhard thought her season and career might be over after she suffered a knee sprain while long jumping at the Monmouth County Championships.

"I was a little worried at first about it," she said. "It wasn't pain, it was just scary. It happened so fast.

"I tried to think of it as a test for me," she said.

That's why, although she finished second in the 100 final to Lakewood's Shavon Greaves at the CJ Group III meet, she was smiling. Her 11.90 was her fastest time of the season.

"After the 100, I had the biggest smile on my face even though I had lost," she said. "That race told me I was back and I had my confidence back."

Nembhard would go on to finish second to Graves in the 200 final (24.36), but in between, she won the 100-meter hurdles (14.49).

"The hurdles were a big shock for me," she said. "I knew I was capable [of winning], but I had had only one hurdle workout. The trials were a little rough; I hit every hurdle."

Before the hurdles finals, Nembhard did some drills to improve her technique.

"I did hit some hurdles [in the final]," she pointed out.

"My start was great and I felt great during the race. I rely on the last five steps coming off the last hurdle. I'm a sprinter: when I see open track, I know what to do."

That is, to get to the line first, which she did.

"I think I've bounced back very well," said Nembhard.

"I'm very happy with how things went at the sectional."

Nembhard was not the only Spartan to strike gold in Tinton Falls. Suhail La Vecchia won the shot put (37-8) and was third in the discus (105-11) as teammate Kim Rosenberg was right behind in fourth (101-11). Rosenberg was also fifth in the javelin (111-6).

With 50 points, the Spartans finished third behind Hopewell Valley (84) and Princeton (55).

Picking up a championship for the Ocean boys was Dan Hitman. He threw the javelin spear 180-4 to top the competition.

Also collecting a state sectional title was Monmouth Regional's Elena Faagai in the Group III girls discus. Her 118-5 won by more than 10 feet. She was third in the shot put (33-0).

A fast 800 for Waite

Red Bank Regional's indoor state 1,600 meter champion Dannie Waite is ready for the Groups.

The Buc cranked out his fastest 800 meters of the spring, an encouraging 1:55.70, in winning the Group III title.

"It feels good to know I can run that fast," the Buc senior said.

Waite had run a couple of sub-2:00 800s for RBR during the relay season, but never expected to be in the 1:55 range.

The win came the day after winning the 1,600 in 4:26.08.

At the sectionals, the pressure is on to advance to the Group Championships, and Waite admitted that after his 1,600 win, he took a different approach in the 800.

"It [800] was a lot of fun," he remarked. "I had already done what I came to do. I just said go out and have some fun and see if we can go one-two."

Waite and teammate Mark Degenhart almost got that, as Degenhart was third (1:57.25).

It was a good meet for RBR's distance corps. Mike Kolodziej was fourth in the 1,600 (4:29.31) and second in the 3,200 (9:49.99). The sophomore beat freshman teammate John Arnone, who was fifth (10:04.42) in the 3,200. They are RBR's future. But this year belongs to the Bucs' state champion, who will take aim at a State Group title this weekend in South Plainfield.

Thanks to their distance standouts and Rhoden, Red Bank scored 54 points and finished third behind Monmouth and Willingboro.

Shore Regional, which made a name for itself as a distance running power, is now turning out sprinters.

Cameo Kirk and Jamie Pointer went one-two in the Group II 400-meter intermediate hurdles for the Blue Devil girls. Kirk stopped the timer in 1:06.64 and Pointer in 1:08.34. Pointer was fourth in the 100 hurdles (16.22).

With the duo teaming up with Alicia Baldo and Shannon Harrison, the Blue Devils girls ran 4:04.69 to place third in the 4x400.

Shore finished ninth (28) in the Group.

For the Blue Devil boys, Derek Schultz was second in the 200 (22.40) and third in the 400 (50.35). He also placed sixth in long jump (21-2).

Anyone who finished in the top six last weekend advance to this weekend's NJSIAA State Groups Championships that are today and tomorrow. Groups I, II and III will compete at South Plainfield, while Groups IV, Non-Public A and B are down in Egg Harbor Township. The top six there move on to the June 6 Meet of Champions at South Plainfield.