L.B.'s Johnson leads parade of champions
BY TIM MORRIS Staff Writer
Since splitting their races at the Monmouth County and Shore Conference championships, sprinters Damier Johnson of Long Branch and Michael Peavey ofNeptune have gone their separate ways and collected state titles.

A week ago it was the NJSIAA Central Jersey state sectionals, and last weekend, the State Groups.

Saturday they go head to head again in the 55-meter dashwith theNJSIAAMeet of Champions title on the line.

At last weekend's State Group Championships at the Bennett Indoor Complex in Toms River, Peavey won the Group III state title and Johnson took the Group II crown. Fittingly, they both ran the exact same time, 6.46, which was the fastest of any of the Group meets. It seems that the 2008 state champion sprinter is destined to come from the Shore Conference.

Johnson does own the year's fastest 55, 6.42, and Peavey has a 2-1 head-to-head edge, having beaten Johnson early in the season at the Shore Conference B North Division Championships.

Johnson was one of four area track and field athletes to capture state titles over the week. Monmouth Regional thrower Edrick Alleyne, Rumson-Fair Haven high jumper Alex Smith and Shore Regional pole-vaulter Sean Kelly were the others who struck gold.

Alleyne continued his winning ways in the shot put,winning theGroup III championship with a 53-3. His teammate Charles Johnson was sixth (46-7) and advanced to the MOC (top six finishers in each event moved on).

Smithwon theGroup II high jump, clearing 6-2 and winning the tiebreaker on fewer misses.

Kelly soared 13-0 inwinning theGroup I pole vault. The Blue Devil was the only vaulter to clear that height.

With a ticket to the MOC on the line, those who finished sixth were winners as well. Matt Metlitz of Red Bank Regional led the qualifiers in Group II with a second in the boys 3,200 (9:47.27). Teammate Nick Gorry was fourth in the pole vault after clearing 13-0.

With 12 points, the Bucs were eighth.

In Group II, Rumson's Samantha O'Brien ran fifth in the girls 1,600 (5:24.63). The Bulldogs' 4x400 relay teamwas sixth in its best time of thewinter, 4:10.29.Gabriella Kelly, Christina Roque, O'Brien and Jaimie Carroll made up the Bulldog quartet.

Shore Regional's 4x400 relay team uncorked a school record 4:07.76. Jamie Pointer, Kaylee Mikolon, Glenda Pietri and Cameo put down a time that will qualify themfor Tuesday's Eastern States Championships.

Shore tied for seventh place with Pleasantville and Roselle with 12 points.

For the BlueDevil boys, ZachCollierwas fifth in the 1,600 (4:33.18). Combined with the 10 pointsKelly won for winning the pole vault, Shore's boys tied for eighth with Saddle Brook with 12 points.

Also in Group III, Ocean Township's Suhkail LacVecchia was fourth in the girls shot put (38-6)