2007 Spring Track News

JEFFERSON HS (April 2, 2007) - Both the Boys and Girls Lions roared in their opening meet, handily defeating the Jefferson Falcons 108 - 32 and 111 - 19 respectively. The seniors led the way for the boys with several multiple winners. Theo Lusardi registered victories in the 200m (23.1) and the shot put (49-1), while placing second in the discus with a toss of 118-7. Rob Prignano took both hurdle events with a time of 60.6 in the 400 IH and 16.1 in the 110 HH. Finally, Jeremy Tucker raced to a victory in the 100m (11.6), then leaped to the win in the long jump with a mark of 19-7.5. Junior Chris Thomas also had two wins, taking the high jump with a leap of 6-2, then triple jumping 41-3.5 to take that event.

On the girls side, seniors Tara Downing and Katherine Ozmeral each won two events. Downing took both the 100m and 200m sprints in times of 13.2 and 27.3 respectively; while "Oz" registered victories in the both of the horizontal jumps, taking the long jump with a leap of 14-8, and the triple jump a hop, skip, and jump of 31-5.25. Fellow senior, Amy Spekhardt, needed just one throw to win the discus competition. Her throw of 90-1 was easily the best toss of the day.

Both teams return to action on Wednesday, April 4, versus the Hopatcong Chiefs. This meet will be the home opener, so be sure to get out and support your Lions.

POPE JOHN HS (April 5, 2007) - Braving brutal wind and cold, both the Lions girls and boys registered their second dual meet victories of the year, easily defeating the Hopatcong Chiefs. The girls scored 124 points to the 16 registered by the Chiefs, while the boys posted 107.5 points to 32.5 for Hopatcong.

Amy Sapol, Emily Carrollo, and freshman Alisha Lolk were the stars for the ladies, each setting either a school or class record. For senior Sapol, she broke her own school record in the pole vault with a vault of 8-1, while sophomore Carrollo established a new PJ 100m record with a time of 12.4. Emily now holds three school records outright (100, 200, and 400), and is part of two school record relays (4 x 100 and 4 x 200). Carrollo also won the 200m in a time of 26.5, making her the sole multiple winner for the girls. Meanwhile Alisha Lolk is trying to follow in the steps of her record setting teammates. Little Alisha set a new freshman class record in the 100m HH with a time of 18.1 seconds, breaking the 1999 record of Amy Goralczyk '02. For long-time PJ track fans, Goralczyk will be remembered as one of the great hurdlers in PJ history before moving on to Gettysburg College where she competed for the Bullets.

On the boys side, senior Theo Lusardi continued his winning ways by taking three events, the shot put (46-6.25), discus (119-11), and the 200m (24.1). Obviously Lusardi isn't resting on his laurels, nor is he content with the recent great news that he will be throwing for the Delaware University Blue Hens next year. Ironically, fellow senior Kevin Flannery had the longest discus throw of the day registering a toss of 122-1 as a JV thrower. Flannery backed up his discus performance by winning the javelin competition with a throw of 130-0, this time as a varsity competitor. Seniors Rob Prignano and Jeremy Tucker, along with junior Chris Thomas, were also multiple winners. Prignano continued to prove that he is one of the best hurdlers in the county by taking the 400 IH in 59.6, his first sub-60 second performance, and by registering the win in the 110 HH in a time of 16.1. Tucker won the 100m in a time of 11.2 and leaped 19-0.25 to win the long jump competition. Finally, Thomas took the high jump by clearing the bar at 5-8, then took the victory in the triple jump with a mark of 39-1.5.

Both 4 x 400 relays were victorious as they fittingly ended the scoring in this meet.

Both teams return to action on Wednesday, April 11 when they travel to the home track of the High Point Wildcats. The start time is 3:45 PM.

HIGH POINT REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL, WANTAGE, NJ (April 11, 2007) - Continuing their winning ways during the SCIL Dual Meet season, both the boys and girls registered easy victories over the Wildcats. The final score for the boys was PJ 106 - HP 34, while the girls count was PJ 100.5 - HP 39.5. Like the first meets of the season, multiple winners for the Lions were the feature.

For the boys, seniors Rob Prignano and Jeremy Tucker, and junior Chris Thomas each won two events, while double victories were posted by sophomores Emily Carrollo and Sarah Bieganousky, and by senior Lara Heigis for the girls. Prignano took both hurdles events for the third meet in a row, running 15.5 in the 110 HH and 60.5 in the 400 IH. Thomas continued to dominate the jumping events by winning the high jump with a comfortable scissors effort at 5-6. He immediately raised the bar to 6-7 to get some attempts at that height. Later, Thomas set a new PJ record in the triple jump with a stirling 42-0 performance. Tucker sprinted to the victory in the 200m in a time of 23.1, then won the long jump with a leap of 20-3. Carrollo easily won the 100m sprint, clocking in at 12.5, ahead of her teammate, senior Tara Downing, who finished in 12.9. Emily later displayed her diversity by winning the 400m run in 60.0. Classmate Sarah Bieganousky opened the meet in the 400 IH, finishing in a new PJ record time of 1:05.2. Later, Bieganousky took the 200m sprint in a time of 26.3. Finally, Heigis displayed the great depth of the PJ distance corps, winning the 1600 in 5:32 and the 3200 in 12:20. Crossing the line with her in the 1600 was classmate Lauren Bariexca, while Lara's sister, sophomore Jenny Heigis, finished with her in the 3200.

Also noteworthy were the new frosh records set by Alisha Lolk in the 100 HH (17.8) and Jamaal Knight in the javelin. Ardent PJ track fans will recall that this is the second consecutive meet where Lolk has broken this record, formerly held by Amy Goralczyk '03. While Knight's throw of 121-3.5 eclipsed the former class record by Rick Rogers '06 by seven feet. Many other athletes set new personal records including sophomore Mackenzie Millerin the discus (86-2) and the shot put (27-8.5); senior Amy Spekhardt in the shot put (27-10.25); junior Kim Brinkerhoff in the 100 HH (17.1); sophomores Ricky Okoye in the long jump (18-4) and Greg Masters in the pole vault (10-0); and freshmen Sean Reid in the pole vault (9-0) and James Oroho in the shot put (31-2).

NANUET HIGH SCHOOL, NANUET, NY (Saturday April 14, 2007) - Displaying overall team balance, the Pope John Lions boys placed first in five events, second in two others, and had placements in another five events to easily win the team crown at the 30th Nanuet Invitational Relays. The girls placed third in the team competition. Combined, the boys and girls won the coveted Dave Hanson trophy which recognizes the best Boys - Girls program.

It is apparent that the boys team is strong in all disciplines on the track and in the field. A quick rundown of the events won by the boys demonstrates this very well. The boys won the 3 x 400 intermediate hurdles, the sprint medley relay, the 4 x 1600m relay, the high jump relay, and the shot put relay. Highlights included junior Jon Juleus' first sub - two minute split run in the 800 m leg of the SMR; senior Theo Lusardi's shot put mark of 48-4, the longest throw of the day; and senior Tom Roy's 53.1 split on the anchor leg of the 4 x 400m relay, especially significant because it represents Roy's first hard race following a long recovery from a stress fracture. The Frosh/Soph boys also did well in their events. Sophomore Peter Pensec had close to a ten foot PR in the discus with his throw of 91-6; freshman Dillon White PRed in the shot with a throw of 29-1, especially noteworthy considering that Dillon is in the early stages of learning the rotational method of putting; and sophomore Ryan Ehrhardt's 400m leg (57.2).

The girls had their share of wins, taking the 4 x 1600m relay, the pole vault relay, and the 4 x 400m relay; placed second in the SMR; and recorded placements in five other events (4 x 200, 3 x 100 HH, 3 x 400 IH, HJ, and TJ). Outstanding performances were turned in by sophomore Sarah Bieganousky on the anchor leg of the 4 x 400m relay (58.6), and senior Lara Heigis on the anchor leg of the 4 x 1600m relay (5:16.6). PR performances included sophomore Sylvia Okoye in the discus (73-5), and sophomore Caroline Kuras who ran 28.6 on the 200m leg of the F/S DMR.

Finally, weather is wreaking havoc with the schedule. Check back frequently for updates. Currently, the Lions return to action of Thursday, April 19 in either a dual meet at home vs. Lenape Valley, or in a quad meet opposing Sparta, Lenape Valley, and Wallkill Valley, either at home or at Wallkill Valley.

POPE JOHN HS, SPARTA, NJ (April 19, 2007) - Every Lions track fan knows that upperclassmen are the soul of any successful season. Yet, the truly knowledgeable fan understands that the underclassmen are the heart of the program. It's the freshmen and sophomores, who learning from their elder peers, are engendered with an understanding of the work ethic that is needed to become a competitor. So it's great to celebrate the early season successes achieved by the youngsters. Today's meet against the Patriots of Lenape Valley provided many causes of celebration.

For the girls, freshman Alisha Lolk continues to impress. For the third meet in a row Alisha has broken her own 100 HH freshman class record, lowering her time to 17.3 seconds, and giving her ten points on the season. From personal knowledge and observation, Lolk isn't afraid to work. Her times are tangible rewards for the effort that she's exerted on the track and in the weight room. Like Lolk, sophomore April Conway is another hard worker. Over the last few weeks she has improved her marks in both the shot put and discus, earning a varsity spot for both events. Today, April set a new PR in the shot with a put of 25-6, and she is becoming a consistent discus thrower. Vast improvement is on the horizon. Another freshman, Erin Smith, earned her first varsity point with a third place finish in the pole vault, clearing 7-0 for the first time. Finally, soph Christina Careaga had the best day of her young career, winning both the long jump and triple jump with leaps of 15-8 and 32-0.75 respectively. Both marks are PRs and put her in a position to think about class and school records as real possibilities.

On the boys side, sophomore Ricky Okoye was a multiple winner, taking the high jump with a leap of 5-4 and the long jump with an 18-0 foot flyer. This is Ricky's first multiple win, and combined with his second place finish in the shot put (38-9), certainly made for a banner day for this young man. Likewise, freshman thrower James Oroho had a big day with a toss of 97-3 in the discus, a ten foot PR. Meanwhile, junior Chris Mugavero had a double PR day, throwing 34-11.5 in the shot put and 73-10 in the discus, and classmate Brian Grealy registered his first varsity win with a 37-0.25 triple jump. Finally, senior Tom Gallagher had two great performances; his winning time in the 400 IH was in a PR time of 62.3 and his anchoring 400m leg in the 4 x 400 relay was a PR 55.3 seconds.

The Lions will compete next at the Raider Relays at Hillsborough HS on Saturday, April 21. Start time is 9:00 AM. The next SCIL dual meet is on Monday, April 23 at home versus perennial track and field rival, Vernon HS.

HILLSBOROUGH HS, HILLSBOROUGH, NJ (April 21, 2007) - In it's final relays warm-up before the Penn Relays, both the girls and boys successfully accomplished all of their goals for the day. Coach Corcoran came into the meet with several intentions, the most important being that the DMR teams run smooth, then come back in the 4 x 400 to get some speed work. If national qualifying times were recorded as a result, then that would be a happy consequence.

The girls DMR team comprised of senior Lara Heigis on the 1200m leg, junior Laura Loechner on the 400m leg, senior Lauren Bariexca on the 800m leg, and sophomore Sarah Cariati on the 1600m leg, accomplished all of the goals, including qualifying for nationals, with a time of 12:26.4. The boys DMR, however, came up short of the the 10:22.0 standard when they ran a 10:43.3. Seniors Tom Roy, Rob Lennon, and Clay Smith ran the 1200, 400, and 800m legs, while junior Jon Juleus ran the 1600m anchor leg.

The teams return to action vs. perennial SCIL rival, Vernon, on Monday, April 23 at home.

POPE JOHN HS, SPARTA, NJ (April 23, 2007) - In a show of overall team depth, with outstanding individual performances sprinkled in, the Lions boys and girls easily defeated the Vernon Vikings 88 - 52 and 98 - 42, respectively. In the dual meet of the year for both schools, the Lions athletes from top to bottom displayed their heart, meddle, and love of competition, evidenced by the the large number of PRs, school, and class records posted today.

Sophomore Sarah Bieganousky set the tone for the day by establishing a new PJ record in the 400 Intermediate Hurdles, running a time of 65.1. She followed that up with a win in the open 400m in a time of 58.8. Classmate Emily Carrollo was also a double winner, taking the 100m sprint in 12.8 and the 200m in 25.8. To go along with those performances on the track, Carrollo also PRed in the javelin with a throw of 92-0 as a JV participant. The distance corps also had a great day, taking every point in the 800m, 1600m and 3200m races. In the 800m senior Lara Heigis, sophomore Sarah Cariati, and senior Kelsey Murphy finished first through third. Lara and Sarah crossed the line in 2:28.7 and 2:28.8 respectively. In the 1600 Cariati and Lara Heigis switched places with Cariati finishing in an identical time with Lara, 5:26.5. Finally, in the 3200m, sophomore Jenny Heigis, Lara's younger sister, finished first in a time of 12:45.4. Finishing second in the identical time as Jenny was freshman Marissa Galante. The sweep was completed when junior Casey Keller, continuing her comeback from a stress fracture, finished third in 13:07.0. In the field, junior Anne Lockwood PRed with a vault of 8-0 to take the pole vault competition. Senior Amy Sapol finished second, also with a vault of 8-0. Finally, senior Caitlin Meehan threw 100-6 to PR and win the javelin competition. Sophomore Melissa Romero placed second with a toss of 99-5.

While the outcome of the girls meet was never in doubt, the pre-meet prognosticators predicted a close meet on the boys side. Their predictions were proven false. Tremendous individual performances and domination by the distance runners were the deciding factors in this meet. Like the girls distance corps, the boys dominated the 800 through the 3200m runs - leaving only one point for the Vikings. In the 800, seniors Tom Roy, Tim Burns, and Clay Smith swept in times of 2:02.9, 2:03.3, and 2:04.7. In the 1600, junior Jon Juleus finished first in 4:36.1, followed by Smith in a time of 4:38.8, and classmate Nick Beese in 4:42.9. Finally in the 3200m run, senior Jeremy Scheid took the event in a time of 10:13.8, followed by Juleus in 10:16.0. Vernon's Teddy Moran took the lone distance point for the Vikings finishing third in a time of 10:21.0.

The story of the meet for the boys was the performance of the Lions in the jumps, sprints, and throws. Coming into the competition it was apparent that Vernon's strength was on the field so it was clear that the jumpers and throwers would have to raise the level of their performances to counter this strength - and rise they did. The first test came in the shot put where Vernon had three throwers in the SCIL Top 10, matching the number of Lions' throwers. The gauntlet was thrown down on the first throw when Vernon's first thrower recorded a mark of 37-10. His throw was nearly matched by sophomore Ricky Okoye with his first toss of 37-4. Vernon's next two throwers then recorded 40+ foot marks, matched by senior Kevin Flannery's 40-7.5 mark, and easily surpassed by classmate Theo Lusardi's throw of 49-6.25. Now the fun started as each thrower outdid the prior thrower, culminating in Viking Ken Devin's toss of 49-0.5. Then Lusardi ended any doubt about who was the Big Dog today. His next three throws was one of the best series in PJ history 50-6; then 51-2; and finally 51-4.5 - and new PR and easily the longest toss in the SCIL this year. Flannery and Okoye also PRed with throws of 42-5.5 and 42-3.25 respectively. Lusardi continued his great throw day at the discus sector. Lusardi set the new PJ standard for this throw with a monstrous heave of 153-9 to win the event. Classmate Sean Kramer picked up the third place point with a throw of 122-4. At the javelin, Flannery took second place with a PR toss of 146-8, while teammate, sophomore Clay Trainor took third with a PR throw of 139-11.

The sprinters and jumpers certainly did their part to contribute to the Lions' victory. Senior Jeremy Tucker won both the 100m (11.6) and 200m (23.2) sprints, while junior Chris Thomas won the high jump with a leap of 6-0, and the triple jump with a new PJ record of 44-2.25. Tucker then came back to win his third event of the day jumping 21-8 in the long jump event. Thomas' effort was especially noteworthy as his victory visibly took the wind out of the Vikings' sails. Prior to his leap the meet was relatively close. After the jump the meet was over for all intents and purposes.

The Lions have a week off from SCIL competition as several members of the team will be competing in the oldest track and field competition in the nation - the Penn Relays - this coming Thursday and Friday.

PHILADELPHIA, PA (April 26, 2007) - The 113th Penn Relays Carnival begins this morning for high school competitors, and the Pope John girls 4 x 800 team of Lara Heigis, Lauren Bariexca, Sarah Cariati, and Emily Carrollo are one of the favored entries. Having run the fastest indoor time ever by an American Catholic school, the girls will have stiff competition from the teams from Long Beach Poly of California, Eleanor Roosevelt of Maryland, and Lincoln-Sudbury of Massachusetts. In addition, traditional Jamaican powerhouse, Holmwood Tech, will be running a team that will look to defend its championship earned last year. At stake is the prestigious Penn Relays Carnival Championship of America plaque, the most prized award in collegiate and scholastic and field.

PHILADELPHIA, PA (April 26, 2007) - Seniors Lara Heigis and Lauren Bariexca, joined by sophomores Sarah Cariati and Emily Carrollo have advanced one step closer to achieving their goal of winning the Championship of America 4 x 800m title. Winning their heat (HSG Event 6) in the fastest time of the day, the Lady Lions completed the relay in a new PJ and Sussex County record time of 9:03.56. Heigis opened the race with a 2:19 split, slow by her standards, before handing off to Cariati for the second leg. Cariati completed her circuit in 2:16, handing the stick to NJ Indoor Meet of Champions 800m title holder, Bariexca, who ran an identical 2:16 third leg. Carrollo anchored in a blistering 2:11.8, the fastest split of the day, enabling the girls to run in the Championship of America race tomorrow at 12:40 PM..

But coming into the race with the fastest qualifying time doesn't guarantee the title. Holmwood Tech and Edwin Allen from Jamaica, along with Eleanor Roosevelt of Maryland, Warwick Central HS from New York, and Lincoln-Sudbury HS from Massachusetts will all be competing for the most prestigious trophy in scholastic track and field, the Championship of America plaque. Jamaican teams have won this event for the past ten years, and Coach Corcoran has stated that the Lions will have to run a sub-9 minute time to have a chance of winning. The good news is that the girls can do this. Corcoran said, "This group has at least another six seconds in them. They are perfectly capable of going 8:56 - 57 if they run smart and get some breaks".

The Lions' girls also ran the 4 x 400m relay today (HSG Event 39). The team of senior Tara Downing (60.6), junior Laura Loechner (62.1), senior Alex Bush (61.5), and sophomore Sarah Bieganousky (57.7) finished third in their heat (4:01.81) and did not qualify for the final tomorrow.

In addition to the girls race tomorrow, the Lions' boys will be running in the 4 x 800 qualifying heat. Stay tuned for the latest results.

PHILADELPHIA, PA (April 27, 2007) - Going into the Championship of America High School Girls 4 x 800 Championship of American race with the fastest qualifying time understandably inspired the Lions' team of seniors Lauren Bariexca and Lara Heigis joined by sophomores Sarah Cariati and Emily Carrollo. What was not inspiring were the numerous delays caused by lightning in the area. Set to go at 10:40 AM, the race wasn't run until past 3:00 PM. Nevertheless, the girls ran well, though not as well as in the qualifying heat, finishing fourth in a time of 9:07.49. The winner, Eleanor Roosevelt of Maryland, ran the second fastest time in U.S. history, 8:51.19.

POPE JOHN HS, SPARTA, NJ (April 30, 2007) - With freshmen recording their first varsity wins, class records rewritten, and numerous multiple winners, the Lions Girls and Boys extended their dual meet season records to 6 - 0, by nearly identical scores of 105 - 35 for the boys and 104.5 - 35.5 for the girls.

The highlights on the girls side include two first time varsity wins for freshmen Ashley Taylor in the 400m (64.1) and Brianna Boulier in the high jump (4-2). Fellow frosh Courtney Johnson set a new personal record in the javelin with a toss of 73-8, and classmate Alisha Lolk continues to break her own freshman class record in the high hurdles, today running sub-17 seconds for the first time. Her time of 16.6 lowered her PR by seven-tenths of a second and placing her at number three on the SCIL Top Ten list. Sophomore Melissa Romero tied her PR with a winning javelin throw of 106-4, keeping her solidly near the top of the SCIL list, and junior Caitlyn Lees recorded the first multiple win day of her career, taking both the 100m (13.6) and 200m (28.0) sprints. Finally, freshman thrower Kathryn Lederer PRed in the discus with a toss of 72-3.

For the boys, multiple winners and PR performances were the story of the day. Junior Jeff Weiler won the 200m (23.2) and the 400m (53.6), while classmate Chris Thomas jumped to three wins, taking the high jump (6-0), long jump (19-7.5), and triple jump (41-5). Sophomore Kevin McCormick registered his first varsity win, running 11:03.8 for the 3200m. Junior Chris Mugavero had his second PR performance in the last two meets with a mark of 35-1 in the shot put. Other notable PR performances were turned in by seniors: Rob Lennon won the 1600m race in 4:47.9; Tom Gallagher placed second in the 400 IH in a time of 62.2; Rob Prignano won the 110 HH in 15.4, while Mike Gaus placed third in the same race in a PR time of 17.6. In the javelin, freshman Jamaal Knight set a new PR and broke his own class record with a throw of 140-3, while fellow javelin thrower, senior Kevin Flannery, was a double winner, taking two of three throwing events - the shot with a heave of 40-3.5; the discus with a toss of 121-4; and finished second in the javelin with a throw of 145-6.

Both teams return to action on Thursday opposing the Wallkill Valley Rangers. The meet is scheduled to start at 3:45 PM at Wallkill.

WALLKILL VALLEY HS, HAMBURG, NJ (May 3, 2007) - Continuing their run through the SCIL dual meet season, both the girls and boys defeated the Rangers of Wallkill Valley by the scores of 104 - 36 and 112 - 28 respectively. Junior Laura Loechner was a double winner, taking both of the hurdle events. Laura opened with meet with a win in the 400 IH, recording a time of 68.3, then came back to win the 100 HH in a PR time of 17.0. Other highlights for the girls included sophomore Christina Careaga's victory in the triple jump with a PR mark of 33-4.5. Freshman Cat Carey recorded her first varsity win in the 1600 (6:32.4), while teammates Ciara Van Ness and Casey Keller ushered Carey across the line with identical times. Fellow frosh, Ashton Weiler registered her first sub-12 minute performance in the 3200, finishing in 11:55.6, number two on the SCIL Top Ten list.

The girl throwers also had a very good day. Sophomores Sylvia Okoye and Mackenzie Miller both registered PRs. Okoye in the discus with a throw of 89-0, good enough for second place in that event today, and 30-3 for Miller in the shot. Sylvia also PRed in the shot with a winning mark of 32-10.25. Finally, freshman Kathryn Lederer, throwing varsity discus for the first time, continued to extend her PR - today to a distance of 77-0.

The boys certainly did not stand pat as the girls registered their outstanding performances. Senior Tim Burns recorded his first varsity triple jump victory with a leap of 37-11.25, while classmate Mike Gaus won the pole vault with a PR mark of 10-6. In the intermediate hurdles and high hurdles, PJ runners registered several personal records. Tom Gallagher (60.6), Jason Frandi (61.6), Doug Murphy (62.4), and Brian "Jack" Grealy (64.9) all ran their fastest times in sweeping that event. Murphy later came back to PR in the 110 HH with a time of 19.3. Also, on the track, sophomore Joe Benedetto secured a second place finish in the 400m dash to earn his first varsity points.

Like the girls, the boy throwers had a terrific day. Senior Kevin Flannery had his second 13 point day this week, started by winning the shot put with a PR toss of 44-3.75. He then came back to win the javelin with a throw of 141-7, and finished by placing second in the discus with his second PR mark of the day, 123-6. Classmate Theo Lusardi won the event with a throw of 150-4. Freshman James Oroho recorded two PRs by posting a mark of 36-5 in the shot, then following that up with a toss of 104-3 in the discus. Sophomore Ricky Okoye also had a good day, placing third in the shot with a mark of 39-9.5, then throwing 112-4 in the discus, his first ever performance in that event. Junior Anthony Higgins also PRed in the discus with a throw of 92-7.

The teams will travel on Saturday evening to the Tim St. Lawrence track at Warwick Valley HS, Warwick, NY for the sixth annual Brian Ahearn Invitational. The meet starts at 6:30 PM.

WARWICK VALLEY CENTRAL HS, WARWICK, NY (May 5, 2007) - Pope John Track fans know to put the Warwick Valley invitationals on the top of their list of must see meets. Not only are the Purple Wave one of the top teams in NY state and the nation, but the Tim St. Lawrence track complex is arguably the fastest in the Northeast. Put all that together with the quality of talent invited to these meets and you are bound to have fast times, higher heights, and longer distances. In addition to PJ and Warwick Valley, Syosset NY HS and New Paltz NY HS also participated. Overall, this meet served as a great warm-up for the SCIL Relays scheduled for this coming Wednesday at Wallkill Valley HS.

Three Sussex County records fell on Saturday night. The girls 4 x 100 team of junior Caitlyn Lees, senior Tara Downing, and sophomores Kasey Homa with Emily Carrollo ran the first sub-50 second time in county history when they put up a time of 49.9, eclipsing their time of 50.0 set two weeks ago at the Raider Relays. Downing and Carrollo came back later, joining with sophomore Sarah Bieganousky and senior Alex Bush, to re-write the county record in the 4 x 400. Their time of 3:56.1 erased the Lions' time of 3:59.9 established last year. Carrollo's split of 56.2 on the anchor leg was the highlight of this relay. Coming into the last turn with Warwick Valley's runner on her shoulder, Carrollo's kick was awesome. However, it wasn't Emily's fastest 400m of the evening. Earlier, she set the new Sussex County record in the 400m, running a sizzling 56.0, supplanting Elise Fugowski's (Vernon) 2006 time of 56.5.

In addition to the three County records, five new PJ records were set. First, senior Amy Sapol broke her own school record of 8-1 when she cleared 8-6 tonight. Sapol was on a long plateau at 8-0, but in the last few meets she is flying progressively higher. By the end of her career it is certainly possible that she could reach the magical 10-0 mark. The boys too, contributed to the record-breaking. The 4 x 100 team of junior Jeff Weiler and seniors, Jeremy Tucker, Jimmy Fiorello, and Theo Lusardi ran 43.9 to break the 2004 record of 44.0. Tucker set another record when he long-jumped 21-9.25, breaking the 2005 record of Mike Mazur (21-8.5). Junior Chris Thomas broke his own record in the triple jump when he leaped 44-5, and senior Jeremy Scheid, running his first 2000m steeplechase, put up a time of 6:38.2 to set a new school record for that event.

Numerous class records were set: Senior Tara Downing in the 100m (12.6); senior Lauren Bariexca in the 1600m (5:03.8 converted from 1500m time of 4:44.8); senior Lara Heigis in the 3200m (converted from 3000m time of 10:17.7); sophomore Melissa Romero in the javelin (116-7); junior Laura Loechner in the 400 IH (67.2); freshman A.J. Hanifin (7:26.6), sophomore Kevin McCormick (7:01.8), and junior Nick Beese (7:03.8), all in the 2000m steeplechase.

An incredible number of personal records were established. All are listed in the table below.

Personal Records Set: Ahearn Invitational (May 5, 2007)
Name	Class	Event	Time
Erin Smith	Freshman	100m	13.6
Ashley Taylor	Freshman	200m, 400m	28.5, 68.7
Grace Lederer	Junior	400m	69.2
Sarah Bieganousky	Sophomore	800m	2:20.2
Katie Potter	Junior	800m, 1600m	2:49.1, 5:58.8 (conv)
Sarah Cariati	Sophomore	1600m	4:48.1 (conv)
Casey Keller	Junior	1600m	5:01.1 (conv)
Zaharo Tsekouras	Junior	1600m	5:51.8 (conv)
Ali Taylor	Freshman	1600m	5:49.5 (conv)
Laura Loechner	Junior	100 HH	16.9
Brianna Bourlier	Freshman	400 IH	75.4
Jackie Olmstead	Freshman	400 IH	77.9
Tina Okoye	Sophomore	Shot Put	27-0.5
Chris Shukoski	Sophomore	400m	60.2
Josh D'Anna	Junior	800m	2:05.8
Paraic O'Reilly	Sophomore	800m	2:11.0
Dan Flinn	Senior	800m	2:16.1
Graham Medak	Junior	800m	2:16.1
Clay Smith	Senior	1600m	4:23.9
Tim Burns	Senior	1600m	4:27.9
Ryan Ehrhardt	Sophomore	1600m	4:45.8
Ben Woods	Sophomore	1600m	5:09.6
Matt Bourlier	Sophomore	1600m	5:19.2
Brendan Ferris	Freshman	1600m	5:20.6
Michael Peer	Senior	1600m	5:52.5
Jon Juleus	Junior	3200m	9:40.8
Nick Beese	Junior	3200m	9:52.9
Tim Paziora	Sophomore	3200m	10:11.7
Kevin McCormick	Sophomore	3200m	10:15.1
Chris Gaus	Sophomore	3200m	10:27.0
A.J. Hanifin	Freshman	3200m	10:31.7
Mike Gaus	Senior	110 HH	17.4
Ricky Lencsak	Sophomore	110 HH	17.7
Joe Benedetto	Sophomore	400 IH	68.5
James Oroho	Freshman	Shot Put	36-7
Kevin Flannery	Senior	Javelin	152-3
Chris Thomas	Junior	HJ	6-3 (Outdoor only)
Relay Split PRs
Angela Poccia	Freshman	4 x 400	67.0
Rachel Koch	Senior	4 x 400	67.4
Katherine Ozmeral	Senior	4 x 400	69.3
Kim Brinkerhoff	Junior	4 x 400	69.4
Grace Wilson	Senior	4 x 400	1:24.2
Katherine Potter	Junior	4 x 400	1:14.8
Tim Burns	Senior	4 x 400	54.0
Jon Juleus	Junior	4 x 400	53.6
Jason Frandi	Sophomore	4 x 400	54.5
Josh D'Anna	Junior	4 x 400	54.2
Ryan Ehrhardt	Sophomore	4 x 400	56.2
Rob Prignano	Senior	4 x 400	55.3
Chris Thomas	Junior	4 x 400	55.8
James Fiorello	Senior	4 x 400	55.8
James Morrissey	Freshman	4 x 400	59.5
Dan Flinn	Senior	4 x 400	57.3
Brendan Ferris	Freshman	4 x 400	60.6
Mike Grenthal	Freshman	4 x 400	67.5
Kenny Carroll	Freshman	4 x 400	65.1

Finally, senior captain Carolyn Bieganousky returned from injury to run a leg on the 4 x 400 relay. CB, despite her injury, hasn't missed a practice during the entire winter and spring seasons except to attend physical therapy for her injured knee. One of the top 400 intermediate hurdlers in the state prior to her injury, her joy was evident as she circled the track, as was the pleasure seen on the faces of her parents, her teammates and her coaches.

POPE JOHN XXIII HS, SPARTA, NJ (May 7, 2007) - Displaying overall team strength and depth, the Lions girls and boys dominated the Kittatinny Cougars today. The girls won by the score of 117 - 23, while the boys posted a 101 - 39 victory. This is the last dual meet prior to the SCIL Relays on Wednesday. Today's effort continues the performances of the past several meets - many new PRs were the order of the day.

For the girl throwers, sophomore Mackenzie Miller PRed in the shot for the second consecutive dual meet, recording a mark of 30-5.25, good enough for Mackenzie's first varsity win in the event. On the JV level, sophomore Tina Okoye also PRed with a throw of 28-4.5. In the discus, sophomore April Conway PRed with a throw of 75-1. Staying on the field, junior Kim Brinkerhoff set a new personal best of 4-8 in the high jump, this following her PR time of 16.9 in the high hurdles. Seniors Emily Smith and Amy Sapol excelled in the pole vault. Smith PRed with a height of 8-0, while Sapol tied her own school record when she cleared 8-6. On the track, freshman Ashley Taylor ran her best time in the 400m (63.1), while classmate Aubrey Ford split 1:16.1 on her leg of the 4 x 400 for a new PR at that distance.

On the boys side, senior triple-threat thrower, Kevin Flannery, PRed in the discus with a toss of 125-8. Sophomore Ben Woods recorded his first varsity win, taking the 1600m run in 5:15.5. Sophomore Jason Frandi ran his best time in the 400 IH (61.2), while classmate Rob Henry cleared 10-0 for the first time in the pole vault. Finally, senior Dan Flinn scored his first varsity points of the campaign placing third in the 1600m run with a time of 5:16.2.

The championship season begins on Wednesday at the SCIL Relays. These games are scheduled to begin at 3:30 with field events, 4:00 on the track, at Wallkill Valley HS.

WALLKILL VALLEY HS, HAMBURG, NJ (May 9, 2007) - Both the girls and boys teams scored 136 points to win the 2007 version of the SCIL Relays, but the manner by which each team accumulated their points was quite different. The girls proved to be a true "track" team, continuing their streak started in 2004. Winning eleven events in all, including all of the running events, the girls won the Javelin competition in the field, but placed in all of the other field events save the shot put and high jump. On the other hand, the boys demonstrated great team balance and range. The boys won nine events, but three of those, and a large number of placement points, came in the field. In fact, the only event where the boys did not have a placement was the javelin relay.

Table of Events Won
Girls 136 - 100 (High Point)	Boys 136 - 120 (Vernon)

4 x 1600 (J. Heigis, A. Weiler, C. Keller, L. Heigis)	4 x 1600 (N. Beese, T. Burns, J. Scheid, J. Juleus)
800 Medley (C. Lees, K. Homa, T. Downing, E. Carrollo)***	Long Jump (J. Tucker, C. Thomas)
SH (K. Brinkerhoff, A. Lolk, L. Loechner, E. Smith)	4 x 800 (R. Ehrhardt, R. Lennon, J. D'Anna, C. Smith)
4 x 200 (As. Taylor, A. Bush, T. Downing, S. Bieganousky)	Shot Put (T. Lusardi, K. Flannery)
4 x 800 (K. Murphy, S. Cariati, A. Weiler, L. Bariexca)	4 x 100 (J. Tucker, J. Fiorello, J. Weiler, T. Lusardi)
4 x 100 (C. Lees, T. Downing, K. Homa, E. Carrollo)	SMR (D. Kratzer, D. Seabold, T. Roy, J. Juleus)
Javelin (M. Romero, C. Meehan)	High Jump (C. Thomas, C. Smith)
3 x IH (S. Bieganousky, L. Loechner, B. Bourlier) ***	DMR (T. Burns, J. Frandi, C. Smith, J. Scheid)
SMR (As. Taylor, A. Bush, E. Carrollo, L. Bariexca)	4 x 400 (J. Weiler, R. Lennon, J. Juleus, T. Roy)
DMR (S. Cariati, C. Bieganousky, J. Heigis, L. Heigis)
4 x 400 (L. Loechner, S. Bieganousky, A. Bush, L. Bariexca)

The outcome of the meet was never in doubt on the girls side. Though High Point put up a gallant struggle, the depth of talent wearing the blue and white was too much to withstand. Outstanding individual performances resoundingly brought home the point. Sophomore thrower Mackenzie Miller had two PRs on the day, first throwing 30-9.75 in the shot put, then tossing 86-9 in the discus competition. Combined with teammate Amy Spekhardt, the pair threw a total distance of 170-6, good enough for fourth place in that event. Equally impressive was the second place finish of junior Anne Lockwood and senior Amy Sapol in the pole vault relay. Each girl vaulted 8-0 to finish with a combined total of 16-0. The shuttle hurdle team of junior Kim Brinkerhoff, freshman Alisha Lolk, junior Laura Loechner and senior Emily Smith became the first foursome to ever win the event in PJ track history. Finally, the javelin team of sophomore Melissa Romero and senior Caitlin Meehan pulled off the biggest upset of the day, winning the competition with a combined total of 201-5.

Most noteworthy of the girls accomplishments today was the new Sussex County record set by the 3 x IH team of sophomore Sarah Bieganousky, junior Laura Loechner, and freshman Brianna Bourlier. The girls broke their own record set three weeks ago at the Raider Relays, running a time of 3:20.96.

On the boys side, five seniors stood out from the remarkable overall performance of the team. Senior Jeremy Scheid was a member of the winning 4 x 1600 meter relay, then came back to run the anchor 1600m leg of the DMR. Scheid was able to coast during the 4 x 1600 - by the time he was handed the baton the Lions' lead was insurmountable - but he had to run a smart race in the DM. The Jefferson team had loaded its DM with fresh runners in an effort to defeat the Lions in an event that has been owned by the Lions for many years. Scheid smashed their hopes. Getting the stick even with the Jefferson runner, Jeremy stayed on the Jefferson runner's shoulder until with 300 meters to go he started his kick. Showing speed that he rarely displayed, Scheid led by 20 meters as he came down the final stretch and across the finish line.

Senior throwers Kevin Flannery and Theo Lusardi also had big days. The pair placed first in the shot put and second in the discus competition, with Flannery having a PR toss of 125-1 in the discus, and Lusardi putting the longest shot of the day with a 48-11.75 foot throw. Lusardi later came back to anchor the winning 4 x 100 team. Joining Lusardi on the 4 x 100 was Jeremy Tucker who ran the leadoff leg. Tucker showed his versatility by joining with junior Chris Thomas to win the long jump. Thomas later went on to win the high jump with classmate Clay Smith. The last senior who deserves to be recognized is Tom Roy. Roy ran the third leg of the winning Sprint Medley Relay time, then came back to anchor the 4 x 400 gold medal team.

The Lions return to action against Sparta on Friday, at home, starting at 3:45. This meet will mark the end of the dual meet season.

POPE JOHN HS, SPARTA, NJ (May 11, 2007) - The Sparta - Pope John cross-town rivalry continued today with the Lions defeating the Spartan boys and girls by scores of 106 - 34 and 108 - 32, respectively. The victory marks a milestone for the seniors as they can now state that they are undefeated by the league in dual meet competition during their entire tenure as Lions. The victory also represents the second of three "jewels" in the triple crown of SCIL track, the teams securing the first jewel when they took the Relays championships earlier in the week. Only the SCIL Festival Championships await next Wednesday and Thursday.

Of course, no Sparta - PJ meet can occur without outstanding performances being turned in by the Lions. This meet was no exception. For the boys, junior Chris Thomas and senior Theo Lusardi continued their battle for team point supremacy, each winning three events on the day. Lusardi won the shot (47-5.5), discus (142-11.5) and the 200m (22.7), the 200m time being the fastest in the SCIL this year. Thomas won the high jump (6-0), long jump (21-1), and the triple jump (44-11), the latter mark being a new Sussex County record. Thomas' three wins allowed him to maintain a slim three point margin over Lusardi (110 - 107) in team points scored.

The boys registered several PRs as well. Senior Rob Lennon set a new personal mark in the 1600m run, recording a time of 4:40.8. The Lafayette College bound senior is showing remarkable improvement in his first spring track campaign. Fellow senior Kevin Flannery continues to extend his discus mark, today throwing 126-8, helping the Lions sweep the Spartans in that event. Classmate Sean Kramer also had a good day in the event, throwing 123-2.5, a season best, to take the last point for PJ. Sophomore Ricky Okoye had a double PR day, first clearing 5-6 in the high jump, just barely missing at 5-8. He then came back to PR in the discus with a throw of 113-4. Junior Steve Whitehouse also PRed in the discus with a toss of 116-11.5. Senior Dave Seabold PRed for the second meet in a row in the 200, today running a time of 23.9, while senior triple jumper Tim Burns (38-8) also recorded his best performances. Sophomore javelin thrower, Mike DeStefano, registered a huge PR with a toss of 113-9. Finally, seniors Ryan Norris (16.3 HH) and Mike Gaus (10-6 PV), with sophomore Greg Masters (10-6 PV) tied their personal bests.

On the girls side, sophomores Sarah Bieganousky and Emily Carrollo each won two events. Bieganousky continued to rewrite the PJ record books, today posting a time of 63.5 in the 400 IH. Sarah also won the open 400m with a time of 58.8. Carrollo won both of the sprint races, taking the 100 in a time of 13.0 and the 200 in 26.3. Not to be undone, senior Lara Heigis won both of the distance races, running a comfortable 5:38.5 in the 1600 and an equally comfortable 12:01.1 in the 3200.

Like the boys, the girls had their share of PR performances. Juniors Laura Loechner set a new personal mark in the high hurdles with a time of 16.6, while Kim Brinkerhoff cleared 4-8 to win the high jump. Fellow jumper, senior Katherine Ozmeral, leaped 16-2.25 for a personal record in the long jump. Finally, freshmen Ashton Weiler ran a PR 400m split of 64.9 on the second leg of the 4 x 400 relay.

WALLKILL VALLEY HS, HAMBURG, NJ (May 17, 2007) - The track and field class of 2007 has set (more accurately continues) a record that can never be broken - going undefeated for their entire careers against the rest of the Sussex County Interscholastic League. Today's victories by the girls and boys in the annual SCIL Festival places the final punctuation mark on a string of wins that dates back five years for the boys and four years for the girls. The final team scores are indicative of the Lions' dominance. The girls scored 183 points to Vernon's second place total of 92. The boys scored 152 points, and like their female counterparts, the Vernon boys placed second with 87 points. The Festival victories represent the third jewel in the SCIL "triple crown", both teams having previously won the regular season titles, and the SCIL Relays championships. As has been the case for the entire run, great individual performances, coupled with overall team depth, were the deciding factors today.

For the girls, senior Lara Heigis was the sole double champion in individual events, winning both the 1600m run in a time of 5:17.10 and the 3200m run in 11:24.54. Lara finishes her SCIL career as the most successful distance runner in league history, winning more cross-country and track titles than any other female. Heigis was not the only PJ point scorer in the distance events, sophomore Sarah Cariati finished second in the 1600, a mere six one-hundredths of a second behind her teammate, completing the race in 5:17.16. Junior Casey Keller finished fifth in the 1600 in a time of 5:27.93. Cariati also placed second in the 800m run, finishing behind senior Lauren Bariexca, who was clocked in at a very comfortable 2:21.21. Lauren also picked-up a second gold medal as part of the winning 4 x 400 relay. Her teammates in the relay were junior Laura Loechner, classmate Alex Bush, (who placed third in the 800 behind Bariexca and Cariati), and sophomore Emily Carrollo, who was the winner of the 400m run (57.24). Bariexca finished third in that race (59.26), while sophomore Sarah Bieganousky finished second (58.90). In the 3200m run, Lara's sister, sophomore Jenny Heigis finished fourth (11:50.63), just ahead of freshman Ashton Weiler who took the fifth place points in a time of 11:54.05.

The performance of the meet, however, occurred in the very first race, the 400 IH. In that race the aforementioned Sarah Bieganousky won the race in a Sussex County record time of 63.00, eclipsing the 2004 record of High Point's Tracy Fitzpatrick (63.3). Other PJ athletes that earned placements on the track include senior Tara Downing who placed second in the 100 (12.85); Emily Carrollo who finished second in the 200 (25.08); Laura Loechner, third in the 100 HH (16.82) and third in the 400 IH (66.43); and junior Kim Brinkerhoff placed fifth in the 100HH (17.23).

The girls also distinguished themselves in the field - with two girls registering victories. Senior Amy Sapol won the pole vault competition with a vault of 8-6, and sophomore Melissa Romero won the javelin with a throw of 112-1. Both Sapol and Romero are first time champions, and these wins are testament to the hard work of both. Amy has been consistently improving since her sophomore year, and Melissa has continued to work on her technique to the point where she is very close to qualifying for the national championships. Junior Anne Lockwood also placed in the pole vault, clearing 8-0 to take fourth place. In the horizontal jumps senior Katherine Ozmeral placed second in the triple jump with a leap of 32-0. "Oz" also place fifth in the long jump with a mark of 15-2.25. Also placing in the triple jump were senior Rachel Koch (3rd - 31-9) and sophomore Christina Careaga (4th - 30-6.5). Finally, in the shot put competition sophomore Sylvia Okoye placed sixth with a toss of 30-10.5.

On the boys side, seniors Theo Lusardi and Jeremy Tucker were double winners. Lusardi won both the shot put and discus competitions, cementing his leadership of the SCIL in both events. Lusardi had a heave of 49-4 in the shot and 142-2 in the discus. Theo also finished fourth in the 200m sprint with a time of 23.04. Meanwhile, Tucker proved to be the fastest boy in the SCIL winning both sprint events. His time of 10.95 is the fastest time in the SCIL this year, and is the first sub-11 second time recorded this season. Jeremy also ran the fastest time in the league when he won the 200m sprint in a time of 22.71 (FAT), displacing Lusardi (22.7) as the top 200 runner in the SCIL. Tucker also placed fourth in the long jump with a leap of 19-8. Senior James Fiorello finished fifth in the 100m to round out the scoring in the sprints.

The Lions also controlled the mid-distance and distance events. Senior Tom Roy won the 800m run with a time of 2:02.46. Classmate Rob Lennon placed fourth in the event finishing in 2:04.75. In the 1600m run, junior Jon Juleus led a trio of Lions who placed in the top six. Juleus finished first in a time of 4:25.94, followed by seniors Tim Burns in third (4:27.86) and Clay Smith in fourth (4:28.68). Finally, in the 3200m run, senior Jeremy Scheid easily won the race with a time of 9:46.00, outdistancing Juleus in second (9:51.58) and junior Nick Beese finishing fifth in 9:55.94.In the hurdle events senior Rob Prignano placed third in the 110 HH (15.39) and fourth in the 400 IH (58.90). With the outcome of team scoring not in doubt, in the last event on the track the Lions finished third in the 4 x 400 relay. Lennon, Burns, Juleus, and Roy were the crew for that event.

In the jumps, junior Chris Thomas finished second in the high jump (6-4) and the triple jump (43-6.25). He also placed third in the long jump with a mark of 19-9.25. Finally, in one of the most exciting events of the day, with the team leading Vernon by a mere one point, the discus team of Lusardi, and fellow seniors Kevin Flannery and Sean Kramer stepped-up by taking three placements. Lusardi won, as reported above, followed by Flannery in third, throwing a PR 134-10, and Kramer in fifth with a season best 123-8. Vernon did not place in the event giving the boys a 19 point margin at the conclusion of the event. The lead mushroomed from that point on.

Next up for the Lions is the NJCTC Frosh-Soph meet on Sunday, May 20, at St. John Vianney HS in Holmdel, NJ.

ST. JOHN VIANNEY HS, HOLMDEL, NJ (May 20, 2007) - Freshman Brianna Bourlier knew it was going to be a good day, both for herself and for the freshmen girls. Running in the first race of the day, Bourlier easily won the frosh girls intermediate hurdles in a time of 1:12.20. She was followed across the line by her classmates, Jackie Olmstead (4th - 1:17.40), and Maggie Cooney (5th - 1:21.50). But the day only got better for freshman sprite, as she placed in two field events and was part of the victorious 4 x 400 relay team. Bourlier finished fourth in the long jump (13-6) behind classmate Caroline Kuras (3rd - 13-9) and second in the triple jump (29-9). She led off the winning frosh girls 4 x 400 relay, giving a nice lead to Angela Poccia, who lengthened the lead before passing the baton to Kuras. Kuras maintained the lead and handed-off to anchor Ashley Taylor who ran a smooth and fast leg to deliver the win in a comfortable 4:26.50. In addition to running the anchor on the winning 4 x 4, Taylor also placed second in the 200m dash (27.80) and fourth in the 400m dash (64.80). The frosh girls distance corps delivered points as well. In the 1600m run, Ashton Weiler finished third in 5:29.50, then repeated that placement in the 3200m run in a time of 12:26.70. Classmate Marissa Galante finished just behind Weiler in fourth, running just three-tenths of a second slower, finishing in 12:27.00.

Other frosh girls event winners included Alisha Lolk, who won the 100m high hurdles in 17:00 flat. Lolk continues to master this event after a very successful dual meet season where she set the frosh class record (16.6). It comes as no surprise that she and Bourlier are lifting partners and good buddies, as each pushes the other to maximize their performances. The last freshman girl winner of the day was Erin Smith. Smith won the pole vault competition when she cleared 7-0, then came back to place second in the 100m dash, finishing in 13.30. The final placement of the day for the freshmen girls came when Courtney Johnson placed third in the javelin throw, recording a mark of 69-8. The tally at the end of the day gave 106.50 points to the frosh girls. The second place team was Bishop Eustace with 82 points.

The sophomore girls demonstrated the same balance and depth as the freshmen girls. They scored 106 points on the day to outdistance second place Msgr. Donovan with 93 points. The first victory of the day belonged to Melissa Romero, who easily won the javelin competition with a toss of 104-10. The only other event win for the soph girls went to Christina Careaga, who won the triple jump with a leap of 32-11, a full two and one-half feet longer than the number two finisher. Classmate Pam Hitcherich placed third in the event with a jump of 28-4. Both Careaga and Hitcherich each had two other placements on the day. Christina finished second in the long jump (14-3) and ran a leg on the second place 4 x 400 relay team. Pam placed fifth in the long jump (13-1) and sixth in the high jump (4-3).

Other girls with multiple placements included Jenny Heigis and Ciara Vanness who ran the distance double. In the 1600m run, Heigis placed second (5:35.40) with Vanness in third (5:45.40). Coming back in the 3200m run, Heigis again placed second (12:21.30), while Vanness finished in fourth with a time of 13:29.60. Kasey Homa had three placements on the day, finishing second in the 100m dash (13.40); third in the 200m dash (28.30); and she ran the anchor leg of the second place 4 x 400 relay that finished in 4:29.30. The other girl on the relay in addition to the aforementioned Careaga, Homa and Romero was Rebecca Costantini. The sophomore girls really demonstrated their depth in the throwing events. In the shot put competition, Chelsea Callahan placed second with a PR toss of 30-2.5. Classmates Mackenzie Miller finished fifth with a put of 29-8, followed by Sylvia Okoye in sixth with a throw of 29-7. In the discus, April Conway had a huge PR with a throw of 83-0 to place second, ahead of Miller who had her second placement of the day with a throw of 81-8.

On the boys side, the undisputed star was freshman A.J. Hanifin, who won both the 1600m (4:47.20) and 3200m (10:41.20) runs. In both races Hanifin had to battle game competitors from Don Bosco Prep and the young Lion showed tremendous heart in fighting for the wins. Other medalists on the track for the boys included sophomore Jason Frandi who finished second in the 400 IH (1:01.60); sophomore Ryan Ehrhardt who placed third in the soph boys 1600m run (4:48.60) and fourth in the 800m (2:11.80); freshman Dan McIntyre who placed third in the 200m dash (24.70); and sophomore David Kratzer who finished with the bronze in the soph 200m dash (24.00). Finally, freshman Jamaal Knight, placed sixth in the 100m dash with a time of 13.00, while sophomore Ricky Okoye took a fourth in the 100 with a time of 12.50.

In the field, sophomore Rick Lencsak placed fourth in the sophomore triple jump (34-7.25), while freshman Sean Reid PRed and set a new frosh class record in the pole vault with his second place clearance of 10-6). Fellow vaulter, sophomore Greg Masters, placed third in the soph pole vault competition when he cleared 10-0. Ricky Okoye took his second placement of the day when he cleared 5-6 to take fifth place in the high jump. For the boy throwers, freshman James Oroho had a PR effort in the freshman discus with a toss of 101-8, good enough for second place. Sophomore Clay Trainor took third in the soph javelin with a throw of 123-07, while Okoye took his third placement of the day with a PR toss of 124-11 to win the sophomore discus competition.

Thomas (HJ), Bariexca (800), Heigis (1600, 3200), Romero (Jav) & Girls' 4 x 4 Win

SILVER EAGLE STADIUM, EGG HARBOR TWP HS (June 1 & 2, 2007) - The Pope John Lady Lions defended their Non-Public A State Championship this weekend when they scored 127 points to demolish the rest of the competition. Second place went to Paramus Catholic with 50 points.


Caitlyn Lees	Courtney Johnson

Marissa Galante and Ashton Weiler	Ciara Van Ness and Cat Carey


Kevin McCormick, Chris Gaus, A.J. Hanifin	Kevin Flannery


Jeff Weiler and Dave Kratzer	Mike Gaus


Mike Gaus	Lauren Bariexca, Lara Heigis, Sarah Cariati