Records And Hot Times Rule The Union County Conference Track and Field Championships

by | May 14, 2023

RESULTS

The top athletes in the Union County left a lot of smoke on track after producing several scorching performances and the Cranford and Union Catholic girls repeated as champs at the Union County Conference Championships, which concluded on Friday at Gov. Livingston High School in Berkeley Heights.

Several records fell, a pair of NJ No. 1 times were run, and lots of sparkling doubles were turned in at the 2-day meet.

Let’s get right into all the hot stuff!!!

WATCHUNG DIVISION FIREWORKS

Both 400’s featured sizzling meet records as Rabae Smith of Linden and Cynthia Boakye of Elizabeth dropped huge PR’s. Smith burned a 47.90, the No. 2 time in the state this season, and the Rutgers-bound Boakye ran a sizzling 55.55, the fastest time in the state this season, and No. 10 in Union County history.

There’s more from the Watchung.

Nate Rayan of Scotch Plains-Fanwood, who came into the season with a PR of 15.05 in the 110 hurdles, smashed the meet record twice and took over the state lead in the high hurdles. The Clemson-bound Rayan first broke the meet record when he ran 13.87 in the trials, and broke it again with his NJ No. 1 time of 13.75 in the final. Rayan is now the fifth fastest high hurdler in Union County history!!!!

There were also some fast 1,600’s!!
Junior Sonia Olson of Westfield dropped a 70 point final 400 to rally win the Watchung 1,600 with a huge PR of 5:02.82, the second fastest time in Westfield history. The time by Olson, who edged Courtney Kaiser of Union Catholic (second with a PR of 5:03.37) is an eight second PR!!!  The great Katie Hamilton is the only girl in Westfield history to run faster than Olson. Hamilton, now a sophomore at Duke, ran 4:51.47 to win the 2021 Group 4 1,600 title. A week later, Hamilton won the 1,600 at the Meet of Champions.

 

Another Watchung Division record that fell came in the 100 hurdles when Taylor Cox of Union Catholic won the 100 hurdles in 13.95, just off her NJ No. 1 time of 13.87 that she ran last month at the Bullis Invitational. Cox, who helped lead the Vikings to a 178-105 win over runner-up Elizabeth, also won the 400 hurdles in 1:03.22, which is NJ No. 4 this season, and a huge PR. Cox’s previous best was 1:05.79 from the Union County Relays last year.

WESTFIELD BOYS AND UNION CATHOLIC GIRLS WIN WATCHUNG TITLES

The Westfield boys avenged its close lose to Union Catholic at the County Relays last week with a 135-129 victory over Union Catholic. They will cash again in what should be another close battle to the wire at the County Track and Field Championships later this month at Hub Stine Field.

Westfield once again received huge points from its throwers, 68 to be exact!!! That’s 68 out of possible 72. That’s simply amazing, something that you rarely ever see at a high quality meet like this!

Westfield went 1-2-3 in the shot and discus and 1-3-4 in the javelin.

In the discus, Owen Paul finished first (160-6), Phin Mindak was second (156-4), and Joe McGovern took third (145-3). Ben Abrams won the shot (48-9), Paul was second (47-8.25), and Max Romano finished third (46-9). Ben Abrams won the shot put for the Blue Devils with a throw of 48-9, with Paul second (47-8.25), and Max Romano third (46-9). Mason Marino led a 1-3-4 finish in the javelin for Westfield with a winning throw of 171-5. Jeremy Cruz was third (152-0), and Gabe  Dayon was third (149-0).

Westfield also picked up 35 points in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 combined, including a 1-2 in the 1,600 from Eamon Mason (4:30.06) and Kaleb Stoeckman (4:33.01), and Eamon Collins cleared 6-0 to win the high jump for the Blue Devils.
The UC girls, in addition to the hurdle sweep by Cox, received a great all-round performance from Alexandra Bonn, and picked up numerous victories across the board on the way the title.
Bonn won the triple jump with a leap of 38-8.50, which is NJ No. 3, placed second in the long jump (17-9.25), and was fifth in the 100 hurdles. UC also picked up victories from Seton Dill in the pole vault (8-6), Jimmiea King in the 800 (2:14.63), and from Ella Solarzano, who led a 1-2 finish for UC in the 3,200 with a winning time of 11:35.74. Caitlin Toy was second for UC in the 3,200. Kaiser, as mentioned earlier, ran a big PR to get second in the 1600 for the Vikings.

RAHWAY BOYS AND CRANFORD GIRLS WIN MOUNTAIN TITLES

Micah Lawson was a double winner and Jaydin Lopez, Rolando Simpson and Tamar Wynn-Bouie all won races to spark Rahway to the boys title.

Lawson, who won Meet of Champions this school year in XC and indoors in the 1,600, captured the 1,600 in 4:21.47, won the 3,200 in 9:55.91, and was second in the 800 in 1:53.31 to lead the Indian to a 147-98 win over runner-up Cranford.

 Lopez won the 400 hurdles in 58.33 and was second in the 100 hurdles. Wynn-Bouie won the 110 hurdles in 15.67, and Simpson captured the 200 in 22.82, and was second in the 400. Damani Brown also had a big meet for Rahway, placing second in both the 1,600 (4:25.72) and the 800 (1:54.67).

New Providence senior Hayden Singer had a great double, winning the 800 in 1:53.28 and the 400 in 50.04.

In the girls Mountain Division, Cranford strong balanced attack was the difference as the Cougars edged runner-up Rahway, 126-122, for its second straight title.

Cranford received victories from sophomore Isabella Alvarez-Gomez in the 400 hurdles in 1:05.08, sophomore Sanaa Wright in the high jump (5-0), junior Kristen Fries in the discus (94-2), and senior Isabella DeStefano in the javelin with a 99-7.

BREARLEY BOYS AND GOV. LIVINGSTON GIRLS WIN VALLEY DIVISION TITLES 

Brearley, led by senior David Hilton Jr. and a deep and talented supporting cast, rolled to the boys Valley Division crown, and triple-winner Samantha Richter ignited the Gov. Livingston girls to a 150-93 victory over runner-up Johnson.

In the boys competition, Hilton Jr. won the 110 hurdles and the high jump, and placed second in the 100 and third in the 200 for a total of 34 points to lead Brearley to a dominate 201-91 victory over runner-up Plainfield.

Brearley also received victories from Andre Santos, who led a 1-2-3 finish for Brearley in the 3,200, Chris DeMatos, who led a 1-2-3 finish for the Bears in the pole vault, Rashon Thorne in the discus, and Vaughn Marranca in the javelin.

On the girls side, Richter, a junior, pulled off the distance trifecta by winning the 800, 1,600, and 3,200 to lead a a remarkable showing by GL’s distance crew, who racked up 68 of the Highlanders 150 points. GL, which scored all over the place, also received a victory from  sophomore Cora Hanratty in the pole vault (8-6).