MAY 01, 2023
Middletown North Wins at Rocket Relays
By Tim Morris

The Middletown North boys’ track and field season took off at the Rocket Relays. The Lions dominated the season-opening meet hosted by Raritan High School, piling up 72 points and scoring five wins on the way to finishing first.

On the track, the Lions’ stable of sprinters won the 4×100, 4×200 and 1,000-meter Swedish Relay. The speedsters set school records in the 4×200 and Swedish Relay. In the field, Middletown North jumpers and throwers won the triple jump and javelin relays.

Trade Girgus, Christian Sanford, Richard Welton and Jack Chenoweth lowered the school 4×200-meter record to 1:31.86.

The unique Swedish Relay consists of 100-, 200-, 300- and 400-meter legs. Josiah Stepney, Sanford, Girgus and Chenoweth teamed up to break the school record, clocking 2:00.9. Stepney opened with an 11.4 century. Sanford posted a 22.7 for the 200, and Girgus turned in a 36.0-second 300 split. Chenoweth secured the record with 400 meters in 50.2 seconds.

“We really like this race,” said North Coach Ray Convey. “It shows the versatility of our sprinters.”

It was Girgus, Jack Viola, Welton and Chenoweth who captured the 4×100 (44.31).

Brandon Crimaldi (38-1.5) and Matthew Rufo (37-5.5) won the triple jump with the second and third best jumps of the competition.

Led by Matthew Sheehan’s best throw of the meet (144-10), the Lions placed first in the javelin relay. Ian Poole-Morgan clinched gold with his 109-5 throw.

The Lions didn’t win the long jump, but Viola had the best leap of the competition, 19-7 ¾.

Besides the five wins, Middletown North scored in the shuttle hurdles (second), 4×800 (second), long jump (fourth).

The victory and strength shown on the track and in the field bodes well for a Middletown North team that will be seeking a third straight NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III championship later this spring.

“I wasn’t expecting to win,” said Convey of the Lions’ performance at the Rocket Relays. “I didn’t think we’d run that fast this soon. What was really good was some new kids giving us depth. This sets us up going forward.”

Also at the Rocket Relays, Rumson-Fair Haven scored a pair of wins. The foursome of Mickey Schroeder, Jack McBarron, Patrick Simpson and Quinn Padovano won the Distance Medley Relay (11:02.41) while Padovano, Padraig Flynn, McBarron and Owen Saad won the 4×400 (3:32.09).

Red Bank Regional’s Tyler Lisko soared 13-0 for the best pole vault of the meet and set a new outdoor personal record in the process.

Original Story: https://www.thejournalnj.com/articles/middletown-north-wins-at-rocket-relays/

cover photo via NJMileSplit