What to watch for at Meet of Champions
The Meet of Champions is upon us.
New Jersey’s showpiece track and field event gets underway at 2 p.m. at Northern Burlington High School on Saturday.
Colonial Valley Conference athletes will be well-represented and here’s what to watch for on both the boys and girls side.
800 Showdown
It’s the race that will draw the most eyeballs as Hopewell Valley junior Sean Dolan challenges Passaic junior Luis Peralta is a clash between two of the top boys half-milers in the country.
The top-seeded Peralta ran 1:50.41 last week in the Group IV meet, which stands as the top time in New Jersey.
Dolan, meanwhile, posted a 1:52.02 to win Group III, but that came after runners were called back for a restart following a fall on the first attempt.
Dolan said his second start wasn’t as good as the original. He has gone as fast as 1:51.37 this season, so there is a faster time on record.
But just how much will be in the tank?
Dolan flew out to Seattle on Thursday to run the 800 in the Brooks PR Invite on Friday. He said he plans to be at the Meet of Champions to try and add a New Jersey title to his trophy case.
Keep an eye on West Windsor North’s Atharv Kulkarni (1:52.51), Trenton’s Malual Mu (1:52.53), East Orange’s Kishaun Richardson (1:52.85) and Shore’s Drew Maher (1:53.28).
Going Vertical
Can Haley Horvath clear 13 feet again in the pole vault?
That’s the question for the Notre Dame senior, who won the Non-Pubic A title by clearing the milestone height, which stands as the best in the state and second highest of all-time.
The state record is 13-03.00 set in 2003 by Shawnee’s Danielle O’Reilly. The MoC record is 12-06.00
Horvath has company at the top with Pingry’s Caroline Dannenbaum also clearing 13 feet last week. Horvath took the group title with a successful second try while Dannenbaum’s was on the third try.
This should be a great battle once again.
Jump for Joy
West Windsor South senior A’Nan Bridgett has the top seed in the boys long jump after posting a 23-01.75 to take the Group IV title.
It’s been a fantastic year for Bridgett, who backed up his indoor title by recording the best mark in the state when he got 23-11.50 in the sectional meet.
On any other day, Hamilton’s Richmond Sasha would have a Group III triple jump title to his name, but the junior finished second to Delsea senior Khaliel Burnett after he produced a state record 50-09.25.
Those two are the top two seeds.
Keeping Busy
Allentown senior Kassidy Mulryne qualified in four individual events — high jump, long jump, triple jump and 100 hurdles — and plans to give all of them a go on Saturday.
Her best event is the high jump where she won the Group III title by clearing 5-08.00. That was good enough for the No. 2 seed behind Paramus Catholic’s Tiffany Bautista (510.00).
Mulryne can also get in the top-six medal picture in the long jump where she is seeded sixth after leaping 18-06.75 last week.
Princeton Pride These Little Tigers have been full of roar all season and hope it continues at the MoC.
Will Hare has the best chance for individual gold after earning the second seed in the 3200 (9:09.77). He has his work cut out, though, with top seeded Devin Hart of Pt. Pleasant producing a 9:05.06 last week.
The 3200 is loaded with CVC flavor.
The WW-PN duo of Matthew Santamaria (9:12.74) and Vedang Lad (9:15.94) are both in medal contention with Allentown’s Liam Murphy (9:19.53) and WW-PS’s Sameer Das (9:21.29) both trying to break into the top six.
Princeton and WW-PN will also battle in the 4x800 relay where the Little Tigers are the top seed after running a statebest 7:47.89 to win Group IV.
The Knights went 7:51.27 and to get the third seed.
Other Medal Contenders
CVC medals contenders to keep an eye on the girls side are Steinert’s Ashley Navarro (2:12.70, 800), Allentown’s Devon Hoernlein (4:57.01, 1600) and Hightstown’s Samira van der Laan (120-08 in discuss).
On the boys side, WW-PN’s Kulkarni (4:15.27) and Luke Johnson (4:15.46, 1600), Princeton’s Paul Brennan (176-04, discuss), Princeton’s Simon Schenk (14-06.00, pole vault) and Ewing’s A’Irrion Scott (64.00, high jump)