Bo, Bonvie are boys and girls Athletes of the Year
She’s a state champion, and he’s one of the most decorated hurdlers in his school’s history.
Robbinsville’s Bonvie Fosam and Nottingham’s Boaz Madeus are our Track & Field Athletes of the Year.
Fosam capped an outstanding senior season by capturing the triple jump title at the Meet of Champions.
Fosam achieved her golden feat with a jump of 39-09.00 at the MofC. It completed a yearlong journey to the top spot in New Jersey after she finished runner-up as a junior.
She was also the Mercer County champ in the 100 meter dash and long jump.
“I knew that a lot of eyes were looking at me,” Fosam said shortly after learning she had won. “I knew I had to deliver. Having that pressure on me works to my advantage. I let it push me.”
She also became just the second Robbinsville girl to win a state title after Noelle Jancewicz did it in the high jump in 2013.
More impressive than any gold medal on the track is what Fosam has planned in the future. She’s committed to Army West Point in the fall.
“We did our research and I saw the opportunities that they had to offer, so I thought I’d give it a try,” Fosam said. “It’s going to be a challenge, I know that, but I’m excited for it.”
Coach Kristina Connors sees it as a perfect fit.
“I think she’ll do really well there, fitting into that (culture),” Connors said. “She’s always had those high expectations, so it kind of made sense that she ended up choosing West Point.”
Madeus, meanwhile, was on point all season for coach Jason Marasco’s Northstars.
Madeus finished up as county champ in the 400 meter dash and the 400 hurdles and as state runner-up in the 400 hurdles.
The Rutgers-bound senior clocked in a silver medal time of 52.25 at the MofC.
“Through the season seeing the work I put in at practice an the engorgements from my team has taken me through this season,” Madeus said. “To see it all play out right in front of me and then you get to look back on it to see where you started from, it’s great.”
Madeus transformed himself from a scrawny freshman into a Division I recruit. He struggled in his first MofC as a sophomore and then crashed into a hurdle as a junior.
That made his second-place finish all the more special.
“His career has just begun,” Marasco said. “The accolades that this kid can continue to bring at the college level ... he has the drive and the will for it. He has a great support group with his family. We’re just so happy for him.”
While Fosam and Madeus were the picks for Athletes of the Year, they aren’t the only ones deserving of recognition.
Honorable mention on the girls side goes to Allentown’s Devon Hoernlein (1600 and 3200) and Kassidy Mulryne (high jump, 100 and 400 hurdles) and Ewing’s Chibuzo Amonu (discuss and shot put).
Boys honorable mention goes to Trenton’s Semaj Willis (high jump and 200) and Mulual Mu (800 and 1600), West Windsor North’s John Owens (400 hurdles) and Hopewell Valleys’ Sean Dolan (800).