Memory Lane

This Saturday Mike Paustian and TJ Harkins have earned the right to compete at the most prestigious running event in all of New Jersey High School Running: The Cross Country Meet of Champions. In the summer and early season every runner trains relentlessly with the dream of taking the line at the Meet of Champions. Only 193 runners actually will (21 teams and 46 individuals) and we have 2 of them. Not bad for a team of 5 guys. So now that Mike and TJ have become the 12th and 13th different runners in Immaculata history to earn a bid, let's take a walk down memory lane and see how the first 11 fared.

(Fun fact: Since its inception in 1972, the Meet of Champions has been at Holmdel Park all but 4 years. In 1972 it debuted at Ocean County Park before moving to local Bridgewater West in 1973. It stayed local in 1974 at Buccleuch Park in New Brunswick, jumped to Pennsauken in 1975 and then found it's permanent home at Holmdel in 1976)

1. 1977: Kevin Dyer - Kevin qualified for the MOC with an 8th place finish and time of 17:30 at the Group Meet (note the course was 3 miles then and the Bowl was run in reverse). But get this. At the time there was a Non-Public C!!! And we were in it. And thus Kevin became the first runner in school history to qualify. Sadly, 1977 was a long time ago and the internet only has results from the top 25 at MOC, so there is no record of his time and place at the Big Dance.
2. 1991: Blair Witkowski - Blair finished 6th in the Non-Public A Group Meet with a time of 17:02 to make MOC. He then improved the following week and ran 16:53 to capture 27th place at MOC. It was a local affair that year as North Hunterdon's Brendan Heffernan won in 15:31 and Somerville HS legend Jon Clemens finished 23rd in 16:51 (Clemens went on to have a decorated collegiate and post-collegiate career, and get this -- a few years ago in San Diego he randomly crossed paths with and briefly coached Mr. Heibell. It took weeks until they realized Somerville was both of their original stomping grounds). As for Blair, he transferred to Hunterdon Central in 1992 and missed making MOC, finishing 14th in Group 4 in 17:04.
3. 2000: Immaculata Girls Team - That's right, the entire girls team qualified by getting 3rd place in Non-Public A to be the lone team in school history to make it.  At the Group Meet Erin Geiger led the way with a 4th place finish and time of 20:25 as a junior. Following her were: Bridget Skeuse (16th, 21:30), Lizzie Geiger (17th, 21:41), Mary Shea (29th, 22:25), Mellanie Pellowski (41st, 22:52), Becca Hancock (58th, 23:41), and Megan Varela (78th, 26:15). The team went on to finish 16th at MOC with Lizzie Geiger leading the way with a 68th place finish in 20:50, and Kelly Mulligan replacing Megan Varela as the 7th runner.
4. 2001: Erin Geiger and Lizzie Geiger - The twins both made the trip to Holmdel for MOC in their Senior season. First it should be noted the twins had a season for the ages this year, highlighted by a 1-2-3 showing at the Somerset County Championships with Bridget Skeuse as the third girl. At the Group Meet, the Geiger's finished 2nd and 3rd, with Erin nabbing 2nd in 19:46 and Lizzie 3rd in 19:52. Despite this, the team placed 4th and just missed earning a trip back. At MOC, Erin finished 23rd in 19:56 with Lizzie a few steps back in 20:09, good enough for a 40th place finish.
5. 2002: Bridget Skeuse - Bridget stepped into the spotlight her Senior year and did not disappoint. With the Geiger's gone, it was Bridget's time to shine. She took down the Non-Public A Meet by running 19:46, a 22 second victory over 2nd place finisher and frenemy Leah Brogan of Monsignor Donovan. She then stepped it up again at MOC. She ran 19:28 (Holmdel school record) to finish 6th place -- the highest ever MOC finish by an Immaculata runner. The best part is, no lie, she almost didn't run at MOC because she got to Holmdel only to realize she left her spikes at home. Luckily freshman Anthony Grina was there to cheer her on and inexplicably had his spikes on hand despite not racing himself that day. And the shoe fit, Bridget wore them, finished 6th, and the rest is history. Thus concluded the Golden Era of Girls XC at Immaculata.
6. 2004: Chris Heibell - Some may call Chris the best looking runner to ever make MOC, but that's not why we're talking about him here. Fueled all season by a disappointing 2003 State Meet, it was MOC or bust for him in his Senior season. The week before Groups, Coach Robinson pulled him out of school early to make a special trip to Holmdel for a joint workout with Piscataway. This gave Heibell the edge he needed as he finished 9th at the Non-Public A Meet with a time of 16:52 to book his trip to the Show. The next week he dropped 10-seconds on his way to a Holmdel school record time 16:42 and a 43rd place finish. 
7. 2008: Erin James - Erin was the last Immaculata runner before this season to earn a bid.  In this her Junior year, Erin ran 20:03 to secure a 10th place finish at the Non-Public A Group Meet and punch her ticket to MOC. She ran 20:07 the following week to earn a 63rd place finish at MOC.  Erin went on to have a successful collegiate career at St. Joe's (PA) running 17:16 for 5k and 10:38 for 3k Steeple.

And there you have it folks. Now we look ahead to Saturday. How will Mike Paustian and TJ Harkins fare? Will they challenge the Holmdel school record of 16:42? When the dust settles, where will they be remembered in Immaculata history? Can't wait til' Saturday to see what these 2 have up their sleeves. Catch it live at 11:45am at Holmdel Park!!!

Dance, Dance

That's right, baby. Bust out your dancing shoes because Mike Paustian and TJ Harkins just punched their tickets to the THE SHOW. Meet of Champions. Clear your calendar for next Saturday, November 18, at 11:45am, and find your way down to Holmdel to cheer these two boys on. How did they become the first Immaculata Boys XC runners to qualify for the Meet of Champions since 2004, when some strapping young lad named Chris Heibell booked his ticket, you ask? Let's find out.

Going into the race TJ and Mike both looked like good bets to finish in the top 10. But we all know races aren't run on paper and even the slightest slip up could cost them dearly. With that in mind, this is how the race played out:

• 1000m: TJ comes out of the Roller Coasters leading a 4-man pack of places 6 thru 9. They are about 20m behind 4th and 5th place while the top 3 (Spinelli, Wilson, Bronstein) have already broken away. Paustian is about 10m back of this pack sitting in 10th but cannot let them get away.
• 2500m: Right before they go up the bowl, TJ is still in a pack but this time has fallen to 7th. 4th thru 6th are within reach. Mike has dropped to 11th but urgency starts to set in as he makes a move up the hill to get back in the top 10.
• 3600m: At the tennis courts TJ remains in the pack but it's stringing out and Mike has moved up into battle for 9th.
• 4800m: TJ pops out of the woods and hits the homestretch neck and neck with Jack Farrell in a race for 7th place. The two duke it out to the finish and Farrell just nips him by a second but TJ still secures an 8th place finish to move on. Paustian pops out of the woods in 9th place but three kids are hot on his tail. Jackson Powers from Newark Academy looks strong and pulls up next to Mike with about 100m to go. Luckily Paustian finds another gear to just hold him off in a photo finish and earn his trip to MOC with a 9th place showing. With 11th and 12th place only 4 seconds behind this last stretch was not for the faint of heart.

And there you have it my friends. That is the story of how TJ Harkins and Mike Paustian became dancing buddies. But that's not the only story to tell from Holmdel today. Also in the boys race Michael Blandino finished 35th while dropping 35 seconds from his previous Holmdel best. Giovanni DeSapio, racing with the intentions of others at heart, dropped 1:33 from Shore Coaches and Sean Castellano showed grit down the stretch in outkicking a rival from Ranney (no, not Josh Zeng) to propel the team score. Speaking of team scoring, the Boys team finished 10th, which is a huge step in the right direction for this young squad.

In the girls race, Sophia Gonzales led the way with a 45th place finish and time of 23:51. She ran 3:02 faster than at Shore Coaches and 14 seconds faster than her all-time Holmdel PR. Carly Makowicz followed closely with a time of 24:17, which is 50 seconds faster than her Holmdel best and only 6 seconds off of what she ran at Greystone last week, which considering the courses, is a very impressive feat. And Taylor Luger, who now claims she a is cold weather specialist, finished in 25:02, which not only is a drop of 40 seconds from her Holmdel best but is also her second best lifetime race. Quite the impressive end of season showing from Taylor between this week and last week.

Lastly, who had the better Power Rankings, Heibell or Leddy? Welp, by being cocky and choosing not to update his Power Rankings to account for Oratory getting bumped up or Paustian being healthy again, Heibell sadly made a grave mistake. Despite his best efforts, not even he could create a scoring system so wild it would crown him the winner. So congratulations to Coach Leddy, who by correctly predicting 8 of the top 10, has won nothing. Except maybe bragging rights.

We'll catch you all at Holmdel next Saturday morning dressed in your finest blue face and body paint. GET UR IMMAC..... (just kidding Lambo, that's all you)

11/07 - Boys NPB Championship Power Rankings & Predictions for Groups

My friends, we are back with another edition of the Boys NPB Power Rankings! Well, not we, because someone decided that his were good enough already. No worries, the show goes on and we continue with our wild conjectures regardless.

There aren't many changes, but with the weekend of racing ahead it's important to check in to see how our competition is doing. We've had quite a few good results from faces new and old and it's finally time to see how we stack up!

I'm not going to add any more commentary than I did last time, and instead I'm just going to put up my raw findings here. It's important to note that Oratory Prep has since been moved from B to A, so there are some new names up here that are filling the gaps.

1. John Spinelli 

2. Nick Wilson 

                

3. Jeremy Bronstein 

4. Joe Kinney 

5. Matt Petrocelli 

6. TJ Harkins 

7. Charlie Koenig 

8. Kevin Mulligan 

9. Michael Paustian 

10. Jackson Powers 

Yup, here are the names I expect to see in the top 10 tomorrow at Groups. I trust my system enough to believe that my wishes will come true and both TJ Harkins and Mike Paustian will come in the top 10.

Or not. Like I always say, there are a lot of different factors that can affect someone's race day performance. Heck, the cold might even get to some of these guys. 

Regardless of what I say, it's going to be a fun one tomorrow. Screw the Power Rankings. You decide how you want to remember your Group Championship race, fellas. Not MileSplit, not some dumb website run by two washed-up Catholic school bums.

YOU decide.

LET'S GOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

The NJCTC Championships, held Saturday at Greystone Park, turned out to be the most successful meet of the season for the Immaculata Cross Country team. Coming off a much needed two and a half week layoff from racing, the team looked spry, fresh, and hungry out on the race course.

In the boys race, TJ Harkins and Mike Paustian became the first pair of teammates in Immaculata history to both break 17 in the same race, but more on that in a second. First, let's give it up for Sean Castellano, who had the biggest PR of the day. He ran a whopping 1 minute 33 seconds faster than he ran just 5 weeks ago at this same exact course when he set his previous PR. The way Sean has progressed throughout the season shows that he is on his way to becoming "the man" -- as does his position in the picture above.

Now back to TJ and Mike. While standing at the mile mark, the coaches were ecstatic to see Paustian pop out of the woods leading the entire race. He hit the first mile in 4:51 while Harkins followed closely in 4:55. This hard early pace was great to see as it's exactly the kind of aggression these two will have to show next week at the Group Championships. Harkins ran a strong second mile, coming thru the two-mile mark at 10:15 with Paustian close behind in 10:20. The two pretty much held steady over the final mile with TJ coming thru the finish line in 16:39 for a 19th place finish and Mike at 16:53 with a 26th place finish. TJ's time of 16:39 represent's the second fastest time in school history.

The girls race was just as delightful as Taylor Luger absolutely smashed her PR. Taylor followed the boys lead by setting a hard early pace and giving herself a chance for success which led to the best race of her life. Not only did she break 25:00 for the first time but she crushed it as she finished in 24:23, almost a minute faster than her previous PR. Carly Makowicz also flashed superb form as she crossed the line in 24:11, which is by far the best and toughest she's run since coming back from injury recently. Carly didn't stop there though, as she also competed in a road race Sunday morning in which she ran an even faster time of 22:44.

Next up for the Spartans is the Non-Public B State Championships held at Holmdel Park on Saturday November 11th. If CTCs is any indication, everyone is rounding into peak form at the right time and Saturday at Holmdel should be a very exciting day for the Immaculata Cross Country program. The girls race at 12pm with the boys following at 1pm. Abeamus!!

10/23 - Boys NPB Champioship Power Rankings

Cross country is one of the hardest sports to follow. Your runners compete at different courses, all at different times, recording different results. It's often very hard to compare these times together because of all of the variables and discrepancies. Sometimes you might wish that there was some sort of system in place where everyone could magically be compared without error, and that the runner's world was a little easier to understand. 

Well, a system like that doesn't exist, and will never exist. Ever.

Sorry.

And leading into the bigger races, this information becomes even more crucial to the success of a team looking to score well and move on to The Big Show.

So how is a kid supposed to know who they need to go after if they're not sure where their competition really lies?

The answer, my friends, is conjecture. That's right. Pure guesswork.

But who better to leave the guesswork to than seasoned cross-country experts Coach Heibell and Coach Leddy?

We've been working hard over the last week or so to bring you the first edition of our XC Power Rankings list, and we're very excited to share the results. We picked the Boys to start out with because at least one of our runners has a shot at making the Meet of Champions (according to our calculations).

However, you may find that Coach Heibell and I disagree on some points and to varying degrees. In fact, these lists are going to look a little different because we used different methods.

I don't know what recipe Coach Heibell used to conjure up his cockamamie list, but I can tell you that only science and reason was used in the making of my list. Therefore you should read into these lists with lots of caution. And don't trust them too much! We're just trying to have fun with our rankings -- remember, they don't affect the outcome of the race whatsoever.

But without further ado, here are our first XC Power Rankings lists!

Heibell's Harriers

1. John Spinelli - The top returner from the 2016 XC Group Meet. Proved himself as the cream of the Non-Public B distance crop last spring by being the only runner to challenge our friend Bill Massey in the State 3200 race, finishing 2nd to Billy by only 5 seconds with a 20 second gap to 3rd. Has already run solid at Holmdel this season in his 2 tries (16:25, 16:39) to go along with a 16:12 season best.
2. Jeremy Bronstein - The only real threat to Spinelli in my eyes. Has run 16:09 and 16:15 on flat courses thus far and has won 6 of 7 races this season, his only loss being a 3rd place finish at Shore Coaches (16:47). If he can stay with Spinelli going into the last 1k, his speed (1:58, 4:29) could propel him on the downhills and we could see Bronstein cross the line first.
3. Mike Cantaluppi - Rumors of his demise seem to be greatly exaggerated as he has clocked 16:57 at Greystone, 17:28 at Holmdel, and 17:22 at Warinanco (5150m) in the last few weeks. Ran 17:11 at the Group Meet in 2016.
4. Nick Wilson - These next 2 are the biggest wildcards in my eyes. MKA has only raced a handful of times this season, and he has run 16:24 on a flat course and 13:34 for 4k at VCP.  We know he has wheels (1:57, 4:20) but the question is can he handle hills over a full 5k.  Despite consistently being in the mid 16s during the 2016 season leading up to Groups, he ran 17:52 at Groups and 18:00 at the also very hilly Bowdoin Park. His 17:32 from 2016 Shore Coaches remains his Holmdel PB, but his 13:34 at Vanny last week (Katelyn Tuohy ran 13:21 for comparison) suggests he hasn't overcome his hill struggles yet and that his 2017 Championship season could end up a lot like his 2016 Championship season.  
5. Matt Petrocelli - Wilson's MKA teammate, take everything I said above and apply it here. Has run 16:26 flat course yet only 14:05 last week at VCP. His races on hilly courses in 2016: 18:38 Shore Coaches, 18:17 Groups, 18:40 Bowdoin. His spot at the #5 spot is largely based on the 16:26 and his 9:57 3200, but until he proves himself with some more races he is a candidate to move down the rankings. 4:42 1600 PR.
6. TJ Harkins - Starting here the rest of the field has yet to see anyone go sub-17, which leaves Harkins and his 17:00 at Randolph as the next man up. Sat out Shore Coaches due to sickness but his competitiveness, consistency (4 races between 17:00 and 17:24 on 4 different courses) and ability to step up when it counts leave Harkins firmly in the mix in the chase pack.
7. Joe Kinney - Has only run 4 races this season but they all have been solid. 17:02 at Greystone in addition to 17:20, 17:40, and 17:49 at Shore Coaches. He didn't run at Groups, or Holmdel for that matter, in 2016 and didn't compete in track, so he is a bit of an unknown and his lack of experience is the only red flag on his resume.  
8. Kevin Mulligan - This sophomore has turned in a splendid second season as he just ran 17:19 at Greystone last week and 17:44 at Shore Coaches, which represents a nice drop from his 2016 Holmdel best of 19:11. Has shown nice consistency on the season, having run no slower than 18:03 and every race in the mid 17's since late September.  
9. Fernando Aviles - This ranking is mostly based on the 17:38 he ran at the 2016 Group meet, but has had a solid 2017 campaign as well with 3 clocking's between 17:24 and 17:30. The biggest knock on Aviles is the 18:01 he ran at Shore Coaches, but in 2016 he ran 19:05 at Shore Coaches before running 17:38 at Groups and based on his current form there's no reason to think he can't make a comparable drop this season.
10. Addison Drone - He's been all over the map this year but his 17:18 at Greystone last week (he ran 18:49 at Greystone earlier this year for comparison) shows what he is capable of and that he is hitting his stride when it counts. The biggest concern for Mr. Drone has to be his history at Holmdel, where he ran 18:23 at Shore Coaches this year after running 18:05 and 18:17 in his 2 attempts at Holmdel in 2016.  

Editors Note: Mike Paustian, originally in the Top 10, had to be bumped out due to the uncertainty surrounding his ankle after a nasty incident during his long run this past weekend. If healthy, Paustian would be firmly in the mix of the chase pack given his 17:17 at Greystone and 17:16 at PVP to go along with his 17:43 at Holmdel from 2016. Inconsistency has been the biggest foe to Paustian this year, but the fact he ran his best race last year at Groups is encouraging for his prospects.  

Greg's Gofers

1. John Spinelli - The undisputed leader, Spinelli has the strongest pure distance background in Non-Public B. The only situation I can see him losing in is if he tries to sit and kick, where he could be snatched up by Wilson or Bronstein.
2. Nick Wilson - Not quite as strong in distance as Spinelli, but has the speed factor of a successful breakout track season when he ran 4:20 and 1:57. Although he may be the most well-rounded of the field, I have to give the edge to Spinelli here because of that strength factor.
3. Jeremy Bronstein - Bronstein has the fastest time in the field, currently sitting pretty with a 16:09 from Darlington Park. He also has a wildly impressive range, as he's run 52.87, 1:58, and 4:29. I haven't seen consistency from him, however, putting him lower on my list.
4. Mike Cantaluppi - Although Cantaluppi's best times are from last season, he is beginning to round back into shape with two sub-17 clockings and a 17:22 over-distance 5.15k race. He's a contender for an MOC qualifier, but is too far off the top 3 to be mentioned in the championship title conversation.
5. Matt Petrocelli - A bit of an underdog, Petrocelli is right behind his teammate Nick Wilson in terms of PRs, but there's not much else from him to speak of. He had a quiet track season, running respectable but modest times in the 4:40s for the 1600. However it seems that he's come into this season as a different runner than he was in track, and it's only a matter of standing up to the pressure if he wants to run well.
6. Joe Kinney - Koinonia's Joe Kinney doesn't race much, but a 17:02 at Greystone is worth a lot in my eyes. He's been all over the board in terms of consistency, but I can see Kinney pulling out the Q fairly easily.
7. Casey McKee - Although he hasn't run particularly fast in the 5K specifically, he too came away from the 5.15k distance with a decent 17:41 time, bringing him into my top 10 fold. Although he is somewhat of a wildcard, I'm willing to bet on an improvement over the next few weeks once he starts putting up 5K times on the board.
8. TJ Harkins - Our own TJ Harkins started the year off with a bang in 17:00 at Randolph, and has remained fairly consistent in the mid- to low-17 minute range. I'm not totally sold that he can mix it up with the bigger boys, but if he stays gutsy he can make it to MOC without a hitch.
9. Fernando Aviles - Aviles comes into the meet with a decently fast track background, having run 2:06 and 4:44. I expect a mid-17 run will sneak into the top 10, and Aviles is sitting right there on the edge of success with a 17:24. However, Aviles is not safe into the top 10 as he has two other contenders to worry about in Kevin Mulligan and Jack Farrell.
10. Kevin Mulligan - Mulligan is edged out by Aviles by the slimmest of margins, but he is also not far ahead of Jack Farrell... which is to say Jack Farrell is not far behind Kevin Mulligan. In my eyes, these three are essentially interchangeable: it depends on how the day pans out for each of them. Neither Mulligan nor Farrell have strong track presences, but Mulligan does have a stronger Holmdel season best than Farrell by quite a bit. That said, it's anyone's game in the back half of the Top 10 and it's up to the cross country gods to decide this one.

Meet the Spartan: Sean Castellano

Ever wanted to know more about our team?  Superstitions, Birthdays, Favorite Zoo Animals, and more.  It's all on the way.  Today we start with Sean Castellano.  Click here to learn more about Sean.

Championship Season

He deleted the good, err better looking, picture of himself

Just like that the Somerset County and Skyland Conference Championships have come and gone.  These two meets are generally two of the most anticipated races of the season.  You get out of school early, you compete at local parks, you race friends and rivals from nearby schools, and the fans are roaring.  So how did we fare?

At the Somerset County Championships at Pleasant Valley Park the Immaculata Boys team captured a 9th place finish.  This represents the best team showing since 2004 when the Boys finished 6th.  Michael Paustian led the way in 23rd place and TJ Harkins was hot on his tail in 24th place.  Michael Blandino continued his extremely consistent campaign as the third man with a PR of 18:16.  Sean Castellano used a shrewd move to finagle an 86th place finish and Giovanni DeSapio was close behind to round out the team.  On the girls side, Sophia Gonzales ran the second fastest race of her Cross Country career as she came in at 23:11 and Taylor Luger ran a Season Best in going sub 26.  And to add to the excitement, Carly Makowicz returned to action and was able to mix it up in her first race back.

The Skyland Conference Championships, held at the lovely Natirar Park, was highlighted by TJ Harkins 7th place finish in the "Small Schools" Division (31st overall).  This was absolutely TJ's best effort since the first meet of the season at Randolph.  He used the workout he did earlier in the week at Natirar as a springboard to an extremely strong second half of the race, as he kept passing people on the hills on the top of the course.  TJ was the 5th non Junior/Senior and 16th finisher from Somerset County schools, an impressive feat considering last week he was 24th at the Somerset County meet.  Other than that, Michael Blandino again showed absurd consistency with an 18:22 showing.  The fact that he has run between 18:16 and 18:32 at pretty much every meet this season shows that a breakthrough is right around the corner.  

The focus now turns to the NJSIAA Non-Public B State Group meet on November 11.  The one for all the marbles.  The meet that can turn a mediocre season into a great season or a great season into a season that leaves you going home devastated.  Over the next 3 weeks the team will be physically and mentally prepared in every way possible in order to arrive at Holmdel on the 11th ready to rock.  

Stay tuned for some dueling Power Rankings from Coach Leddy and Coach Heibell in addition to more new features coming soon.

Going, Going, Gonzales

On a day that saw 6 Immaculata runners achieve season best times, it was Sophia Gonzales's performance that turned the most heads on Saturday. Turn the clock back a week to the Bernie Magee Class Meet. Sophia was on her way to a breakthrough performance and came thru the 2 mile mark at 14:36 only to succumb to a cramp over the last mile. With 400m to go it was obvious to everyone the pain she was experiencing yet she willed her way to the finish line with a time of 29:06. Fast forward to this week at the Stewart Memorial at the exact same course (Greystone Park). Sophia again showed no fear early in the race as she came thru 2 miles in just a shade over 14 minutes. This time there was no stopping her in the final mile as she cruised to the finish in a lifetime best mark of 22:55.  

There's something about watching Sophia race that makes breakthroughs like this so special. Maybe it's her relentless determination. Maybe it's her fearless and positive attitude.  Maybe it's her size. But whatever it is, it caused Coach Leddy to non-stop say "Look at her go, look at her go!" while watching the race as Coach Heibell stood next to him uncontrollably smiling as she kept tearing it up. It's gonna be a fun next few weeks watching her continue to progress #HeartofaChampion

In other action from the Stewart Memorial, Mike Paustian continued his comeback as he dropped over a minute from last week en route to a 23rd place finish. Sean Castellano and Michael Blandino posted lifetime best marks while Taylor Luger and Ali Wehrhahn achieved season best times. And TJ Harkins battled a 101 degree fever on his way to a 30th place finish.  

The coming week will see the Spartans race twice as they preview 2 courses that will host key meets later this season.  First is the Skyland Conference "Valley Division" Championship on Wednesday at Natirar. We will then travel to Holmdel on Saturday as we compete at the New Balance Shore Coaches Invitational. Catch ya'll there.  

Boys Go 1-2-3 to Defeat Bound Brook

The Immaculata Boys picked up the win on Wednesday at Colonial Park in a dual meet vs. Bound Brook.  TJ "My Highlights are All-Natural" Harkins, Mike "Old Man" Paustian, and Michael "My Socks Match my Spikes" Blandino led the way by finishing 1-2-3 and thus clinching victory for the Spartans.  On a day where the sun was scorching and the course was an unknown these three set the tone early and never looked back as time was never a consideration and running for place was the only matter on the mind.  Giovanni "Laps Around School" DeSapio and Sean "Shoulda Put Sunscreen on my Shoulders" Castellano followed closely behind as scoring members of the team.

In the girls race, it was Ali "I Made a Frenemy Named Issac" Wehrhahn breaking the tape for her first victory of the season.  Despite the conditions noted above, Ali posted her fastest time of the young season as she continues to round back into form.  Taylor "Ice Cream and Dog Walks" Luger ran a strong race to secure a career-best 3rd place finish.  The girls team would have been poised to capture victory as well if they competed at full strength but Sophia "OMG is that John McGovern" Gonzales and Carly "I Love Dogs" Makowicz sat this one out with an eye on running their best during Championship season.

Catch us on Saturday morning when we travel back to Greystone Park for the Stewart Invitational.  Girls go at 10:05am and Boys at 10:50am.

Spartans on the Comeback Trail

It was an eventful week for the Immaculata Cross Country team. We hosted Manville in a dual meet at Duke Island Park.  We competed on the new course at Greystone Park for the first time. Yet the highlight of the week has to be how close we are to returning to 100% health. Captains Mike Paustian and Ali Wehrhahn, who were both forced to miss the first two meets of the year due to nagging injuries, returned to action on Tuesday at Duke Island Park to make their 2017 season debuts. Paustian cruised to his first victory of the season in the boys race with a time of 17:36 and Ali managed a second place finish in the girls race. While neither runner is close to satisfied with where they are at this point, they both realize there is plenty of time left in the season to return to peak form and that things will only get better from here. Now the last remaining hurdle for the Spartans is to get Carly Makowicz back to action, which should happen any day now as she is extremely close to returning from an Achilles injury. The team also welcomed a new member to the girls team, Mariella Rossi. Mariella is a transfer from Dubai and we are all thrilled to have her aboard.

Saturday at Greystone turned out to be another banner day for our sophomore boys. TJ Harkins led the way with a 4th place finish and Michael Blandino turned in a strong 17th place finish to earn medals. Blandino's time of 18:37 is a great mark of consistency for the young runner. His 5-second gap from his Randolph time (18:32) represents the closest spread of anyone on the team who ran in both races. A shoutout must also go to Giovanni DeSapio. He ran by far the guttiest and strongest race of his career at Greystone and he will turn into a key contributor for the team if he continues along this path.

The Spartans return to action this Wednesday, September 27, at Colonial Park and Saturday, September 30, back at Greystone Park.

Harkins Arrives at Randolph

TJ Harkins (left) and Michael Blandino (right) both had breakthrough performances.

The Spartans kicked off the 2017 season this past Saturday at the Randolph Cross Country Invitational held at Freedom Park. TJ Harkins and Michael Blandino both showed that summer training does indeed pay off with HUUUGGGGEEEE breakthrough performances.

Harkins placed 6th overall in the Boys Varsity C race with a whopping 1 minute 49 second PR, coming in at 17:00.81. Harkins perfectly executed a fearless race approach that put himself in the chase pack early on, which enabled him to stay in a battle for second place all the way until the end. It was a perfect example of taking a chance and having it pay off, but that's exactly what we've come to expect from this kid's "no guts, no glory" racing style.

Blandino followed behind him in 23rd place with a 40 second PR of his own, stopping the clock at 18:32. Blandino got caught behind some early traffic as he got off to a rough start, but he showed a ton of fight and grit as the race went on and he kept moving up and picking people off.

Running at night under the lights certainly makes Randolph of the premier races in the country, and on this night, the only thing that shined brighter than the lights were the futures of these two sophomores.

To see all the Immaculata results from Randolph, click here.

2017 Spartan Cross Country

We couldn't find a better picture.

The 2017 cross country season is upon us. We have a seasoned yet young group of runners led by our lone senior and boys' captain Mike Paustian. Mike provides the sage wisdom that every team looks for from their leader. Coming off some major breakthroughs in his junior season, accompanied by a strong summer of training, the only thing that can stand in his way of glory is the Immaculata parking lot. He oversees a trio of sophomores: Michael Blandino, Giovanni DeSapio, and TJ Harkins. After strong freshman campaigns by these three, they will be leaned upon heavily to continue to step up and improve if the team is going to reach its potential. Rounding out the boys' team is freshman Sean Castellano. Sean has shown tremendous upside early in his debut season and will be thrown into the fire as a scoring member of this team sooner rather than later.

On the girls' side, junior captain Ali Wehrhahn leads the way. Ali really started to flash some of her potential late in the spring track season, and as long as she can stay healthy, there is no limit to what she will be able to achieve in the future. Next to Ali on the girls side we have three of her classmates: Sophia Gonzales, Taylor Luger, and Carly Makowicz. These girls have shown consistent improvement over the course of their running careers, and based on their determination and summer training, the strong indication is that their improvement arrow will continue to point upwards.  

Stay tuned over the next few weeks for individual athlete spotlights. And continue to visit RunIHS as your home to all Immaculata Cross Country news, results, and updates.

Sectionals Recap: Record 17 Headed to Groups

SECTIONALS RECAP

It's been a few days since the Sectional meet, which is going down as the single most successful in Immaculata Track history. Out of the 23 boys and girls that competed, a whopping 17 of them have qualified for the Group meet through both individual events and relays. In addition, the Boys team recorded the highest point count and team finish in school history at 56 points for 3rd place -- at a State meet. 

How did this happen?

Well, you could say it was luck, but at the end of the day each and every one of the athletes that competed turned out to be the hardest working of the bunch, and evidently all that hard work paid off. That being said, there were a few key, almost lucky performances that helped push the team a little further in the rankings. Just like the Sectionals preview, we'll run down the list of events and give a short description of the action.

Boys 100m, 200m

Avery Lawrence's legs feeling fresh enough for competition at Sectionals gave Gianni Riga some relief and a teammate to fall back on in case things went awry. Luckily, they didn't. As expected, Charles Fields was untouchable, but with Lawrence in the mix the race behind him was wide open. The prelims were close, but both Lawrence and Riga made it to the final taking up the 5th and 6th spots, respectively. In the final, Fields blew away the pack, easily running 11.05 for 1st place. Lawrence took the 4th spot in 11.59, while Riga took 6th in 11.62, just .01 seconds off of 5th.

Fields' margin of victory wasn't as great in the 200m, as Lawrence fought hard but finished right behind him in a school record 23.07. Riga placed 5th in 23.35, taking home some points and also qualifying for Groups. Christian Bryson, although not qualifying, had an incredibly strong race and just missed the cutoff by .05 seconds. 

Boys 110m Hurdles

The hurdles were cruel to Danny Rogers, as he found difficulty in both the prelim and the final finding a rhythm. Nevertheless, he was able to execute the job and finished 8th in 20.21 to advance to Groups as the school's first ever state competitor in the event.

Boys 400m Hurdles, 800m

Surprise hurdler Mark Schwalm was popping Advils before his race due to pain in his heel that caused us some concern over how he would perform. However, we knew he was a fighter, and it showed in the way he raced -- Schwalm took it out aggressively but was swallowed by the top 3 over the last half of the race. He held on for 4th in 62.14, a strong performance given that it was his second time ever contesting the event.

Schwalm was ready to compete in the 800m, as he was in the front pack right from the gun. After a strong first lap, Schwalm took the lead with 300 to go, opening up a slight gap on his competitors. Unfortunately, he lost his lead with 100 to go as first and second place had more left to give, but Schwalm still managed to squeeze a school record 2:03 flat from his 3rd place finish.

Boys 1600m, 3200m

Just as expected, the race strung out quickly from the beginning, with Mater Dei's John Spinelli leading the charge at sub-4:30 pace. Not many could stick with him, as he ended up with a 6-second gap on the field. Mike Paustian was able to back off from the pace after the first 400 went out at a blistering pace, but the damage was done. At 1200, Paustian began to strain a bit, but he held on to that coveted 6th spot to finish in 4:45.19.

The 3200m race played out similarly to the 1600, although the pack strung out a lot faster, with gaps forming just within the first quarter of the race. By then, it was almost guaranteed that Paustian would take 3rd, as there were no other runners within his range. And he did, finishing in 10:28.01.

Boys High Jump

We knew coming into the meet that Christian Bryson was a jack-of-all-trades, as he had not only raw speed but talent in the jumping events as well. What we didn't know was that he also had a shot at placing in the high jump. In fact, Bryson himself had doubts about even trying the event. We're glad that he let his guard down and tried it.

The officials knew that this kid had no idea what he was doing, but all jokes were silenced when Bryson was one of the last contenders remaining in the final stages of the event. After easily clearing the first few heights, Bryson started to struggle around the 5-08 mark, where 2nd place Isaiah McClain of Mater Dei was able to get the upper hand on him, clearing the height earlier than Bryson. However, it came down to the 6 foot bar to decide the winner, where only one boy was able to clear it. But by then, Bryson's 3rd place spot was sealed -- as was the school record.

Boys 4x100m, 4x400m, 4x800m

The potential to win the 4x100m was there back in 2016, where a fledgling team of novice sprinters broke records and made it all the way to MOCs. This year, the team of Avery Lawrence, Gianni Riga, Ken Cebedo, and Christian Bryson had much more experience, and had the fastest seed time coming into the meet as well. On race day, they proved to be the best in the field, executing almost perfect handoffs to come home in 45.22, an easy victory for one of the strongest squads in Non-Public B.

There was no pressure in neither the 4x400 nor the 4x800, as any spot taken would have sealed the deal for Groups. Nevertheless, both teams had strong performances -- the 4x400 placed 5th, and the 4x800 snagged 3rd and managed a 9:16.82 school record time.

Girls 3200m

After a tough 800m race, Ali Wehrhahn wasn't sure if she had the legs to race the 3200m later on in the day, but she was brave enough to give it a try. In the end, it payed off. Although we knew that the race would be hard to win, a nice little pack formed behind 1st and 2nd place that Wehrhahn was able to stick with until the last 800. She ended up placing 5th in 12:27.47, destroying her previous PR in the process.

Girls 4x400m, 4x800m

Just like in the Boys relays, the 4x400m and 4x800m teams needed only to finish without a DQ to move on to groups. Both teams were able to get the job done: the 4x400m team of Caroline Onderko, Chinonso Morsindi, Haley Rogers, and Kelly Griffin placed 7th in the race with a 4:44.32 performance. The 4x800m team of Onderko, Rogers, Ali Wehrhahn and Carly Makowicz was able to get 5th in 11:02.36, a very solid finish.

Raw Statistics

Boys Team - 3rd place in Non-Public B South with 56 points 

Group Qualifiers

100m Dash: Avery Lawrence (4th) , Gianni Riga (6th)

110H: Danny Rogers (8th)

200: Avery Lawrence (2nd -- school record 23.07), Gianni Riga (5th)

400H: Mark Schwalm (4th)

800: Mark Schwalm (3rd -- school record 2:03.00) 

1600: Mike Paustian (6th)

3200: Mike Paustian (3rd)

High Jump: Christian Bryson (3rd -- school record 5-10)

4 x 100: Avery Lawrence, Gianni Riga, Ken Cebedo, Christian Bryson (1st)

4 x 400: Mark Schwalm, Mike Paustian, Danny Rogers, Jack Boyda (5th)

4 x 800: Mike Paustian, TJ Harkins, Jack Hendrzak, Sam Jaskolski (3rd -- school record 9:16.82)

Girls Team 

3200: Ali Wehrhahn (5th)

4 x 800: Ali Wehrhahn, Caroline Onderko, Haley Rogers, Carly Makowicz (5th)

4 x 400: Caroline Onderko, Chinonso Morsindi, Haley Rogers, Kelly Griffin (7th)

Let's Talk About Groups

Now that Sectionals is out of the way, it's all about Groups. Not only is Groups a deeper meet, -combining the best of both Non-Public B North and South, but it's the deciding meet in determining who moves on to MOC and who goes home devastated.

Now unfortunately, I'm not going to go as in-depth into the list of events because frankly there isn't enough time, and I also procrastinated hard on finishing this article. However, the same rules apply to this meet as did last week.

It's not going to be easy to advance to the Meet of Champions. This weekend, only the top 6 in each event get to go to back to Northern Burlington the following week -- not to mention the fact that it combines both NPB North and South. Having the taste of success in our memories from last week should spur us on a little bit. But what's more important is that how you perform at this meet is the difference between an MOC appearance and the end of your season.

It's your choice how you race this weekend. But when the Big Show is on the line, you have to ask yourself: is it worth relenting the pace for those few seconds of relief; is it worth letting up once you lose the lead; is it worth not trying if you fear you won't place well -- knowing that all it took was pushing a little more out of your comfort zone?

Make the decision, ladies and gentlemen. Choose how good you want to be. Choose how you'll look back on this weekend. Leave nothing left on the track.

Sectionals Are Here

It's finally that time of year again where we get to pile onto a small, cramped bus (and cars, for one day) and ride it for hours just to get the opportunity to score some points. That's right, ladies and germs, Sectionals Weekend is just a day away to kick off the beautiful chaos that is the journey to MOCs. This year, we're sending 27 athletes to the meet at Delsea HS, the most that Immaculata has ever sent to Sectionals. This is also a great opportunity to score points and possibly podium -- or, if the stars align, win the meet altogether. 

"In which events? I have a hard time believing that our team could do anything at the state level."

I'm glad you asked! Going down the performance lists should provide us with some hints. 

Boys 400m Hurdles, 400m, 800m

Now, I don't think any of us expected this, but after a surprisingly impressive event debut, our very own senior Mark Schwalm leads the field with a 61.05 performance from the Somerset County Championships just last Tuesday. He also retains a .43 gap on the field, a formidable margin in an event that can come down to a simple graze of the hurdle. If Schwalm can stay honed in on his form and his raw speed, the title will be his -- as long as he's willing to fight for it.

Schwalm will face tougher competition in his favorite event, as he comes into the field as only the 6th seed in a field that includes 50-second 400m runner Rakim Coyle of Wildwood Catholic. Schwalm's 53.04 from the Skyland Conference Championships is a strong time to bring to this meet, but he will have to run even stronger from the gun if he wants to medal. 

In the 800m, Schwalm is the 4th seed overall with his 2:05.88 from the Somerset County Championships. Although his entry is a few seconds off Mater Dei's Patrick Osborn, who comes into the meet with a 2:01.80, Schwalm should still be in the mix. He's split 2:03 and change in previous relays, and his ability to contend no matter the event is his greatest strength. Keep on the lookout for a new school record as well.

Boys 1600m, 3200m

Coming into the meet with a personal record of 4:43, set at the Ridge Night of 1600s earlier this May, is junior Mike Paustian with the seventh fastest seed in the 1600m event. Paustian ran his 4:43 with "more in the tank" per his own account, so it's no doubt that he's ready to run fast. Paustian will face tough competition up front, as Mater Dei's John Spinelli leads the field with a 4:32.67. It's probable that the race will go out quickly with Gill-St. Bernards boys Mathieu Petit (4:33.29) and Bobby D'Angelo (4:37.56) pushing the pace, but it's nothing Mr. Paustian can't handle -- control is his game.

Also in contention for points is freshman TJ Harkins as the 11th seed with a 4:54.41 from the Skyland Conference Championships. Harkins has shown great improvement over the season with room for more, so it's not impossible to say that he could scare 6th place to squeeze out some extra points. If the performance lists hold true, then Harkins will face the challenge of running 4:45 or faster, a mark that will take "pure guts" to approach.

The 3200m could potentially unfold as one of the most exciting battles of the weekend. Although John Spinelli's 9:45.47 seed represents a nearly 27-second gap on third seed Paustian, and close to a minute for fourth seed Harkins, it will likely be an real race up front among Spinelli, Paustian, and Bobby D'Angelo, entering the meet with a 9:59.23; and in the chase pack, which Harkins leads with a 10:51.31.

Boys 100m, 200m, Long Jump

With third seed junior Avery Lawrence (11.55) not probable to race at Sectionals with a hamstring injury, the task of scoring points goes to junior Gianni Riga, the Non-Public B champ in the 55m dash. Riga enters the fray as the 5th seed with an 11.71 from the Skyland Conference Championships. Riga will have no problem navigating through the prelim -- his ability to keep his composure under pressure is his greatest asset. His greatest challenge, however, will be trying to come close to Wildwood Catholic's Charles Fields, who leads the event with a 10.88.

Riga also must face the might of Fields in the 200m, as his fourth-seeded 23.48 is nearly a second behind Fields' 22.34 lead. However, Riga always seems to perform best when he has stiff competition, and with six other runners in the 23-second range, he'll surely have a fantastic race.

Also slated to run the 200m is senior Christian Bryson, who's seeded 10th with a 24.24 clocking from the Somerset County Championships. Bryson has proved himself to be a true underdog with real talent on the track and in the jumps, and his ability to surprise us each meet could mean that he squeezes out the quarter second needed to steal the 6th spot.

Bryson's aforementioned long jumping ability has tied him for the 9th seed with St. Rose's Sean Breuche (18-03.50). It will take another 6.5 inches to get the 8th spot, which will surely be difficult for both Bryson and Breuche. We're counting on him to rise to the occasion and get as close to that mark as possible.

Girls 100m, 200m

Freshman standout Chinonso Morsindi enters as the 12th seed with a 13.58 clocking from the NJCTC Frosh-Soph Championship. Morsindi's performance shows promise for points, given her rapid improvement over the course of the year. Not to mention the 2.7-meter headwind she faced at the CTC meet, which, given better conditions, could mean she shaves some fractions of a second off her PR. 

Morsindi also has a decent chance to move on in the 200m, where her 27.84 places her in 12th, just .3 seconds off the 8th seed. 

As Morsindi's first appearance at an outdoor state meet, she'll be up against strong competition, but the opportunity to score points is within reach.

Girls 1600m, 800m, 3200m

Sophomore Ali Wehrhahn is the 11th seed in this event, entering with a 5:48.61 set at the Skyland Conference Championships. The stiff competition of Holy Spirit's Angela Bannan's 5:19.36 seed will surely string out the field, but Wehrhahn will have a close race of about eight other girls fighting for that eighth spot. Wehrhahn has rounded into much better form as of late, running impressive 800m races in the past month. She'll have to carry out that speed over the four laps of the 1600m race to be in contention for points.

Wehrhahn faces a much deeper field in the 800m. Although the gap between Wehrhahn's performance and the top seeded time is only 6 seconds, there are 12 other runners within the same time range that she needs to compete against. While the 8th place seed is only 3 seconds ahead, it's important to remember that anything can happen on race day. This will surely mean an aggressive approach is needed by Wehrhahn to come out on top.

Her greatest challenge may come in the 3200m race, where she must make up a 9-second deficit over eight laps to touch 8th place. However, given Wehrhahn's rapid improvement in the past month, it's not out of the realm of reality. She's sure to give us a good performance, and hopefully she can snag some points along the way.

Auto Qualifiers (and the Girls 4x100m)

Most of the relays are going to give us some free points along the way, as long as all of these teams finish the race and don't do anything to get disqualified. These include the Boys and Girls 4x800m, the Boys 4x100m, and the Boys and Girls 4x400m. 

The Girls 4x100m team, however, is only less than a second off the 8th spot -- time that can be simply made up with fast running and good hand-offs. We're hoping this is the case.

And for those of you that aren't mentioned in this article: surprise us. 

With these highlights in mind, it's going to be an exciting weekend for everyone. We sincerely encourage that you attend both meets to cheer on your runners to give them every edge they may need to perform at their best.

If we're going to do something special, it's going to have to be a team effort.

See you at Sectionals.

Youth Uprising

The Spartans' youngsters had quite the showing Sunday afternoon at the NJCTC Frosh-Soph Championship hosted by Notre Dame High School. Chinonso Morsindi got the momentum rolling early in the meet as she placed 4th in the Freshman girls 100m dash with a school record time of 13.58. Morsindi was back at it later in the day, finishing 2nd in the Freshman girls 200m dash with another record breaking time of 27.84.

In the Freshman girls 400m Haley Rogers got on the board the tough way by winning the 4th heat by a wide margin and displacing runners from earlier heats for a 6th place finish. Haley recorded a time of 67.33, which represents a 12-second improvement from the beginning of the season. Caroline Onderko placed 8th overall in the 400m with a hard fought time of 68.22 while competing in the fastest heat, which is now her open 400m PR.

In the Sophomore girls 800, Ali Wehrhahn put her toughness on display with a 2nd place finish in a personal best time of 2:30.78. Ali is really rounding into form and seems poised for a strong finish to the season as she has now dropped 7-seconds off her 800 time over the past five days. Carly Makowicz also came up with a huge performance in the 800 with a 7th place finish and personal record time of 2:40.83. Carly is another one who is running her best when it counts, as she has now dropped 11-seconds off her previous best 800 time over the past two weeks.

Taylor Luger qualified for the finals of the Freshman girls 100m Hurdles. She placed 7th with a personal record time of 22.15. Andrew Waskin and Bridget McCabe posted personal records in both the 100m and 200m and Dominic Riga fought thru a hip injury to run 26.27 for the 200m.

Next up for the team is Non-Public B South State Sectional Championships at Delsea HS. This is a 2-day meet on Friday, May 26, and Saturday, May 27. Look for a preview in the coming days.

PRs Galore at the Ridge Night of 1600s

Well, I was waiting on pictures from this meet to show up on MileSplit that I could use, but it doesn't look like they're coming any time soon.

With that said, the stats should be enough to satisfy your taste buds, as four out of the four Spartans that attended the Ridge Night of 1600s set new personal records in the 1600m event despite the uncharacteristically chilly and windy weather.

Ali Wehrhahn ran the first race of the night, clocking a 5:49.8 in the eighth heat. Wehrhahn's shaved 4.13 seconds off her previous best of 5:53.93, set last year at the NJCTC Outdoor Frosh-Soph Championship. Wehrhahn is seeing major improvements, especially now that she is healthy after a spotty cross country season.

In heat nine was Matt Lumia, who dipped under the 6-minute barrier for the first time with a 20-second personal record of 5:42.99. This marks a huge improvement for Lumia, who has only been in the sport for less than a year.

Next up was Mike Paustian, who placed second in the fourteenth heat with a time of 4:43 flat, obliterating his previous best of 4:52.37. Paustian had suffered from knee problems that prevented him from competing for a spot at the Indoor Meet of Champions, so this serves as validation that his fitness is where it needs to be.

Mark Schwalm competed in the final and fastest heat of the night, breaking five minutes in the event for the first time in dominant fashion with a 4:45.34. A 53-second 400m runner, Schwalm was tested in the 1200 over-distant meters, but held his own against a stacked field to prove his versatility from the sprint to middle-distance events.

Overall, the Ridge Night of 1600s was wildly successful and sets the Spartans up for an exciting day at the Skyland Conference Championships on Tuesday, May 9 at Hillsborough High School.

You can see the results of the Ridge Twilight Night of 1600s here.

A Weekend at the Races: Spartans Appear at Penn Relays and Randolph Relays

This past weekend, the Immaculata Spartans made history as the first group in school history to attend the prestigious Penn Relays Carnival, held annually at the University of Pennsylvania's legendary Franklin Field. 

The 4x100m team, comprised of Gianni Riga, Lord Jones, Kendall Davis, and Avery Lawrence, placed 3rd in their heat against a stacked field with a school record 44.68, the team's first mark under 45 seconds.

The 4x400m team of Mark Schwalm, Avery Lawrence, Gianni Riga, and Michael Paustian ran a 3:43.83 for 8th in their heat. The energy of the stadium helped the athletes overcome the hot and humid conditions that defined the day.

While those boys were off and running at Penn, the rest of Immaculata's boys and girls were competing at the Randolph Relays, covering events from the sprint and distance relays to the shot put.

This weekend marks the last relay-only meets of the season. The Spartans will make their debuts in the individual events on Tuesday, May 2, when they will face host school Manville and North Plainfield in a tri-meet before the championship season ramps up.

You can see the results of the 123rd Penn Relays here, and the results of the Randolph Relays here.

Harkins Records First Career Sub 5 at Metuchen

The Bulldog Frosh/Soph Meet on Friday featured a slew of personal accomplishments for our young runners. TJ Harkins led the way by breaking 5:00 in the 1600m for the first time in his young career, clocking in at 4:58 for a 6th place finish in the freshman race. This represents a five second PR from a questionable Time Trial with only one witness at best in early March. In the same race, Michael Blandino lowered his 1600m PR by a whopping 21 seconds in running 5:11.

Three more Spartans collected some hardware for their efforts. Caroline Onderko continued her torrid stretch of racing by getting 5th place in the freshman 800m in 2:40.29. Carly Makowicz took 9th place in the sophomore 800m in 2:51.31, and Yoshi Shuyama hopped aboard the PR train and kept his season of improvement going with a 7th place finish in the sophomore 800m in 2:16.42.

Practice Pays Kids.

Girls Set SMR Record at Somerset County Relays

On right: Caroline Onderko

The Spartans were back on the track Saturday morning competing in the Somerset County Relays at Ridge HS. In the Girls' Sprint Medley Relay, Immaculata captured victory in heat 1 with a school record time of 4:47.81. Kat Diana (31.0s) led off and handed the baton to Sophia Bischoff (29.4s), who did a great job of gaining ground throughout her leg. Chinonso Morsindi (67.1s) then ran a strong 400m before handing off to Caroline Onderko, who made a dominant move over the final lap to overcome a 30-meter deficit, going from third to first. She finished with an 800m split of 2:40, which represents her second five-second personal record over the last two days: she had just run 2:45 on Thursday night to lower her previous personal record from 2:50.

Three relay teams were able to get on Saturday's scoreboard, as the Boys' 4 x 100m, Boys Sprint Medley Relay, and Girls' Shuttle Hurdle Relay recorded sixth-place finishes to score one point apiece. The Freshmen and Sophomores return to action on Friday, April 21, at Metuchen HS, while the Boys' 4 x 100m and Boys' 4 x 400m will gear up over the next two weeks for the Penn Relays.

Girls Shine Bright at Night

From left to right: Caroline Onderko, Ali Wehrhahn, Shanna Ehlers, Chinonso Morsindi

Running at the Holmdel Twilight Series, the girls' team turned in several inspiring performances on Thursday night. Leading the way was the 4 x 400m team who shattered the school record with a time of 4:33.23. Chinonso Morsindi led off and set the tone with a strong 66.06s split. In the middle, Shanna Ehlers (70.5s) and Ali Wehrhahn (68.9s) pushed hard to keep under record pace; and put anchor Caroline Onderko (67.1s) in position to bring it home, which is just what she did as she made a hard move over the last 50 meters to seal a 3rd place finish in the heat.

In other action, Immaculata fielded its first ever Girls' Shuttle Hurdle relay (Kelly Griffin, Caroline Onderko, Kat Diana, Taylor Luger) which finished in an unofficial time of 1:23. All four members of the girls 4 x 800m (Ali Wehrhahn, Caroline Onderko, Carly Makowicz, Taylor Luger) collected seasonal best 800m splits on the way to a time of 11:30.29.  

And lastly, despite missing 2 members of its 'A' squad, the Boys' 4 x 100m showed some grit and fight competing in the fastest heat. Gianni Riga handed off to Kendall Davis, who then handed off to 400m/800m specialist Mark Schwalm. Schwalm then handed off to jack-of-all-trades Mike Paustian, who can now boast a range of 100m through 3200m on the track. He may or may not have completed 3 miles worth of a hard workout earlier in the afternoon before being called into action.

It was a fantastic night and meet put on by Holmdel HS.  Everyone stepped up and rose to the occasion. Next up for the Spartans is the Somerset County Relays on April 15, beginning at 9 a.m. at Ridge HS.

You can see the results of the Holmdel Twilight Series - Penn Qualifier here.

The Beginning

From left to right: Lord Jones, Kendall Davis, Avery Lawrence, Mark Schwalm, Gianni Riga

Today was a historic day at the Skyland Conference Relays for the Immaculata Spartans Spring Track Team.  Competing in the Raritan Valley Divison, the boys took home 1st place in 3 events (4 x 100m, 4 x 200m, SMR) which led the team to a total of 39 points and a 5th place team finish. 

The 4 x 100m team of Gianni Riga, Kendall Davis, Lord Jones, and Avery Lawrence set a school record with a time of 45.05s. The SMR team of Gianni Riga, Kendall Davis, Avery Lawrence, and Mark Schwalm also set a school record with a time of 3:49.35. The 4 x 200m team of Gianni Riga, Kendall Davis, Lord Jones, and Avery Lawrence set yet another school record with a time of 1:34.63, with all 4 members contributing sub-24-second splits. 

Also contributing to the team scoring were the DMR team (Mike Paustian, Jack Boyda, Yoshi Shuyama, TJ Harkins) and the 4 x 400m team (Mark Schwalm, Lord Jones, Danny Rogers, Mike Paustian). The girls' team also got in on the action by finishing 6th place in the SMR (Chinonso Morsindi, Shanna Ehlers, Caroline Onderko, Ali Wehrhahn) and accumulating many, many PRs along the way.

All in all, it was a banner day for the team and the best collective effort in school history, with 39 team points representing the most ever scored for the Spartans. While today may have made a statement that the team isn't to be taken lightly anymore, the coaches know that there is still plenty of work to be done.  The best is yet to come, and you best believe it's gonna be an exciting journey over the next 2 months.

The Spartans return to action on Thursday, April 13, with a select group traveling to Holmdel HS in a Penn Relays preview. The entire team is back at it on Saturday, April 15, at the Somerset County Relays hosted by Ridge HS.

You can see the results of the Skyland Conference Relays here.