By tim morris
Staff Writer

Amanda and Katy Trotter’s Victory Tour continued last weekend at the NJSIAA Group State Championships at Egg Harbor Township.

The magnificent Red Bank Regional twins added three more state titles to their names with Amanda winning the 1,600 and 3,200, and Katy the 800.

The only New Jersey meet remaining for two of the finest distance runners the state has ever produced was Wednesday’s Meet of Champions at South Plainfield High School. Ironically, the Trotters, who have won everything else in high school track, have yet to win an outdoor MOC title. Both insist that it is not a be-all and end-all for them.

"All I care about is running my best race and getting a good time," said Amanda Trotter, second in the 1,600 the last two years at the outdoor MOC. "I’m going to try my best to get it. I’m just going to let things happen."

Katy Trotter, who has been second in the 800 the last two years to Glen Rock’s Kim Mineo, was taking the same approach.

"I’m not going to put pressure on myself," she said. "This is the last race I’ll run in New Jersey, and that is added motivation. I’m pretty happy with the season regardless of what happens."

Amanda was going to run the 1,600 and, depending on how she felt, might double in the 3,200.

Katy Trotter was unsure of what she was going to do, although she was leaning toward the 1,600 and coming back and doing the 800 if she felt good enough.

The real target for the Trotters is the National Scholastic Championships June 13-14 in Raleigh, N.C. Besides running the 3,200 there, they have their sights on setting a national record in the Distance Medley.

At Egg Harbor, where the Trotters won their first state championships, they said goodbye in style.

On Friday, Amanda and Katy went one-two in the 1,600 with Amanda clocking 4:55.10 and Katy, 5:55.17.

The next day in the 800, Katy’s 2:12.25 brought home the gold while Amanda’s 10:34.18 in the 3,200 bested Passaic Valley star Jesse Mizzone (10:41.05).

The twins helped RBR finish third with 42 points in the team competition behind Franklin (64) and Willingboro (46).

Shore Regional’s Julie Ullmeyer gave another clear signal that she is back. The Blue Devil junior won the 1,600 and 3,200 titles in Group I. She posted a 5:17.92 in the 1,600 and out-kicked Bernards’ Grace DeMarrais to win the 3,200 (11:31.18-11:31.49).

With 20 points from Ullmeyer, Shore finished fifth with 27 points.

Long Branch’s Mike Bland was in reach of his goal, qualifying for the MOC in the 100-meter dash. The junior finished second in the Group II final (10.81) by a lean to Buena’s Lee Barnes (10.80) to qualify. However, he fell to the track at the finish and a broken arm will keep him out of the MOC.

Those who finished in the top six last weekend were winners as well, qualifying for the MOC.

Those from the area who qualified among the boys were: Marc Altenau, Shore, third, Group I 1,600 (4:25.34) and fourth in the 800 (2:00.70); Brian Frech, Shore, sixth, Group I discus (128-06); Michael Rucker, Monmouth Regional, sixth, Group III 110-meter high hurdles (14.92); Rob Dennis, Red Bank Regional, third, Group III 3,200 (9:32.27); and Adam Safafian, Ocean Township, fourth, Group III pole vault (13-0).

The girls qualifying for the MOC were: Ocean’s Erin Enderly, fifth, Group III 3,200 (10:58.85); Amanda Campbell, Rumson-Fair Haven, sixth, Group II long jump (15-10); and Kristen Pierce, Shore. sixth, Group I 400-meter intermediate hurdles (1:07.96).

RBR’s 1,600 relay team (4:05.1) and Shore’s (4:09.31) were fourth and third in their respective groups.

The Parochial A championships were held at Notre Dame in Lawrenceville on Saturday. Red Bank Catholic’s distance runners shone with three qualifying for the MOC. In the 1,600 James McCarthy was fifth (4:24.34), while in the 3,200 both Matt Piccarello (9:24.59) and Conrad Laskowski (9:28.97) moved on after placing third and fourth.

RBC’s 1,600-meter relay team was fifth (3:30.99).

Qualifying for the RBC girls were pole vaulter Lauren Pfeifer, who tied for second (8-0), and triple jumper Jessica Ford, who was third (39-32-9 3/4).