Ocean’s Grant second in indoor MOC 400

JEFFGRANIT staff Red Bank Regional’s Christina Nelson leads the pack during the 1,600-meter run at Sunday’s Meet of Champions in Princeton. The state indoor track and field season came to an end Sunday with Ocean Township’s speedsters Tiffany Grant and Georgina Nembhard confirming they are among the elite sprinters.

Grant finished second in the girl’s 400 meters at the NJSIAA Indoor Meet of Champions at Princeton University, posting her best time of the winter, 57.18. The Spartan junior trailed only Winslow Township’s Krystal Cantey’s 56.93.

Nembhard, a sophomore, was fifth in the 55-meter dash. She posted a 7.40 in the final, which went to Shore Conference rival Shavon Greaves from Lakewood (7.20). Nembhard was 11th in the 200 meters (26.20).

Long Branch’s Marcus Jenkins picked up a sixth place in the boys’ 55-meter hurdles. The Green Wave sprinter/hurdler clocked 7.74 in the final after running a 7.79 in the preliminaries.

Red Bank Regional’s Tom Friscia was the top Shore-area finisher in the 800 meters. A strong closing sprint moved the Buc junior up to seventh place and under 2:00 (1:59.27). Rob Novak of Bordentown won the MOC gold in 1:56.52.

RBR’s Christina Nelson was 10th in the girls’ 1,600 (5:15.37). Nelson led the field through the 800 meters in 2:31, but before falling back and finishing 10th. Danielle Tauro from Southern Regional added the indoor 1,600 title to her 2004 outdoor title. The Shore-area star fell on the second lap and still managed to break 5:00, running a startling 4:57.90.

Leading Shore Regional’s contingent was Martine McGrath, the Group I state champion, who was 12th in the 1,600 in her best time of the season, 5:17.27.

Monmouth Regional’s Tanieka Warren was 13th in the girls’ shot put (35-3 1/4). St. Dominic Academy’s Daria Zivanovic won the gold with a 41-3 3/4.

— Tim Morris