Double by Cox helps Falcons win Group title

BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

With Charles Cox paving the way, Monmouth Regional High School’s boys won the NJSIAA State Group III indoor track championship Sunday.

Cox won the 200-400-meter double for the Golden Falcons in Princeton University’s Jadwin Gymnasium, as Monmouth rolled up 39 3/4 points to beat Roxbury (24) and Colts Neck (20) handily.

Cox, a junior, scored enough points by himself to bring home the state championship trophy. He won the 200-400 dash double after placing in the 55-meter dash.

Cox set a meet record in the 200, stopping the timer in 22.28 to smash the old mark of 22.95 from last year by Austin Casey of Parsippany Hills. He concluded his busy day winning the 400 in 50.16. He collected Monmouth’s first points of the day when he finished third in the blanket finish of the 55-meter dash (6.63). Bruce Black of Hamilton and Tyrone Pouncey of Williamstown were both timed in 6.62 with the photo separating them.

Raymond Davis added to Monmouth’s total with a third place in the 55-meter hurdles (7.87) and then took sixth in the 400 (51.93) that was won by Cox.

Alan Borhauer and Andrew Brown gave the champions field points by scoring in the pole vault. Borhauer was third clearing 12-6, while Brown tied for fifth at 12-0.

The first six finishers plus 12 wild cards (to be announced) in each event from the four Group championships advanced to the Feb. 12 Meet of Champions in Jadwin.

A number of area athletes extended their seasons at the Groups.

Ocean Township’s girls were fifth in Group III with 22 points led by Georgina Niembard.

The versatile sprinter/hurdler was second in the 55-hurdles (8.53), fourth in the 55 dash (7.43) and fourth in the 200 (25.99).

Teammate Tiffany Grant, the reigning outdoor 400-meter champion, was third in her specialty, running her fastest time of the winter at 57.91.

Also in Group III, Red Bank Regional’s Christina Nelson finished sixth in the 1,600 meters (5:12.53).

The Bucs’ Tom Friscia was second in the boys 800 meters, clocking 1:59.51. In the 1,600, Dennis Waite was fourth (4:30.12).

In Group II, Red Bank Catholic’s Tina Forgach is going to the MOC after finishing second to Haddonfield’s Maggie Lupinski in the 800, 2:20.19-2:23.46.

In Group I, a pair of Shore Regional Blue Devils advanced in the 400. Matt Reidy (52.77) and Taylor Kirk ((52.79). finished fifth and sixth. Matt Villane was sixth in the high jump (5-10).

For the Blue Devil girls, Laura Embrey qualified in two events. She was fourth in the 3,200 (12:00.17) and sixth in the 800 (2:27.64).

Kristen Pierce was sixth in the 400 (1:02.92).

The competition will be a bit more local Sunday when Red Bank Regional hosts the Shore Conference Championships at noon.

CBA takes home Group IV

championship in track

Christian Brothers Academy didn’t have an individual champion, but it hardly mattered.

The Colts, getting 16 points from all-state harrier Chris Horel, scored just enough points to edge Southern Regional, 26-22, on Saturday to win the NJSIAA State Group IV championship at Jadwin.

The title is CBA’s 14th, putting the Colts just one behind Asbury Park’s 15 for the most ever indoor Group championships.

Horel scored a pair of second places in the 1,600 (4:28.74) and 3,200 meters (9:33.69) to give the Colts a solid foundation to build on.

He was out-kicked in the 1,600 by East Brunswick’s Justin Granit (4:28.22) and gamely came back later in the day to run the 3,200 against a rested Jeff Perrella of Westfield, who took first with a 9:30.32.

With the Colts winning by just four points, every point counted at this meet. John Carroll collected eight big points himself, taking second in the pole vault (13-0), the same height as the winner, Joshua Chavanne of Elizabeth.

The Colts’ other two points were on the track, where Kevin Rogers was sixth in the 1,600 (4:30.29) and Chris Lombardi was sixth in the 3,200 (9:495.93).