Cox, Davis, Nembhard, Grant among CJ winners
Shore's Pierce, boys 1,600 relay team also win track titles
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

Above, Monmouth's Ray Davis competes in the 110-meter hurdles at the CJGroup II championships in Tinton Falls on Friday. Below, Rumson-Fair Haven's Jen Jamogodrian clears the high jump bar.

Nothing can stop Charles Cox and the Monmouth Regional Express.

Monmouth Regional's boys collected their third championship in as many weeks when they won the Central Jersey Group III state sectional title last weekend at home in Tinton Falls.

With Cox winning the 200 (21.64) and 400 (48.03), and anchoring the Falcons' 1,600-meter relay team to a win (3:24.16), Monmouth totaled 80 points, enough to hold off runner-up Colts Neck (72).

In addition, the 21.64 represented a new personal best for the junior.

The Falcons had heroes aplenty. Raymond Davis did his share of the work in the hurdles, winning the 110s (14.47) and the 400 intermediates (53.33).

Davis and Cox were joined by Kelly Fisher and Rashon Verrett on the Falcons' victorious relay team. Fisher took fifth place in the long jump (21-6).

PHOTOS BY CHRIS KELLY staff

Andrew Brown captured the gold in the pole vault with a 14-3 clearance.

A one-two in the shot put certainly didn't hurt the Falcons. Brandon Cately nipped teammate Edrick Alleyene, 51-3 3/4-51-1 1/2.

Red Bank Regional's Tom Friscia provided one of the highlights of the weekend, out-dueling Colts Neck's Craig Forys over 800 meters for the second time this spring. Friscia out-kicked the state cross country champion over the final 20 meters to win narrowly, 1:55.50-1:55.60.

Friscia the day before had turned in his pb in the 1,600 (4:21.81), finishing second behind Forys' meet record 4:15.12.

It was an equally rewarding meet in Group III for Ocean Township's incredible duo of Georgina Nembhard and Tiffany Grant, who combined for three championships and led the Spartans to a fourth-place finish with 54 points (Hopewell Valley won the sectional title with 88).

Nembhard continued her mastery of the 100 and 200, winning both impressively. Her 12.0 left the field in the dust in the 100, but it was in the 200 that the Spartan junior raised eyebrows. Her 24.02 smashed the 11-year-old meet record of 24.30 held by Tysha Crichlow of Neptune.

"Practices have been going very well for me," said Nembhard. "I'm not shocked [at the 24.02], but I'm still a little surprised. My hard work is paying off. Each week I keep improving."

In second place, Grant was just outside the old record with her 24.34.

In her specialty, the 400, Grant was simply too strong for the rest of the field. Her 55.41 was just off her meet record 55.30 of last year, but that didn't seem to matter to the Spartan flash.

"I'm satisfied with it," she said. "I'm where I want to be. I feel so much better than at the county [championships]."

Grant had a little help in the 400 from her teammate Nembhard, who ran a 58.51 and finished in seventh.

"I went out pretty hard," said Grant. "It was a good pace."

Along with her two wins, Nembhard also took a second place in the 100 hurdles (14.69).

The Group II section was a showcase for area sprinters/hurdlers as well.

Shore Regional's boys left their mark all over these events, led by another victory in the 1,600 relay.

Matt Villane won the 400 intermediates in 55.48, with teammates Matt Reidy (56.23) and Mike Oshetsky (58.16) finishing third and sixth.

Villane was also third in the 110 hurdles (14.85) and Reidy was fourth in the 400 (50.11). Derek Schultz was sixth in the 200 (23.38).

The quartet of Taylor Kirk, Schultz, Villane and Reidy took the relay in 3:22.17.

Rumson-Fair Haven's Alex Smith won the high jump at 6-2. He was the only jumper in the competition to clear that height.

The Blue Devils' Kristen Pierce claimed a pair of sectional championships. The senior won the 100 hurdles in 15.41 and took the 400 intermediates in 1:06.77.

Rumson-Fair Haven freshman Melissa Bellin continued her weekly trend of lowering her 400 personal best. This time, it led to a championship. Her 57.04 left her a full two seconds clear of the field. Bellin also took third in the 100 hurdles (15.55), fifth in the 100-meter dash (12.98) and led the Bulldogs to the 1,600-relay crown.

Gabby Kelly, Sarah Robinson, Jaime Carroll and anchor Bellin stopped the clock in 4:02.96.

Kelly was sixth in the 100 (12.99), and Carroll was fourth in the 400 hurdles (1:08.32).

The Bulldogs scored 33 points and finished sixth, while Shore had 26, good for seventh. Rahway was the sectional winner with 81 points.

The top six finishers in each event from the sectionals qualified for this weekend's State Group Championships.

Qualifying from Group III for the girls were: Red Bank's Christina Nelson, third in the 800 (2:16.73) and fourth in the 1,600 (5:04.48), Megan Carr, sixth in the 100 hurdles (16.69), and Mandie Lozano, sixth in the shot put (34-5 1/2); and Long Branch's Farrow-Alyssa Baker, fourth in the shot put (35-4).

Boys qualifying in Group III included Red Bank's Dennie Waite, fourth in the 1,600 (4:24.67) and 3,200 ((9:48.53), and Darryl Jackson, sixth in the shot put (47-3 1/2).

In Group II, advancing among the girls were Shore's Jamie Pointer, fifth in the 100 hurdles (15.89) and sixth in the 400 hurdles (1:08.75), and the Devils' 1,600 relay team, sixth (4:14.64).

Boys qualifying in Group II were: Shore's Chris Santorelli, third in the 100 (11.36), Ryan Dwyer sixth in the long jump (20-1 1/2) and the high jump (5-8), and Sean Kelly, fifth in the pole vault (12-6); and Rumson-Fair Haven's Andrew Morris, sixth in the shot put (46-5 1/2), Max Thal, sixth in the javelin (157-0), and Joe Raevis, sixth in the pole vault (12-6).

Next up are the NJSIAA State Group Championships today and tomorrow. Groups I, II and IV will go to Egg Harbor Township while Group III will be in South Plainfield along with Non-Public A and B.

The goal this weekend is to advance to the Meet of Champions in South Plainfield on Wednesday.