RFH's Smith jumps to MOC state title

PHOTOS BY ERIC SUCAR staff Rumson-Fair Haven senior Melissa Bellin (center) competes in the girls 400-meter dash during the 44th annual NJSIAA Indoor Track and Field Meet of Champions held at the John Bennett Indoor Athletic Complex in Toms River on Feb. 21. Winning a state championship was never an option. So thought Rumson-Fair Haven high jumper Alex Smith prior to the start of the 2008-09 indoor season.

After Saturday's NJSIAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, the state championship was no longer an option, it was reality. The RFHJ jumper is the best in the state after capturing the MOC title by matching his season-leading 6-8.

Smith was the only jumper in the field to scale 6-8.

The state title came into focus for Smith when he began to consistently jump 6-6. He then took his personal best up to 6-8, which was best in the state. A state title suddenly became a possibility.

Along with the pb's, the titles followed — Monmouth County, Shore Conference, Central Jersey Group II and State Group II.

Red Bank Catholic's Molly McNamara sprints to the finish line in the girls 1600-meter run. What separated Smith from the other 6- 8 jumpers in the state, Glenn Scheideler of Randolph and Uchenna Njoku from Cherry Hill, was that remarkable consistency. He had jumped 6-8 more than once and in 14 competitions, he had cleared 6-6 or better11 times. That proved to be the difference Saturday as he was able to do 6-8 again and his competitors weren't.

While Smith had made himself an MOC contender from the start of the season, Red Bank Catholic's Molly McNamara was just happy to be there Saturday. She had suffered a foot injury at the end of the cross-country season and took a month off. She thought her indoor season would be a wash, and that it wouldn't be until the outdoor season that she would be back in form. Much to her delight, that wasn't the case.

"My first workout I ran five quarters in 75 (seconds)," he said. "I realized I hadn't lost that much."

All the proof she needed was the sophomore state record she set earlier this month at the Armory track in N.Y.C. in the 1,000-meters (2:56.53).

With her priorities changed, McNamara came to the MOC with her first title (Non- Public A) under her belt looking to run her first sub-5:00 1,600. She not only did that, but established herself as one of state's upand coming stars by finishing second to the Southern Regional's great Jillian Smith.

While Smith was setting a meet record 4:48.23, McNamara ran a steady race splitting 2:29 for her first and second 800 meters, coming home in 4:58.79 becoming the first Casey girls to go under 5:00 indoors.

"It's exciting," said McNamara. "My goal was to get dragged along and run a fast time."

McNamara did more than get dragged along. She was in the medal chase all the way and used a kick in the homestretch to get up to second.

The month away from running, McNamara reported, reenergized her as she came to realize how much running means to her.

"It (month off) made me want it more," she said. "Running is my passion."

Other notable performances turned in by local athletes included the 12th place in the boy's 1,600 by Rumson's Max Sparshatt (4:25.87).

For the girls, Shore Regional's Cameo Kirk was 14th in the 400 (59.32), Red Bank Regional's Aiyanna James, 15th (59.38) and RFH's Melissa Bellin (18th (1:00.46). RFH's Hannah Satzke was 15th in the 1,600 (5:11.89) and teammate Victoria Harwood, tied for 15th in the pole vault (9-6).

RBC's 4x400 relay team of Courtney Gannon, Adriana Tacopino, Sophia Fils- Saime and Alexandra McCahill turned in their best time of the winter, 4:07.48 and were 20th.