Thursday, January 19th, 2017
Bennett Complex, Toms River
-Girls win their 3rd Straight Non Public State Relay Title!
-Boys place 2nd overall!
The Union Catholic girls won the final two events on the track to secure its third straight title and the boys placed second at the NJSIAA Non-Public A Relay Championships on Thursday night at the Bennett Center in Toms River.
The UC girls were clinging to a 43-42 lead over Monmouth County powerhouse Red Bank Catholic when the Vikings closed out the meet by winning the sprint medley relay in 4:15.64 and the 4×400 relay in 4:03.75 to win the team title, 63-42, over runner-up RBC.
In addition to its victory in the SMR and 4×400, the UC girls also won the 4×200 in a N.J. No. 1 1:44.58, and the shuttle hurdles in 31.83, and placed second in the distance medley relay and third in the 4×800.
For the Vikings, Olympian Sydney McLaughlin ran 24.2 in the 4×200 and 55.8 for the 400 in the SMR. Amaya Chadwick led off the shuttle hurdles with a 7.6 and ran 26.2 in the 4×200. Felicia Quainoo ran 7.6 in the hurdles, 26.8 in the 4×200, and 61.8 in the 4×400. Leena Morant split 2:19.9 in the SMR, and 2:26.1 in the 4×800. Cassie Lamadieu ran 59.2 for 400 in the DMR, and 60.0 in the 4×400, and Jerika Lufrano anchored the DMR with a 5:20.2 carry and ran 2:29.4 in the 4×800.
On the boys side, the Vikings had a strong meet, placing second in the distance medley, 4×800 and 4×400 on the way to a runner-up finish to defending champion Christian Brothers Academy, 86-52. In the DMR, UC’s time of 10:29.49 is No. 3 in N.J. this season.
For UC, freshman Elijah Brown had a strong meet for UC, splitting 52.5 for his 400 leg in the distance medley, and ran 50.9 in the 4×400. Justin Cadas anchored the DMR with a 4:24.5 carry and ran 2:01.3 in the SMR. Freshman Conor Reilly cleared 12-0 in the pole vault. Greg Gibbs ran 1:58.5 for 800 in the SMR. Nate Papachristos ran 3:12.8 in the DMR and 2:02.1 in the 4×800, and Makay Johnson split 22.5 in the 4×200, and 50.9 in the 4×400.