UC’s Taylor Cox and The Boys 4×800 Relay Light Up The Track at Ocean Breeze Invitational

By Jim Lambert

The Union Catholic track and field teams produced some jaw-dropping results at Saturday’s Ocean Breeze Elite Invitational.

Here are some of the biggest highlights.

Junior Taylor Cox won the girls 60-meter hurdles in a facility record 8.29, No. 2 in state history and No. 2 in the nation this season. The only NJ athlete to go faster than Cox is legendary Olympian Sydney McLaughlin, who ran 8.17 when she won the New Balance National title as a sophomore at Union Catholic in 2015. Cox is also US No. 3 in the 55 hurdles (7.82).

The other UC winner in the Elite Division came in the boys 4×800 where the Vikings blasted a 7:54.5, which is NJ No. 3 and US No. 9 this winter. UC’s splits were 1:57.44 for Keandre Kelly, 1:57.66 for Sean Wilson, 2:00.02 for Quintin Clemons, and 1:59.47 for Jimmy Wischusen.

Noah Cooper of Union Catholic finished second in the long jump with a 22-3.25, Marcus McCoy of Union Catholic ran 8.17 to place third in the boys 60 hurdles, and Avery Atexide ran 49.26, the 6th fastest time in the state this season, to place fourth in the 400.

In the Emerging Elite Division, Jola Strayhorn finished first in the girls 300 with a personal best 41.52!