Local Track Athletes
Wrap up Winter Season with Wins
The scholastic indoor track and eld season could not conclude before
Christian Brothers Academy had the chance to capture yet another state
championship.
Led by distance standout Shaw Powell, sprinter/hurdler Liam O’Hara and
thrower Eros Bottino, the Colts won the NJSIAA Non-Public A team state championship
at the Bennett Indoor Athletic Complex in Toms River. CBA easily
beat out Union Catholic, 83-56.
Powell captured the 1,600/3,200-meter distance double. The senior
took the 1,600 in 4:22.27 with teammate Troy Hill in second (4:23.49).
In the longer 3,200, Powell posted a winning time of 9:29.44 with
Hill third this time (9:31.07). Right behind Hill was the Colts’ Ben Santos
(9:37.59).
Earlier in the indoor season, Powell ran in the prestigious Millrose
Games in the Boys’ High School Mile.
O’Hara, also a senior, ran a quick 49.95 in winning the 400-meter dash.
He was the only sprinter under 50 seconds. Teammate Ethan Ferraiola was
third (50.66)
Bottino led a Colt one-two nish in the shot put. He had a winning toss of
57-6 while teammate Christian Ricci was runner-up at 55-2 ¾. Taking sixth for
the champions was Bruce Martin (46-9 ½).
Liam Miksic and Ben Skrincosky were third and fourth for CBA in the pole
vault, each clearing 11-0.
Powell, O’Hara and Bottino weren’t the only local track and eld athletes
to win state championships in Toms River.
Red Bank Regional sprinter Gabe Kroll was rst across the line in the
Group III 400-meter dash. He raced to his championship, clocking 50.44.
In Group III, Colts Neck’s Matt Bogdan was third in the 3,200 (9:26.26),
running behind the state’s two best distance runners, Allentown’s Liam Murphy
(9:04.41) and Mendam’s Jack Jennings (9:09.27).
The Cougars’ Cole Tucker had one of the farthest throws in the state this
winter, 57-5, but it got him only a fourth place nish in the shot put.
Middletown South’s Aaron Stillitano nished fourth in the 55-meter
dash nal (6.58).
Middletown North’s quartet of Matthew Conway, Isa Yilmaz, Kevin O’Brien
and Anthony Sclafani were fth in the 4x400 relay (3:30.07). Yilmaz also placed
22 APRIL 2020 | TheJournalNJ.com
BY TIM MORRIS
Christian Brothers Academy’s sprinter/hurdler Liam O’Hara added the
NJSIAA Non-Public A indoor 400-meter state championship to his resumé this winter.
sixth in the 800 (2:00.24).
Over in Non-Public B, Mater Dei’s Narin Buntin was third in both the
55-meter dash (6.80) and the high jump (5-8).
Buntin’s teammate Noah Lawson was fth in the shot put (41-2).
Ranney School’s Evan Woska was also a double-medal winner. He placed
second in the 1,600 (4:36.66) and fourth in the 800 (2:09.29).
The state sectionals were held prior to the group championships in Toms
River (parochial schools don’t have sectional meets), and the lone individual
winner there was Colts Neck’s Tucker. He out-distanced the competition in the
shot put with a school record 56-9 ½ to triumph in Central Jersey Group III.
The Cougar junior had the competition in the bag in the rst round with
a 52-0 mark while no one else reach 50 feet.
“My rst throw was 52 feet, and increasingly each round, it went up,”
said Tucker.
/TheJournalNJ.com
/oakhillacademy.com