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
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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 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.
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.
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