Middletown South Sprinter Aaron Stillitano
Captures County and Shore Conference Titles
Guide to Sharing County Roadways with Horses
30 JULY 2021 | TheJournalNJ.com
BY LOU MERCATANTI
There’s nothing as relaxing as taking a ride to nowhere down one of
Monmouth County’s many long and winding country roads. As you
ride along, one of most beautiful sights are horseback riders out on
the roadways.
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minder that state law gives horses the right of way.
Additionally, many of these roads will have posted 25 MPH speed
limits where horses are present. Please be sure to abide by these speed
limits for your safety as well as the safety of the horse and rider.
BY LES PIERCE
Middletown South’s Aaron Stillitano had to
wait a long time to prove what he could
do on the track. The entire 2020 season
was canceled due to COVID-19; however, in 2021,
local schools were back in action.
As a sophomore in 2019, the Eagle sprinter
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onships with a time of 10.97. Red Bank senior Nigel
Mitchell nabbed the title that year, and sophomore
James Bivins, of Monsignor Donovan,
placed second. Fast forward two years to 2021,
and Bivins and Stillitano returned to compete in
the most hotly contested race of recent years.
In this year’s Monmouth County Champi-
100-meter dash with a 10:91 clocking. Ocean
back at 11:02.
In the 200-meter dash at that meet, the results
were similar with the University of Pennsylvania
bound Stillitano winning easily, stopping
the timer at 21.90. Nyron Lewis (22.75), of Neptune,
placed second, and Aaron’s younger brother,
Alec, picked up the bronze medal with a time of 22.79.
That same weekend, Bivins claimed the 100 and 200-meter titles
at the Ocean County Championships. One week later, the two champs
would clash at the Shore Conference Championships.
Bivins was known for being quick out of the blocks and proved that
reputation in the Shore Conference 100-meter dash when he jumped
run.
victor. The two competitors gazed at the results board for the entire time
and embraced each other in a mutual showing of respect. Finally, the
identical clocking of 10.92 was posted for both athletes.
Three hours later, the two would test their speed once again in the
200-meter dash. The longer distance favored Stillitano, and he picked
up his second gold of the afternoon, timed at 21.97 going into a mild
headwind. Bivins (22.17) again settled for being second best.
“Aaron showed great promise from day one as a freshman and has
continued to grow into one of the state’s best sprinters,” stated Middletown
South Head Coach Vic Bayers Jr. “He's a tremendous talent, worker
and even greater competitor. He will be greatly missed next year, but
now that he owns all the sprint school records he has left his long term
mark here at South.”
Horses are prey animals which means they react to anything they
consider a threat. Please don’t honk your horn or yell out the window
their rider. Should you see a horse in distress, wait for the rider to waive
you see horses and riders or horse trailers.
Sharing our roadways with horses and riders is one of the great joys
of this area. Please be cautious, and take a moment to appreciate these
/TheJournalNJ.com