Owls track teams head to sectionals with solid performances

 

Despite competing against some of the larger high schools in Middlesex County, the HPHS boys and girls track teams brought home personal bests in the 2011 Greater Middlesex Conference Track Championships. Leading the way against the likes of East Brunswick, Piscataway, St. Joseph's of Metuchen and Old Bridge was sophomore Dierra Doyle, who helped the girls team finish 10th and earned gold in the shot put with a throw of 35-10.

 

The three-sport varsity starter (soccer and basketball) is "an amazing athlete . . . she's a sprinter, who pulled a calf muscle recently. I wasn't sure if she was going to compete, but she was okay to throw. It was a nice surprise with her winning the shotput event," head coach Keith Roig said with characteristic understatement.

"I was very happy, the weather was nice, and a lot of the kids who were training a long time reached their peak and recorded their personal bests," said Roig.

Sophomore distance runner Charlotte Finegold ran a personal best of 12:42.0 in the 3200 meter run -- the fastest time for a female runner at HPHS in more than ten years. In this first season running competitively, Finegold was a top finisher for the Blue Division and finished 12th overall.

Junior Mande Younge recorded a personal best of 1:04.4 in the 400 meters. Freshman Grace Chong ran 1:03.0 in the 400 meters, and their relay teammate Sylvia Marks also performed well. She will be one to watch during this weekend's sectionals, where she will be running in the 1600 meters.

Eric Davis, one of the coaches for the boys track team, was proud of the performances shown by the squad. Leading the way was senior Zachary Chen, who will attend the University of New Hampshire next season.

Chen ran a personal best 10:23 for the 3200 meter run, Davis said. "He is our team captain and his (previous) personal best was run at this meet two years ago."

Junior Andy Liebau and freshman Andrew Carnegie-Blackman ran under 12 minutes for the first time, and stand to be Highland Park's top two returning cross country runners in the fall.

"I've known Andrew Carnegie-Blackman since seventh grade, he has a lot of potential," Davis said. "This is a good thing for him in helping get in shape for cross country," Davis added.

Freshman Melshawn Taylor competed in the discus and recorded a personal best with a throw of 92-0. "This is a good sign for him, because he is a hard worker," said Davis.

Both squads will compete in the sectional event at Hillsborough High School this Friday and Saturday.

"I'm really excited about the sectionals. We have a great chance of picking up points in the middle distance, sprinting and throwing events," said Roig. "Dierra will be competing in the all-around competition in triple jump, shotput, as well as the 100 and 200 meters."

"I'm looking forward to it despite the stiff competition out there," said Davis.

Seniors competing in perhaps their last meet will be Chen and Sam Lobel. "Zach has run cross country for four years. This is a chance for the two of them and others to run their personal best," said Davis.