The votes are in and the winners have been chosen! Thanks for the participation as a series record 1,634 votes were cast. Here is one last look back at the 2014 indoor season! The polls used to choose these NJ Tough Team Captains were based of the 2014 Indoor New Jersey Tough Teams which you can take a gander at by clicking right here.
With 67.9% of the votes Ian Kirk won the Boys NJTough Team Captancy thanks to the People's Choice Vote
Top 3 Vote Winners:
1. Ian Kirk - Howell - High Jump - 67.9%
2. James Buser - Mahwah - 800m - 20.08%
3. Mike McClemens - Christian Brothers Academy - 1600m - 4.44%
[From the full article] Ian Kirk of Howell HS hit the ground jumping this season; he opened up at the Demarest Invitational on December 21st with a career best of 6-08! After that he continued on with a fantastic season racking up ten wins and one second place finish which came at the Group level when Barden Adams of West Orange HS came through in a tight jump off. Ian ended the state season on a good note however at the Meet of Champions he took his 10th gold medal with a jump off that led to an odd height of 6-7 (Kenny Clark of Ramapo had forced the extra jumps).
Ian Kirk consistently pumped out first place finishes and hit his state leading clearance twice with a 6-08 bar at both the Demarest Invitational and the Metropolitan Invitational. He may have just lost at the Group level but wins at MOCs, Conference Champs, County Champs, Easterns and other meets show that he had a career season. With a clear trend from season to season his stats point toward a pretty good outdoor campaign. A great guy on and off the track good luck with spring!
Boys 2014 Indoor New Jersey Tough Team
55 Meter Dash / Kashif Miller - Haddon Heights
55 Meter Hurdles / Obafemi Animashaun - Union Catholic *Hurdle Captain
400 Meter Dash / Zyaire Clemes - Trenton Central *Sprint Captain
800 Meter Run / James Buser - Mahwah
1600 Meter Run / Mike McClemens - Christian Brothers Academy *Distance Captain
3200 Meter Run / Blaise Ferro - Christian Brothers Academy
4x400 Meter Relay / Union Catholic
Shot Put / Nick Pulli - West Deptford *Throws Captain
High Jump / Ian Kirk - Howell *Jumps Captain
Pole Vault / Luke Annichiarico - Northern Valley Old Tappan
Boys 2014 Indoor New Jersey Tough Second Team
55 Meter Dash / Jordan Jimerson - Union Catholic
55 Meter Hurdles / Kevin Hagamin - Timber Creek
400 Meter Dash / Taylor McLaughlin - Union Catholic
800 Meter Run / Joe White - DePaul Catholic
1600 Meter Run / Tom Rooney - Christian Brothers Academy
3200 Meter Run / Tom Rooney - Christian Brothers Academy
4x400 Meter Relay / Old Bridge
Shot Put / Jason Bryan - Rumson-Fair Haven
High Jump / Eamonn Dwyer - St. Peter's Prep
Pole Vault / Dylan Altland - Kingsway
Winning her second NJTough Team People's Choice Award Olivia Baker of Columbia HS took 40.59% of the votes.
Top 3 Vote Winners:
1. Olivia Baker - Columbia - 400m - 40.9%
2. Corinne Myers - Westwood - 800m - 18.82%
3. Kylene Cochrane - West Morris Central - 1600m - 15.88%
[From the full article] Olivia was the 2013 Outdoor 400m Dash NJ Tough selection as well. She continued her success this year as she ran her best indoor 400m of her career this season with a 53.49 at New Balance Indoor Nationals. This was after she burned the 400m field at MOCs with a 54.09 at the Toms River Bennett Complex. She was undefeated in the 400m this season even through Nationals and continued her career unbeaten streak to any New Jersey runners in the 400m. She only raced the 400m five times this indoor winning Essex County Champs with a 56.31, Sectionals with a 55.34, Groups with a 55.15, Meet of Champs with a 54.09, and eventually a New Balance National title with a US#1 53.49. Her 54.09 at Meet of Champions was a meet record and also a US#1 at the time!
Olivia won many different events this season ranging from short sprints all the way to the 1600m! She heads into her last season of outdoor track with full momentum and we are all really excited to see what she has in store for the state on her way out of high school athletics.
With US#1s galore, a US#10 all-time, records left and right, and an undefeated season by a long shot in the 400m the Stanford University bound Olivia Baker takes her second NJTough Team selection as Sprinter of the season. This was the fastest she has run indoor so far, with an already storied high school track career that was all she could do (including winning the National title!). She heads to outdoor with the ever used "sky's the limit!" tag. Congratulations Olivia and good luck with outdoors!
Girls 2014 Indoor New Jersey Tough Team
55 Meter Dash / Torie Robinson - Winslow Twp
55 Meter Hurdles / Patrycja Dziekonska - West Windsor-Plainsboro North *Hurdle Captain
400 Meter Dash / Olivia Baker - Columbia *Sprint Captain
800 Meter Run / Corinne Myers - Westwood *Distance Captain
1600 Meter Run / Kylene Cochrane - West Morris Central
3200 Meter Run / Dana Klein - Gill St. Bernard's
4x400 Meter Relay / Columbia
Shot Put / Cheyenne Bellerand - Emerson *Throws Captain
High Jump / Kate Gulbrandsen - The Lawrenceville School *Jumps Captain
Pole Vault / Nicole Macco - Matawan Regional
Girls 2014 Indoor New Jersey Tough Second Team
55 Meter Dash / Haisha Bisiolu - Union
55 Meter Hurdles / Cidae'a Woods - Winslow Twp
400 Meter Dash / Emile Cowan - Columbia
800 Meter Run / Adrian Vitello - Freehold Twp
1600 Meter Run / Marin Warner - Holmdel
3200 Meter Run / Mackenzie Barry - Mendham
4x400 Meter Relay / Mount Saint Dominic Academy
Shot Put / Michelle Mazza - Ocean Twp
High Jump / Nnenna Ibe - North Brunswick
Pole Vault / Katlyn Rymarzow - Pole John XXIII