Update February 16th, 2017 - The NJSIAA's extension for entry closed today February 16th at noon, the revised listing with the new additions noted can be found below. All of the entries from the original closing date date on Monday were protected, this is why entries past the top 24 are listed.
--------------------------
Article was originally posted 2/13/2017 and has been updated with the newly released entries.
The first entry window the the NJSIAA Meet of Champions Showcase events has passed, here is the preliminary lineup for the 4x800 meter and 200 meter competitions. Anyone in the state in terms of NJSIAA schools were allowed to enter and the top 24 seeds in each race were accepted.
This is the first season the NJSIAA will hold the 4x800 meter showcase at the indoor Meet of Champions, the 200 meter was added back into the event lineup in 2015.
The top two finishers in last year's boys 200 meter return this season ranked as the sixth and seventh seeds. Thomas Kalieta Jr of Matawan won in 2016 with a time of 22.41, placing him third all-time at the Bennett Complex track, and Martin Booker Jr was second with a run of 22.55. Booker Jr is tied with Kalieta Jr for third all-time at the Bennett Complex thanks to his own 22.41 at the SJTCA #12 meet this season. The top seed heading into the competition this year is Semaj Willis of Trenton Central who ran 21.97 at the Mercer County Championships.
Also of note in the boys 200 meter the three of the top five seeds are only sophomores. Second is Luke Colehower of Haddonfield seeded 22.02, third Rahmir Johnson of Bergen Catholic 22.12, and fifth Tyrig Bundy of Deptford 22.37.
The girls 200 meter will have a new champion with the graduation of Kiara Lester who had won the event the past two years. Cecelia Gerstenbacher of Delsea is the fastest returner from the 2016 running, she finished second with a 25.17. In 2017 Gerstenbacher is seeded third entering the meet at 25.54. The top seed is Aliyah Taylor of Rancocas Valley who posted a 24.93 at the Ocean Breeze Invitational. The second seed's time came from this very track however, Shakira Dancy of Winslow Twp ran 25.45 at the SJTCA Meet #9 which was held at the Bennett Complex.
The 4x800 meter pits some of the best relays in the country against each other. The boys entries are led by Hopewell Valley who just posted a US#2 time of 7:52.76 at the Millrose Games, Morris Hills who is US#3 at 7:53.64 and Union Catholic US#6 at 7:55.28 also come in as potential champions with the only seed times listed under 8 minutes. Again, that is three of the top six 4x800 meter relay teams in the United States going head to head for this showcase.
Looking at the girls we have two teams ranked in the top 20 nationally. Top seed is Seneca who ran 9:24.68 at the Morris County Coaches Invitational. They are followed by the Ridge girls who have a 9:28.93 on their resume from the same meet.
Showcase Event Accepted Entries - Updated 2/16
The new entries from the first posted are marked as bold with a * before their number.RaceTab by MileSplit/FloSports Robert Kellert, NJ MileSplit
NJSIAA Meet of Champions - 2/25/2017
John Bennett Indoor Sports Complex, Toms River, NJ
Event #1 - Boys 200 Meter Dash
==========================================================================
Name Yr Team Seed
==========================================================================
1 Semaj Willis 12 Trenton Central HS 21.97
2 Luke Colehower 10 Haddonfield Mem. HS 22.02
3 Rahmir Johnson 10 Bergen Catholic HS 22.12
4 Bryce Watts 12 Toms River North HS 22.33
5 Tyriq Bundy 10 Deptford HS 22.37
6 Martin Booker Jr 12 Pennsauken HS 22.41
7 Thomas Kalieta Jr 12 Matawan Reg. HS 22.57
8 Avery Brown 11 Chatham HS 22.58
9 Brandon Boggs 12 Rancocas Valley Reg HS 22.63
10 Miles Fye-moore 12 West Windsor-Plainsboro N 22.63
11 Brandon Outlaw 12 Moorestown HS 22.66
12 Andrew Aguilera 12 Governor Livingston HS 22.69
13 Josh Fitts 12 Roselle - Abraham Clark H 22.69
*14 William Hendershot 11 Bridgewater-Raritan HS 22.77
15 Tarence Walker 12 Pleasantville HS 22.77
16 A'Nan Bridgett 11 West Windsor Plainsboro S 22.79
17 Mar-Quel Davis 12 Deptford HS 22.82
18 Chase Campbell 12 Lenape Reg. HS 22.82
19 Nasir Velez 12 Rahway HS 22.83
20 Tyler Moore 12 Hamilton HS West 22.85
21 Shaheem Maple 10 Wayne Valley HS 22.86
22 Michael Huertas 12 Fort Lee HS 22.87
23 Junior Desir 12 Montclair HS 22.88
*24 Tysean Cousar 12 Ewing HS 22.89
25 Wilfris Paulino 12 Union City High School 22.90
26 Isaiah Bethea 11 Hamilton North - Nottingh 22.95
Event #2 - Girls 200 Meter Dash
==========================================================================
Name Yr Team Seed
==========================================================================
1 Aliyah Taylor 11 Rancocas Valley Reg HS 24.93
2 Shakira Dancy 11 Winslow Twp HS 25.45
*3 Cecelia Gerstenbacher 12 Delsea Reg. HS 25.54
4 Nyjah Young-Bey 10 Montclair HS 25.73
5 Dahria Lewis 12 Columbia HS 25.84
6 Kayla Jackson 12 Northern Burlington Reg. 25.88
7 Claudia Piron 12 Summit HS 26.04
8 Nyamekye Opoku-Agyemang 12 Union HS 26.05
9 Sydne Nance 12 Rancocas Valley Reg HS 26.08
10 Abby Collins 12 Red Bank Catholic HS 26.10
11 Flora Ahiarakwe 11 Winslow Twp HS 26.10
12 Amahri Boyce 11 North Star Academy 26.12
13 Chidumga Nkulume 9 Union HS 26.13
14 Emma Osborne 12 Summit HS 26.16
15 Kayleigh Furth 11 Newton HS 26.20
16 Iyianna Williams 12 Winslow Twp HS 26.25
17 Grace Hofferber 12 Rumson-Fair Haven HS 26.26
18 Shannon Lambert 12 Lenape Reg. HS 26.31
19 Olivia Florio 12 Northern Highlands Reg. H 26.41
20 Lily Orr 9 Rumson-Fair Haven HS 26.44
21 Aiyala McPhee 11 Pemberton Twp HS 26.47
22 Mijah Collier 11 Lawrence HS 26.50
*23 Kayla Pfleger 12 Middletown North HS 26.51
*24 Toni Glatz 12 Delsea Reg. HS 26.67
25 Jaime Sheppard 12 Morristown-Beard School 26.71
26 Julia Healy 12 Northern Highlands Reg. H 26.72
Event #3 - Boys 4x800 Meter Relay
=======================================================
Team Seed
=======================================================
1 Hopewell Valley HS A 7:52.76
2 Morris Hills HS A 7:53.64
3 Union Catholic Reg. HS A 7:55.28
4 Bergen Catholic HS A 8:00.20
5 Freehold Twp HS A 8:03.60
6 Christian Brothers Academy A 8:07.59
7 Ridge HS A 8:08.92
8 Hillsborough HS A 8:09.55
9 St. Joseph HS (Metuchen) A 8:09.82
10 Rahway HS A 8:09.98
11 Summit HS A 8:12.22
12 Westfield HS A 8:12.70
13 Pope John XXIII HS A 8:12.81
14 Metuchen HS A 8:13.04
15 Clifton HS A 8:13.40
16 Middletown North HS A 8:14.10
17 Northern Valley HS - Demarest A 8:14.20
18 Ridgewood HS A 8:14.30
19 Whippany Park HS A 8:14.66
20 Highland Reg HS A 8:15.25
21 Shore Reg. HS A 8:15.44
22 Princeton HS A 8:17.39
23 Rancocas Valley Reg HS A 8:17.40
*24 North Hunterdon HS A 8:17.48
25 Kingsway HS A 8:18.46
Event #4 - Girls 4x800 Meter Relay
=======================================================
Team Seed
=======================================================
1 Seneca HS A 9:24.68
2 Ridge HS A 9:26.40
3 Kingsway HS A 9:32.18
4 Union Catholic Reg. HS A 9:32.90
5 Red Bank Catholic HS A 9:34.00
6 Sterling HS A 9:36.10
7 Pope John XXIII HS A 9:36.40
8 Immaculate Heart Academy A 9:42.70
9 Lenape Reg. HS A 9:43.40
10 Shawnee HS A 9:43.90
11 Indian Hills HS A 9:44.70
12 Southern Reg. HS A 9:45.53
13 North Hunterdon HS A 9:45.73
14 Matawan Reg. HS A 9:47.36
15 Haddonfield Mem. HS A 9:47.93
16 Ridgewood HS A 9:48.50
17 Toms River South HS A 9:49.84
18 Westfield HS A 9:53.68
19 Metuchen HS A 9:54.26
20 West Windsor Plainsboro South HS A 9:55.69
21 Highland Reg HS A 9:55.84
22 Rumson-Fair Haven HS A 9:56.14
23 Northern Highlands Reg. HS A 9:56.70
24 Montclair HS A 9:57.18
The exciting 4x800 meter race from Lavino Relays back in early January featuring top seeded Hopewell Valley who ran 8:05.44 for second against Central Bucks West of Pennsylvania.