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Jacob Leigh continued his breakout year with a sensational performance to help lead Scotch Plains-Fanwood to a heart-pounding victory, Victoria Vanriele and Kyle Lipscomb had remarkable doubles, Dayton swept titles, the Linden boys, and Union Catholic and Kent Place girls were victorious at the Union County Conference Championships that concluded on Friday in Berkeley Heights.
Leigh, a senior, was a triple winner in the Watchung Division, capturing the 100-meter dash in a NJ# 8 10.84, the 400 in a NJ#2 48.58, and the high jump (6-0). Leigh, who has a PR of 6-4 in the HJ, also placed second in the 200 in 22.10.
Even after everything Leigh did, his team needed a clutch third-place finish in the 4x400 to edge Westfield, 109-108 for the team title. Union Catholic was third with 106.
Scotch Plains had a huge lead with two events left, but a 1-2-3 finish by Westfield gave Westfield a 107-103 lead heading into the 4x400. But Scotch Plains responded when Myles Singletary, Justin Williams, Noah Samms, and Kyle Estivene combined to place third in the 4x400 and Westfield was sixth in the relay as the Raiders rallied to capture the team title.
Gov. Livingston junior Vanriele, a five-time Meet of Champions winner in the 800, was her usual spectacular self. She won the 400 in the Watchung Division in a NJ#1 55.20, captured the 800 in 2:09.40, just off her NJ#1/US#13 time of 2:09.36, and placed second in the 200 in 25.57.
Lipscomb, a senior, had a huge throwing double to spark the Linden boys to the Mountain Division championship. Lipscomb unloaded a 58-10 1/2 to win the shot put and a 179-8 to capture the discus, both NJ#2 No. 2 this season.
Jaheem Hayles of Roselle continued his rapid rise as one of the state's best hurdlers by running a meet record a NJ#3 14.16 to win the 110 HH in the Mountain Division. Hayles is a senior, but he didn't start hurdling until this past indoor season. It's amazing how far he's come in such a short time.
In other highlights, Dayton pulled off a sweep in the Valley Division, and the Union Catholic (Watchung Division) and Kent Place girls (Mountain Division) captured titles.