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The Union County Championships provided plenty of fireworks, a pair of meet records, a triple winner, several sizzling performances, and two winning streaks were extended at the two-day meet that concluded Thursday at Hub Stine Field in Plainfield.
In the team competition, the Elizabeth boys won its third straight title, and the Union Catholic girls made it five straight championships.
Elizabeth was led by senior sprint star Gabriel Nash, who burned up the track with three golds medals and several of the state's top times this season.
Nash won the 100-meter dash in a NJ#10.65, won the 200m in a NJ#6 21.73, was second in the 400m in a NJ#2 48.03, and split 48.2 on the NJ#1 4x400m relay that won in a school record 3:17.14. That broke the school record of 3:17.7 set in 1982.
Nash won the 55m dash at the 2018 indoor Meet of Champs, but a hamstring injury cut his season short last spring. He said he is making up for lost time this spring and has something to prove to anyone who wondered if he'd regain his status as one the state's best. He said he's hungry to finish his high school career by winning multiple golds at the Meet of Champions.
Here's a look at some of the other big highlights from the Union County Championships
- Junior Victoria Vanriele of Gov. Livingston ran a NJ#1, meet record, and US#3 2:06.68 to win her third straight 800 title, and she captured the 400 in a NJ#2 54.33. Leena Morant of Union Catholic was second in the 800 in a NJ# 2 2:09.00.
- Soph. Carly Tarentino of Johnson cleared a NJ#2 and meet record 5-6.50 to win the girls high jump. Read a story on Tarentino's performance here
- Kyle Lipscomb Jr. of Linden won his second straight discus title with a NJ#2 181-2. The Rutgers-bound Lipscomb also won the shot put with a 55-10 1/4.
- Senior Jaheem Hayles of Roselle blasted a NJ#2 14.01 to win the 110. hurdles, and won the 400 hurdles in a NJ#6 54.37. This is his first year hurdling!
- Sydney Tucker of Union Catholic won the girls 100 in a NJ#4 12.08 and the 200 in a NJ#2 24.65, both personal best times. Tucker picked up two of the right wins for the UC girls.
- Kent Place won the girls 4x400 for the first time ever in a NJ#4 and school record 3:53.52.
