Girls Group Championship Preview

Group 4

2019 Group 4 Leaders - Sectional Merge Leaders

2018 Results - Defending Champs: 100m - Sydney Hawkins, 200m - Lauren Princz, 1600m - Abby Loveys, 3200m - Abby Loveys, 100H - Claudine Smith, 400H - Jewel Ash, HJ Abrianna Barrett, LJ - Mahogany Jenkins, TJ - Mahogany Jenkins, J - Alianna Eucker. Defending Relay Champs: 4x100m - Egg Harbor Twp, 4x400m - Piscataway, 4x800m - Ridge. Team Champions: Watchung Hills.

So much to go over here. Let's start with Randolph's stars. Abby Loveys, the newly crowned state record holder in the 3200m with her 10:10.24 run at Morris County, leads both the 1600m and 3200m into this meet. The 3200m All-Group record is in severe jeopardy should she run it set it 10:24.61 by Megan Lacey in 2012. The Group 4 1600m record of 4:44.35 is in reach but it will have to be a fast running race to get there.

Meghan O'Malley of Randolph qualified in four events including Sectional wins in the high jump, triple jump, and long jump. She is the top high jumper entering the meet at 5-06. 

Claudine Smith, who also leads the 100H with a 14.04 this season, could break the triple jump Group 4 record of 40.07.75, she comes into the meet with multiple 39s and two 40 plus jumps.  

The long jump and triple jump could be awesome, with the already mentioned O'Malley and Smith in the mix we also have Karissa Watson, Mahogany Jenkins and company with long jumps in the mid to high 18s and Jenkins and Smith both over 40 feet this season in the triple. 

Alianna Eucker has certainly made her name heard early on in her career, a PR of 141-1 at Bergen MOCs has certainly helped with that and she could challenge the Group 4 meet record of 143-03 this weekend.

The top 400 meter hurdler in the state, Katherine Muccio of Ridgewood, will be bringing 61.13 PR to the line this weekend. 

More Athletes to Watch: Ridge's 4x800m is back for more and the road to continue their MOCs win streak has hit its next stop, the Group 4 Championships.  Rancocas Valley girls have been running fast all season, lead the 4x400m into Group 4. Eastern Regional girls led by the Ash sisters will take on Rancocas Valley,  Millville, and West Orange in the 4x100m for what should be a great show. 

A sprints showdown in the 100m and 200m, Lauren Princz the defending 200m champ is back, Jailya Ash of Eastern Regional looks strong in the 100m but will have the likes of Nakaja Weaver and Princz to deal with if she wants that Group title. 

Bryanna Wilson of Howell leads the charge in the shot put throwing 43-01 this season but Brielle Kelly is right there battling for the state title as well. Adijah Simmon of Sayreville had a great showing at the Central Sectional leading Group 4 performances from the weekend at 122-08.  

Currently ranked fourth in the state in the pole vault, Sabrina Ray comes into Sectionals with an 11-09 clearance from GMC Championships. Gretel Jelmert of Watchung Hills and Jennifer Pasram led the way in the Sectionals Group 4 merge both over 11-06. 

The 400m should be a good race with Bryanna Craig, Shauntae Nelson, Shelby Whetstone, Maya Drayton all in the mix, all of them under 57 seconds this spring. 

Team Notes: A mixture of multi-event stars and well balanced attacks, Eastern Regional, Randolph, Watchung Hills, Millville, Rancocas Valley and more will be fighting towards the top. Watchung Hills looking to make it two straight!