The girls DMR was hyped up as the race of the night heading into Tuesday's 87th Eastern States Championships in the New York Armory's New Balance Track and Field Center.
And boy was it ever!!
Union Catholic and Colts Neck hooked up in a red hot battle as the two powerhouses pushed each other to two of the fastest times in state history.
Union Catholic won the race by stopping the clock at 11:45.71 the third fastest time in NJ indoor history. Colts Neck was second in 11:49.73, No. 4 in state indoor history.
UC and Colts Neck are now No. 2 and No. 3 in the U.S. this season behind the 11:21.95 run by the Purple Track Club (Ann Arbor Pioneer High School) in Michigan. That's the fastest time in U.S. high school history, but since it was run on a 300m flat track, it's not the eligible for national record consideration. Indoor records must be achieved on 200m tracks.
The only NJ teams to ever run faster indoors than UC and Colts Neck are Southern Regional, which ran a state record 11:41.12 to finish first at the 2009 New Balance Nationals Championships, and Haddonfield, which ran 11:43.94 to place second at the 2014 New Balance Nationals.
The splits for UC were 3:39.94 for 1,200 by junior Kaleigh Gunsiorowski, 1:01.20 for 400 by Aniyah Charles, 2:17.38 for 800 by junior Maameyaa Nyinah, and sophomore Peyton Hollis anchored in 4:47.18. Hollis recently transferred from Columbia High.
Colts Neck received PR's from its entire lineup as Ava Wilmot went 3:47.62, Kylie Jacoutot split 58.49, Olivia Petschauer ran 2:19.96, and senior Lilly Shapiro anchored in 4:43.65.
MORE JERSEY HIGHLIGHTS
Fitzroy Ledgister of St. Peter's Prep burned a NJ No. 3 all-time 21.26 to win the 200. That's also No. 5 in the US this season.
Christiana Nwachuku of Kent Place broke the Union County record in the girls 55 dash by winning that race with a US No. 9 time of 6.95, just ahead of Alanna Smith of Danbury (6.96). The UPenn-bound Nwachuku broke the Union County mark of 7.00 set in 2013 by Haisha Bisiolu of Union.
Scotch Plains-Fanwood senior Julia Jackson led another remarkable performance by the Raiders. Jackson dropped her NJ No. 1 time down to 53.08 to win the girls 400!! That's the second fastest time in the nation this season and new school all-conditions record!!! Finishing second to Jackson was her teammate, senior Grace Kennedy, who ran a PR and NJ. No. 2 time of 56.01. And junior Jenai Berry also starred for Scotch Plains-Fanwood by running a PR and indoor school record of 2:15.41 to finish first in the girls 800.
Marco Langon dropped a 4:08.19 anchor to bring Bridgewater-Raritan across first in the boys DMR in 10:24.79, which is NJ No. 3 and US No. 6 this season.
Anabella Chin of Rancocas Valley finished first in the girls hurdles with a huge PR of 8.21, the second fastest time in the state this season and No. 10 in the country. That's the second fastest time in Burlington County history behind the 7.92 run by Olympian Carol Lewis in 1981.
Greg Foster of Lawrenceville won the boys hurdles in 7.37, a big PR that places him No. 2 time in the state this season and No. 6 in the nation. The only hurdler in NJ faster than Foster is Chris Serrao of East Brunswick, the NJ and US leader this season with a 7.29. The University of Princeton-bound Foster is having a remarkable season. He is the US leader in the long jump (24-8), and he is NJ No. 1 and US No. 7 in the triple jump (48-9.50).
Makhi Green of West Orange dropped a PR of and NJ No. 6 time of 6.47 to capture the boys 55 dash.
Summit became the second team in the state to go under 8:00 in the boys 4x800 when the Hilltoppers won that race in a school record and US No. 13 7:59.20. The only NJ team faster this season is Ridge (7:55.45).
Ahmad Fogg of Egg Harbor soared 21-9 to win the boys long jump by one inch over runner-up Noah Cooper of Union Catholic, who broke his own state freshman record with a leap of 21-8.
Michelle Lee of Demarest cleared 11-0 to win the girls pole vault on misses over Emma Keating of Pompton lakes and Talia Hutchison of Ridgewood., who also made 11-0.
Xander Roberts-Bogin of Pleasantville ran a PR and moved into No. 2 in the NJ state rankings by winning the 400 with a time of 48.45.
Jada Mia Puryear of Union Catholic edged Olivia Prescott of West Orange, 40-6 to 40-0 in the girls shot put. Casey Sullivan of Demarest was third (38-10.50). Sullivan is the state leader with a 44-11.
Freshman Rhianna Scott of Lawrenceville soared 37-2.50 to win the girls triple jump and take over the state lead.
Jason Nwosu unloaded a 61-5 to lead a 1-2 finish for Delsea in the boys shot put. Josh Caudill was second with a PR of 54-5.50.
Jessica Ricco of Pascack Valley soared a NJ No. 2 18-1.50 to win the girls long jump. Ricco smashed a 35 year-old school record.
Jacob Heredia of Clifton ran a NJ No. 4 time of 1:54.60 to win the boys 800.
The Union Catholic girls edged Ramapo, 9:25.40 to 9:25.41, to win the 4x800.
Ramapo came back later to win the girls 4x400 in 4:03.98.
Max Zuckerman of Pascack Hills cleared a NJ No. 2 15-6 to place second in the boys pole vault.
Ryan Johnson of Colts Neck captured the boys 2-mile in 9:43.09.
Grace Wassell of Highland was the girls 2-mile champion in 11:31.62.