Metuchen, riding a sensational triple from star Brandon Sinclair, won its first boys title in 15 years, and the Hasbrouck Heights girls flexed their superior balance on the way to a second straight title at the NJSIAA Group 1 Relays Championships on Thursday at the Bennett Center in Toms River.
Sinclair, a senior, showcased his great range by cranking out a 3:19.0 1,200 leg on the winning distance medley, running a 2:01.0 anchor on the victorious 4x800, and then he put an exclamation point on Metuchen's championship with a 51.9 anchor carry on the first-place 4x400 to clinch a hard-fought 44-40 victory over runner-up Dayton.
It's the first title for Metuchen since 2008 and its eighth overall, the fourth most in state history for a boys program. Metuchen's other seven titles came in 1972, '73, '92, '97, '99, '03, and '08. Only CBA (29), Willingboro (18), and Haddonfield (15) have won more boys state relay championships than Metuchen.
Sinclair's performance was a reminder that there probably isn't a track and field athlete in the state that is more valuable to their team than he is. Sinclair, who won the State Group 1 800 title last June and split 1:52 and change on the state championship winning 4x800 last spring, always rises to the occasion when the stakes are highest.
Metuchen coach Marty Holleran praised the extraordinary effort by Sinclair, who always pours everything he has into every race he runs.
"We knew going into the meet that we were facing a very formidable team in Jonathan Dayton,'' said Holleran. "But we felt very good knowing that we had Brandon, who is the rock of this team, starting off the meet with the baton as the leadoff in the DMR, and finishing the meet with the stick in his hand in the 4x400 to close out the meet. Brandon had a great meet for us, and it was fitting that he had the baton in his hand last for us.''
In the girls competition, Hasbrouck Heights won the shot put and placed fourth or better in all nine events en route to a 58-50 victory over runner-up Clayton.
In the shot put, junior Elliot Eddy (34-10.25) and Meghan Stellhorn (32-6.5) combined to give Hasbrouck Heights the victory.
The Aviators are placed fourth in the DMR, second in the shuttle hurdles, third in the 4x200, fourth in the 4x800, third in the SMR, fourth in the 4x400, second in the high jump, and second in the pole vault
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