North 1 Groups 1 & 4 Sectionals Highlights

NJ State Meet Coverage
Jim Lambert


Results | Videos


NORTH 1 GROUP 1



BOYS HIGHLIGHTS

Jack Ahart smashed two meet records and Andrew Garcia threw down a strong triple to fuel Kinnelon to a thrilling 68-67 victory over Glen Rock to repeat as champion. Last year, Kinnelon edged Glen Rock, 54-48, for its first championship.

In the meet-concluding 4x400, Glen Rock picked up 10 points by winning, but Kinnelon finished sixth to earn one point to secure the one-point victory. 

Ahart, a senior, repeated his sprint double from a year ago, but this time he took down the meet record with his winning times of 6.53 in the 55 dash, and 50.07 to win the 400!!! He also ran on the title-clinching 4x400.

Garcia, a senior, won the 1,600 in 4:35.39, finished first in the 800 in 2:05.62, and was third in the 3,200 in 10:12.41.

In the field, seniors Ryan Winters (42-0.75) and Nathaniel Rosa (40-2) finished 1-2 for Kinnelon in the shot put.

North 1 Group 1 Champions


GIRLS HIGHLIGHTS

Hasbrouck Heights scored in every event and captured four gold medals as the Aviators blitzed the competition to win its second straight championship and third overall. It's first crown came in 2015.

Hasbrouck Heights, which scored 40 points in the field events for the second straight year, rang up 125 points to win by a whopping 92 points over runner-up Emerson.

The winners for the Aviators were junior Alexandra Sampieri in the 55 dash (7.63), senior Gaea DePass in the high jump (5-0), junior Elliot Eddy (36-5.50), and the 4x400 squad ran 4:24.00 to grab the gold.

Danielle Tilp, a senior at Cresskill, had an impressive triple. She won the 800 in 2:25.31, finished first in the 1,600 in 5:27.62, and placed second in the 3200 in 12:01.27.

Senior Emma Keating of Pompton Lakes, the state leader in the pole vault at 12-6, won the vault by clearing a meet record 12-0 and finished first in the 55 hurdles in 8.75.  Keating won the vault at the Meet of Champions last spring.

North 1 Group 1 Champions


NORTH 1 GROUP 4



BOYS HIGHLIGHTS

Ridgewood repeated as champion and equaled the boys state sectional record with nine titles overall. Willingboro has also captured nine sectional championships.

Sophomore Luke Pash, senior Matthew Aono, and the 4x400 squad led the charge for Ridgewood, which outpointed runner-up Livingston, 78.5-64.

Pash won the 3,200 in 9:35.88, and was second in the 1,600 in 4:29.14. Aono cleared a meet record-tying 14-0 to win the pole vault, and Ridgewood's 4x400 relay team ran 3:32.33 to finish first.

Morristown junior Jason Meza, the state leader in the 400 with a Morris County record 48.20, had a great double, winning the 400 in a meet record 50.01, and the 800 in 1:58.97.

Junior Chase Kaufman won the 55 dash in 6.52 to smash the Livingston school record, and Ray Oji won the 55 hurdles for Livingston in 7.88.

North 1 Group 4 Champions


GIRLS HIGHLIGHTS

Avery Sheridan and Peyton Wennersten picked up victories to help spark Ridgewood to its fifth title in a row and ninth sectional crown overall, and Jessica Oji took over the state lead in the shot put.

In the team competition, Ridgewood outscored runner-up Morristown, 58-40, and now has the third most sectional titles in state history. Ridgewood's nine titles trails only Ridge and Haddonfield, who have each won 10 sectional trophies.

Sheridan, a junior, won the 800 for Ridgewood in 2:24.72, and was third in the 1600m. Wennersten, a sophomore, cleared 9-6 to capture gold in the pole vault.

The biggest individual highlights were provided by Oji, a sophomore at Livingston, and senior Quaycin Davis of East Orange Campus.

Oji unloaded a PR and NJ No. 1 throw of 43-4.50 to win the shot put, and Davis ran 8.32 in the 55 hurdles to break the meet record.

Remy Dubac and Grace DelGiorno went to the line twice for a Sectional title to finish first and second. Dubac won the 1600m with a 5:15.78 to DelGiorno's 5:16.30 and then won the 3200m as well with an 11:41.82 to DelGiorno's 11:41.86!   


North 1 Group 4 Champions