Many of New Jersey's biggest stars at Thursday's Meet of Champions were right back out there competing on Friday at the New Balance National Championships at Franklin Field in Philadelphia.
While the quick turnaround most certainly contributed to the slower performances on the track, field events athletes from the Garden State such as Fabian Gonzalez of Southern didn't seem to feel the impact as much.
The day after the Stanford-bound Gonzalez won the discus at the Meet of Champions with a 193-7, he sent the saucer sailing 193-5 on his fifth throw Friday to capture the NB National title. And just like at the M of C, sophomore Benji Shue of Bergen Catholic was second with a 189-9. Shue threw 190-7 when he took second on Thursday.
On the track, Bryce Tucker of Pennsauken, who dropped his U.S. No. 1 time down to 50.96, No. 5 in NJ history, when he became the first 3-time M of C winner in the boys 400 hurdles, was upset on Friday when he ran 51.49 to finish second. Tucker finished just behind sophomore Kai Evans of Lake Minneola High in Florida, who outleaned Tucker to win the boys 400 IH with a big PR of 51.44. His previous best was 52.35.
In a race dominated by NJ, Ryan Matulonis of Seton Hall Prep was third in the 400 IH 52.55, Alexander Sadikov of Ocean, second to Tucker at the M of C in 51.00, was fourth in 52.74, Lathan Brown of Deptford was fifth (53.44) and Joziah Johnson of Parsippany was sixth in 53.50.
In the girls 400 hurdles, Ocean City junior Sophia Curtis, who won the triple jump at the M of C, placed sixth in 1:01.67, Brooke'Lyn Drakeford of Piscataway was ninth in 1:02.58, Kylie Jacoutout of Colts Neck was 13th 1:03.0,1 and Aaliyah Murphy of Morristown finished 16th in 1:03.40. Murphy won the 400 hurdles at the M of C in 1:01.57.
Emma Keating of Pompton Lakes, the girls pole vault winner at the M of C, cleared 12-1.50 to place sixth.
The Rancocas Valley boys, with freshman Julian Coppage-Seepersaud anchoring in 48.29, ran 1:57.33 to place third in the swedish medley relay (1000 meters), and Middletown North was 10th in a school record 1:58.91.
In the girls swedish medley, Lawrenceville finished fifth in the girls 1,000 SMR in 2:15.09, Eastern was sixth in 2:15.10, Elizabeth was eighth in 2:16.57, and Pennsauken was 10th in 2:17.78. Kadence Dumas, who won the 800 at the M of C, anchored in 55.24 for Eastern. Cynthia Boakye, the 200 winner at the M of C, split 55.87, and Sianni Wynn of Pennsauken, who won the 400 at the M of C, anchored in 55.49.
Alexandra Bonn of Union Catholic was ninth in the girls triple jump with a 39-0.25.
