Marchan, Union Catholic Boys Win At NY Grand Prix Meet


Several New Jersey athletes and teams produced sparkling performances at the Grand Prix meet on Saturday at Icahn Stadium on Randall's Island in New York

The Union Catholic boys 4x400-meter relay squad and Jaden Marchan of Leonia each finished first.

UC's quartet of Marcus McCoy (49.3), Emerson McKindra (49.3), Al-Qamar Rojas (48.76) and Avery Atexide (48.25) combined to run 3:15.89 to win the boys 4x400.     

Marchan, a rising senior, captured the boys 400 in 48.00. He ran a PR of 47.44 when he finished second at the Meet of Champions. 

In other NJ highlights, Dylan Decambre of Bergen Tech finished second in the boys 800 in 1:54.63. In the girls 800, Emma Zawatski of Freehold Township finished second with a PR and NJ No. 5 time of 2:11.13, Kaleigh Gunsiorowski of Union Catholic placed third in 2:12.22, Jimmiea King of UC was fourth with a huge PR of 2:12.30, and UC's Peyton Hollis was sixth in 2:15.19.

Lathan Brown of Deptford ran a PR of 48.72 in the boys 400, Kylie Castillo of Ridgefield Park finished third in the girls 400 in 57.41 and split 59.57 on the fourth-place 4x400, and the Union Catholic girls burned a NJ No. 2 time of 3:46.71. UC's splits were 55.55 for Taylor Aska, 55.5 for Maameyaa Nyinah, 58.58 for Leah Gould, and 56.92 for Taylor Cox NJ. UC's 3:46.71 is the second fastest time in the state this season behind the 3:46.38 that Timber Creek ran to finish first at the Meet of Champions.