The defending champions all brought their A games to keep their stranglehold on the team titles with dominating performances at the NJSIAA Non-Public A and B Championships on Friday night at the Bennett Center in Toms River.
Union Catholic pulled off another sensational sweep with the girls steamrolling their way to a state record 10th A Division championship in a row, and the boys winning their fourth straight title, including a 3-peat in the B Division.
Christian Brothers Academy ran away with its second straight A Division title and extended its state record to 27 state titles, and Villa Walsh successfully defended their B Division championship.
BROOM JOB
In the girls competition, the Vikings, led by double winners Paige Sheppard and Taylor Aska extended their state record to 10 straight titles in a row with a 143-39 victory over runner-up Oak Knoll. The 10 state titles ties the Vikings with Columbia and Winslow for the most ever by a girls program in state history.
The Vikings torched the track, winning six of the seven events on the oval, including a pair of record-smashing races from the sophomore star Sheppard.
Sheppard destroyed the meet records in both the 800 (2:08.29) and the 1,600 (4:54.43) and also took down the facility record in the 4-lapper of 2:10.45 that Olympian and current American Indoor 800 record holder Ajee' Wilson of Neptune set at the 2009 Meet of Champions.
In the 800, Sheppard outdueled fellow sophomore and Union County rival Reagan Moore of Oak Knoll, who was second in 2:11.50. Sheppard's victory ignited a very fast 1-2-3 finish for UC as sophomores Sophia Thompson (indoor PR of 4:56.10) and Kayla Devine (a PR of 4:59.40) went 2-3.
The Duke-bound Aska owned the sprints, winning the 55 in 6.96 (a PR and NJ No. 3 6.94 in the trials) and she finished first in the 400 in 55.78.
UC also picked up victories from Georgia-bound Taylor Cox in the 55 hurdles in 7.84 (Cox is the US leader at 7.53), and from sophomore Cayleigh Kaiser in the 3,200 (a PR of 10:36.64).
The UC boys, fueled by a pair of 1-2-3 sweeps in the distance races, were equally dominant, ringing up 125 points to outscore runner-up Pope John by 73 points.
The Vikings did most of their damage in the 1,600 and 3,200, racking up the maximum 48 points in those two races. In the 1,600, Danny Kuran (4:32.18), Aidan Cichocki (4:33.08) and Nick Frank (4:40.14) went 1-2-3. Michael Devine (9:38.62), Evan Weber (9:41.36) and Finn Riely (9:47.38) crushed the.3,200 for the other UC 1-2-3.
UC also received victories from Chris Wilson in the 55 hurdles (7.80), Ciaran Brosnan in the 400 (51.58) and its 4x400 relay squad (3:36.29).
TORCHIA TAKES VICTORY LAP AFTER CBA ROLLS
CBA head coach Karl Torchia held the team trophy as he joined his team in a victory lap after CBA outscored runner-up St. Peter's Prep, 85.5-46, to win the boys A Division title. Torchia and the Colts were not just celebrating its second straight team title, they were also honoring Torchia for earning the 50th state title of his Hall of Fame career!
Torchia has now won 44 state track and field state championships at CBA (34 indoors and 10 outdoors). He also captured six state titles as the head girls coach at Middletown South.
And surprisingly, Torchia actually made it all the way around the track without stopping to see the trainer, collapsing or pulling a hammy. There's some evidence that shows a false start, but we won't mention that!! lol
Congrats to Torchia on achieving such a huge milestone, and for not being rushed to the emergency room after his memorable 200-meter shuffle around the track.
CBA's second straight title gives the Colts 27 total championships, the most in state history, 11 more than Willingboro, who has the second most with 16.
CBA scored nearly half its points in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 as the Colts piled up 42 points in those three races.
Junior Luke Hnatt ignited a 1-2-3 finish for the Colts in the 3,200 with a winning time of 9:14.09. Senior Ryan Schmitt was second (9:14.70) and his brothers, sophomore Gavin Schmitt, was third in 9:31.13.
Joe Barrett, who is headed to the University of North Carolina, won the 1,600 for CBA in 4:13.54 and Alex Mastroly and Sean Galvin finished 4-6 for CBA, who also placed second the 4x400 with a time of 3:27.64.
CBA also had a big day in the field, scoring 35.5 points in the throws/jumps.
Sophomores Shane Landau (12-0) and Thomas Zawisza (10-6) finished 1-3 in the pole vault, and in a great shot put competition, the Colts finished 2-3-4.
The shot put featured three throwers over 60 feet!!!!
Peter Donini of Delbarton won with a huge PR throw of 64-2.50, which is NJ No. 3/US No. 9 this season. CBA's Marcus Blasucci (60-9), Albert Yodakis (60-6), and Cameron Feiler (58-8.75) finished 2--3-4. Blasucci has a PR of 65-2.25 this season, which is US No. 7.
In the tightest team competition of the day, Villa Walsh, behind double winner Maggie Boler, simply had too much firepower for any team to handle as the Vikings defeated 69-52 over runner-up Montclair Kimberley Academy.
Villa Walsh has now won four state titles (2015, '18, 2024 and '25)
Boler, a senior, and junior Blythe Dudley combined for 36 points for propel Villa Walsh to the repeat championship.
Boler won the 800 for the second straight year in 2:18.91 and finished first in the 1,600 in 5:13.35. Dudley was second in both the 1,600 (5:14.22) and the 3,200 (11:10.02).
Other key point producers for Villa Walsh were Jillian Paolino, who was fifth in the 400 and ran on the fourth-place 4x400 relay, Amalia Hronides, third in both the high jump and pole vault, Azariah Andrews, who was fourth in the high jump and sixth in the 55 dash, Avery Poruczynski, fifth in the 800, and Martha Smart, fifth in the 3,200.
