NJRunners is proud to present our Girls' All-State selections for the 2010 - 2011 indoor season. Our selections were made by a panel of people - the same group that made the boys' and relays selection which will appear soon. We subscribe to the Track and Field News criteria for choosing All-State, which are, in order of importance, honors won, head-to-head competition and marks.
This year presented some unique challenges especially with respect to the lack of a Meet of Champions for some candidates. We would normally consider MOC and the nationals as the ultimate honors for a New Jersey track and field athlete. However, the weather in February resulted in a scenario where athletes could opt to compete at the Brooks PR meet in Seattle the same weekend as MOC. So while on one hand the selection process should have been made easier by the demise of NSIC resulting in only one national meet, on the other hand we were forced to decide how to treat the Brooks meet. To say that the members of our panel had differing opinions is an understatement but we finally arrived at a consensus that had us considering a strong performance as a very high honor indeed.
The following then are the NJRunners selections for the Girls' All-State First and Second teams and Honorable Mention, Girl Athlete of the Year and Girls' Coach of the Year.
First Team All-State
55/60 Meters: Myasia Jacobs, Paramus Catholic - Junior 
Myasia focused on one thing this indoor season - the short sprint (55/60M). No 200s, no 300s, no 400s, only one 200 meter relay leg at her county meet. She focused as well as or better than any high schooler ever has. Starting with her first race on January 8 at the Hispanic Games all she did was win. She had a perfect season, winning every final including a 60 at the Germany-Japan-US Trilateral meet in Osaka, Japan in early February capping it all off with a 7.34 national championship win at the New Balance Indoor Nationals on March 11.
Myasia led the US in the 55 at 6.82 set along the way to her 7.34 60 which was was second nationally and third all time in New Jersey.
Click here for Myasia's full season stats and articles: Myasia Jacobs
400 Meters: Olivia Baker, Columbia - Freshman 
Watching Olivia run is like watching children at play in the school yard. She runs with a reckless abandon that makes you remember how you ran when you were a kid, only she's probably a lot faster! She is afraid of nothing and holds nothing back and that approach along with Lisa Morgan's superb coaching resulted in a Meet of Champions title, a state title, the second fastest time in New Jersey this winter and a near-miss at making the finals at NBIN. All in her freshman indoor season.
You had to know you were in for something special when she ran an early-season 600 in 1:34.31 for the win at the Loughlin Games in December. That mark held up as the best time in New Jersey this season and was 8th in the US. From there it was onto legs and individual races at 200, 300, 500, 600, 800 and even a 1600 to go along with the 400. Her final race at NBIN was a 56.35 indoor PR bettering her time run as an 8th grader last winter by 0.66 seconds. By the way, if she PRs outdoors, she will run faster than 54.64!
Olivia's stats, articles and photos can be found here: Olivia Baker
800 Meters: Ajee' Wilson, Neptune - Junior 
Ajee's season was a study in contrasts. When her team needed her, she ran multiple events for points, but when the time came for quality, she responded in a big way. At the Merli Invitational in December she helped Neptune tie for the team title with a 400/800 double. Sectionals came and she went 400/800/1600/4x400 for golds in all four as Neptune won the team title. At Groups, Wilson again went for the quad as Neptune came up short by 3 points, finishing second to Delsea. The 400 victory produced the fastest time at that distance in the state this year - 55.91. Then, deciding to skip the Meet of Champions, Ajee' traveled west for the Brooks PR meet, winning the mile in 4:49.48 which proved to be the third fastest time in the US this year.
The defining moment of Ajee's season was the New Balance Indoor Nationals, a 2:06.17 tour de force for the win over Claudia Francis who had been undefeated this season at 800 meters. The 2:06.17 led the US for the indoor season and the 55.91 for 400 meters was 15th at a distance she ran only once.
Go here Ajee' Wilson to see stats, articles and photos of Ajee'.
1600 Meters/Mile: Joelle Amaral, Randolph - Senior 
Coming into this indoor season Joelle had modest goals - stay healthy and run fast again. Her stretch goal if things broke right for her was to run under 4:50. After missing most of XC due to injury, she was concerned that she would never be able to run as she had in the past, something that most athletes who had missed substantial time worry about. Well, she was right - she didn't run as she had before - she ran much better, no small accomplishment for a runner with her resume. In early February, Amaral broke the Morris County record in the 1000 at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational, a PR by seven seconds. Then a 2:16.66/4:53.66 Sectional double, both winners and indoor PRs followed by an even better 2:14.47/4:52.98 double at Groups, again both winners.
Joelle passed on MOC to venture out to Seattle, to what will be her home track starting next year, for the Brooks PR meet. There, after leading for much of the race where no one would push the pace, she was third in 4:52.32 for the full mile, yet another PR. She bettered that at the New Balance Indoor Nationals with her first sub-4:50, 4:49.23 for second as she chased the clock and a 4:48.50 run in an earlier heat. While missing the national championship was disappointing she decided that all-in-all it was a pretty good season. Her 4:49.23 was the second fastest time nationally for the combined 1600/mile.
Joelle's profile - stats, pictures and articles can be found here: Joelle Amaral
3200 Meters/2 Miles: Megan Venables, Highland Regional - Senior 
As you might expect after the spectacular and intense XC season that Megan had, she took a good rest and wisely did not race until February when she led off with a 1600 PR at the South Jersey Track Coaches meet followed by a another 1600 PR as part of a 5:05.27/10:47.31 double at the sectionals. Then two almost identical times won in the same fashion: a 10:38.11 win at the Group meet where she took off at the gun and methodically pounded out a 24-second win. At MOC Megan ran 10:38.31 for the win over a strong field that featured five other girls under 11:00 and two immediately over it. Venables passed on NBIN with a foot injury and set her sights set on the outdoor season.
Stats, videos, pictures and articles on Megan are here: Megan Venables
55/60 Meter Hurdles: Kayann Richards, Columbia - Senior 
Kayann spent the better part of the winter season on the disabled list, not running a race until the Sectionals on February 13 (the snow was good to Kayann!). Then the races came in bunches. 55m Dash and hurdles at the Sectionals and Groups. Hurdles and 4x400 at the Easterns. At Sectionals,her first meet back after recovering from the injury, Richards led a Columbia sweep in the hurdles and was second to teammate Whitney Jackson in the flat race as Columbia won the team title. At the Group meet, she again won the hurdle race and was 5th in the dash as Columbia was third in a narrow loss.
Skipping the MOC, Richards flew out to Brooks where she was 6th in the 60H on Sunday. She then returned home and was third (first New Jersey girl) in the the hurdles in 8.06 at the Easterns and ran a leg on the winning 3:53.89 4x400. Her NBIN prelim was not what she wanted as she did not make the next round. Richards' 8.06 was 9th nationally.
Kayann's articles, stats and pictures are on this page: Kayann Richards
High Jump: Alexa Williams, Jonathan Dayton - Senior 
Alexa had a remarkably consistent season. In 2011, she never jumped lower than 5-6, clearing that height three times, 5-7 once, 5-8 four times and 5-10 once. She won 7 meets in a row, including MOC where both she and 2nd teamer Fiona Paladino cleared 5-10, and Williams won the title on the basis of fewer misses. At the Easterns she was third, clearing the same height as the first rwo jumpers with fewer misses working against her this time. At NBIN Williams was 5th at 5-7 earning All-America status. Williams' PR 5-10 tied for 3rd in the country for the indoor season.
More of Alexa's stats are located here: Alexa Williams
Pole Vault: Dana Schweiger, Toms River North - Senior 
Dana's season showed the kind of consistent improvement coaches love to see. Starting with the Merli Invitational in December, she improved her mark in every meet except two. She started at 10-0 at Merli and from there jumped a progression of 10-6 (three times), 11-0, 11-6 (twice), 11-7, 11-0 (twice), 12-0 (three times) and capped it off with a 12-2.5. She won or tied for first in all but two of those meets - the Easterns, where she went 12-0 for third and NBIN where she hit her season and personal best of 12-2.5 good for 12th in that very strong field. Her 12-2.5 tied her for 15th on the seasonal US list.
All of Dana's performances can be found on this page: Dana Schweiger
Shot Put: Theresa Picciallo, Immaculate Heart Academy - Junior
In the first month of the winter season Theresa was at or just below the PR she set last spring - 42-7.5. Then at the Bergen County Relays she unleashed a 44-2 throw that put her a foot and a half up on that previous PR. At the Varsity Classic she remained in that same zip code with a 43-11 good for second place.
The big breakthrough came a week later at the Track Universe Finals. After a 42-6 opener, Theresa's second throw in the series was 46-4. Her sixth throw was 46-9, as she left the arena with a PR that was more than two and a half feet better than the one she came in with. Picciallo was able to maintain that level in the next three weeks - a Group title at 46-0.25, an MOC crown with her 46-4.5 and a 46-6 throw good for the title at the Easterns. Two weeks later she gained All-America status with her fifth place finish at NBIN.
A full statistical profile on Theresa is here: Theresa Picciallo
Girls Coach of the Year: Rob DeFilippis, Red Bank Catholic
A state title in Non-Public A. A Meet of Champions winner at 1600 meters. A DMR title at the Easterns in 11:58.82 (Mary Kate Byrne, Meghan McMullin, Lindsey Bellaran, Molly McNamara), a mark that would stand up as the tenth best time in the US in this crazy DMR-year. A 9:15.00 4x800 winner at that same meet. A national championship in the 4x800 in a time that is the third fastest ever run indoors. The 14th fastest 400m in New Jersey (Lindsey Bellaran). The fourth fastest sprint medley relay (Maria Capalbo, Alexandra McCahill, Meghan McMullin, Molly McNamara) in New Jersey this season. Third fastest mile and second fastest 1600 in the state and numbers eight and three respectively in the US for Molly McNamara. The fastest 1000 in the state - number seven all-time - and number six in the country (McNamara). The 18th fastest 4x400 time in New Jersey (Liana Marzano, Alexandra McCahill, Meghan McMullin, Lindsey Bellaran).
All very visible signs of a great season and a great job by Rob that adds up to well-deserved Coach of the Year honors.
Check here Red Bank Catholic for team stats, pictures and articles.
Athlete of the Year: Myasia Jacobs, Paramus Catholic - Junior
Second Team All-State (click on link for stats, pictures, videos and article on each athlete):
55/60 Meters: Gabrielle Farquharson, Williamstown - Senior
400 Meters: Natalie Engelese, Cranford - Senior
800 Meters: Emily Duffey, Lenape Regional - Junior
1600 Meters/Mile: Molly McNamara, Red Bank Catholic - Senior
3200 Meters/2 Miles: Megan Lacy, Cherokee - Junior
55/60 Meter Hurdles: Fiona Paladino, Montgomery - Senior
High Jump: Fiona Paladino, Montgomery - Senior
Pole Vault: Kirsten Muhaw, Montville - Senior
Shot Put: Apresha Hampton, Teaneck - Senior
Honorable Mention All-State
55/60 Meters:
Angela Harrison, Paramus Catholic - Junior
Miranda Mackey, Hopewell Valley - Junior
Amari Hartsfield, Sayreville - Junior
Kahila Taylor, Teaneck - Junior
400 Meters:
Annie Johnson, Shawnee - Junior
Ste'cye McNeil, Winslow - Junior
Alexis Roper, North Hunterdon - Senior
NicoleTiernan, Washington - Junior
Erika Veidis, Sparta - Senior
800 Meters:
Kathleen McCurdy, Mt Saint Dominc - Junior
Kelly Pereira, Freehold Tonwship - Senior
Erika Veidis, Sparta - Senior
Katherine Vodopia, Hunterdon Central - Junior
1600 Meters/Mile:
Cayla Del Piano, South Brunswick - Junior
Samantha Jones, Randolph - Junior
Mary Migton, Roxbury - Senior
Marissa Ruskan, Bridgewater-Raritan - Sophomore
Katie Watson, Summit - Senior
3200 Meters/2 Miles
Holly Bischof, Bishop Eustace - Senior
Dana Giordano, Bernards - Junior
Dina Iacone, Washington - Junior
Samantha Jones, Randolph - Junior
Caroline Kellner, West Windsor Plainsboro South, Junior
Julianna Miller, Hillsborough - Senior
55/60 Meter Hurdles
Iana Amsterdam, Newark Tech - Sophomore
Kelly Berg, Freehold Township - Senior
Samantha Jensen, Central Regional - Junior
Ste'cye McNeil, Winslow - Junior
Dashana Ransome, Irvington - Senior
High Jump
Stephanie Encarnacion, Ridgefield Park - Senior
Noel Jancewicz, Robbinsville - Sophomore
Meredith Meyer, Hopewell Valley - Sophomore
Elly Wardle, Toms River South - Junior
Pole Vault
Kayla Polcari, Ridgewood - Senior
Catherine Shih, Bernards - Senior
Stephanie Skove, Monmouth Regional - Senior
Myriah Sujansky, North Hunterdon - Junior
Shot Put
Nia Barnes, West Orange - Senior
Janiece Rose, Delsea Regional - Senior
Carrie Wasdyke, Jefferson - Sophomore