In case you weren't sure from seeing their pictures on the first page, we've selected Myasia Jacobs and Edward Cheserek as our Atheltes of the Year. There were many fine seasons had by a number of Jersey athletes but these are the two that the selection committee felt had the best seasons top to bottom. Their season records and highlights follow.
Girl Athlete of the Year: Myasia Jacobs - Paramus Catholic, Junior
100 meters (finals only)
| 5/23/2011 | Non-Public A North Sectional | 11.66 | 1st place |
| 6/3/2011 | Non-Public A Group Meet | 11.98 | 1st |
| 6/11/2011 | adidas Grand Prix | 11.90 | 2nd |
| 6/13/2011 | New Jersey Meet of Champions | 11.47 | 1st |
| 6/16/2011 | New Balance Nationals | 11.59 | 2nd |
Myasia was undefeated by New Jersey athletes and her 11.47 is #1 in New Jersey, #10 in the US and the #5 wind legal time in the country. Her first place finish at the Meet of Champions was a meet record and only Michelle Glover (11.42 in 1981) and Myasia herself (11.44 in 2010) have run faster.
200 meters (finals only)
| 5/21/2011 | Bergen County Championships | 24.43 | 1st place |
| 5/27/2011 | Non-Public A North Sectional | 24.33 | 1st |
| 6/3/2011 | Non-Public A North Group Meet | 24.43 | 1st |
| 6/13/2011 | New Jersey Meet of Champions | 24.01 | 1st |
Myasia's 24.01 is #1 in New Jersey and is a tie for #28 in the US. She also becamse the first athlete ever, male or female to win the 100 and 200 three years in a row at the Meet of Champions.
400 meters
| 5/11/2011 | Big North Div 1 | 56.88 | 1st place |
| 5/21/2011 | Bergen County Championships | 56.48 | 1st |
Myasia rarely runs the 400 but her 56.48 is # 7 in New Jersey this year.
Jacobs anchored the Paramus Catholic 4x100 meter relay team to the 14th fastest time in the trials at the Penn Relays. She also ran anchor on the winning 4x100 and 4x200 teams at the Bergen County Relays.
The ending of this chapter of the story has not been written. Today, June 20 Myasia qualified for the final in the 100 at the World Youth Games Trials in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with the top mark of 11.82. Stay tuned.
Boy Athlete of the Year - Edward Cheserek - St Benedict's Prep, Sophomore
The tale of Edward's season has to be told across a multiple of events - the 800, 1600/mile, 3000 steeple, 3200 and 5000 - as well as relay legs.
800 meters
| 5/2/2011 | Essex County Championships | 1:52.13 | 1st place |
1600 meters/Mile
| 5/18/2011 | NJISAA Prep A Championships | 4:17.39 | 1st place |
| 5/20/2011 | Essex County Championships | 4:10.92 | 1st |
| 6/11/2011 | adidas Dream Mile | 4:03.29 | 4th |
The Essex County win was a meet record. The Dream Mile 4th place finish made Cheserek the second fastest ever New Jersey schoolboy at a mile trailinig only the legendary Marty Liquori and ahead of the great Robby Andrews. Edward's mark is also a national sophomore record.
3000 meter Steeplechase
| 4/1/2011 | Sam Howell Invitational | 9:00.11 | 2nd |
Cheserek's mark was not only a New Jersey state record breaking the 27-year old mark set by New Jersey track legend Andy Martin but it is the fastest time ever run by a 17-year old in the US. Note that Cheserek finished second in this event to a college athlete and beat 27 other college runners.
3200 meters
| 5/18/2011 | NJISAA Prep A Championships | 9:10.66 | 1st place |
| 5/20/2011 | Essex County Championships | 8:53.65 | 1st |
Again, the Essex win was a meet record and the margin of victory was more than 55 seconds.
5000 meters
| 4/22/2011 | Larry Ellis Invitational | 14:02.33 | 3rd place |
| 6/16/2011 | New Balance Nationals | 14:25.74 | 1st place |
In the Ellis race, Cheserek finished behind two collegians. His time was a New Jersey record and #13 all-time US, making him the 10th fastest performer.
If the story ended there it would still be a great season but perhaps the best part of it is the legs run on relays throughout the season. Here are the highlights:
- A 4:02.30 FAT anchor leg in winning the national championship in the distance medley in the 3rd fastest time ever (9:51.97) breaking the New Jersey state record by almost 7 seconds;
- A 4:09 anchor on the winning DMR at the Louck’s Games in New York;
- A 1:50.9 anchor on the St Benedict’s winning and meet record sprint medley at the Morris Hills Relays;
- A 4:08.4 1600 to anchor the winning DMR at that same meet;
- At Penn in the distance medley a 4:05.76 anchor (#7 in meet history) taking the St Benedict's distance medley team from 16th place to 5th;
- A 49.1 leg on the St Benedict's 4x400 meter relay at Penn;
- A 4:05.8 split for the second place 4x1600 meter relay at the Essex County Relays;
- At that same meet, a 1:50.2 anchor on the sprint medley team that broke the 30-year old meet record. That team timed 3:27.58, tops in New Jersey this season and #2 in the US;
- Again at the Essex County Relays a 1:52.0 800 split on the second place 4x800 meter relay team.