By Rich Fisher | Correspondent
The Diocese of Trenton high school girls track & field teams could not quite gain a championship in the NJSIAA Non-Public South Jersey meets May 21-22, but a few came close.
In Non-Public B, St. Rose finished second with 84 points, just four behind champion Holy Spirit, while Trenton Catholic Academy was third with 74. In SJ Non-Public A, Red Bank Catholic took third with 74 points, to go along with its second-place finish in the Shore Conference Championship on May 16.
The following is a roundup of how the Diocese’s teams fared in their respective county and state sectional meets, in which the top six finishers garner team points. The top six in sectionals also advance to this weekend’s Non-Public sectional meets. Times are given for first-place finishes.
ST. ROSE
In the Shore Conference meet, freshman Abigail Antognoli set the tone for what was to come by winning the 1600 in 5:09.84. Jillian Haggerty finished sixth in the 400 hurdles.
That was just an appetizer for Antognoli. At the SJ Non-Public B meet, she won the 400 meters (1:00.67), 800 (2:18.58), 1600 (5:02.70) and 3200 (11:11.53). Jillian Haggerty also had a first in the 400 hurdles (1:06.58) and was second in the 400 and fourth in the high jump.
Kaylee Apple finished third in the 100 and fifth in the 200 and 100 hurdles, while 6th-place finishes came from Kristen Doran (100 hurdles) and Sheila Magrini (high jump). The 4×400 team of Haggerty, Magrini, Lauren Bunn and Lauren Hickey finished third, while 5th-place finishes came from the 4×100 (Haggerty, Magrini, Bunn, Apple) and 4×800 (Hickey, Magrini, Bunn, Jenna DeFazio).
TRENTON CATHOLIC ACADEMY
A couple of basketball players showed their track mettle for the Iron Mikes of Hamilton, as Jada Queen and Wisdom Maddox were both double winners. Queen won the high jump (4-8) and javelin (107-0), while Maddox took the 100 hurdles (16.40) and triple jump (32-9.25), while finishing second in the 400 hurdles.
Aniya Godfrey was second in long jump and fourth in 100 (13.49), while Angie Labissierra was fourth in discus and Sanaaa Parks fifth in shot. The 4×100 relay took second with Godfrey, Parks, Queen and Maddox.
TCA took second in the Burlington County Freedom Division meet as Maddox won the 100 hurdles (16.13), 400 hurdles (1:10.69) and triple jump (34-9.50), while Queen won the high jump (5-0) and javelin (100-1) while taking fourth in the 200. Godfrey won the long jump (16-8), took third in the 200 and fourth in the 100, while Labissierra was second in discus, Felissah Boyer was third in javelin and Parks was fourth in shot.
RED BANK CATHOLIC
The Caseys amassed 37 points to finish 10 behind Middletown North in the Shore Conference meet. The 4×400 relay team of Julianne Kopec, Carly Friend, Tess Darnell and Anna Cleary won the 4×400 in 3:59.82.
Friend and Julianne Kopec were 2-6 in the 400, Maddy Kopec took third in the 1600 and Anna Cleary was third in the 400 hurdles.
In the SJ Non-Public A meet, the 4×800 team of Kase Torchia, Julianne Kopec, Brooke Formato and Maddy Kopec won in 9:41.03 while Tara Zeni took first in long jump (18-0.50). Seconds came from Jessie Castellano (400) and Friend (800), while finishing third were Danielle Hayes (1600), Maddy Kopec (3200) and the 4×400 relay (Anna Cleary, Catherine Stolbof, Darnell and Julianne Kopec).
Advancing with 4-through-6 finishes were Zeni (triple jump), Friend (400, 400 hurdles), Cleary (400 hurdles, Jyllissa Harris (100 hurdles), Caitlin O’Hare (3200) Claudia Satzke (1600), Julianne Kopec (800), Castellano (800, 200) and the 4×100 relay (Jackie Rieger, Cleary, Zeni, Kelly Degnan).
NOTRE DAME
The Irish of Lawrenceville had a solid Mercer County meet, as Haley Horvath won the pole vault (12-0), Loretta Owoh was second in the 100 and Ana Maria Laccetti was fourth in discus and fifth in shot. The 4×100 relay (Loretta Owoh, Avary Kalac, Jharia Morris, Frances Owoh) and 4×800 (Claire Barlow, Claire Moxham, Meghan Tash, Chase Davino) both took fifth.
In the sectionals, Horvath again won pole vault with the same height, 12-0. Laccetti claimed the shot title (37-9.50) and was third in discus, while Lorretta Owoh was second in triple jump and fourth in long jump and 100.
Others advancing include Morgan Whitlock (javelin), the 4×100 (Lorretta Owoh, Frances Owoh, Hope Wargo, Alyssa Skorodinsky) and 4×800 (Barlow, Moxham, Carly Rowcotsky, Tash).
ST. JOHN VIANNEY
Olivia Wojtowicz was a Shore Conference meet winner for the Holmdel-based Lancers as she took first in the 800 (2:1821). Eryn Cooper was second in the triple jump (35-3.25) and Rahmenda Henderson was sixth in the high jump.
Cooper was third in triple jump in the A sectionals, while Sarah Van Duzer (long jump), Kaleigh Remick (pole vault) and Ijeoma Akubueze (discus) finished fifth. The 4×100 relay team of Cooper, Grace Langdon, Van Duzer and Cara Plumaker took third.
DONOVAN CATHOLIC
Alexandra Marko took second for the Toms River Bunch in the Shore Conference’s 800, while Riley Underwood (high jump) and Mackenzie O’Connor (long jump) finished fourth.
At the South Jersey sectionals, Marko took fifth in the 400 and third in the 800, while Underwood was third in high jump and Nicole Millemann was third in javelin.
Advancing with 4-through-6 finishes were Adriana Scianna (javelin), Alexa Moore (pole vault), O’Connor (long jump) and the 4×400 relay (Angela Saliola, Madison Brogan, Cezanne Maragni, Marko).
HOLY CROSS
Rachel Darata finished fifth in the triple jump in the Burlington County Patriot Division Championship, and took third in the same event in the Non-Public B meet.
Also in the B sectionals, Brianna Parise took second in the 100 hurdles and fifth in the javelin, and Maura Graves was fifth in the triple jump
MATER DEI
The Seraphs of Middletown got a first-place in pole vault from Bridgette Blumetti (7-0), and a second in the shot from Chicka Efobi in the B sectionals. Both are freshmen.