Costanzo, Cole use big throws to win S.C. titles

FARRAH MAFFAI Manalapan’s Andrea Voutsis unleashes a throw of 35-3 3/4 during the Shore Conference Track and Field Championships at Neptune High School on Friday.

Burk pb’s in high jump

By tim morris

Staff Writer

Diana Costanzo and Chakhia Cole were both at a loss for words to explain their break-out throws at the Shore Conference Track and Field Championships at Neptune High School.

Whether they can pinpoint what happened or not, both emerged from last weekend’s meet as conference champions.

Freehold Borough’s Costanzo broke through on Friday with her first 40-plus throw in the shot put, 41-2.

"I wasn’t even thinking about anything on that throw," she pointed out. "It takes some stress off me. It puts my mind at ease now that I’ve thrown 40 feet."

Costanzo said she had been working on her mechanics after a second-place finish at the county championships.

"I was pulling with my blocking arm (left arm), which was opening my shoulders up," she remarked.

In addition to her winning 41-2, Costanzo got off a 40-3 effort as well. Overnight, it seems, she’s become accustomed to throwing 40 feet.

Cole had the best discus effort in the Shore at 122 until the county championships when Raritan’s Kelly Robinson unleashed her 124-7 in capturing the Monmouth County title (Cole was third with 113-0).

But Cole shocked the Shore Conference field and herself with her huge 138-8 Sunday that easily won the title. So dominant was the Marlboro sophomore that she had three throws that were better than the best throw of second-place Christine Soloman of Toms East, 122-9.

"Everything finally clicked," she said. "I had no idea that my throw was that far.

"I have been working on getting more height on my throws," she added. "I had been getting them too low."

As Cole’s first throw of the final round sailed majestically in the air, landing at 138-8, she moved herself up to a state contender.

Equally impressive was Cole’s series of marks. She threw 136-0 and 129-0 in addition to her 138-8.

Freehold Township’s Sarah Strickland was fourth in the discus competition at 118-1.

The Shore Conference Championships were held over two days, Friday and Sunday afternoons. The meet was scheduled to conclude Saturday morning, but hard rain forced a postponement to Sunday afternoon.

When you finish second in an exhilarating competition and set a personal best in doing it, you can’t be disappointed. That was the case with Freehold Township high jumper Maura Burk.

Burk pushed Jackson’s Lisa Schenk to a meet record, tying 5-10, before the Jaguar would claim the title that Burk won last year as a freshman.

"It was so exciting," said Burk. "I’m happy. The whole experience was so cool. I was happy for Lisa.

"It’s hard to hate any of these girls — they’re so great," added the Patriot jumper.

Until Schenk’s 5-10, Burk had led the competition throughout. She made every height on her first attempt, including her pb 5-8.

"Meets like this usually end in a tie, and it comes down to misses," noted Burk. "You can’t have any slipups. I concentrated on this meet all week. I won it last year, and I always seem to do good here."

While Burk was perfect, Schenk was struggling. The Jackson senior took three attempts to clear 5-6 and two to get 5-8.

Burk looked like the winner on misses when the bar was raised to 5-10, a height that neither she nor Schenk had ever cleared. However, on her second attempt, Schenk lifted herself over the bar to take the win away from Burk and tie the meet record set back in 1981 by Mater Dei’s Tish Edwards.

Freehold Borough’s Debra Vento went out at 5-4 and placed fourth.

Marlboro’s Earl Gray, the discovery of the season, continued his rapid improvement. The sophomore set a school record in the 400 and dipped under 50 seconds for the first time with his third place 49.49.

"My goal was to run under 50," Gray pointed out. "I didn’t think I was going to do it. When the Lakewood runner (Michael Wittenburg) passed me, I thought I was going too slow.

"After I didn’t qualify for the 100 final, I wanted to do something," he added. "I wanted to go home proud."

He did — with a medal and a school record. Matawan’s Erison Hurtault, the county winner the week before, ran a scorching 48.39 in adding the county title to his spring résumé.

Freehold Township’s stable of long-distance sprinters continued their sharp running this spring. Katie Cherecwich was third in a red-hot 400, posting a 59.0 with teammate Gerry Sultana fifth (59.23). Lakewood’s Shakeema Martin blistered the track in a meet record 55.07. She slipped .7 off the old mark of 55.77 set by Beth Kawinsky of Toms River North in 1997.

Sultana came back to run third in the 200 meters (26.15) as Martin again had everyone running for second with her 24.39.

Cherecwich anchored the 1,600-meter relay team that finished third (4:02.86) as they inched closed to a sub-4:00. Samantha Moody, Jessica Leenig and Sultana ran the first three legs for the Pats.

Manalapan’s Tanisha Hamilton was third in the girls’ 100-meter dash behind, who else, Martin and her 12.21.

Colts Neck’s Becky Mergenthaler was seventh in the century but came back to medal in the 200 meters in fourth place (26.64).

Howell’s Devin Barnett was sixth in the 100-meter hurdles (16.43) edging Colts Neck’s Kathleen Malara (16.49) for the final medal position. Schenk picked up her first win of the meet here in 15.04.

Freehold Borough’s Anthony Pena of Freehold Borough was fifth in the 400-intermediate hurdles (55.26), lowering his school record for a second straight week. Ron Jules of Toms River East took the race in 53.61.

Freehold Township’s boys were fifth in the 1,600 relay. Rich Castaldi, Stephen Blenderman, Greg Hartlien and Chris Reed ran a 3:27.75. Toms River South ran a sizzling 3:19.44 in winning the race.

In the distances, Colts Neck Jorge Ventura ran an aggressive 800, taking the lead on the backstretch on the second lap. But still feeling the effects of a virus, he faded in the last 75 meters and finished fourth in 1:57.19 behind Robert Budesa Toms River South, whose winning time was 1:56.26.

Howell’s Matt Forys (9:45.96) outkicked Marlboro’s James Coomber (9:46.49) for sixth place in the 3,200 that went to Holmdel’s Craig Segal (9:35.79).

A week after winning the Monmouth County championship, Freehold Township’s Paul Diercksen finished fourth in the pole vault (13-0). Six vaulters cleared 13-0, with Lacey’s Justin Lenzo the only one to do 13-6, and it took him three tries.

Sultana won her third medal of the meet in the long jump. She reached 16-10 in taking second to Jackson’s Nicole Montegary (17-6 1/2).

This weekend, the road to the Meet of Champions begins with the NJSIAA Sectionals. For Freehold District schools, that means a trip to Holmdel High School where the Central Jersey Groups II and IV meet will be held on Friday and Saturday.

The top six in each event will go on to the NJSIAA Group Championships on May 31 and June 1 at Egg Harbor Township.