Forys, Dailey, Higginson double at CJ track
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

PHOTOS BY CHRIS KELLY staff Above, Freehold Borough’s Justin Frick jumps his way to a win in the high jump at the CJGroup III meet in Tinton Falls on Saturday. At left, Colts Neck’s Ashley Higginson leads the pack during the girls 1,600-meter race, while below left, Colts Neck’s Matt Forys sets the pace in the boys’ 3,200.

Ashley Higginson has stamped her authority on the 1,600 meters by applying one strategy.

She has accelerated on the third lap, breaking her opponents at the Freehold District, Monmouth County and Shore Conference championship.

At Friday’s NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III championships at Monmouth Regional High School, the Cougar attacked again on the third lap, only this time Hopewell Valley’s 800-meter star, Emily Sherrard, was unfazed and stayed in Higginson’s shadow.

“That has worked for three races and no one stayed with me,” said Higginson. “I had to be ready for the time it didn’t work.

“She’s [Sherrard] a great 800 runner,” the Cougar added. “I was definitely worried.”

With Sherrard staying hot on her heels, Higginson never panicked. She gradually increased the pace so that when she began her final assault with 150 meters remaining, Sherrard had no response. Higginson sprinted home, stopping the clock at 5:02.4.

Higginson returned to Tinton Falls on Saturday and won the 3,200 in an unpressed 11:14.30.

She ran the 800 as well, getting in a good speed workout finishing sixth in 2:18.90. Sherrard won this duel with a 2:15.20.

Thanks to Higginson’s pair of wins, the Colts Neck girls were third (50) in their sectional behind Hopewell Valley (86) and Willingboro (67).

Craig Forys continued his mastery of the 1,600 and 3,200 at the two-day meet. The sophomore has been concentrating on negative splits in his races, and in the 1,600, he closed with a final 800 of around 2:02.

Forys was poised to make his move at 800 meters, but Roland Bisio, of West Windsor-Plainsboro North, beat him to it.

“I was surprised he took the lead,” Forys said.

Bisio’s bold move wouldn’t keep him in the front for very long. Forys was ready to unleash a long finishing kick and made his move around the final turn.

“I wanted to run hard the last 500,” he said.

That was enough to leave Bisio and everyone else behind as Forys posted a 4:19.8.

Like Higginson, he came back on Saturday and won the 3,200 in an easy 9:32.50, if there is such a thing as an easy 9:32.

It was the second straight 1,600-3,200 double for Forys in Central Jersey.

Forys’ teammate on the indoor national championship distance medley relay (DMR) team, Ryan Jagielski, also struck gold in Tinton Falls. Jagielski won the 800 in 1:58.40, leading a one-two Cougar finish. Chris Clark, also a member of the championship team, was second (1:59.80). Zach Tedoff, the fourth member of the DMR team was fourth (2:00.50).

Tedoff was also fifth in the 1,600 (4:33.1).

Colts Neck’s boys, thanks to its distance standouts, finished second to Willingboro, 71-59, in the team competition.

Freehold Borough’s Justin Frick was the other Freehold area athlete to pick up a state sectional title. One week after winning the Shore Conference title, Frick scaled 6-4 to win the high jump.

Hillsborough High School hosted Group IV on Friday and Saturday, and there, Freehold Township’s Danielle Dailey continued her almost weekly improvement. The senior reached a personal best 43-8 1/4 in winning the shot put title.

Dailey, though, didn’t stop with her shot put gold. She was a double-winner, taking the discus at 124-5.

Her season-long rival, Kristin Batts, of Marlboro, was fourth (115-9).

Dailey’s double helped the Patriots finish sixth in the sectional team competition with 25 1/2 points. Champion Jackson rolled up 115 1/2.

Egg Harboro Township High School will host this weekend’s NJSIAA Groups Championships. Action will start at 3:30 p.m. on Friday and continue Saturday at 10 a.m.

The top six finishers, including ties, from the state sectional meets all qualified to participate in the Group championships.

Area qualifiers from Monmouth Regional were: Colts Neck’s Jessica Pagliano (fourth in the high jump, 15-10); Amy Lewis (second in the javelin, 113-4); Melanie Mahony (fifth in the javelin, 104-8); Gretchen Volhberbst (second in the pole vault, 9-6); Kim Lang (fifth in the 3,200, 11:44.10); and Danielle Plenzo (sixth in the 3,200, 11:44.20) and Freehold Borough’s 1,600-meter relay team (fourth, 4:0830).

For the boys, Colts Neck’s Kevin Kelly (third in the javelin, 169-7) and the 1,600-meter relay team (third in 3:27.90) and Freehold Borough’s Mike O’Flaherty (sixth in the 1,600, 4:34.2, and fifth in the 3,200, 9:56.40) and Nick Arnone (sixth in the 110-meter hurdles, 15.6) qualified.

In Hillsborough, qualifying for the girls were: Freehold Township’s Janel Parker (fifth in the 800, 2:19.96, and fourth in the 1,600, 5:15.46), Howell’s Jamie Leacock (sixth 400 intermediate hurdles, 1:06.9), Marlboro’s Jenna Meagher (second in the pole vault, 9-6) and Manalapan’s Justine Giannino (fourth in the pole vault, 8-6).

The boys qualifying at Hillsborough were: Freehold Township’s Sean Coyne (fifth in the 110 hurdles, 15.69 and fifth in the 400 intermediate hurdles, 57.4); Shane Donohue (fourth in the high jump, 6-4); Matt Hardison (fourth in the shot put 52-11 3/4) and the 1,600-meter relay team (third in 3:25.32) and Manalapan’s Alan Berger (sixth in the 400, 51.60); Adam Hegel (third in the long jump, 20-11 3.4 and sixth in the triple jump, 41-4 1/2); Steve Bachman (third in the shot put, 53-3 3/4); and Mike Goldwasser (sixth in the pole vault, 11-6).

At the East Coast Relays, held in Morristown on May 24, Colts Neck’s quartet of Clark, Jagielski, Tedoff and Forys turned in the fastest 4x800 in the state this spring, 7:49.86. All four Cougars cracked 2:00.

Clark ran a 1:57.9 leadoff split. Tedoff followed with a 1:57.9, and Jagielski turned in a 1:55.8. Forys anchored the team home in 1:57.1.

The Cougar girls were second in the 4x1,600, clocking 21:33.36, trailing Jackson’s 21:27.00. Allison Linnell led it off with a 5:32.4. Danielle Plenzo followed with a 5:24.5 and Kim Lang split 5:32.0. Higginson anchored the team home with a 5:04.4.

With that mark, the Cougars qualified for the Outdoor National Scholastic Championships in Greensboro, N.C., June 17-18.