Dailey, Higginson among District’s top performers
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

MIGUEL JUAREZ staff Howell’s Kellee Hand returned to form this spring, re-emerging as one of the area’s top runners, and earning a spot on the All District Team.

Danielle Dailey and Ashley Higginson provided the individual highlights for what was an outstanding season of high school track and field in the Freehold Regional District.

Dailey followed in the footsteps of her famous alumnus, Pam Dukes, a 1992 U.S. Olympian, by winning the NJSIAA Outdoor Meet of Champions title in the shot put. The Patriot senior, who was playing softball last year, saved the best throw of her career for the MOC, 45-1, in capping an undefeated season in the event.

Higginson, the indoor MOC 3,200 champion, had another season of fast times and championships. The Cougar sophomore won the Group III state championship at 3,200 meters and was second at the MOC to Katie Van Horn of Triton.

It was Higginson’s Cougars who dominated team action. They went undefeated in dual meets, repeated as Shore Conference A Central Division champions and then won the Freehold Regional District title. The Cougars did it behind a combination of individual excellence and balance. That is reflected by their representation of the News Transcript’s 2005 All-Freehold Regional District Girls Track and Field Team.

Higginson (1,600-3,200) heads the track selections. Also on the team are: Colts Neck’s Amy Lewis (100 hurdles); Howell’s Kellee Hand (800) and Jamie Leacock (400 intermediate hurdles); Manalapan’s Kristen Andrews (400); Freehold Township’s Tanika Peart (100); and Freehold Borough’s Rose Drayton (200) and the Colonials’ 1,600-meter relay team (Elise Tagatac, Samantha Kologe, Megan Patterson and Drayton).

Naturally, Dailey heads the field lineup. Joining her are Marlboro’s Kristen Batts (discus) and Colts Neck’s Jessica Pagliano (high jump and long jump), Jackie Austin (triple jump), Gretchen Volherbst (pole vault) and Lewis (javelin)

Dailey began her run to the top during the winter season, where she established herself as the best thrower in the county and Shore Conference. A fourth place at the Indoor MOC proved she could compete with the state’s best, and when track went outdoors, the senior took off, going undefeated.

Dailey did quite well in the discus as well, winning the Central Jersey Group IV title (124-5) and taking Dukes’ school record in the process.

The shot put saw Dailey throw 40-plus with unusual frequency for such a technical sport. Her season assault started with a meet record 43-10 1/4, which helped her earn most outstanding field performer honors at the meet. She went to win everything else — the county, conference, state sectional and state Group IV championships before winning the MOC with a series of marks that including three over 43 feet, topping out with her 45-1.

Higginson was easily the best distance runner in the conference, and one of the two or three best in the state. Running the second half of her races harder than the first half allowed her to break opponents and dominate races. She won the 1,600-3,200 double at the District, Monmouth County and Central Jersey Group III championships. She was third in the 1,600 at the state Group III championships, turning in her best time of the spring (5:01.25), and won the 3,200. At the MOC, she chased Van Horn and turned in the second-fastest 3,200 in District history (10:47.91). The Cougar sophomore was third at the Penn Relays in the 3,000. She found the time to run a 2:18.90 for 800 meters in taking sixth in Central Jersey.

Asthma prevented Rose Drayton from dominating the 200-400 as she has in the past. Still, the Colonial was the fastest at the 200, taking fifth at the county and 10th in the conference (26.85) meets.

More importantly, she was one-quarter of the District’s fastest 1,600 relay team. Together, Kologe, Patterson, Tagatac and Drayton turned in a sizzling 4:02.93 in finishing eighth at the State Group III championships. They were second at Monmouth County, eighth in the SC and fourth in Central Jersey III.

Drayton was a big part of the team, but with Kologe, Patterson and Tagatac returning, could the Colonials be ready to run the first sub-4:00 relay?

Hand’s comeback was one of the bright stories of the season. The junior regained the District 800 title she had won as a freshman and shared outstanding track performer honors at the meet with Higginson. She was fourth in the county, third in the conference (2:19.67) and seventh in Central Jersey as she proved to herself that she can compete against the best.

Howell sophomore Leacock was the big surprise of the season. She blossomed into a top 400/400 hurdles sprinter. She won the 400 (59.9) at the District meet, but it was in the 400 intermediates that she excelled the rest of the season. She was fourth in the county (1:05.78), fifth in the SC and sixth in Central Jersey Group IV. She and Hand helped the Rebels’ 1,600-meter relay team break its school record.

Andrews and Leacock flip-flopped their strengths. Andrews won the 400 hurdles at the District championships, and then dominated the 400 meters the rest of the season. She was third in Monmouth County, which boasted having the state champion in Ocean Township’s Tiffany Grant. The Brave junior was sixth in the SC (59.60).

Peart was the sprint newcomer of the year. The freshman burst on the scene with her victory at the District championships (13.0). She went on to place fifth at the county championships. She was an effective 200 runner as well.

Amy Lewis was one of the most versatile athletes in track, as indicated by her making the District squad in the hurdles and the javelin. She won both events at the Freehold District championships.

In the hurdles, she was eighth in the county (16.7). In the javelin, she was third in the county, fifth in the conference, second in Central Jersey, seventh in state Group IV and 14th at the MOC, throwing a personal best 116-3.

Under the radar of Dailey’s state championship, Marlboro sophomore Batts had quite a season of her own. She was competitive in all three throws, discus, shot put and javelin, medaling in the trio at the District championships. Her best event was the discus, where she won the District title and the Monmouth County championship.

She was third at the SC, fourth in Central Jersey (115-9), fourth in state Group IV and 10th at the MOC. At the recent Eastern States Championships, the Mustang topped 120-0 for the first time with a 122-4 that put her in fourth place. Look for her to challenge records in the future.

Pagliano had a solid season in both the high jump and long jump. She won both events at the Freehold District championships. She was third in the county (16-1) and fourth in Central Jersey III in the long jump. She won the District crown in the high jump (5-0) and went on to place fifth in the county and 10th in the conference.

Austin was an outstanding multi-event performer as a sprinter/hurdler/jumper for the Cougars, and a big reason why the team racked up a pair of titles this year. The senior made her biggest impact in the triple jump, which she won in a meet record 32-8 1/2 at the District championships.

Volherbst was the only District vaulter to clear 10-0 this spring. She won the District title, was second in the county, third in the SC, second in Central Jersey III and eighth in Group III.

Those earning Honorable Mention: Melanie Mahoney, Kim Lang, Meryl Wimberly, Kathlyn and Danielle Plenzo, Colts Neck; Janel Parker, Samantha Schreckenghost, Charlotte Walsh and Anita Wise, Freehold Township; AnnaMarie DiPaolo, Brittany Napoli, Carly Graffeo, Jessica Johnson, Amanda Urquhart, Lindsay Lambert, Lauren Wiemken and Lauren Rome, Howell; Danielle Mayer, Crystal Mahoney, Samantha Moran, Maria Zaharakis and Kim Dale, Manalapan; and Jenna Meagher, Marlboro.