Forys, Higginson turn in historic races at MOC
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

Above Freehold’s Justin Frick tries to clear the high jump bar, while below, Freehold Township’s Janel Parker races to a third-place finish in the 1,600 at Sunday’s Indoor Meet of Champions at Princeton University. At left, Howell’s Kellee Hand races to an 11th-place finish in the 800.

PRINCETON — Craig Forys and Ashley Higginson ran themselves into the record book Sunday.

At the NJSIAA Indoor Meet of Champions (MOC) held in Jadwin Gymnasium on the campus of Princeton University, the Colts Neck runners were brilliant.

Forys became just the second runner in meet history to win the 1,600-3,200 double, while Higginson won her second straight 3,200.

Higginson made her race all the more memorable by leading a Colts Neck one-two finish with teammate Brianna Jackucewicz, and breaking the meet record with her 10:36.74. Higginson shaved two seconds off the old meet record held by former Red Bank Regional star, Amanda Trotter, who is now starring for Stanford University. Trotter ran 10:38.87 in winning her race in 2003.

Higginson credited teammate Jackucewicz with making the record possible. With Ocean City’s Brittany Sedberry not running, it was up to the Colts Neck tandem to handle the pacing chores. They took turns swapping the lead (two laps for Higginson and one for Jackucewicz), pulling each other along until they had broken the field.

“Bri was exhausted from running yesterday [at the junior national cross country championships at Van Cortlandt Park, the Bronx],” said Higginson. “She realized that she might not be there at the end.”

When it came time to put the pedal to the metal with 400 meters to go, there was too much Higginson. She pulled away from her teammate and running hard to the finish, dipped under the meet record while becoming a two-time MOC winner.

“It felt awesome to win it twice,” said the Cougar junior. “The MOC is the biggest race of the year. The meet record was definitely on my mind.

“We wanted to go one-two,” she added.

PHOTOS BY RICH GRAESSLE

Higginson has exceeded her expectations this winter, and having Jackucewicz as her training partner is the reason.

“I just wanted to break 10:40,” she said. “I know I’ve been lucky to have Bri to run with every day.”

Jackucewicz, despite running a 5K cross country race the day before, turned in a 10:43.93. She and Higginson were the only runners in the field under 11:00.

Forys had planned on doubling at the MOC all season, coach Jim Schlentz reported.

“It was a combination of history and teaching him to run tired,” he said.

The 1,600 was up first, and Forys separated himself from challenger Anthony LaMastro with a 29.8 lap with 600 meters. LaMastro, from Pope John XXIII, had beaten Forys early this month over 800 meters at the NYC Armory and was looking to do the same Sunday. But Forys’ surge opened up a 5-meter lead on LaMastro that he was never able to close. Forys did not let up over the final 400, breaking LaMastro en route to a 4:17.11 win, with LaMastro six seconds back (4:23.51).

Forys ran his last 600 in 1:33 and the final 1,200 in 3:10.

Less than an hour after completing the distance running Triple Crown (cross country, indoor and outdoor MOC titles), Forys was back on the track for the 3,200. Although his cross country rival, Ben Massam, of Chathanm, was not in the field (out with the flu), a well-rested Jeff Perrella, of Westfield, the only harrier from the state to qualify for the FootLocker National Cross Country Championships, was waiting for him.

Perrella resisted the temptations to just settle in and follow; instead, he went to the front hoping to take the speed out of Forys’ legs, softening up his kick at the end. Perrella only delayed the inevitable. Reporting to Schlentz that he felt even better in the 3,200 than he felt in the 1,600, Forys threw in a final 600 in 1:35 that left Perrella running in quicksand. Forys posted a 9:15.11 to Perrella’s 9:22.25.

Forys joined Parsippany Hills’ Brian Boyett (2001) as the only distance runners to win the 1,600-3,200 double at the indoor MOC. Forys has now won four overall MOC titles.

Colonials’ Frick second in

high jump

While Forys and Higginson were winning MOC gold, other Freehold Regional District athletes had good days, earning medals (which went to the top six finishers).

Freehold Borough’s Justin Frick was looking to add the indoor MOC to the outdoor title he won last spring. The Colonial senior matched his indoor best this year of 6-6, the same height as winner Josh Butler, of Delsea. But Frick tied for second with Ryan Manning, of West Orange, as Butler won on fewer misses.

Frick’s teammate David Hickey tied for 12th (6-0).

Back on the track in the girls’ 1,600 meters, Freehold Township’s Janel Parker and Howell’s Lauren Rome ran personal bests while winning medals.

Parker was third (5:07.92), and Rome was sixth (5:11.09). The Pats’ Charlotte Walsh was 13th (5:23.77). Fellow Shore Conference star Amanda Marino, of Jackson, won in 4:55.21.

Howell’s quartet of Ben Edwards, Francisco Bueno, Mike Newman and Jason Leacock broke their own school and District record in the 4x400, finishing sixth in 3:30.03. Old Bridge, anchored by 400 winner Bryant McCombs, won in 3:28.35.

Howell’s Kelle Hand was 11th in the girls’ 800 (2:23.18), while Colts Neck’s Kristen O’Dowd was 13th (2:23.38).

Colts Neck’s Brenden Krewer was 16th in the boys’ 800 (2:05.0).

Colts Neck’s 4x400-relay team finished eighth (4:08.95). Kathlyn Herrick, Julia Tomaro, Samantha Santos and Meryl Wimberley made up the team. Wimberley was 17th in the 400 (1:00.87), one place ahead of Manalapan’s Kristen Andrews (1:01.04).

Walsh tied for 12th in the girls’ high jump (5-0).

Howell’s Anna DiPaolo finished 11th in the girls’ shot put with a throw of 37-4 1/2.

The MOC did not signal the end of the indoor season. Monday, the Eastern State will be held at the Armory. They will be followed by the Indoor Nationals at the NYC March 10-12 at the Armory, and the Nike National Invitational March 11-12 in Landover, Md.