Moskal wins Eastern States; Cougar girls second
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

JEFFGRANIT staff Freehold Township sophomore Allyson Moskal has emerged as a budding star for the Patriots this season.

In a span of three days and two races, Allyson Moskal leaped to the front of the pack.

After the Freehold Township sophomore broke 5:00 for the 1,600 (4:59.20 in finishing third at the NJSIAA Indoor Meet of Champions on Feb. 24) and then won the Eastern States two-mile run on Feb. 27 in the New York City Armory, Moskal is no longer just another good high school runner in the pack, chasing the state's best. She has joined the front group.

"It still hasn't registered," Moskal said of her recent achievements, both new school records.

Moskal used a withering kick over the final 400 meters to win the Eastern States two-miler in 10:58.11, continuing what has been a breakthrough season for her. She had personal bests of 12:26 for two miles and 5:22 for the mile as a freshman, and has already destroyed those times with the outdoor season still to come. She credited the cross country season with helping to build her endurance, and workouts like mile repeats and 800s with bringing her times down so dramatically this winter.

The race at the Armory couldn't have gone more perfectly for Moskal, who started out as a 400-meter runner and uses that raw speed to out-run opponents at the end of a race.

"I was going to pace off the front-runners and use my 400 speed at the end," she said.

The pre-race goal coming was to get under 11:00.

"My personal goal was to break 11:00," she said. "After I broke 5:00 [for the 1,600], I thought I'd go after the two-mile."

During the race, Moskal's only concern was focusing on the front-runners, but when she heard 5:25 for the first mile, she knew that she was ahead of a sub-11:00 pace.

When the leaders couldn't shake her, Moskal was able to take off with two laps (400 meters) remaining, and no one was able to switch gears with her.

"I felt pretty strong at the end," she pointed out.

Don't expect Moskal to sit on her laurels.

"I have to keep pushing myself," she said. "I like the feeling of running pb's."

Moskal joins Howell's Lindsey Gallo and Colts Neck's Ashley Higginson and Briana Jackucewicz as the only runners in the Freehold Regional District to break 11:00 for two miles (or 3,200 meters) indoors or outdoors.

While Moskal was extending her range in winning the two-mile, Colts Neck and Southern Regional resumed their rivalry in the girls distance medley relay and produced the two fastest times in the nation this year.

It was Southern, anchored by Danielle Tauro, that got the win in 11:49.62, followed by the Cougars, getting a 4:52.2 anchor 1,600 from Ashley Higginson, who turned in an 11:56.24. Southern's time is the third best in state history and the Cougars' sixth best.

Warwick Valley (N.Y.) had control of the DMR until the 1,600, where a 5:13 by its anchor opened the door for Tauro (4:51) and Higginson to move their teams up to first and second.

Allie Flott started things off for the Cougars, running a 3:44.5 1,200. Kathryn Herrick turned in a 1:01 split for the 400, and Meryl Wimberly ran 2:17.0 for her 800 meters. Higginson then turned in her fastest 1,600 relay leg ever to get the Cougars under 12:00.

Craig Forys, fresh off his MOC meet record 3,200 run, turned in the fastest 1,600 leg in the boys DMR, 4:10.9, helping to move the Cougars up to 10th place (10:37.82).

Brenden Krewer (1,200), Evan Stivala (400) and Kevin O'Dowd (800) ran the opening three legs.

Colts Neck again displayed the depth of talent that allowed them to finish fourth in the nation at the Nike National cross country championships back in December, with Kristen O'Dowd (5:14.13) and Allison Linnell (5:16.03) finishing fourth and sixth in the girls one-mile run.

The Cougars' 4x400 relay team finished 16th and turned in their second-fastest time of the winter, 4:05.23. Herrick, Samantha Santos, Julia Tomaro and Wimberly are the Cougar quartet. Wimberly split 58.7.

Marlboro was 20th (4:10.84) with Ada Unachukwu, Jackie Karlovich, Emily Cellini and Brittany Pietrosh making up the team.

Brittany Pietrosh also ran the 800 meters and was 14th (2:21.34). Freehold Borough's Megan Patterson was 15th (2:21.84).

There were several other highlights for area athletes at the meet. Marlboro's Kristen Batts was fourth in the hammer throw (40-53/4). This is just the second time that the Mustang senior has competed in the event, and she improved her personal best by more than four feet. Batts also took 11th in the shot put with a toss of 38-81/4.

In the pole vault, Marlboro's Jenna Meagher matched her District record, 10-0, and tied for ninth.

Two days after winning his MOC title, Manalapan's Mike Goldwasser did 13-0 and tied for 13th in the boys pole vault. Marlboro's Joe Favaloro, who is a senior at St. John Vianney High School in Holmdel, tied for ninth at 13-6. Favaloro was second to Goldwasser at the MOC.

Stivala was eighth in the boys long jump (21-31/4) and teammate John Krewer was 16th in the shot put (49-7).

Colts Neck's Lindsey Rappleyea tied for 14th in the girls high jump (5-0)

The indoor season will come to an end this week in New York and Landover, Md. The Armory will host the National Scholastic Indoor Championships Friday through Sunday, while Landover is the site for the Nike Invitational on Saturday and Sunday.

At the Armory, the Colts Neck girls are looking to defend their 4x1-mile relay national title on Saturday. On Friday, the Cougar boys' DMR is expected to try and regain the national title it won in 2005. Higginson will compete in the two-mile run on Sunday, the same day that Colts Neck's girls are looking to turn in a fast 4x800.

Forys is going to Landover for the two-mile run. He finished second there last year, running 8:59.98. The Cougar All-American is still seeking his first individual national championship and would like to get that out of the way.

Moskal will run the girls mile in Landover on Sunday and Batts will be throwing the shot put.