Higginson set to defend 3K title at Penn Relays
Cougar boys chasing DMR crown
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

It was at the Penn Relays last year that Ashley Higginson took her first steps toward becoming one of the finest distance runners in state history.

She joined very select company when she won the high school 3,000-meter run. Her 9:42.07 was the sixth fastest in state history, and faster than legends like Janet Smith of J.P. Stevens, Jodie Bilotta of North Hunterdon and Monal Chokshi of Bridgewater-Raritan, who were the previous Garden Staters to win the event.

Higginson will return to Franklin Field tomorrow night to defend her title and look to become just the fourth girl to win consecutive titles. She comes into the race fresh off clobbering the state record for 5,000 meters, when she ran 16:38.31 at the Sam Howell Invitational at Princeton University (her future home track). She took more than a minute off the previous mark.

Colts Neck's girls 4x800 relay team is looking to do some damage as well. During the indoor season, the quartet of Allie Flott, Allison Linnell, Kristen O'Dowd and Meryl Wimberly were seventh at the national championships in 9:25.58. They'll run on Thursday morning, and if they run fast enough to qualify for Friday's final (12 fastest teams go), they would have the luxury of adding Higginson into the mix.

The Cougar boys will be looking for another memorable anchor leg from Craig Forys as they look to become the first team to win a Championship of America title on Friday in the distance medley relay. Indoors, Colts Neck finished fourth at the National Scholastic Indoor Championships with Forys running a 4:05.8 1,600. The senior will be looking to run one of the fastest splits in Penn Relays history. A 4:07.9 would put him in the top 10. Everyone will be checking their stop watches when he gets the baton.

Brenden Krewer will be running the opening 1,200-meter leg for the Cougars, with the 400 and 800 legs still up for grabs.

Also on Friday, Marlboro's Kristen Batts will be competing in the girls discus. Last year, she was 16th in this event with a throw of 106-6. She went on to improve to 137-0 by the end of the season. An effort near her personal best would put her in the running for first place.

Her teammate Ada Unachukwu will be competing in the triple jump. The sophomore holds the Shore Conference record in the event at 38-10 1/2. She jumps tomorrow afternoon.

Freehold Township's Allison Moskal burst onto the distance running scene in the winter when she ran a 4:59.20 for 1,600 meters. She went on to capture the Eastern States two-mile championship and finished eighth at the Nike Indoor Nationals in the mile. The Patriot sophomore will be running the girls high school mile on Thursday night, which is run right before the 3,000.

Manalapan's Jack Gillburn has qualified for the boys javelin.

In the 4x400, Freehold Township's quartet of Robert Searby, Bryan Collins, Ryan Spadola and Dan Mularz is the top District entry. They qualified for the Meet of Champions during the indoor season. Howell, led by the area's top sprinter, David Hayes, and Manalapan are sending their 4x400 squads as well as 4x100 entries.

Colts Neck and Marlboro will resume their indoor rivalry in the girls 4x400. The Cougars have Julia Tomaro, Kathryn Herrick, Samantha Santo and Wimberly, while the 'Stangs counter with Emily Cellini, Brittany Pietrosh, Lauren Pietrosh and Unachukwu.