Talent is everywhere for District track meet
Howell hosting meet Thursday
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

CHRIS KELLY staff Colts Neck's Matt Sullivan races to the finish line of the 100-meter hurdles race at Saturday's Lion Invitational in Middletown.

The track and field talent in the Freehold Regional District is so powerful that tomorrow night's District Track and Field Championships is a beginning, rather than an end in itself.

The talent competing for District gold at Howell High School is the same talent that will be vying for county, conference and state titles later in the year.

Although the distance runners may deservedly take top billing, the talent is spread out through all the events.

National champions Craig Forys and Ashley Higginson, both from Colts Neck, lead the most talented group of distance runners the District has seen at one time.

For the girls, along with Higginson there are her teammates - Kristen O'Dowd, Allie Flott and Allison Linnell, Freehold Township's trio of Allyson Moskal, Janel Park and Charlotte Walsh, Howell's Lindsey Lamber and Lauren Rome, Freehold Borough's Megan Patterson, and Marlboro's Lauren and Brittany Pietrosh and Suzanne Raspa.

Colts Neck's Brenden Krewer and Jason Weiner, Manalapan's Robby Andrews and Joe Kreppein, Howell's Matt Cook, and Freehold Township's Chris Ernst and Jack Tarpey are the other boys, besides Forys, to watch.

In Marlboro's Ada Unachukwu, the District has one of the best sprinters in the state with a range from 100 to 400 meters. She's also a top-flight triple jumper and long jumper. Her teammate Emily Cellini has quietly been one of the most versatile sprinters in the District.

Freehold Township's Tamika Peart, Colts Neck's Kathlyn Herrick, Samantha Santos and Julia Tomaro, and Howell's Amanda Luccarelli and Jacqui Ward are the other top sprinters.

Howell's David Hayes was the top sprinter during the indoor season and will be looking to confirm that tomorrow. His range makes him a contender in any of the 100-200-400 sprints he races. Teammate Matt Borzomatti, Colts Neck's Chris Jackson and Andrew Sobieski, and Freehold Township's Bryan Collins and Ryan Spadola are other sprinters to look out for

Jamie Leacock of Howell and Kristin Andrews will resume their rivalry in the 400 intermediate hurdles. Leacock is a favorite in the 100 hurdles and Andrews is a top 400 sprinter.

Colts Neck's Meryl Wimberly has set District marks at both the 400 and 800 meters and will be in the mix in both (she won the 400 title at this meet last year).

Colts Neck's Matt Sullivan, Freehold Township's stable of Dan Mularz, O'Shane Rennie, Bob Searby, Xavier Reed and Jeff Kole, and Manalapan's Dunell Ridore have been the top hurdlers. Sullivan is fresh off winning the Most Outstanding Track Performer at the Lion Relays, where he won both hurdle events.

The 4x400 relays should be very competitive, with Freehold Township, Howell and Colts Neck among the boys, and Colts Neck and Marlboro dueling it out among the girls.

Marlboro's Kristen Batts is one of the best throwers in the state and will be a three-way threat tomorrow in the shot put, discus and javelin. Howell's Annamarie DiPaolo and Britanny Napoli, and Freehold Township's Crystal Mahoney are all very good throwers in their own right and will probably be going against each other three times.

Colts Neck's John Krewer (shot put, discus) and Kevin Kelly (javelin) have been the best throwers all year. Manalapan, though, has a lot of depth, led by Jack Gilburn (who qualified for the Penn Relays in the javelin), Brett McCarron and George Catuogen.

Manalapan has a pair of all-around athletes to watch in Mike Goldwasser and Gilburn. Goldwasser is the indoor state champion in the pole vault and is a solid sprinter and 400 hurdler. Gilburn is a top high jumper, long jumper and triple jumper and a good javelin thrower to boot, good enough to have qualified for the Penn Relays.

Colts Neck's Jesse Pagliano and Lindsey Rappleyea are the high jumpers to beat. For the boys, Evan Stivala and Jack Gilburn are the ones to watch in the high jump, triple jump and long jump.

Marlboro's Jenna Meagher is the District record holder (10-0) for the girls pole vault and will be looking to surpass her indoor mark.

Last year, Colts Neck swept both the boys and girls championships.

The first race will go off at 4 p.m.