Rebel Relays get track season off to fast start
With more than 90 schools participating and the bleachers packed, the 2008 outdoor track and field season got off to a great start at the Rebel Relays.

Area teams shine at the fifth annual meet hosted by Howell High School and run in three divisions according to student size. Raritan (Division I) and Ocean (Division II) won girls team titles, while on the boys side, Matawan (Division I) and Freehold Township (Division III)) collected championships.

Toms River North's girls (Division III) and Central Regional's boys (Division II) made it a sweep for the Shore Conference in a meet that attracted schools from all over the state for the season-opening meet.

Freehold Township won two events, the 3x400-meter intermediate hurdles and the long jump relay.

Dan Murlaz, Robert Searby and Jeff Kole turned in a 2:56.1 in taking the always demanding intermediate hurdles.

With Marcus Goode leaping a meet record 21 feet 10 inches, he and Corey Csakai won the long jump relay with their combine jumps totaling 41-9¼.

Trenton Central won six events in Division III, but the Pats overcame that by scoring in 13 of the 15 events to edge the Tornadoes, 83-80.

Christian Brothers Academy won a pair of races, the sprint medley and distance medley.

The team of Brendon Pierson, Justin Cornell, Rich Grandelli and Mark Weber took the DMR in 10:47.6.

For the sprint medley, the Colts ran Cornell, Grandelli, Bill Sharpe and Mike Kelly and posted a 3:42.2.

Brick Memorial's DeAnne Hahn led the Mustangs to a pair of wins in the girls Division III.

It was Hahn, Lisa Stuto and Becky Elliott teaming up to win the shot put relay (108-10¼). In the discus, it was Hahn and Stuto again with Deena Haluza. Their combined throws were 348-6.

Janel Parker anchored Freehold Township to its win in the sprint medley (4:19.8). Tanika Peart, Amy Buckiewicz and Amanda DaSilva ran the first three legs for the Pats.

Matawan's boys ownedDivision I rolling up 119 points and winning eight relays.

On the track, JaredAllison, Justin Jackson, Kevin Hardy and Brian Ramcheran won the 4x100 (44.4) and 4x200 (1:31.9).

Hardy and Allison were joined on the 4x400 team by Aaron Newsome and Greg McCormack and they won in 3:35.0.

Hardy collected a fourth victory by being one half of the winning triple jump relay with Jackson. They did 79-6.

Gerard Lawson, Sheridan and Jokic won the discus (382-0) and it was Bob Dailey, Stephen Turner and Jim Dwyer in the shot put (131-4). Dailey, Cook and Sean Gleason teamed up in the javelin (382-0) Jon Bartlett andMikeMcGuiness won the pole vault (27-1).

Mater Dei won the DMR (10:59.2) and the 4x800 (8:28.8) with the same quartet- Patrick O'Boyle, Curtis Jensen, Mike Amato and Ryan Lundy.

Alex Smith and Ryan Kirchner won the high jump for Rumson-Fair Haven (11-10).

Raritan was first in two events on its way to the girls Division I crown (70).

HadeerHanafy, Lauren Starek,Amanda Evans and Val Carney won the shuttle hurdles in 1:121.3 for theRockets.KayleeBytell and Carney won the long jump (28-8).

Rumson-Fair Haven picked up wins in the in the 4x800 (10:04.2) and the sprint medley (4:21.9), using the same quartet - Gabriella Kelly, Melissa Bellin, Jaime Carroll and Christina Roque.

Mater Dei was first in the DMR with Meg Corless, Liz Shaw, Shanna Kirgan and Marie Walsh.

Shore Regional's Cameo Kirk, Ali Grandinetti, Glenda Pietri and Jamie Pointer took the 4x100 (53.1).

Matawan dominated in the field winning the shot put, javelin, pole vault and triple jump relays.

Erin Scurry, Alyssa Johnson and and Monica Kloc won the shot put (94-6) and javelin (290-2)

Maria Moya and Lauren Munck took the pole vault at 15-6 and it was Johnson and Chole Howard winning the triple jump (59-10 ½).

The highlight of Division II was the boy's 4x100 relay, where state indoor 55- meter champion Damier Johnson of Long Branch and Neptune's Michael Peavy both ran the anchor legs for their respective teams with the state champion, leading the Green Wave to the win in 43.9.

Myles Foster, Craig Rogers and Steven Worsley ran the opening legs for Long Branch.

Middletown South won the javelin (401-7) and 4x800 (8:28.1) relays.

John Healy, Dave Liepa, Thomas Dill and Shaun McGeever won the 4x800. Dan Miller, Guarnieri and Mortino took the javelin.

Monmouth Regional's Pat Hartman, Sean Rugenstein and Andrew Berry won the intermediate hurdles relay (3:09.0). Berry and Rugenstein teamed up with Omar Alvarado and Lee to win the 4x400 (3:34.4).

Ocean's girls won the shuttle hurdles (1:10.3), shot put (91-7 ½), discus (262-5) and long jump (31-0) relays on their way to the Division II title with 87 points.

Maddy Matuerer, Patricia Yau, Christina McCahill and LaMarre teamed up in the hurdles for the Spartans. It was Suhail LaVecchia, Nia Williams and Liana Grandinetti for the shot put and LaVecchia, Kimberly Rosenberg and Courtney Slamia in the discus. Hannah Boyce and Yau won the long jump.

Monmouth's Michelle Skove and Tiffani Lee won the high jump (9-6).

Middletown South won the 4x800 (10:08.0) with Emily Baratta, Megan Pierce, Brookes and Kelly Walters.

Saturday it will be the Cougar Relays at ColtsNeckHigh School starting at 8:30 a.m.