800-meter run:So. Gavin Richards, North Hunterdon
Fast take: Richards comes in seeded 22nd with a best time of 1 minute, 56.05 seconds. He will also be on the Lions’ 3,200-meter relay (see below) which has championship aspirations, and there’s not much time between them. Could just be a warm-up for Richards, then; but he does have a blazing kick and could break that 1:56 barrier. Or he may not run at all.
Sr. Ray Sellaro, North Hunterdon
Fast take: Like Richards, Sellaro will be on the 3,200 relay (he’s the anchor) but the space between the 1,600 and the relay is more forgiving. Sellaro’s 4:15.47 at the Group 4 meet earned him the No. 9 seed, but he wasn’t seriously pushed in that race and he probably has seconds to drop. Sellaro will have to drop, though, to contest the shore contingent of Christian Brothers’ Tim McInerney (4:10). Point Pleasant Boro’s Devin Hart (4:12) and Shore Regional’s Drew Maher (4:13). The winner will go under 4:10, we think. We also think Sellaro will set a new PR around 4:12 and make the medal stand.
Fast take: This could be something special. The Lions – probably Richards, juniors Dillon Adamy and Andrew Trapp and Sellaro – ran 7:52 at groups with all but Richards having run the 1,600 on a blazing hot day at Franklin. North Hunterdon, the fourth seed, will have fresher legs this time. Princeton’s 7:47 is the top seed, with Delsea at 7:49 and West Windsor-Plainsboro South at 7:51. It’s easy to see the winner under 7:45. The Lions may not reach the all-time regional mark of 7:46.69 (Southern Lehigh, 1983) but the school record (and No. 2 region all-time) of 7:48.67 run at the 1991 Penn Relays may fall. North should surely get a medal. And in the right race, it could be gold.
Sr. Connor Letko, North Hunterdon
Fast take: Letko, seeded 20th at 154-6, will need a big bump up to medal – but it can happen.
So. Chloe Gonzalez, North Hunterdon
Fast take: There’s no shortage of girls ready to step up. Under 4:50 will almost certainly be necessary to win, and Gonzalez can get there with four consistent laps and just a bit more oomph on the final lap than at groups. The Lion school record of 4:47.7 run by the great Jodie Billota in 1987 may survive but we wager Gonzalez makes a run (sorry) at it.
Jr. Emily Nugent, North Hunterdon
Fast take: This could well be an all-Hunterdon/Warren dual here as Westley is the No. 1 seed in 10:34.56 and Nugent No. 3 at 10:41.82 (Loveys of Randolph at 10:39.57) and only one other girl in the field having run under 10:50 (Sterling senior Madison Coppolino, 10:49.77). Nugent has been making steady improvement throughout the season and if she comes up with a career-best could push Westley. We hope she does – a sub-10:30 time would be neat (only five regional girls have ever done that).
So. Fiona Letko, North Hunterdon
Fast take: The sole regional girl in the field, Letko comes in as the No. 6 seed (125 feet, 9 inches). She has thrown 136 feet, and if she can equal that toss from early May at the Skyland meet she should medal. A top-three finish will probably need a throw of 145 feet or more, but Letko is capable of that kind of effort.
Source: Lion Athletic News NJSIAA track Meet of Champions | Looking into our crystal ball
