Sports
Boys Track Looks to Defend Sectional Title
Girls look to improve on second place conference divisional finish last year.
The Summit Track and Field boys and girls’ programs look to get off to a quick start on Saturday as one looks to retain a title, while the other seeks improvement.
Pending weather, both teams will open their seasons at home in the Summit Relays, with their next meets against Roselle and Union Catholic at home on Tuesday.
On the boys side: Mark Jones, the outdoor and indoor champion in the high jump and a four-gold medal winner in state sectionals and the Meet of Champions last year, returns to lead the Hilltoppers as they look to defend their NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2 championship.
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Other key members of the team include: Captain Matt Espy, Donny Nelson, Thomas Chin and Jesse Taylor.
"We have set a goal to repeat our sectional championship from last year," Espy said. "We know it’s a lofty goal but we believe we have the experience and talent to repeat if we stay healthy. With hard work, we will give ourselves an opportunity to achieve that goal."
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On the girls’ side, distance star and captain Katie Watson, fresh off her second-place finish in the 1600m at the Meet of Champions and breaking a 30-year-old record with her sub-five minute mark, will lead the team on their quest for a sectional title. Daria Chadwick and Aleixa Diaz will lead the hurdles and sprinters, while Bridget O'Brien and Rebecca Cummings will anchor the rest of the distance crew in the middle distance events. Isabela Yozzi will also be another major piece to the team’s success as she comes off her most successful indoor season of her career.
Last season, the girls’ squad finished as a conference divisional runner-up and placed in the top six in their state sectional meet.
"In indoor this season, we proved how balanced of a team we were by scoring at the sectional and group tournaments in almost every event," Watson said. "We have experienced runners and we have talented youth, so we should achieve great things as a team and individual if we continue to work hard."
2011 Summit Boys and Girls Track and Field Season Schedule
April 2: Summit Relays, 7 a.m.
April 5: vs. Roselle/Union Catholic, 4 p.m.
April 7: Open (possible make-up date)
April 9: at Madison Relays, 9 a.m.
April 12: vs. Hillside/Johnson, 4 p.m.
April 14: Open (possible make-up date)
April 16: at Westfield Relays, 9 a.m.
April 19: vs. Governor Livingston, 4 p.m.
April 27: Open (possible make-up date)
April 28: Penn Relays (Girls), Philadelphia, TBA
April 29: Penn Relays (Boys), Philadelphia, TBA
April 30: Penn Relays, Philadelphia, 10 a.m.
April 30: at Millburn Relays, 9 a.m.
May 6-7: at Union County Relays, Westfield, 4 p.m.
May 13-14: at Conference Championships, TBD, 4 p.m. & 10 a.m.
May 20-21: at Union County Championships, Plainfield, 4 p.m. & 9 a.m.
May 23: at East Coast Relays, Morristown, 4 p.m.
May 27-28: at State Sectionals, South Plainfield, 4 p.m. & 10 a.m.
June 3-4: at State Group Meet, South Plainfield, 4 p.m. & 11 a.m.
June 9: at NJSIAA Meet of Champions, Old Bridge, 3:30 p.m.
