Jackson runners win twice at Colts Neck Relays
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

PHOTOS BY ERIC SUCAR staff Above, Jackson junior Kyle Stybe prepares to let the discus fly while competing at the Colts Neck Relays on Saturday in Colts Neck. Below, Jackson senior Dana Allen completes her second lap during the distance medley relay.

It's been a wonderful year for Jackson Memorial High School distance running.

It started in the fall with the school's first-ever NJSIAA Cross Country Meet of Champions title and has been going on ever since.

During the indoor season, the Jaguars won the Eastern States 4x800 title, an event they will be running at next week's Penn Relays in Philadelphia.

Saturday, the Jag distance runners made their 2007 debut at the highly prestigious Colts Neck Relays and came away with a pair of wins in the distant medley relay and 4x800.

Kris Carle anchored the Jags to a come-from-behind win in the DMR. He ran a patient race on a windy day, sitting behind the leaders until making his move in the homestretch.

"The wind was pretty bad," he remarked.

When Carle made his move it was decisive. He had more left in his legs than everyone else, bringing Jackson home in 10:34.81, just ahead of Cinnaminson (19:35.21) and host Colts Neck (10:38.94).

"This was our first race of the season," noted Carle. "We came out to win. We knew it would be close."

Carle closed with a 4:28.

Monroe Kearns (1,200), Anthony Meleo (400) and Ryan Fenimore (800) ran the opening three legs for the Jags.

The same foursome came back and won the 4x800 with Kearns doing the anchoring chores. Meleo, Fenimore and Carle preceded Kearns. The Jags ran an 8:11.70 finishing a second up on Freehold Township (8:12.77).

Keeping it in the Shore, Christian Brothers Academy won the boys' 4x1,600-meter relay (18:55.6). Kyle Havard, Brendon Pierson, Rich Grandelli and Michael Slater made up the winning team.

Monmouth's throwers took front and center for the Falcons Saturday as they won the shot put relay. Edrick Alleyne and Brandon Cately had combined throws of 99-91/4 to win by seven feet. Alleyne turned in the best throw of the competition (52-83/4).

Jackson's girls matched the boys with two wins. Sprinters Brian Bradley, Ebere Okpraeke, Jordan Bunch and Natasha Durant won the 4x200 in 1:46.45.

Shannon Watt and Justine Stevens won the discus relay (219-2 as Watt got off a 127-07 to pace the team.

The Jags' Samantha Brady had the best pole vault of the day, 10-0, as the Jags were second to Randolph (18-0-17-6).

South Brunswick's girls racked up a pair of wins as well. On the track, Megan Behrend, Sophia Ginez, Lyndsey Sample and Jessica Engle won the 4x1,600 (23:10.52). Indiria Morton got off the best leap of the long jump competition, 16-61/4, as the Vikings won the long jump relay at 30-11. Jamie Thompson's 14-43/4 sealed South Brunswick's win.

North Brunswick's Danae Wise, Shakira Josey, Alex Francis and Tylia Gillon won the girls 4x100 relay in 50.83.

Host Colts Neck won four events, led by its national champions Craig Forys and Ashley Higginson. Forys anchored the sprint medley team to its win (3:34.96) while Higginson made up 17 seconds with her anchored 4:58 1,600 to lead the Cougars to the DMR win (12:28.87).

The Cougars also won the high jump (10-2) and triple jump (63-8) relays.