It’s March, and for high school athletes that usually means a break between the winter and spring sports seasons. The North and South track teams, though, run right through March and into April. Those who also do winter track train continuously from December on.
Both schools saw success during the winter. South’s boys and girls’ squads followed up second-place finishes at the county championship in January with Central Jersey Group III sectional titles in February. The North girls captured the county title, led by juniors Patrycja Dziekonska and Simone Counts.
South boys’ head coach Todd Smith hopes to keep that success going into June. With dynamic athletes on both the boys’ and girls’ teams, that shouldn’t be a problem. Smith has a specific goal in mind for the boys’ distance medley relay team of Dan Riff, Jake Riff, Donyell Reid, and Eddison Gulama, who are all coming off of a stellar winter season.
“They had one of the fastest times in the country coming out of the indoor season,” he said. “One of our goals will be for them to make it to the medal stand at the Penn Relays. We have never done that before, so that would be pretty awesome.”
Behind twins Dan and Jake Riff, who have excelled on the track since their freshman year, the goal is within reach.
“When you have a sub-4:20 miler, that’s great,” Smith said. “When he has an exact genetic match, that’s even better. They have been mainstays in Mercer County for the past four years. We have set some pretty lofty goals for them this season, and we’re hoping they will finish up with a bang.”
Reid, Smith added, is coming off his best indoor season ever, while Gulama has helped fill the shoes of mid-distance runner AJ Chavez, who graduated in 2012. “He has stepped right in where AJ left off and has become one of the state’s elite middle distance runners,” Smith said.
Smith said Meet of Champions qualifier distance runner Karn Setya, long jumper Nick Benfer, discus thrower Eric Davis, middle distance runner George Hamilton, and hurdler and sprinter Julis Klaer will all also be key for the South boys.
On the girls’ side, Smith said the Pirates have “reloaded” after graduating Caroline Kellner, one of the most decorated distance runners in county history, and Mariame Fadiga, who holds the school record in the shot put. The team finished 9-0 in dual meets and was Colonial Division champion for the fifth consecutive year in 2012.
“We are looking to two sophomores, Julia Deen and Deirdre Casey, to carry the load for us in the distance races,” he said. “They both have continued the great tradition of distance running at South. They are coming off of outstanding winter seasons.”
Paige Brown has also been a top athlete for South. A hurdler, high jumper, and long jumper, Smith said Brown has the potential to break the school record in all of those events by the end of the season. Two pole vaulters, county indoor champion Michelle Gao and indoor Meet of Champions qualifier Suzy Kardaras, will also lead the team. Smith said he expects Edlyn Gulama (400 and 800), Kalayah Smith (hurdles and high jump), Brittany Washington (sprints), and Sarah Moxham (middle distance) to be major contributors as well.
For the Knight boys, Anthony Zeng and Jerrick Zheng qualified for the state championships in the shot put last season. Zeng, who placed fifth at the indoor Meet of Champions, will be one of the spring’s top competitors.
Dziekonska and Counts are the leaders on the girls’ side as the two juniors work to fill the shoes of 2012 graduate Christina LiPuma. After leading the Knights to their first-ever sectional title last spring, Dziekonska captured the indoor Meet of Champions 55-meter hurdles title, becoming the first female individual champion in school history.
Both schools begin their spring seasons with home dual meets on Tuesday, April 2. North faces Steinert and Hightstown, and South hosts Trenton Central.
