Group 2 Boys

Heading into the 4×400 relay,there was a lot of pressure on Ocean Township. They were trailing Cinnaminson, 30-22, and needed to win the relay to win its first state indoor title. Ethan DeFonseka, his brother, sophomore Jacob, and  Mark Viggiano and Alex Sadikov responded to the challenge by winning the event( 3:28.88), just ahead of runner-up Deptford(3:29.28). Sadikov, the Meet of Champions winner in the 400 last June, held off a strong challenge by Lathan Brown to win.

The win propelled Ocean Township to a 32-30 victory over Cinnaminson.

Sadikov was second in the 400(49.88). Viggiano remained undefeated in the 800, winning in 1:56.07.

Alexander Boyko came up big for Cinnaminson. The star dropped a PR( 4:18.28) to win the 1,600, and came back to run a strong time( 9:28.30) to finish second in the 3,200.

Owen Horevay finally became a state champ, dropping a huge PR( 9:19.14) to win the 3,200. Horevay was second at the State Group 2 XC Championships this past fall. He said not doubling and being fresh was a big key to winning the biggest race of his life.

John Connors continued his fantastic season by clearing a personal best(6-6) to win the high jump. That’s tied for the best jump in the state this season. Connors, a football star, just started jumping last year. In that time, he’s become a three-time sectional champ (long jump and high jump last spring and the HJ this season) and is now a state champion.

Lathan Brown scored the biggest win of his career by winning the 400( 49.69), edging Sadikov (49.88).

Eric Foster has been plagued by a sore hip most of the season but has been feeling much better lately and it showed when he won the hurdles(PR of 7.47). That’s the number 3 time in NJ this season and number 11 in the U.S.