UC Girls & Boys Sweep Union County Indoor Titles!
A resounding team sweep by Union Catholic, a flurry of NJ No. 1 times, a pair of great eights, and multiple double winners highlighted an electrifying Union County Track and Field Championships on Wednesday at Ocean Breeze on Staten Island.
Let’s start out with the broom job by Union Catholic as the Vikings threw down some staggering times and performances on their way to blowout victories.
In the girls’ competition, UC rang up 160.5 points out of a possible 274, just off its meet record total of 162 they scored last year, and won nine events to roll to its 11th straight title!! Oak Knoll finished second with 44.5.
UC won 7 of the 8 races on the track and scored 127 points on the track. The biggest highlights came from sophomore Paige Shepard, who ran a meet record and NJ. No. 6 all-time 2:08.51 in the 800, an N.J. No. 1 time by sophomore Cayleigh Kaiser in the 3,200 (10:36.86), an N.J. No. 2 3:55.09 in the 4×400, and a pair of wins from sophomore Morgan Holley.
The 800 was a showdown between two of the best half milers in the state, Sheppard and sophomore Reagan Moore of Oak Knoll . Sheppard’s time of 2:08.15 took down the meet record of 2:09.41 set in 2020 by Victoria Vanriele of Gov. Livingston and places her No. 2 in the nation this season.
Moore, who won the 800 at the Meet of Champions last spring, was second in a NJ No. 2 time of 2:10.90, No. 6 in the nation. There were four runners under 2:18 in the race, and sophomores
Sheppard also ran on the winning 4×400, which included Abriyah Thompson, Sadie Thompson, and Jimmiea King.
Kaiser’s 10:36.86 victory in the 3,200 places her No. 6 in the nation this season and is the second fastest time by a sophomore in the country this season.
Holley had a big day for UC. She won the 55 hurdles in 8.62 (8.54 in the trials), won the long jump (18-5) and was fourth in the high jump (4-10).
ALL-AROUND EFFORT FUELS UC BOYS
The Union Catholic boys, fueled by Danny Kuran, Noah Cooper and Chris Wilson, received contributions from several athletes to return to the winner’s circle with 98-58 over runner-up Elizabeth. Westfield, who won the last three titles, was third with 51.
Kuran, a sophomore with unlimited potential, won the 1,600 with a PR of 4:21.03 and was second in the 3,200 in 9:45.47. Cooper, a senior, soared 22-10.25 to win the long jump and ran 7.83 to place third in the 55 hurdles. Wilson, a star baseball player, continued to shine on the track, placing second in the 55 hurdles in 7.72 and he placed third in the 55 dash in 6.74.
Union Catholic also picked up a runner-up finish from sophomore Andrew Smith in the pole vault (11-0).
