The Verona High School girls track & field team wasted no time on Saturday in winning the first team championship opportunity in two years, capturing the Essex County Girls Small Schools Track & Field Relay Championships at Newark Schools Stadium.
“It was a fabulous win in that every girl contributed in the point total towards the championship,” said Coach Gene Leporati. “There were great performances throughout the meet by the girls led by our throwing team of Isabella Freda, Emily Wynne, Aimee Griffin and Abby Cleary, who combined for three first place finishes in the javelin, discus and shot put.” The girls scored a total of 86 points, ahead of Newark Academy with 78 and Caldwell with 58.
The VHS boys track & field team also had its day in the sun, capturing third place with 54 points, behind Newark Academy with 86 points and Caldwell with 78. The Verona boys pole vault team of Cole Martin and Alec Hamson set a new VHS record of 21 feet combined.
In addition to Verona, the competing high schools included Caldwell, Cedar Grove, Central, Eagle Academy, Glen Ridge, Immaculate, Montclair Kimberley Academy, Mount St. Dominic, Newark Academy, Newark Collegiate, Newark Tech, North Star, Science Park, Shabazz, Saint Vincent, Technology, University and Weequahic.
Here’s what happened in each event, with the winners and combined time or distance:
Girls First Place
Javelin: Isabella Freda and Emily Wynne, 133’2”
Discus: Isabella Freda and Aimee Griffin, 148’11”
Shot Put: Isabella Freda and Abby Cleary, 59.11”
Girls Second Place
Distance Medley: Emma Zalewski, Jessica Day, Alana Holton and Veronica Valera, 14:52
3 x 400m Hurdles: Karina Squilanti, Lauren Kobernick and Emma Derderian, 3:55
Long Jump: Amanda Caldera and Alana Holton, 29’7”
High Jump: Karen Andre and Amanda Caldera, ( 8’9”)
Girls Third Place
4 x 400m: Shea Haggerty, Erika Thompson, Ellie Battersby and Sarah Knoetig, 4:38.8
4 x 800m: Emma Zalewski, Jessica Day, Alana Holton and Veronica Valera, 11:32.5
4 x 1600m: Kara Dunphy, Lucy Hogan, Kaitlyn Dunn and Eleanor Newman, 28:46
Girls Fourth Place Relay
Sprint Medley: Amanda Caldera, Sarah Knoetig, Lauren Kobernick and Veronica Valera, 4:54
Girls Fifth Place Relay
4 x 200m: Karen Andre, Sarah Knoetig, Hannah Maida and Abby Castillo, 1:59.3
Boys First Place
Pole Vault: Cole Martin and Alec Hamson, 21′
Boys Second Place Relays
4 x 1600m: Ian Zalewski, Milo Attal, Nikhil Parekh and Evan Bannon, 20:45
Sprint Medley: Noah Hayden, Andrew Hunt, Ian Zalewski and Connor Robinson, 3:57
Boys Third Place Relays
Javelin: Evan Fersch and Patrick Huaman
Discus: Evan Fersch and Ethan Fersch, 170’11”
Long Jump: Noah Hayden and Joey Visone, 35’14”
3 x 400m Hurdles: Connor Robinson, Alec Hamson and Joey Visone, 3:19
