Girls & Boys Post Improvements at Old Bridge Fall Classic

The xc teams traveled to Jamesburg on Saturday, 10/15, to race at Thompson Park.
The girls varsity turned in their most impressive performance of the season taking 3rd place behind the #9 and 12 ranked teams in the state. Their total of 85 points was just behind Group 4 powers Bridgewater-Raritan's 55 and Hunterdon Central's 73. After setting a school record for team average at Greystone Park in last week's NJAC meet at 20:40, the top 5 girls ran 20:38.2, one of the best team average's ever recorded by the M.O. girls, and possibly the best ever. Junior Marissa Karl led the way in 9th (20:19), followed closely by frosh Sarah Masukewicz in 14th (20:25), senior Steph Smith 15th (20:33), sophs Lindsay Schafer in 19th (20:44) and Mariah Christian 28th (21:10). Sr. Danielle Halikias was 59th (22:15) and soph Erin Schafer 63rd (22:26).
The J.V. girls were 5th with soph Sara Christian crossing the line in 4th (22:14) and sr. Katrina Laemmerhirt 10th (22:51). Also scoring were junior Jackie Pignataro (23rd, 23:30) and frosh Jamie Tavalare (31st, 24:01) and Katherine Bausch (36th, 24:06).

The boys faced tough competition in their race with 3 state ranked teams and many Group 4 schools. The team placed 14th overall and recorded their best team time of the season at 18:00, better than their 18:46 last time at Greystone. Scott Rennalls continued to be the team leader and ran his best time of the season,placing 52nd in 17:39. Junior Nick Miele and soph Eddie Garcia both cracked the 18 minute mark for the first time ever, in 56th (17:44) and 66th (17:54) respectively. Also running their bests ever were sophs Nick Yanakas (84th, 18:13) and Steve Kubicki (98th, 18:34). Soph Joey Ulbrich got his first sub-19 time as well (106, 18:46). Soph Jake Tanenbaum, moving up to the varsity, was 142 in 19:55.
The boys j.v. were 18th. Jr. Matt McNamara was in first at 120 (21:08). The other runners were Ryan Schilling (132), Mike Henry (155), Scott Gong (160), Ryan Leone (163), and Jon Bass (170).

Passaic Invite Results

9/24: Garrett Mtn. site of the North Jersey State Sectionals

The boys and girls teams made their annual trip to the Passaic Coaches Invitational on Saturday, September 24, to test themselves out on the North 1 State Sectional course.
The Marauders left with 21 medals overall and competed in all six available races to them at the varsity, novice, and frosh levels.
In varsity action, the girls took 4th, even though holding back for their upcoming race 3 days later back at Greystone Park (NJAC race #2). Marissa Karl was the top finisher in 20th at 22:21, followed by Steph Smith (22, 22:28), Lindsay Schafer (25, 22:34), Mariah Christian (26, 22:35), Danielle Halikias (28, 22:39), Erin Miller (29, 22:40), and Alex Schneeberg (38, 23:13).
The boys placed 6th and were led by Scott Rennalls in 19th at 17:55. Soph Eddie Garcia came next (27, 18:32) and jr. Nick Miele (32, 18:54). Soph newcomer Nick Yanakas just missed a medal in 36th and was followed by sophs Joey Ulbrich (54), Sean Gallagher (61), and Steve Kubicki (62).
The girls novice race was the highlight of the day as M.O. put its 6 runners from 1st to 11th and romped over the field, taking 1st with 26 points. Sara Christian won the race in her first time over the varsity course in 23:21. Newcomer sr. Katrina Laemmerhirt (3rd), soph Erin Schafer (6th), jr. Jackie Pignataro (7th), soph Sarah Miller (10th), and sr. Sam Tavalare (11th) dominated the race to earn the first place trophy. In the boys novice race, Jack Tanenbaum (24), Gennaro Ruggiero (30), Dan Nemeth (32), and Jack Greenbaum (34) all earned medals and brought the boys in 5th.
Katherine Bausch (24) and Jamie Tavalare (29) got medals in the freshmen girls race.

Opening NJAC Action Highlighted by Sulley Girl Win 200

The girls went 3-0 and the boys 2-1 in the opening NJAC race Wednesday, 9/21, at Greystone Park. After just missing the 200 girl win milestone for their coach at the end of last year, the girls began the season by besting Vernon (26-33), Pope John (25-32), and Montville (19-42). Team depth proved the key to all three victories. Against Pope John, MO put four in before the Lions' 3rd and 11 in before their 5th. Against Vernon, Marissa Karl won and then 9 Marauders got in before the 4th Vernon runner. The score against Montville was the most lopsided, with 7 in the first 9 places. Karl also took first in that race. After Karl, the MO varsity was Steph Smith, Erin Miller, Mariah Christian, Lindsay Schafer, Danielle Halikias, and Alex Schneeberg.

The boys got off to a good start. While Montville took 1-2, the male harriers struck back by taking 7 of the next 8 positions to win in 27-32. Vernon, who handily beat MO boys last year, proved to be a weaker team in 2011. The Marauders took places 1-4 and 6-10 to wallop them 16-47. Pope John was too strong as it down the boys 15-49. P.J. would have beaten every team in the race, which included Mendham, Randolph, Roxbury, and Morris Knolls.

In the frosh/j.v. race, 9th grader Katherine Bausch was a close 2nd.

Roxbury Invitational Opener for 2011 XC

The Mount Olive Boys and Girls Cross Country teams opened their 2011 season with a stellar effort at the Roxbury Invitational on September 10. The Marauders came home with a total of 18 medals from the class meet held at Horseshoe Lake Park.

The highest individual showings came in the sophomore girl race in which Lindsay Schafer and Mariah Christian placed 3-4 and led the soph ladies to a 1st Place win! The team, pictured right, also included Sara Christian (10), Erin Schafer(12), Atalia Bermudez (14), and Sarah Miller (30).

In the Jr-Sr girls race, Marissa Karl and Steph Smith went back to back in 7-8 and led the girls to a 6th place showing. Katrina Laemmerhirt (27) and Sam Tavalare (35) were the other scorers in this meet that uses a 4-runner total.

Eddie Garcia was the highest boy finisher for the team, taking 8th in the soph race. Nick Yanakas grabbed a medal in his debut in 25th. The soph teamtook 6th overall. In varsity boys, Scott Rennalls brought his team in 8th with his 22nd place, followed closely by Nick Miele in 27. The frosh girls had several medal winners in Katherine Bausch (16) and Jamie Tavalare (26).

RANDOLPH CHAMPS FOR BOYS!!!

For the first time in school history (1974), the boys track team won their division of the Randolph Relays on Sat., 4/30.
This was the 3rd relay meet of the season for the boys. Two weeks earlier the team had competed in cold, wet conditions at the Morris Hills Relays. There, the strength of the jumps team was evident as it has been all season. Cory Colligan, Matt Herb, and soph Justin Maksimow combined for 112'10" to take 2nd place there, while Maksimow and Herb teamed with Antonio Hunt to take 3rd in the long jump with a 54' 7" total. The 4 x 100 team (5th), 4 x 200 (6th), and shot put (5th) all placed as well to help the team score.
As stated the boys won the Large School Division of the Randolph Relays by accumulating 53 points. The team of Juan Rios, Dan Maya, Hunt and Colligan won both the 4 x 100 and 4 x 200, both in season-best times. The 400 H team of Antonio and Gennaro Ruggiero and Hunt grabbed silver in the 3 x 400H relays. All 3 boys ran p.r.'s. Also, the long jump and pole vault teams took silver medals. Maksimow, Herb and Cuellar did a s.b. 56' 8" in the long jump while Kramaritsch, Ed Feeney, and Matt Messina vaulted to a total of 32' 6". Kramartisch hit his first 13 foot vault of the seaon.
The girls team was second at Randolph behind the host girls. Like their counterparts the girls 4 x 100 and 4 x 200 teams did well, taking 1st and 2nd respectively. Jr. Armani Blair, Lina Koch, sr. Camille Ingles, and fr. Keturah Orji teamed in the shorter race, with fr. Alicia Warren taking Koch's place in the longer one.
Inglese (16' 9") and Orji (16' 1") went 1-2 in the l.j. and with jr. Gentrix Shanga won that event. Orji led Ali Schroeder and Katrina Laemmerhirt to 2nd place in the h.j.
The distance girls made some waves for the first time in the season. They placed in every relay: 2nd in the 4 x 800 (Sam Tavalare, Laemmerhirt, Lindsay Schafer, and Marissa Karl. A different foursome took 5th in the 4 x 1600 (Alex Schneeberg, Steph Smith, Erin Miller, Mariah Chrisitan). Finally, the distance medley of Karl, Warren, Tavalare and Danielle Halikias placed 4th.

Boys Rolling Over Opponents

Since splitting the first meet of the season, beating Montville and losing to host Pope John, the Marauder men have gone on a tear, ripping up Jefferson, Sparta, High Point and Vernon. With one final meet to go at home against Morris Hills, the squad has a 5-1 record.
The high point scorer for the team has been senior Matt Herb, who has been unbeatable in his specialty the high jump. He is undefeated in that event for the season. In addition, he is 4 for 4 in the triple jump against these last opponents and won the long jump twice.
Sr. Antonio Hunt and jr. Cory Colligan have been a strong duo behind him.
Transfer Hunt has placed in the top 3 in every meet in 3 or 4 events per meet. He has placed 1st 5 times; he is the top 110H man and has split with Colligan in the 100 and 200. Colligan has been a key performer in both those sprint races and the long jump and triple jump.
The team has done well with key people in their best events: sr. Paul Kramaritsch has hit p.r.'s in the pole vault (13') and is unbeaten. Sr. Chris Victoria has led the throwers in the shot and disc. He has picked up 6' in the shot from the beginning of the season and has now hit over 46'. Sr. Zach Miller and jr. Scott Rennalls have covered the distances. Miller has hit p.r.'s in both the 1600 and 3200.
Jr. Antonio Ruggiero has been consistent in the 400H and backing up in the 110H. Soph Chris Cuellar is the leader for MO in both the jav and long jump.
The girls are 4-2. Most outstanding has been fr. Keturah Orji, who has won practically everything she's been in--100, 200, 110H, high jump, and long jump. Sr. Allissa Hoffmann has been the top thrower and gone past her own school record in the javelin. Soph Marissa Karl has run away from most opponents in the 800 and 1600--running 2:23 and 5:15.

OPENING RESULTS

Several boys teams traveled to Summit to participate in the relays on Saturday, 4/2. The shot putters brought home medals with their 5th place. Chris Victoria (42'11"), Rob Parisi (38' 52.25"), and Matt Deptula (34' 9.25") totaled 116' 1.5". The 400H trio of Antonio Genarro (63.3), Gennaro Ruggiero (64.2), and Mike Gonzalez (66.1) placed 7th in 3:13.4. The disc team was 11th; Victoria had the team's best throw with a 122'6". At Pope John the boys and girls both split their meets, both losing to Pope John and both beating Montville. The boys lost to P.J. 92-48 while the girls lost 102-38. The boys beat Montville 101-38 and the girls 111-16. The big name for the boys was Matt Herb, who won the high jump against both teams, opening with a 6'2" height. He recorded two more firsts in winning the triple jump at 39' 3/4" and added two 2nds in the long jump, just going over 19'. In fact, the jumps were the strong area for the boys as they wracked up 26 out of 36 pts. vs. P.J. and 29 against Montville. Chris Cuellar took 1st in the l.j. at 19'9" in his first-ever try. Justin Maksimow added 3rds in the l.j. and t.j. (2nd against P.J.). Sr. Paul Kramaritsch won the p.v. at 11'. The boy sprinters overwhelmed Montville going 1-2 in the 100 and 200 with Cory Colligan and Dan Maya and sweeping the 400 and relay. Antonio Hunt led a sweep of the 110H against Montville and Antonio Ruggiero a sweep of the 400H. Scott Rennalls placed 1st in the 800/1600 against Montville. Keturah Orji made her outdoor debut noteworthy by winning the 100 in 12.5 over indoor county champ Julia Rizio of Montville. She won the 200 against Montville and was 2nd against P.J. Alyssa Hoffman won the jav overall with a 100' heave. Sam Tavalare was the winner of the l.j. at 15' 7". She also ran 1:02.8 in the 400 to take 1st and 3rd. Marissa Karl ran 5:27 to take 1st against Montville and narrowly lose the 1600 against P.J. Danielle Halikias led a 1-2-3 sweep against Montville in the 3200. Marissa Karl also led a 1-2 sweep of Montville in the 800 and 1600.