South Brunswick Sweeps, Berberena stars at GMC Championships


Results

South Brunswick continued its dominance when the Vikings broke out the brooms once again to sweep the team titles at Saturday's Greater Middlesex Conference Championships at the Bennett Center in Toms River

The Vikings also captured both titles at the GMC Relays last month.    

This is the sixth straight title for the SB girls and its 12th in the past 14 years, and the SB boys extended its winning streak to three championships in a row.

In the girls competition, South Brunswick picked up its two victories in the field where thrower Liz Matticoli and jumper Khushi Gupta came up with the best performances of their careers to help the Vikings outscore runner-up North Brunswick, 60-43.

Matticoli, a senior who gave up basketball to compete indoors for the first time this season, launched a huge PR of 38-4 1/2  to win the shot. Her previous best was 35-11 3/4 at the state Group 4 relays last month.  

Gupta, a junior, who cleared 5-0 in each of her last five meets, finally broke her PR by making of 5-2 on her first attempt to win the high jump on misses. Gupta's teammate, sophomore Melanie LaCorte, also cleared a PR of 5-2 to place second

Sophomore Dafina Simon-Ponte ran 2:24.14 in the 800, a seven second PR. It's her first year running any track. Senior Yashika Chidirala placed third in 1600 with an indoor PR of 5:21.  , and was 4th in the 3200 in  11:52.

The South Brunswick had a sensational meet, showing off its balance and depth by scoring in all but one event on the way to a 91-55 over runner-up East Brunswick.

Dante Bailey had PR and NJ#5 6-5 to win the high jump for the Vikings. Ola Porbeni ran a PR of 6.54 to win 55 dash and was second in hurdles. Vidhur Polam ran an indoor PR in the 1,600 of 4:30.51 to get the win, and was second in 3200. 

Adam Gorka had an indoor PR in the 400m of 50.32 to place second. Daniel O'Grady unloaded a 49-6 PR to place secod in the shot put, and the pole vaulters placed 3-4-5 (Javier SantiagoMajid Howard Baker, and Rushil Balakumar).

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

  • Ramy Berberena of North Brunswick, the 400 IH winner at the Meet of Champions last June, won the 400 in an NJ#4 50.06, and ran an NJ#6 7.60 to win the 55 hurdles.
  • Old Bridge junior Nicholas Medeiros, who is NJ#1 in the 800 with a 1:53.68 won the boys four-lapper in 1:56.70, and ran a 50.1 leg on the 4x400 that finished first in 3:29.55. Jordan Kaplan of Monroe ran a very strong NJ#4 1:56.93 to get second in the 800. R
  • Sayreville senior Abraham Benson unloaded a big PR throw of 51-0 to win the boys shot put.  His previous best was 48-4 from the county relay meet on Jan. 11
  • North Brunswick flexed its speed in the girls 55 dash as Nakaja Weaver burned a NJ#3 7.19 to finish first, and teammate Adelaide Asante was second in a NJ#9 7.26. Asanta had a huge meet. She also won the HH in 8.65, and was second in the 400.   
  • Senior Ruth Itua captured the girls 400 in 59.78, edging Asante (59.80). Itua came back to place fourh in the 55 dash in 7.43 to help spark Sayreville to its fifth straight GMC White Division Championship!!
  • Cynthia Boryeskne of Edison ran a NJ#7 2:18.58 to edge defending champ Trinity Eason of Woodbridge (2:20.08). Eason ran on Woodbridge's winning 4x400 that ran 4:07.39.    
  • Junior Brian McSweeney of East Brunswick, who is tied for NJ#3 in the pole vault at 15-6, won that event by cleairng 15-0. 
  • St. Thomas Aquinas teammates Eleni Alvarez (11:46.04.) and Lia Acosta (11:49.27) went 1-2 in the girls 3200m
  • Ben Godish of Highland Park ran 9:42.61 to win the boys 3200m.
  • The South Plainfield girls captured the GMC Blue Division for the third straight year and the South Plainfield boys repeated as divisional champs.