By Tim Morris
Ciara Roche has a keen sense of history, and that’s why it’s important to her that she leave behind a legacy.
“I want to make my mark,” the Freehold Township High School senior said. “I don’t want to be forgotten.”
Roche put on a performance at the Monmouth County Track and Field Championships — held over two days (May 11 and 13) at Holmdel High School — that won’t soon be forgotten. Following in the footsteps of the runner that has inspired her to excel, Ashley Higginson of Colts Neck, Roche swept the three distance races at the championships: 800 (2:09.88), 1,600 (4:58.15) and 3,200 (11:07.34). The last distance runner to do that was Higginson in 2007.
Roche began her quest on the first day of the competition in the 1,600 — a race that featured three of the state’s best in Roche, Red Bank Regional High School’s Lauren Sapone and Howell High School’s Niamh Hayes.
The race had an added incentive for the Patriots because she was the two-time defending champion.
“It was very important to me,” she said. “I wanted to defend my title. I didn’t want to give it up.”
The 1,600 began tentatively with no one looking to set the pace.
“Everyone was confused,” Roche said.
Sapone ended the confusion by picking up the pace just before the first lap was complete. Roche went with her and the two quickly separated themselves from the pack. It stayed that way until the backstretch on the final lap when Roche unleashed a devastating kick. She was flying over the final 200 meters of the race, pulling away from Sapone with every stride.
“That’s how I do it,” Roche said after her victory.
In the homestretch, she noted that she was thinking about all the 200-meter sprints she had done in workouts and how the race finish was just like them.
With her 4:58.15 mark, Roche broke 5:00 for the third straight time while adding a third straight championship.
Only one runner has won more than Roche’s three 1,600 titles: Howell’s Lindsey Gallo, who captured four straight county championship.
Gallo could be considered the one who started the Freehold Regional High School District’s rich distance running tradition. She was the inspiration for Higginson, who became Roche’s inspiration.
Hayes closed to second in the homestretch (5:02.62), while Sapone slipped to third (5:05.57). Colts Neck High School’s Raeann Giannattasio was fifth (5:09.98).
The 800 meters, which was run in the rain, was Roche’s biggest challenge. It’s a better race for Sapone and one that Roche doesn’t run often outside of relays.
The 800 played out like the 1,600, with Sapone taking the lead — from the start this time. Sapone ran a quick first lap but could not shake Roche. She knew she was coming on the backstretch when Roche flew by. Sapone held on as long as she could but couldn’t counter Roche’s quick turnover.
Besides keeping her triple quest alive, Roche shattered the district 800 record with her time of 2:09.88.
Giannattasio won her second medal at the championship with a fourth-place finish (2:16.25)
Roche was brimming with confidence following her 800 win, and no one was going to deny her in the 3,200.
This was the third straight 1,600-3,200 double for Roche. She matched her mentor, Higginson, but added that Higginson had won four straight 3,200 titles.
Regardless, Roche doesn’t have to worry about leaving her mark — she has already done that.
Manalapan’s Kiera Nealon was third (11:22.78) in the 3,200 race.
The championships were a showcase for district athletes with several joining Roche as champion and many earning medals.
Throughout the relay season, Howell throwers Stephanie Bock and Rachel Kern had marks that ranked among the best in the state. Now they can add county champion to their state ranking.
Kern won the javelin throw with a mark of 131-7. Bock took the shot put with a 41-7½ heave. Her teammate, Christianah Akinsanmi, was fourth (37-4½). Marlboro High School’s Antoinette Gyles finished sixth (35-5).
Bock picked up a second-place showing in the discus (119-8). Akinsanmi was fifth (100-6).
Marlboro’s Danielle Spano couldn’t wait for the outdoor season. Indoors, the 55-meter dash was the longest sprint at the county and conference championships. The longer 100 and 200 dashes suit the Mustangs’ standout runner better, and she showed everyone why.
Spano won a great dual with Red Bank Catholic High School’s Abby Collins in the 100 dash final. The sprinters ran side-by-side, with Spano out-leaning Collins at the line to win by .01, 12.41-12.42.
Spano was a triple medal winner. Following her win in the century, she finished third in the 200 dash (25.94) and ran a leg on Marlboro’s 4×400 relay team that was fifth (4:07.38). Brianna Mullan, Labeeqa Khizir and Anna Paziewska completed the lineup.
Caroline Feola led a parade of jumpers from the district in the long jump. She defeated Marlboro’s Gianna Gomez for the championship via a tiebreaker. Both jumpers had marks of 17-0¼, and first place was decided by who had the next best mark, which was Feola.
Marlboro’s Alicia Zhou (16-3¾) and Freehold High School’s Kathleen Ciccarone (16-1) were fifth and sixth.
For the boys, Marlboro sprinter/hurdler Kwaku Amponsah splashed his way to the victory in the 110-meter hurdles (14.91). That gave him the indoor/outdoor hurdles double this year. The junior took fifth in the century (11.05).
Top six finishers earned medals and points at the meet.
The other district boys who medaled were Howell’s David Galarz, fourth (22.90), 200; Galarza, fifth (50.35), 400; Marlboro’s Charles Maree, third (1:59.06), and Manalapan’s Jared Skalski, fifth (1:59.17), 800; Colts Neck’s Jordan Brannan, fourth (4:22.86), 1,600; Freehold Township’s Nicholas Ackerman, second (9:38.59), Colts Neck’s Anthony Russo, fifth (9:41.55), and Colts Neck’s Kevin Berry (9:44.68), sixth, 3,200; Marlboro’s Julien Hill, fourth (57.22), 400 hurdles; Manalapan’s Andrew Comito, Christopher Donahue, Mike McNicholas and Skalski, fourth (3:26.91), 4×400 relay; Henry Bader, fourth (143-0), and Colts Neck’s Troy Bass, fifth (138-5), discus; Colts Neck’s Ryan Tompkins, second (6-4), and Freehold Township’s Stephan Staklinski, fourth (6-2), high jump; Christopher Nami, second (42-6), triple jump; and Howell’s Evan Hodousek, second (12-6), pole vault.
The girls’ medal winners were Freehold’s Chisom Chinedu, fourth (16.24), 100 hurdles; Marlboro’s Mullan, fourth (1:06.60), 400 hurdles; Freehold Township’s Alexandra Petruch, third (4-8), and Freehold’s Ciccarone, fifth (4-8), high jump; Ciccarone, third (35-8), Freehold Township’s Anna Czajkowski, fourth (34-11½), and Gomez, sixth (34-3), triple jump; and Marlboro’s Zhou, third (9-6), pole vault.
Monica Heil, who lives in Manalapan and attends St. John Vianney High School, anchored the Lancers’ 4×400 relay to the championship in 3:59.93. She also finished second to teammate Katie DiFrancisco in the 200 (25.80) and 400 (57.05) dashes.
In the team standings, Freehold Township (45), Howell (42) and Marlboro (39) were third, fourth and fifth in the girls competition. St. John Vianney won with 63 points.
For the boys, Marlboro and Freehold Township were in a tie for seventh place with 24 points. Christian Brothers Academy rolled up 83 points in winning the boys title.
The competition moves south for the Shore Conference Championships May 21 at Central Regional High School’s new 10-lane track in Berkley Township.
Central Regional will also host the NJSIAA Meet of Champions June 8.
