NUTLEY, NJ (updated Tuesday May 29, 1:59 p.m.) – Senior distance ace Jimmy Quinn battled through the oppressive heat and tough competition at the NJSIAA North 1, Group 3 State Championships to lay claim to his first state title in the 3,200 meters to lead the Nutley High School boys’ track and field team. His time of 9:49.87 was his fastest of the season. The meet was held at River Dell HS, May 25-26.
Quinn had a busy weekend at the meet. In addition to winning the 3,200, Quinn also ran his fastest 1,600 meters at 4:29.17 to grab second place. He then came back and ran on the 4×800-meter relay team that placed third overall at 8:15.61. The 4×800 team comprised Nick Duca, who lead off with a 2:02 split; Quinn, who split a 2:05; Aiden Hamlin, who split a 2:06; and anchor man Gerard Dimayuga, who clocked a 2:01 split.
Junior field event extraordinaire Eli Acosta took second in the high jump at 6 feet and fourth in the long jump at 19 feet-8.75 inches. He made the finals of the triple jump, however just missed medalling there and just missed the finals of the javelin throw.
Anthony Gola ran his fastest 100 meters of the season to qualify for finals at 11.63. He then came back and ran another personal record (PR) of 11.50 and grabbed the final qualifying spot in the race with his sixth place finish.
Many of the Raiders who competed hit PRs or seasonal best performances, however did not advance. Nick Mainiero clocked his fastest 100 meters at 12.09, while Gola came back after the 100, to record his PR in the 200 at 23.56. Senior Sean MacDonald ran his fastest 400 ever coming in at 53.53. Hamlin recorded his fastest 800 of the year at 2:06.53. Matt Durham stretched the tape out to a PR in the long jump of 18-2.5, while Dom Raffealli vaulted to a new PR of 10-6 in the pole vault. The 4×400 relay team of Dimayuga, Duca, Hamlin and MacDonald ran their fastest time of the season at 3:35.09.
On the girls’ side for Nutley, junior Danielle Lohf punched her ticket to the Group 3 State Meet in the javelin throw and being a part of the school record-breaking 4×400 relay team. In the Friday portion of the meet, Lohf unloaded another PR in the javelin, this time stretching the tape out to 109-2 to lay claim to the fifth-place medal and advancing her to the Group 3 State Championships. She is the eighth seed in the Group meet. She came back the next day and clocked a 62 split on the 4×400 relay. The relay just missed advancing to the Group meet, finishing in seventh place of a very competitive heat. In the process, Lohf, along with senior Maisie Jelley (63 split), Kate Contini (61 split) and Anna Contini (60 split), broke the NHS school record in the event, clocking 4:07.93.
Lohf wound up being the lone Lady Raider to advance to the Group meet. However, she was not the lone Raider to hit a PR or a season best (SB). Freshman sprint star Anna Contini hit PRs in the 100 (13.07), 200 (27.07), and 400 (1:00.13) ,in addition to her solid relay split. Her sister Kate clocked PRs in the 100 (13.44) and 400 (1:01.75) as well as her 61 relay split. Senior Maisie Jelley ran PRs in the 200 (28.11) and the 400 (1:04.05). Freshman Ava Tucker PRed in the 100 meters at 13.96. Senior Jaela Small ran her fastest 800 meters ever by a whopping 6 seconds, coming in at 2:26.78. Sam Gabrielle (5:47.13) and Isabel Lopez (6:06.87) ran their fastest 1,600s. Rachel Caruso tossed the spear out to a PR of 91-2.
Next up for the Raiders who placed is the NJSIAA Group 3 State Championships meet at Central Regional HS in Bayville, Friday and Saturday, June 1-2. Friday’s action starts at 2:30 p.m. while Saturday begins at 11 a.m.
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