Columbia HS boys’ and girls’ indoor track and field teams excel at state sectionals

MAPLEWOOD, NJ – The Columbia High School boys’ and girls’ indoor track and field teams gave strong efforts at the state North Jersey Section 2, Group 4 Championships at the Bennett Center in Toms River on Feb. 4.

The CHS girls finished third overall in the girls’ team standings with 31 points based on the top six finishes in each event. Ridge was first with 100 points and North Hunterdon was second with 50 points.

In the high jump, Catherine Jordan took second at 4 feet, 10 inches; Dahria Lewis was fourth at 4 feet, 8 inches and Dylan Herbert was sixth, also at 4 feet, 8 inches, for the Cougars.

Lillian Williams was sixth in the 55-meter dash in 7.47; Brianna Reckling took fifth in the 400-meter dash in 1:00.76; Jordan was fifth in the 800-meter run in 2:21.39; Ciara French was third in 8.72 and Ayanna Henry was fifth in 9.10 in the 55 hurdles; and the 4×400-meter relay was third in 4:06.92 for CHS.

Jared Pangallozzi won the 3,200-meter run in 9:35.20 to lead the CHS boys, who finished fifth overall in the team standings with 21 points. Teammate David Lee was sixth in the same event in 9:54.31.

Malcolm Moore took fifth in the 400-meter dash in 51.94; Jeremiah Richardson was fifth in the 55 hurdles in 7.84 and the 4×400 relay took third in 3:31.06.

The top six finishers in each event qualified for the state Group 4 Championships on Feb. 17 at the Bennett Center.