MAPLEWOOD – The Columbia High School girls’ track and field team rallied to win the team title at the state North Jersey Section 2, Group 4 Championships at Ridge HS in Basking Ridge, May 27-28.
The Cougars had trailed Ridge, 60-43.
Senior Jordan Fields won first place (18 feet-1 inch), senior Sienna Farrell took second (16-10 ¼) and junior Dahria Lewis took fourth (16-5 ¼) in the long jump event to give the Cougars a 104-98 lead going into the meet-concluding 4×400-meter relay. The Cougars then won the 4×400 relay in 3:55.73 to edge second-place Ridge, 114-106, based on the top six finishes in each event.
For the Cougars, it marked their 17th sectional title.
Fields won the triple jump with a meet-record 40-6, which is No. 1 in the state this year. Farrell was third at 37-4 ½ and Lewis was sixth at 36-1 ½ in the triple jump.
The 4×100-meter relay took first place in 48.63 and the 4×800 took fourth in 9:43.75 for the Cougars. The 4×100 runners were sophomore Ciara French, Lewis, senior Cheyenne Trigg and freshman Lilian Williams. The 4×800 runners were Trigg, junior Isadora Egypt, and sophomores Catherine Jordan and Briana Reckling.
Also for CHS, senior Jasmine Keegan won both the discus at 125-7 and the shot put at 36-11 ¾. Keegan also took fourth in the javelin at 99-2 and fifth in the high jump at 5-0.
French also won the 100-meter dash in 12.49 and took third in the 100-meter high hurdles in 15.26.
Jordan was sixth in the 800-meter run in 2:20 and tied for sixth place with sophomore teammate Celine Egeowu in the high jump at 5-0 for the Cougars.
Senior Joanna Denis was sixth in the discus at 102-5; and senior Nya Hughes was second in the shot put at 36-0 for CHS.
The Cougars redeemed themselves after finishing second to Ridge last year at the sectional meet, 124-115, when they were seeking their sixth straight sectional team title.
On the boys’ side for the Cougars, senior Roodly Ovil tied for fifth in the high jump at 6-0; the 4×400 (seniors Venchardson Vital and senior Donte Rolley-Williams, juniors Jeremiah Richardson and Malcolm Moore) placed fifth in 3:25.78 and the 4×800 (Vital, junior Jared Pangallozzi, Rolley-Williams and sophomore Jonathan Salinardo) took sixth in 8:12.66. Elizabeth and East Orange Campus shared the team title with 81 points.
The top six finishers in each event at the sectionals have qualified for the state Group 4 Championships at Egg Harbor, June 3-4.
The CHS girls’ team also won the team titles at the Essex County Relays and Essex County Championships this season.
Columbia HS girls’ track and field team rallies to win team title at North Jersey Section 2, Group 4 Championships added by Joe Ragozzino on
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