Columbia HS track teams enjoy good efforts at SEC meet

From left, Columbia’s Javier Casella, Emma Friedrich, Dan Butkus and Nate Lindstrom are all smiles as they show their medals from the Super Essex Conference–American Division championships at Schools Stadium on Saturday, May 14.
Columbia’s Madison Stevens beams as she holds up her first-place medal in the shot put at the Super Essex Conference–American Division championships.

MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The Columbia High School boys and girls track-and-field teams gave good efforts at the Super Essex Conference–American Division championships on Saturday, May 14, at Newark Schools Stadium.

The girls team took fifth place overall. Junior Emma Friedrich won the 3,200-meter run in 11 minutes, 33.90 seconds. Sophomore Madison Stevens won the shot put at 41 feet, 4 inches. Sophomore Gianna Green took second place in the high jump at 5 feet. Junior Raya Stevens took third place in the 1,600-meter run in 5:44.28 and fifth place in the 800-meter run in 2:40.44. Sophomore Melissa Dubuisson took fifth place in the discus at 72-8. The 4×400 meter relay team took fifth place in 4:22.33.

The boys team took sixth place overall. Senior Nate Lindstrom won the 3,200-meter run in 9:56.69 and took second place in the 1,600-meter run in 4:34.84. Senior Javier Casella took second place in the 800-meter run 2:03.77. Junior Daniel Butkus took third place in both the 1,600-meter run in 4:35.53 and the 3,200-meter run in 10:21.74. Sophomore Steve Memo took fifth place in the 110-meter hurdles in 16.42. Sophomore Zhamir Rowan took fifth place in the long jump at 20-8. The 4×400 meter relay team took sixth place in 3:38.51. Junior Austin Walton took sixth place in the triple jump at 40-4.

The Essex County individual championships will be held Thursday and Friday, May 19-20, at Montclair High School’s Woodman Field. 

Photos Courtesy of Taylor Iraggi/CHS head track coach