Columbia HS track teams give good performances at sectionals

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 this season.

MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The Columbia High School boys and girls track-and-field teams gave good performances at the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s North Jersey, Section 1, Group 4, championships at Clifton on Friday and Saturday, June 3 and 4.

On the girls side, sophomore Madison Stevens won the shot put with a throw of 40 feet, 11 inches. She also took fourth place in the discus at 98-8. Sophomore Gianna Green took second place in the high jump at 4-10. 

Junior Emma Freidrich took fourth place in the 3,200-meter run in 11 minutes, 32.10 seconds. 

Based on those top-six finishes, Columbia took eighth place overall.

The boys team took 14th place overall. Senior Nate Lindstrom took third place in the 3,200-meter run in 9:31.98. Senior Javier Casella took fourth place in the 800-meter run in 1:57.98. The 4×800 meter relay team took fifth place in 8:20.73. Junior Austin Walton took fifth place in the triple jump at 41-8 ½. Sophomore Steven Memo took sixth place in the 110-meter hurdles in 15.62.

The top-six finishers in each event qualified for the NJSIAA’s Group 4 championships at Franklin High School in Somerset on Friday and Saturday, June 10 and 11.

Stevens is considered the top girls shot-putter in the state. This past winter, she won the shot put at the NJSIAA’s Meet of Champions in the indoor track season.

Photo Courtesy of Taylor Iraggi/CHS head track coach.