The Jaguar Track Club members gather together at this year’s USATF New Jersey Association Junior Olympic Championships in Plainfield.
MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE — Since its founding in 1996 by co-founders Maurice Cooper, Daneen Cooper, Andrea Johnson and Carl Lea, the Jaguar Track Club has served as a bedrock of youth sports in South Orange, Maplewood and the surrounding communities.
What began 30 years ago as a passionate effort to give local youth a positive, constructive outlet through track and field has grown into a premier youth running program. Grounded in the core values of discipline, sportsmanship and academic responsibility, the Coopers, alongside their current dedicated coaching staff of Seth Toney, Beaira Thomas, Noah Toney, Ed Thompson and Naija Omari, have guided young athletes toward personal bests, collegiate athletic opportunities and lifelong confidence.
For three decades, donning the signature black and gold uniform has meant joining a family. It’s a community that pushes its young people to excel, both on and off the track. As the Jaguar Track Club prepares to recognize this landmark 30th anniversary with a celebration this December, its current roster of athletes showcased remarkable speed, power and team camaraderie. Jaguar competitors elevated their performance on the track across three major championships to close out an exceptional summer.
Head coach Maurice Cooper remarked, “It is gratifying to see yet another class of new faces lay down one elite performance after another, almost as if on cue. The long development season this year, punctuated with frequent inclement weekend weather, was a blessing in disguise, in that it served to toughen resolve that could be summoned on demand during the championship season. Key performers, new to the post-season grind or new to ‘prime-time’ expectation, impressively ‘showed out,’ just like their heralded generational predecessors. Well done, folks!”
Excelling at the USATF NJ Junior Olympic Championships
The season’s championship run began close to home at the USATF New Jersey State Meet, held at Hub Stine Field in Plainfield. The Jaguars arrived in full force and captured multiple state titles. Ashley Crew (11/12 Girls) claimed gold in the 100-meter dash with a blistering time of 13.20, while Tahir Grantham (11/12 Boys) powered to victory in the 400m dash, breaking the 60-second barrier with a personal record (PR) of 59.77. Preston Townsend dominated the 800m run, taking first place overall. In the field events, Caleb Dean (11/12 Boys) soared to a first-place finish in the long jump with an impressive mark and PR of 5.56m (18’2.9”), and Niall McLeod (11/12 Boys) secured the state title in the javelin with a throw of 33.45m (109’7.74”).
The Jaguars also showcased their incredible depth in the relays, capturing first place across four separate events. The 4x100m relay teams all took gold, including the 8U Boys (Duke Thompson, Penn Thomas, Karter Richardson and Greyson Thomas), 1:08.00; 9/10 Girls (Ciel Brown, Kennedi Farrell, Saryn Cobbertt and Izzy Brown), 1:00.45; and 9/10 Boys (Ebi Okorodudu, Noah Garnett, Joshua O’Neil and Yasin Boxton), 59.38. Furthermore, the 17/18 Men’s 4x400m relay team (Sean Torres, Preston Townsend, Logan Barnett and Sebastian Lalo) delivered a commanding victory, crossing the line at 3:25.02.
The podium remained packed with black and gold as numerous athletes delivered phenomenal silver and bronze performances. In the youngest brackets, Cameron Dean (8U Boys) – an impressive 6-year-old competing up – led the way with three second-place finishes in the 100m (15.55), 200m (29.52) and 400m (1:09.41), alongside teammate Duke Thompson (8U Boys), who took second in the 800m (3:08.98). Haylee-Anne Laforest (8U Girls) secured a second-place run in the 200m (33.22).
Cole Dean (9/10 Boys) earned second place in the 100m (13.76), 200m (27.77), and 400m (1:03.51), while Isabel Brown (9/10 Girls) earned third in the long jump with a leap of 3.62m (11’10.5”). Avery Harris (11/12 Girls) captured second in the 1,500m (5:28.95) and third in the 800m (2:39.56). Scarlett Hage (11/12 Girls) took second in the 800m (2:37.37) and third in the long jump with a PR of 4.51m (14’9.5”). Ashley Crew (11/12 Girls) added to her gold with a second-place finish in the 200m (26.33).
Rounding out the individual podium finishes, Ryan Asiedu (15/16 Men) claimed second in the 400m (51.44), Logan Barnett (17/18 Men) secured second in the 800m (2:02.54) and Sean Torres (17/18 Men) finished third in the 400m (51.23).
The club’s relay squads continued their strong showing with several more podium finishes. The 9/10 Girls 4×400 team (Ashley Richards, Riya Pandya, Ciel Brown and Kennedi Farrell) finished in second, the squad of 11/12 Boys 4×400 A team (Lance Alcime, Tahir Grantham, Leandro Garcia and Alexander Shaw) and B team (Ahmad Richardson Jr., Dylan Scott, Niall McLeod and Bruce Sims) finished in second and third, respectively. The 13/14 Boys 4×400 team finished in second and the 13/14 Girls 4×400 team (Dakota Riley, Sydney Smith, Roslyn Keel and Priscilla Frimpong) finished in third.
Triumphs at the AAU Track & Field Primary Nationals & Club Championship
The momentum traveled seamlessly onto the national stage at the AAU Club and Primary Championships, hosted at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Florida. Navigating a notoriously hot and humid week, Jaguar athletes showed incredible grit and mental toughness. Competitors in events such as the 100m, 200m and 400m had to battle through up to three grueling rounds (preliminaries, semifinals and finals), making their endurance just as impressive as their speed.
Despite the taxing conditions, the Jaguars rose to the occasion. Kicking off the week at the Primary Championships, 6-year-old Duke Thompson (6 Boys) ran away with the AAU Primary Champion title in the Boys 800m, crossing the finish line with a PR of 3:01.58. Thompson added a fifth-place finish in the Boys 400m (1:21.05) and eighth-place finish in the 200m (37.58), Cole Dean (9 Boys) earned the Club Championship title in the Boys 400m, finishing in a blazing 1:02.29. Dean cemented his dominance with two second-place finishes in the 100m (13.64) and 200m (27.08). Scarlett Hage (11 Girls) secured the Club Championship title in the Girls 1,500m, clocking an impressive PR of 4:58.74. She also added to her accolades with a fourth-place finish and PR in the long jump at 4.54m (14’10”) and fifth in the 800m (2:31.77).
Earning a spot in the top eight at this level is a massive accomplishment, as these All-American finishers also officially qualified for the prestigious AAU Junior Olympic Games held in Des Moines, Iowa. Cameron Dean (8U Boys), proving himself as a 6-year-old standout competing in the 8U Division, reached All-American status by taking second in the 200m (29.47), third in the 400m (1:09.23) and sixth in the 100m (14.76). Philip Watkins (9 Boys) earned third place in the Boys 800m with a PR of 2:38.32. Lance Alcime (11 Boys) captured fourth in the 800m, finishing with a PR of 2:25.91, Caleb Dean (11 Boys) leaped to fifth place in the Boys long jump, while Tahir Grantham (11 Boys) earned seventh place in the Boys 400m with a PR of 59.33. Brianna Bellefantie (11 Girls) secured eighth place in the Girls long jump with a mark of 4.30m (14’7”) and Avery Harris (11 Girls) secured sixth place in the Girls 1,500m (5:21.69).
The relay teams proved their extraordinary grit, with all three qualified teams advancing smoothly out of the preliminary rounds. The 10-year-old Boys 4x400m relay team (Joshua O’Neil, Emerson Harris, Philip Watkins and Pearson Watkins), featuring mostly 9-year-olds, battled through the prelims with a stellar 4:46.70, before capturing eighth place overall in the final. The 12-year-old Boys 4x400m relay team (Tahir Grantham, Caleb Dean, Ahmad Richardson Jr. and Lance Alcime), who competed entirely as 11-year-olds in an older age group, raced to a sixth-place All-American finish in 4:13.41. Rounding out the All-American honors, the 14-year-old Girls 4x400m relay team (Dakota Riley, Sydney Smith, Priscilla Frimpong and Roslyn Keel) crossed the line in seventh at 4:12.80.
Rounding out the season at the International Youth Track Championships
Rounding out an already historic season, Jaguar athletes traveled to the Prince George’s Sports Complex in Landover, Maryland, to compete at the International Youth Track Championships. The team continued to display exceptional talent, securing massive top-8 finishes across multiple events to bring home additional medals.
Niall McLeod (11/12 Boys) dominated the javelin throw, taking first place with a throw of 32.36m (106’11.75”). The Girls 4x400m relay team (13/14), featuring Dakota Riley, Jurnee Haynes, Priscilla Frimpong and Sydney Smith, also captured gold, crossing the line in 4:11.05. Alexander Shaw (11/12 Boys) delivered exceptional middle-distance performances, earning second place in the 800m (2:25.8) and fourth in the 1,500m (5:06.27), while the Girls 4x400m relay (9/10), comprising Ashley Richards, Isabel Brown, Riya Pandya and Saryn Cobbertt, secured a brilliant second-place finish in 5:06.09.
The 11/12 Boys 4x400m relay (Ahmad Richardson Jr., Lance Alcime, Leandro Garcia and Tahir Grantham) raced to a strong 4:17.52 second-place finish, and Riya Pandya (9/10 Girls) claimed fifth place individually in the 800m (2:52.14). Hosea Berrios (15/16 Boys) leaped to fourth place in the long jump with a mark of 5.98m (19’5”) and Ahmad Richardson Jr. (11/12 Boys) bounded to fifth place in the long jump with a leap of (15’0) 4.57m (PR).
Tahir Grantham (11/12 Boys) secured sixth place in the 400m (1:01.14), and Lance Alcime (11/12 Boys) earned sixth in the 800m (2:33.22). Noah Garnett (9/10 Boys) closed out the top finishes, securing eighth place in the 800m with a time of 2:40.42.
This summer’s remarkable medal haul is more than just a collection of athletic achievements; it is a reflection of 30 years of vision, volunteerism and commitment pioneered by Maurice and Daneen Cooper. From the coaches who donate their evenings to the parents who travel across state lines, the Jaguar Track Club remains a shining model of community-driven youth development.
As alumni, families and supporters prepare to gather this December to mark the club’s official 30th anniversary, the current generation of athletes has made one thing abundantly clear: 30 years in, the Jaguar Track Club’s legacy is as vibrant, competitive and inspiring as ever.
Photo Courtesy of Jaguar Track Club
About the Author
