South Orange Jaguar Track Club enjoys outstanding season

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The Jaguar Track Club, a South Orange Department of Recreation and Cultural Affairs competitive track program, recently wrapped an impressive 2024 outdoor season. The 28-year-old program has a storied reputation for developing elite athletes, many of whom go on to have successful high school, college and professional careers. 

This year, the athletes competed in both USA Track and Field and AAU competitions throughout the season, including the USATF Youth National Outdoor Championships at Icahn Stadium in New York, N.Y., and the AAU National Club Championships in Jacksonville, Fla. This resulted in 35 USATF and 16 AAU athletes medaling as top-8 finalists, achieving All-American status.

Additionally, the Jaguars had 11 national champions coming out of the two events. Team Age Group plaques were awarded and both Jaguar boys and girls 8-and-under secured third, Boys 9-10 achieved first, Girls 13-14 were awarded second and 15-16 Boys grabbed third place. 

At the AAU National Club Championships, Caleb Dean, 9, jumped an impressive 4.80 meters (15 feet, 9 inches) in the long jump, which set an AAU Nationals Club meet record and also exceeded the AAU Junior Olympic record. Alexander Shaw, 10, won gold in the 800 meters at both USATF and AAU Nationals, setting a personal record in New York with a time of 2 minutes, 26:65 seconds. The girls 4×100 relay team (14) of Celeste Owens, Maya Wyche, Sarah Polanco and Savannah Clark went double gold in nationals competitions this year, running a season’s best  of 48.44 at the USATF Youth Nationals and 48.77 at AAU National Club Championships. Long jump national champion Jalele Williams (15/16), jumped 6.46 meters to win the USATF Outdoor Nationals, and three of the boys relay teams claimed the No. 1 spot: 

• Boys 4x100m (9/10) relay: Niall Mcleod, Jasper Tinnie, Caleb Dean and Leandro Garcia – 57.84. 
• Boys 4x800m (13/14) relay: Cole Hollis, Ethan Hart, Elijah Osborne Jr. and Nathan Simonich – 9:36:52.
• Boys 4x400m (15/16) relay: Daniel Slater, Preston Townsend, Sean Torres and Jalele Williams – 3:31:90 (season best). 

The Jaguar Track Club 2024 USATF All-Americans include: 

• Zoë McNally (7/8): fourth – 100m (16.55), fifth – 200m (35.10), third – 400m (1:21:95) ● Riya Pandya (7/8): fifth – 100m (16:55), seventh – 200m (35.75), fifth – 400m (1:23:52) ● Cole Dean (7/8): fourth – 100m (15.39), third – 200m (32.51), sixth – 400m (1:17:40) ● Kitah Kibwika (7/8): third – 100m (15.29), fourth – 200m (32.85), eighth – 400m (1:28:58) ● Philip Watkins (7/8): seven th – 200m (34.88). 
• Avery Harris (9/10): sixth – 400m (1:15:88 – PR). ● Caleb Dean (9/10): fourth – 200m (28.28). ● Alexander Shaw (9/10): third – 1,500m (5:08:16 – PR).  ● Niall Mcleod (9/10): third – javelin (24.51m / 80-5). ● Maya Wyche (13/14): third – 100m (12.24), second – 400m. ● Celeste Owens (13/14): eighth – 100m (12.78). ● Savannah Clark (13/14): fourth – 200m (25.03). 
• Nathan Simonich (13/14): fifth – 800m (2:11.63). ● Jalele Williams (15/16): sixth – 400m (51.93). ● Preston Townsend (15/16): sixth – 800m (2:02.72 – PR). ● Girls 4x400m (11-12): Dakota Riley, Priscilla Frimpong, Hudson Devers, Sydney Smith – fourth (4:36.95). ● Girls 4x100B (13-14): Abigail Frimpong, Kendall Aska, Nia Withanachchi, Malia Wyche – fourth – (52.27). ● Girls 4x400A (13-14): Maya Wyche, Sarah Polanco, Naomi Akakpo, Savannah Clark – second – (4:11.24), ● Girls 4x400B (13-14): Micah Ajayi, Nia Withanachchi, Malia Wyche, Kendall Aska – fourth – (4:13.71). 

The Jaguar Track Club 2024 AAU All-Americans include: 

• Cole Dean (8U): eighth – 400m (1:13:49 – PR). ● Riya Pandya (8U): seventh – 400m (1:19.78 – PR). ● Caleb Dean (9): sixth – 100m (13.71), fourth – 200m (27.89 – PR). ● Alexander Shaw (10): second – 1,500m (5:13.46). ● Malia Wyche (13): eighth – 800m (2:46:57). ● Elijah Osbourne Jr. (13): fourth – 800m (2:15:84). ● Maya Wyche (14): fourth – 100m (12.38). 
• Savannah Clark (14): fourth – 200m (24.58). ● Nathan Simonich (14): third – 800m (2:06:61 – PR), fourth – 1,500m (4:31.62) ● Jalele Williams (15/16): fourth –  long jump (6.72m / 22-0).  
• Girls 4x400m (13-14): Celeste Owens, Kendall Aska, Maya Wyche, Malia Wyche (4:14.30).  

The strong showing at the nationals level was preceded by key competitions earlier in the season. In June, the team traveled to Landover, Md., for the DMV Youth Challenge. Several Jaguars claimed the gold and/or broke meet records over the two-day meet: 

• Alexander Shaw (9-10) broke two meet records, placing first  in the 1,500m with a time of 5:15.62 and second in the 800m with a time of 2:29.05. 
• Caleb Dean (9-10) placed first in the 200m with a PR of 28.75. 
• Niall Mcleod placed first in the javelin with 32.33m (106-0). 
• Maya Wyche (13-14) broke two meet records in the 100m – first (12.30) and the 400m (56.63) – second. 
• Savannah Clark (13-14) ran meet records in the 200m (25.51) and 400m (56.49) to claim the gold in both events. 
• The boys 4x100m (8U) relay team of Cole Dean, Emerson Harris, Kitah Kibwika and Philip Watkins broke a meet record with a time of 1:07.14. 
• The girls 4x100m (13/14) relay team of Celeste Owens, Maya Wyche, Sarah Polanco and Savannah Clark ran 49.75, a DMV meet record, and placed first. 
• The boys 4x400m (13/14) relay team of Cole Hollis, Elijah Osborne Jr., Ethan Hart and Nathan Simonich ran under the meet record at 4:00.92, placing third.
• The girls 4x400m (13/14) relay team of Kendall Aska, Maya Wyche, Micah Ajayi and Naomi Akakpo broke the meet record with 4:08.46 and took home the gold. 

Later that month, the Jaguars once again competed in the USATF NYC Grand Prix, running at the same meet as USA’s most elite track athletes. Only three to four spots for non-NY teams were up for grabs and entries were granted based on time qualification. Savannah Clark (13/14) won the 400m with a time of 57.62, Maya Wyche (13/14) took home a silver medal in the 100m with an astounding 12.12 (PR) and Caleb Dean (9/10) earned a bronze for his PR performance in the 100m with a time of 13.69. 

Other notable performances were from Philip Watkins (7/8), who dropped .71 seconds off of his 100m time to hit 16.63, and Celeste Owens, who ran a sub-13 100m for the first time in her track career (12.87). Not to mention, the children were able to watch and meet Olympians such as Noah Lyles, Gabby Thomas and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. 

To round out the regular season, the Jaguars competed in the USATF New Jersey Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships at Kean University. Many Jaguars qualified for the Junior Olympic Regionals across multiple events, including 10 who were named state champions. 

8U girls 

• Zoe McNally – 400m – state champion (1:19.22), 100m – second (16.21), 200m – second (33.26) ● Riya Pandya – 100m – fourth (16.48), 200m – third (34.44), 400m – second (1:20.15). 

8U boys 

• Cole Dean – 100m – third (15.43), 200m – second (31.75), 400m – second (1:14.28) ● Kitah Kibwika – 100m – second (15.68), 200m – third (32.10), 400m – third (1:17.23) ● Philip Watkins – 100m – sixth (16.53), 200m – seventh (34.16),  400m – fourth (1.17.49).

9-10 girls 

• Avery Harris – 400m – fifth (1:18.38), 200m – eighth (32.09). ● Brianna Bellefantie – long jump – third (3.62m). 

9-10 boys 

• Leandro Garcia – 100m – seventh (14.82), 400m – sixth (1:10.29). ● Alexander Shaw – 1,500m (5:09.70) – state champion, 800m – state champion (2:29.90), 400m – fourth (1:08.65). 
• Lance Alcime – 400m – seventh (1:10.58). ● Dylan Scott- 1500m – eighth (5:51.68). ● Caleb Dean – long jump – state champion (4.50m/14-9), 200m –state champion (28.03), 400m – fifth (1:09.00). ● Niall Mcleod – 200m – sixth (29.67), javelin – third (21.10m / 69-2), long jump – fifth (4.08m). 

11-12 girls 

• Dakota Riley – 100m – fifth (13.77), 400m – second (1:05.81). ● Sydney Smith – 400m – third (1:05.83), 200m – seventh (28.48). ● Hudson Devers – 800m – third (2:46.25).

11-12 boys 

• Xavier Isaacs – 400m – eighth (1:07.54), 800m – fifth (2:36.30). ● Aditya Kumar – long jump– fourth 4.53m /14-10.5. 

13-14 girls 

• Maya Wyche – 100m – state champion (12.54), 400m – second (1:01.06), 200m – third (25.73) ● Savannah Clark – 400m – state champion (1:00.90); 100m – second (12.71), 200m – second (24.92). ● Celeste Owens – 100m – sixth (13.14). ● Malia Wyche – 400m – fifth (1:03.22). ● Micah Ajayi – 400m – sixth (1:03.27), 800m – fourth (2:31.66). ● Naomi Akakpo – 400m – third (1:01.17), 800m – third (2:31.62). ● Sarah Polanco – 200m – fifth (26.59). ● Kendall Aska – 200m – eighth (27.02).  
• Girls 4x100m relay team: Savannah Clark, Celeste Owens, Maya Wyche, Sarah Polanco – state champions (50.21).
• Girls 4x400m relay team: Naomi Akakpo, Micah Ajayi, Sarah Polanco, Kendall Aska – state champions (4:23.84).

13-14 boys 

• Nathan Simonich – 1,500m – fourth (4:40.76), 800m – fourth (2:18.51).. ● Cole Hollis – 400m – fourth (59.21), 800m – fifth (2:20.89). ● Elijah Osborne Jr. – 400m – fifth (59.23), 800m – seventh (2:24.56).
• Jayden Mingo – 200m – seventh (25.29). 

The Jaguar Track Club is trained by a remarkable group of coaches, including head coach and co-founder Maurice Cooper, coach Daneen Cooper, coach Seth Toney, coach Rolando “Ro” Ortiz and coach Beaira “B” Thomas, also a Jaguar alumna. Reflecting on the season, Maurice Cooper said, “These accomplishments are so satisfying because they span the 

entire age range of the team across the full event range of competition. It is clear that pursuit of improvement and achievement becomes contagious across the team. 

“Kids buy into our process and the team’s culture and then lift themselves by being fully committed and working to establish an uncompromising work ethic. They seem to get that ‘you get out what you put in.’ It is fulfilling for all, coaches and parents included, to ride along for the journey.”

Photos Courtesy of Jaguar Track Club

  South Orange Jaguar Track Club