Seton Hall Prep track-and-field team wins Essex County title; excels at state meet

Seton Hall Prep junior Xavier Donaldson competes at the New Jersey Catholic Track Conference Al Naimo Spring Relays hosted by Seton Hall Prep on April 10.

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The Seton Hall Prep track-and-field team last week completed one meet and competed in another. 

On Monday, June 6, the Pirates took first place with 120.25 points in the Essex County individual championships held at Woodman Field in Montclair. The meet started on Thursday, May 19, and Friday, May 20, but, because of inclement weather, could not be completed. 

Xavier Donaldson, a junior, won both the 200-meter dash in 22.04 seconds and the 400-meter dash in 47.70. He also took second place in the 100-meter dash in 11.00.

Nicholas Devita, a junior, won the 800-meter run in 1 minute, 55.65 seconds and took third place in the 400-meter dash in 49.27. Ryan Matulonis, a junior, won both the 110-meter hurdles in 14.98 and the 400-meter hurdles in 53.95. He also took fourth place in the 400-meter dash in 50.05.

The 4×400 meter relay took first place in 3:19.08.

In the 3,200-meter run, senior Anthony Bottino took fifth place in 11:02.14, and senior Bedros Maldjian took sixth place in 11:13.20. Reece Watkins, a senior, took second place in the high jump at 6 feet and took fourth place in the long jump at 20 feet, 7 inches. In the discus, senior Kyalo Mutuku took third place at 131-0 and sophomore Tyler Dunn took fourth place at 129-1. In the javelin, senior Aiden Guarneri took third place at 140-4 and sophomore Willem Masyra took sixth place at 138-1. In the shot put, Dunn took third place at 45-6 ¼, and Mutuku took fifth place at 42-9 ½. Freshman Matthew Oess, junior Joe Nader and senior AJ Villaruel each tied for fifth place in the pole vault at 9-0.

On Friday and Saturday, June 10 and 11, the Pirates traveled to Middletown North High School to participate in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Non-Public A championships and finished in third place with 76 points. 

The 4×400 meter relay team took first place in 3:23.40.

Donaldson took second place in the 400-meter dash in 47.80 and third place in the 100-meter dash in 10.77. 

Matulonis took second place in both the 110-meter hurdles in 14.66 and the 400-meter hurdles in 53.17. 

Devita took third place in both the 400-meter dash in 49.05 and the 800-meter run in 1:53.18. The 4×100-meter relay team of Donaldson, McClain, junior Asad Hall and junior Darren Burton II took third place in 42.13. The 4×800 meter relay team took third place in 8:18.60.

Watkins took third place in the high jump at 6-4. Hall took fifth place in the triple jump at 42-3 ¼. Mutuku took fifth place in the discus at 135-8. McClain took fifth place in the 100-meter dash in 11.07.

Photo Courtesy of Rich Morris/SHP.