Seton Hall Prep track team wins Essex County, completes trifecta of championships

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The Seton Hall Prep track and field team, led by triple-winner senior Ryan Matulonis, continued its undefeated season by rolling to its third straight Essex County Championship title with 129 points on Thursday and Friday, May 18-19, at Schools Stadium in Newark. 

With their victory, the Pirates completed the triple crown for the outdoor season which consists of winning the Essex County Relay title, the Super Essex Conference–American Division championship, and the Essex County track and field title.

Matulonis won the 400-meter hurdles (54.09 seconds), 400-meter dash (48.76), and 110-meter hurdles (14.83) while finishing in third place (1:58.18) to teammate senior Nicholas DeVita (1:57.56) in the 800-meter run. Senior Stephen Niamke also had a big couple of days winning the high jump (6 feet, 0 inches) and the triple jump (43-11.50) while placing third in the long jump (21-05). Junior Tyler Dunn captured the shot put with a throw of 52-4.50 while his brother Brandon Dunn won the discus with a throw of 152-02. Senior Xavier Donaldson finished first in the 100-meter dash in 10.92.

Other point-scorers for SHP were:

• 100-meter dash: fourth place – junior Jaylen McClain – 11.27.
• 400-meter dash: fourth place – DeVita – 49.75.
• 3,200-meter run: fifth place – senior TJ Sparno – 10:12.76.
• Discus: third place – senior Leo Avigliano – 144-01; fourth place – Tyler Dunn -141-07.
• Shot put: fourth place – Avigliano – 47-00.
• Pole vault: fourth place – sophomore Matthew Oess -10-06.00.
• Javelin: fifth place – junior Willem Masyra – 132-10.00.

Headline: SHP golf team moves to 15-3