West Orange and Orange residents spark Montclair Kimberley Academy boys track team to banner season

The MKA boys track and field team gathers after winning the NJSIAA’s Non-Public B team title on May 31 at Stockton University. (Photo Courtesy of MKA Athletics)

West Orange resident and MKA head ooach Tim White smiles as he holds the Non-Public B championship plaque.

MONTCLAIR/ORANGE/WEST ORANGE, NJ — Orange residents Kalvin Thomas and Samuel Akaho, and West Orange’s Abkes Halsey, Ayan Flowers and Tim White are five of the key individuals behind the success of the Montclair Kimberley Academy boys track and field squad, which captured its second straight New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Non-Public B team state championship on Saturday, May 31, at Stockton University in Galloway.

The Cougars finished with 127.5 points, while Morristown-Beard was second with 61 points and third-place Newark Academy had 57.

MKA also won the state prep B-Division championship meet title on May 15 at Newark Academy in Livingston.

Thomas, a senior tri-captain, excels in the long jump, triple jump and sprints for the Cougars. He finished first in the long jump (21 feet, 1.25 inches) on the first day of the NJSIAA’s Non-Public B state championships on Friday, May 30, to qualify for the Meet of Champions in Pennsauken on Wednesday, June 4. At the Non-Public B state championships, he was victorious in the 100-meter dash (10.97 second) on the first day on Friday, May 30, and he won the triple jump at 44-1.50 on the second and final day on Saturday, May 31.

Orange resident Kavlin Thomas soars in the tri;le jump for MKA. (Photo Courtesy of MKA Athletics)

Also qualifying for the MOC was another of the talented MKA senior tri-captains in Halsey, who finished first in the 110-meter high hurdles (16.18) in the Non-Public B championships.

The West Orange resident also finished third in the triple jump (41-8.75) and fourth in the long jump (19-10.50).

Akaho, a junior, finished first in the 400-meter hurdles (58.66) and placed second in the 200-meter dash with a MOC-qualifying time of 23.12.

Thomas and Akaho were also members of the Cougars’ victorious 4×400 relay (3:32.09), along with junior Martin Ajaya and freshman Daniel Slater, who are both from Montclair.

Flowers, who serves as senior tri-captain along with Thomas and Halsey, finished first in the javelin (159-3).

“We have some very talented athletes on our track and field team,” said West Orange’s White, who is the Cougars’ veteran head mentor. “Our program has taken a big jump forward. We’ve built a team that is strong in several events and that’s been our goal each season to be able to accomplish!”

MKA head coach Tim White (Photo Courtesy of Steve Tober)

Thomas, a senior three-sport athlete at MKA (football, basketball and track), is headed to Howard University in the fall, where he could be a major asset to either the football and/or track teams.

“Kalvin’s contributions to MKA football were huge, both this past fall and over his four-year career,” said MKA football coach Anthony Rea, of West Orange.

Another area MKA track athlete excelling in the Non-Public B championships was South Orange resident Charlie Marotta, a sophomore, who finished third in the high jump (5-06.00).

The MKA boys and field team gathers after winnign the state prep-B Division championship on May 15 at Newark Academy in Livingston. (Photo Courtesy of MKA Athletics)

White, who was an NJ.com indoor track and field statewide Coach of the Year in 2023, also sees a bright future for his MKA track program.

“If we can continue to develop the way I think that we can, I think we can compete for a third straight (Non-Public B) state title next year,” he said. “Our sprinters can take a big jump forward and most of our hurdlers return.”