West Orange HS girls’ indoor track and field team wins Essex County Relays team title

WEST ORANGE, NJ – The West Orange High School girls’ indoor track and field team won the team title at the Essex County Relays Championships held Jan. 2 at the Ocean Breeze Complex in Staten Island, N.Y.

The Mountaineers, under head coach Jason Jackson, had 70 team points. Montclair was a distant second with 38 points among the 27 schools.

WOHS won five events.

Freshman Victoria Rideau-Winds, senior Kayla Robe, junior Abigail Vital and senior Christy St. Hilaire won the  4×200-meter relay in 1:45.85.

Freshman Nia Simpson joined Vital, Rideau-Winds, and Robe to win the  4×400 in 4:09.24.

Junior Alina Chant, sophomore Tatiana Exius, senior Kathy Lopez-Jacobs and sophomore Tiara Wilson won  the 4×800 in 10:17.74.

Lopez-Jacobs, Exius, Chant, and Wilson won the distance medley relay in 13:20.47.

Junior Denae Hill threw a meet-best 39 feet-10 inches and freshman Oliva Prescott was second at 36-4.5 to combine to win the team shot put relay.

On the boys’ side, WOHS finished sixth in the team standings.

This was the second major championship for the WOHS girls’ team this season. The WOHS girls’ team won the Super Essex Conference-American Division Championships team title on Dec. 22 at the Ocean Breeze Complex.

Seton Hall Prep finished third in the team standings with 28 points. Senior Caseem Akinruli-Dewitt threw a meet-best 47-9.5 and sophomore teammate Tim Polizzi threw 40-9.25 to combine to win the team shot put to lead SHP.