West Orange HS indoor track athlete Timothy Van Cauwenberge shines at state Group 4 meet

WEST ORANGE – West Orange High School senior Timothy Van Cauwenberge took fourth in the boys’ high jump at 6 feet at the state indoor track and field Group 4 Championship meet at the Bennett Complex in Toms River.

That effort gave the Mountaineers their only points of the meet with four points.

Van Cauwenberge also took eighth in the 55-meter hurdles in 8.15. He was leading the race, but his trail leg hit the last hurdle and stumbled across the finish line, said WOHS head coach Joe Picataggio.

The 4×400-meter relay team took 16th; senior Joseph Onubogu was 18th in the 800-meter run 2:03.29 and senior Daniel Pierre finished 14th in the pole vault at 11 feet for WOHS.

On the girls’ side for WOHS, junior Bukola Akinsola finished 10th in the 400-meter run in 1:00.73.

Van Cauwenberge qualified for the high jump and hurdles at the state Meet of Champions on Feb. 27 at the Bennett Complex. The top six finishers in each event, plus wild-card berths, qualified for the state Meet of Champions. Van Cauwenberge is a wild-card entry for the hurdles.

The state Group 4 meet consisted of the top six finishers in each event from the sectional meets.

SHP takes fifth at Non-Pubic A track meet 
The Seton Hall Prep varsity track and field team finished fifth overall at the state Non-Public A Championship meet at the Bennett Complex last weekend. Senior Brandon Moorer took second in both the 55-meter dash in 6.63 and the 400-meter run in 50.16 to lead the Pirates. He qualified for the state Meet of Champions.