The Hardy Boys a Welcome Addition to Central Regional Track and Field

Joe Hardy — who comes off an outstanding season for Central Regional's 12-10 basketball team — returns to the school's outdoor track and field team where he was third in the state's NJSIAA Meet of Champions in the high jump.

But Hardy, who swept the Ocean County, Shore Conference, NJSIAA Group IIII South and groups championships, will be joined by a familiar  competitor who also skipped the indoor track and field season to excel in wrestling — his brother, Kalyph.

"We're looking for a big season from Joe," coach Mike Jordan said.

Joe Hardy averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds a game for the basketball team that made it to the second round of the state tournament.

He also competes in the triple jump and long jump and runs the sprints. Joe Hardy hit 21-feet, 11 1/2 inches in one dual meet early last season. Kalyph, who got to the state championships in wrestling, runs a :51 in the 400 meters.

They will join a group of indoor track and field prospects who performed well despite the winter weather and finished in third place in Shore Conference B South. Juniors Ray Barile and Kyle Gordon also will be welcomed aboard for the outdoor season. Practices began on March 4.

Barile was third in the 400 meters in the Ocean County championship in :50.2, his best time last spring. Gordon, who played basketball during the winter, is a transfer from Brick Memorial.

"He is is very quick," Jordan said. "He'll add a lot to our sprints."

The Golden Eagles finished fourth in B South last year and third the previous season. They won five straight division titles prior to that and are looking to get back into that form.

Along with Joe Hardy, Rachid Zidani also will be counted on heavily for points as the top scoring individual indoors. Zidani ran a season best :08.29 in the 55 meters at the state Group III championships as the sixth and final qualifier out of the section in :08.33.

Albert Labagnera, the B South shotput champion with a season best 43-9 1/2 throw was eighth in the sectionals with a 40-10 measure. He's adding the javelin to his repertoire this spring.

Junior Eliot Perez, competing in the pole vault for the first time last spring, was sixth in the Ocean County indoor championships in a personal best 10-6.

The 4x400 relay will be worth watching outdoors after a superb indoor season. The team will run at the Penn Relays along with the 4x100 relay.

The 4x400 team ran a season best 3:37.83 in the county meet for sixth place with senior Charlie Schottfeld, juniors Shane Leighton and T.J. Denbleyker and Zidani, who anchored in 53.29. Barile and Kalyph Hardy will be inserted in that relay during the outdoor season with Denbleyker and Zidani. The 4x100 will have the Hardy brothers with Gordon and Barile.

Senior Parker Oris chipped seven seconds off his time in the 1,600 meters with a 4:43 during the indoor season and senior Nico Spadaveccia clocked a personal best 2:05.6 in the 800.

"A lot of the guys put in times they can be proud of,  guys we can count on to score," Jordan said.  "Through commitment and hard work like many of our runners, Nico and Parker have been running competitively. Nico really came on at the end of the season."

The dual meet season starts April 5 at home against Brick Township. The Ocean County Relays are May 6 and the county championships are the following weekend. 

"We have a bunch of young kids coming in and some young ones coming of age," Jordan said. "Teams know we're competitive. We're looking to do well in dual meets and to be one of the better teams. It's personal bests and being competitive, that's all I can ask for."

Junior John Garcia and Keith Stokes are the best returning throwers from last outdoor season. Junior Jon Avaceta, who played baseball last spring, is throwing the shot put and javelin this year.

That means that the boys team not only has depth, but the competitive spirit in workouts that will push many to their personal best.