One of two isn’t bad.
The Hasbrouck Heights boys track and field team won the Group 1 North 1 state sectional team title, but they wanted more.
The Aviators wanted to pair that sectional team title with a first Group 1 title for the school.
On the good side Heights avenged a loss to Boonton last season in the state sectional team points race. In the Group 1 North 1 state sectional at the end of May, the Aviators were dominant with 130.50 points to Boonton's 75. It sort of made up for an 87-81 loss to the same Boonton team at the 2010 Group 1 North 1 meet.
For group team titles a lot of things have to go your way, but that did not happen. Last season Heights had a very good Group 1 meet, but fell 11 points short of catching Woodbury, coming in second with 39 points to Woodbury's 50 points.
For the 2011 Group 1 meet at the start of June, the Aviators finished with about the same amount of points this season, 38, but they finished third as Woodbury was more dominant with 70 points and Lindenwold just ahead of Heights with 43 points.
"It was kind of a letdown," said Hasbrouck Heights senior Kevin Condal. "We went there with high expectations bringing home the championship and didn't perform at our best."
At the group championships, senior Patrick Cole came home with the lone first place finish in the discus. Cole also took a second place in the shot put.
With the help of Condal the Aviators 1,600 relay team of Kevin Cordova, Alex Quinn and Kevin Harris finished in fourth place and qualified for the Thursday's State Meet of Champions.
In addition to have a top five finish in the relay, Condal came in fifth place in both the 400 and 200 meters. He said that he was expected to run the 400, but the most important will be the 1,600 relay.
"I want to help keep my legs fresh for the relay," said Condal who added that the relay team is looking to break the school record in the 1,600 that was set last year at 3:21.9. "I'm running the relay for the last time in high school."
On the girls side Heights finished third with 56 points tied with Saddle Brook. Kinnelon and Mountain Lakes with 78 points and 73 points respectively first and second were ahead of Heights. It was a big upgrade for the girls who came in 13th last season in the team points standing with 18 at the Group 1 North section.
At the Group 1 meet the best finishes on the girls side came from Marissa Romano and Danielle Cannici. Romano had the best result, a fourth in the triple jump while Cannici came in fifth in the pole vault.
In addition Rayn Moses was a little behind Romano in the triple jump with a sixth place finish. The 1,600 relay team of Daniella Macera, Nickie Inglesy, Marissa Romano and Jennifer Nass was sixth at the group meet.
Sandwiched in between the state sectionals and the group meet was the Bergen Meet of Champions on May 31 where the Aviators had some very good results led by senior Kevin Condal with a second in the 400 meters. Senior Patrick Cole collected thirds in both the shot put and the discus.
On the girls side of the BMOC, both Nass and Messery finished fifth as the best in Bergen in the 400 meters and javelin respectively.
Bergen Meet of Champions
May 31
Boys
400 meters
2. Kevin Condal, Hasbrouck Heights 48.62
Javelin
4. Chris Connors, Hasbrouck Heights, 173-feet-6-inches
Pole vault
3. Luca Sedycias, Hasbrouck Heights, 13-feet
Shot put
3. Patrick Cole, Hasbrouck Heights, 55-4
Discus
3. Patrick Cole, Hasbrouck Heights, 156-feet-4-inches
Girls
400 meters
5. Jennifer Nass, Hasbrouck Heights, 59.30
Javelin
5. Nina Messery, Hasbrouck Heights, 116-feet-1
Group 1 championships
June 3 and 4
Boys
400 meters
5. Kevin Condal, Hasbrouck Heights, 50.24
7. Kevin Harris, Hasbrouck Heights, 51.03
Discus
1. Patrick Cole, Hasbrouck Heights, 166-feet-10
4. Anthony Seidel, Hasbrouck Heights, 145-9
Triple jump
6. Roland Gamez, Hasbrouck Heights, sophomore, 43-5
Javelin
7. Chris Connors, Hasbrouck Heights, 168-1
8. Anthony Seidel, Hasbrouck Heights, 167-8
200 meters
5. Kevin Condal, Hasbrouck Heights, 22.72
1,600 meter relay
4. Hasbrouck Heights, Kevin Cordova, Alex Quinn, Kevin Condal and Kevin Harris, 3:26.48
Shot put
2. Patrick Cole, Hasbrouck Heights, 52-feet-6
3. Chris Connors, Hasbrouck Heights, 50-feet-8
Pole vault
6. Luca Sedycias, Hasbrouck Heights, 12-6
Group 1 championships
Girls
400 meter hurdles
10. Nickie Inglesby, Hasbrouck Heights, 1:08.47
1600 meters
7. Rebecca Fortoul, Hasbrouck Heights, 5:31.96
400 meters
8. Jennifer Nass, Hasbrouck Heights, 59.46
Pole vault
5. Danielle Cannici, Hasbrouck Heights, 9-feet
1600 relay
6. Hasbrouck Heights, Daniella Macera, Nickie Inglesby, Marissa Romano and Jennifer Nass, 4:07.80
Triple jump
4. Marissa Romano, Hasbrouck Heights, 35-3
6. Ryan Moses, Hasbrouck Heights, 34-10.5