Hasbrouck Heights showed its muscle at Tuesday's Bergen Meet of Champions by bringing home five top three finishers in a battle of the best track and field athletes in the county at Hackensack High School.
The BMOC success followed the Aviators boys team grabbed the third consecutive sectional championship by beating out Mountain Lakes, 109 to 90, in the Group 1 North 1 state sectional meet at Randolph High School last weekend. Also, the Heights girls team came in second in the Group 1 North 1 state sectional, a couple spots better than in 2011. The Lady Aviators had 74 points compared to Mountain Lakes' 99.
"I thought it was great considering how much we lost from last year in Kevin Condal, Kevin Harris and Pat Cole," said Roland Gamez.
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Gamez set two school records in the long jump (22-feet-8.75)and high jump (6-feet-4.25). The long jump at the BMOC bested the rest of the field by at least a half-a-foot.
It was somewhat of an upset as Gamez defeated the favorite Teaneck's Jamal Williams who finished third.
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For the junior Aviators jumper he did not aim for a BMOC title at the beginning of the season or even school records. "I don't really set goals," said Gamez. "I let it come as it happens."
In addition to Gamez senior Chris Connors and junior Anthony Seidel brought home BMOC gold by winning the shot put (56-feet-2.5) and javelin (187-feet-10) respectively.
On the girls side at the BMOC, senior Rayn Moses finished second in the triple jump at 36-feet-1 and could not keep up with Holy Angels Amanda Fields who dominated the field with a jump of 38-feet.
But at the Group 1 North 1 state sectional, Moses took home first in the triple jump with a leap of 37-feet-1.25.
While at the BMOC Irene Cedano came in fifth, the junior though won at the state sectional meet with a throw of 35-feet-4.75. Cedano had a throw of 36-feet-7.25 at the BMOC. Both the boys and girls teams will be competing this weekend in the Group 1 meet.
Baseball
Hasbrouck Heights tried to at least match last season's state playoff drive but fell a game short as the Aviators were knocked out in the second round.
The 10th-seeded Aviators just could not solve Midland Park pitcher Patrick Hagerty as Heights lost 10-0 to the second-seeded Panthers in the Group 1 North 1 state sectional.
The Aviators offense could only generate four hits against Midland Park pitching while it was a tough day for junior pitcher Joe Crabbe and the rest of the Heights pitchers.
Heights got behind early as the Panthers took a 8-0 lead after two innings.
The Aviators took home an opening state playoff victory in defeating seventh-seeded New Milford, 9-6.
After going down 2-1 in the second inning, Heights bats came alive with four runs in the third inning to pull ahead for good, 5-2.
The Aviators top pitcher, Ray Espinosa, shut down the Green Knights offense for most of the game. He also contributed a pair of RBI. Crabbe, Mike Matteis and Kevin O'Leary added a pair of RBI to the Heights state playoff victory.
Heights finished with a 14-11 record.
Softball
It is one game and out for the Hasbrouck Heights softball team as they could not get the equalizer and pull off the upset.
The Aviators season ended with a 2-1 loss to Park Ridge.
Despite the loss, Heights pitcher Julie Sheridan pitched a very good ballgame allowing only two runs in the six innings.
The Lady Aviators almost pulled off the comeback and sent it into extra innings.
Heights' Diana Torres got a RBI, but the Aviators could not get that last run to at least send the game into the bottom of the seventh inning.
Hasbrouck Heights finished with a 12-12 record.
Bergen County Meet of Champions
Girls
Triple Jump
2. Rayn Moses, 36-feet-1
17. Jennifer White, 31-feet-4.5
Shot Put
5. Irene Cedano, 36-feet-7.25
Long Jump
16. Rayn Moses, 14-feet-11.5
100 Meter Dash
8. Rayn Moses, 12.90
400 Meter Hurdles
4. Jennifer White, 1:13.70
3,200 Meter Run
4. Rebecca Fortoul, 12:00.19
Boys
Triple Jump
10. Thomas Hughes, 40-feet-3.75
Pole Vault
5. Alex Sisco, 13-feet
High Jump
4. Roland Gamez, 6-feet-4.25
Discus
3. Anthony Seidel, 162-feet-11
11. A.J. Traina, 133-feet-4
Javelin
1. Anthony Seidel, 187-feet-10
8. Chris Connors, 154-feet-7
Shot Put
1. Chris Connors, 56-feet-2.50
13. A.J. Traina, 47-feet-8.75
Long Jump
1. Roland Gamez, 22-feet-8.75
110 Meter Hurdles
4. Roland Gamez, 14.86
Group 1 North 1
Girls
400 Meter Hurdles
2. Jenna DiGiacinto, 1:08.67
100 Meter Dash
2. Rayn Moses, 13:00
Discus
3. Irene Cedano, 102-feet-10
Triple Jump
1. Rayn Moses, 37-feet-1.25
Javelin
3. Nina Messery, 111-feet-7
200 Meter Dash
2. Rayn Moses, 26.76
Shot Put
1. Irene Cedano, 35-feet-4.75
Pole Vault
3. Danielle Cannici, 9-feet
Boys
400 Meter Hurdles
2. Sven Nielson, 57.87
Long Jump
1. Roland Gamez, 21-feet-8.75
2. Sven Nielsen, 20-feet-8
Shot Put
1. Chris Connors, 52-feet-5.5
2. Anthony Seidel, 46-feet-9.5
High Jump
3. Roland Gamez, 6-feet-2
Pole Vault
2. Alex Sisco, 13-feet
110 Meter Hurdles
2. Roland Gamez, 15.28
Javelin
2. Anthony Seidel, 179-feet-10
Discus
2. Anthony Seidel, 144-feet-2
Triple Jump
2. Roland Gamez, 44-feet-9.25