Aviators Track, Field Finishes Off 2011 Fine at SMOC

It was a mixed feeling for Hasbrouck Heights senior Pat Cole.

He was looking for a great ending to his career at Hasbrouck Heights in the State Meet of Champions before taking off to the University of Maryland.

The senior thrower grabbed fifth place on Monday in the shot put with a throw of 55-feet-1 to finish off the SMOC after it was postponed last Thursday in Old Bridge.

The fifth place matched his eighth place finish in the discus (168-feet-9) that took place on Thursday. 

For many medaling in two sports is a great achievement, but there was a little bit of disappointment from Cole that he did not finish higher in the standings.

"I knew that my senior year was going to be a tough one especially using a new spin technique," said Cole who was hampered by a groin injury during the season.

While the senior hoped for better than an eighth in the discus, the event this season was 100 percent better than in 2010 where he fouled on all three throws.

In addition to the shot put, both 1,600 relays took place on Monday and also the completion of the triple jump and other field events.

For both Hasbrouck Heights 4-by-400 relay teams, they were satisfied with their results although it was a little off what they had hoped to come up with down in central Jersey.

The delay from not running it on Thursday to taking off four days later might have done something with the mindset of the runners. 

"It is hard to judge because you prepared to run on Thursday," said senior Marissa Romano who ran with fellow eniors Nickie Inglesby, Marissa Romano, Jennifer Nass and freshman Daniella Macera for a time of 4:06.55. "I think we all did an awesome job."

In addition to the 1,600 relay, the girls team has good results from the triple jump where Rayn Moses and Romano came in 12th and 13th in the state at 36-feet-2 and 36-feet-1.5 respectively.

"It feels awesome because I wanted to get back to 36," said Romano who started the season at that number.

The boys relay team of seniors Kevin Cordova, Alex Quinn, Kevin Condal and Kevin Harris were looking to break the school record in the relay, but settled for the best time of the season, 3:22.86.

"We ran our best time so you can't ask anything more of that," said Condal who skipped running the 400 meters to concentrate on the relay. "I just wanted to have my legs fresh for the relay."
   

State Meet of Champions

Boys
1,600 meter relay
16. Hasbrouck Heights, Kevin Cordova, Alex Quinn, Kevin Condal, Kevin Harris, 3:22.86

Pole vault
20. Lucas Sedycias, 13-feet

Triple jump
23. Roland Gamez, 42-feet-6.75

Shot put
5. Patrick Cole, 55-feet-1

Discus
8. Patrick Cole, 168-feet-9
32. Anthony Seidel, 129-feet-3

Javelin
14. Anthony Seidel, 169-feet-6
24. Chris Connors, 158-feet

Girls

1,600 meter relay
26. Hasbrouck Heights, Daniella Macera, Nickie Inglesby, Marissa Romano, Jennifer Nass, 4:06.55

Triple jump
12. Rayn Moses, 36-feet-2
13. Marissa Romano, 36-feet-1.5