5 Hopatcong Track Athletes Ready for Championships

WHO seniors Joey Prestifilippo, AJ Cook and John Ferguson, junior Aric Webster and sophomore Dylan Capwell.

WHAT
The four Chiefs qualified for the state group championships.

WHERE
At Old Bridge High School.

WHEN
Friday and Saturday.

WHY
Prestifilippo, one of the state's top distance runners, qualified in the 1,600-meter and 3,200-meter runs. Last year, Prestifilippo advanced to the Meet of Champions after posting a career-best 9:47 in the 3,200. The Lehigh University-bound runner hopes to reach the state's most prestigious meet in both events this time around.

Ferguson qualified in the long jump. His 19-0 1/2 leap landed him sixth overall in North 1, Group 1. "He has the capabilities" to reach the Meet of Champions, head coach Mike Juskus said. "But we'll see what happens."

Cook has been a discus stalwart through most of his high school career. But he's on the rebound. Cook threw a 138-2 in sectionals last week, far below his career-best 154 feet. "He'll be all right," Juskus said. "He'll come back and he'll medal in groups. If things work out, I think we will get three kids to the Meet of Champs.

Webster qualified in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes. The junior zipped to a third-place, 11.35 finish in the 100 and a bronze-grabbing, 23.28 finish in the 200, just behind two Hasbrouck Heights stars.

Capwell's the youngster of the group, but his skills would argue that. The sophomore "is a multitalented kid. He's all over the place," Juskus said. Capwell qualified for groups in the 400-meter hurdles, owning the competition with a first-place, 57.04 finish. He also qualified in the 800-meter run with a second-place, 1:57.87 mark in sectionals. And while Capwell also met the standard in the 1,600, he'll skip the event.

WHAT ELSE
Hopatcong went 6-0 en route to a Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference Freedom Division crown this spring. The Chiefs are 13-0 over the last two years. "I see us with continued growth," Juskus said. "There's no doubt I lose a big contingent of strong, dedicated athletes (to graduation in June). This senior group is graduating 28-6 over their last four years."