Elkaim Breaks State Record in 3,200

SOUTH PLAINFIELD - Livingston junior Jeramy Elkaim was stunned as he stood on the infield of South Plainfield High School's Frank R. Jost Field on Thursday night.

The Lancer distance runner knew that he won the State Meet of Champions race in 3,200 meter category, but he did not know that he had just broken the state record held by Craig Forys of Colts Neck.

Elkaim smashed the record by more than 10 seconds, finishing at 8:46.08, compared to Forys' mark of 8:56.14, which was also set at a State Meet of Champions almost two years ago.

"To break a state record in general is insane, but to break Craig Forys' record, who is considered to be one of the best runners in state history, is very, very huge," said Elkaim.

Most of the Livingston and Newark Academy runners didn't place as high, but it was still an honor for them to be there. The Lady Lancers 3200 relay team (Megan Kelly, Shannon Kelly, Hallie Farber, Colissa Cusi, 9:50.94) finished 12th after being seeded 16th and the Livingston boys' relay team (Elkaim, Eric Sugarman, David Coleman, Nick Fogarty, 8:41.60) came in 16th.

In terms of the Minutemen, they did not finish with a high placing, but head coach Jonathan Olesky could not have been happier that they had six athletes at the State Meet of  Champions.

"The most that we have had here in the last 18 years was two athletes," said Olesky. "We're really happy that we have six here and had a good showing."

Newark Academy's top finisher was junior Jordon Jett, who finished 11th in the long jump with a leap of 21-08.50 and was .25 from 10th place.

Olesky will have returning athletes back next season including Jett and also junior Michael Colizza, who finished 38th place in the discus (114-08), The lone Lady Minutemen at the SMOC, junior Nyasia Jones, will be back next season after she finished 31st in the long jump, at 14-feet-6.

But the day belonged to Elkaim.

The Lancer runner started out first in the first couple of laps, but then moved back and let Mike Mazzaccaro of Christian Brothers Academy and Joe Rosa of West Windsor Place North set the pace for the next several laps.

But on the last lap, with about 300 meters remaining, Elkaim turned on the speed and ran by Rosa and kept going.

"I was just waiting until it felt good," said Elkaim. "I did not know when it was going to happen. I had everybody telling me go with 300  and he won't catch you. I didn't know if I could hold him off. I thought I might have made the move too early."

Livingston co-coach Dave Czeizinger said that they had a few options for the 3200.

"We had three or four different options depending on how the race would go," said Czeizinger, who is co-coach with Keith Chaudruc. "It was between A and B. It kind of went the way we wanted it. It depended how fast the first mile and who was there. There were so many variables."

For Czeizinger and Chaudruc, they felt that their junior was at the right spot half-way through the race.

"At the first mile he was where he was supposed to be," said Czeizinger. "It went like we were hoping it would go."

For Elkaim, the next stop is the Nationals in North Carolina next weekend. And for Czeizinger and Chaudruc, they are just glad to have Elkaim back for one more year.

State Meet of Champions

Boys
3200 meter
1. Jeramy Elkaim, Livingston, 8:46.08
Long jump
11. Jordon Jett, Newark Academy, 21-08.50
100 meter
31.Jordon Jett, Newark Academy, 11.66  
1600 meter relay
33. Newark Academy, Nat Sheppard, Charles Dudley, Brian Knierim and Jordon Jett, 3:36.98
3200 meter relay
16. Livingston, Jeramy Elkaim, Eric Sugarman, David Coleman, Nick Fogarty, 8:41.60
110 meter hurdles
35. Nat Sheppard, Newark Academy,      17.24  
Discus
38. Michael Colizza, Newark Academy, 114-08

Girls
3200 relay
12. Livingston, Megan Kelly, Shannon Kelly, Hallie Farber, Colissa Cusi, 9:50.94                                      
Long jump
31. Nyasia Jones, Newark Academy, 14-feet-6