Livingston got lucky when the New Balance National Championship meet ran behind schedule last Friday, allowing the distance medley relay team to make it on time after being stuck in traffic crossing the George Washington Bridge into New York.
But a few minutes into the race at the New Balance Track and Field Center, the Lancers’ luck ran out when misfortune struck as leadoff man Nick Fogarty dropped the baton on the 1,200 leg.
The rest of the race didn’t get much better for the Lancers, who wound up finishing 26th in its final meet of the season in 10:39.43, well off the 10:16.04 that it ran on March 1.
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But Livingston’s season should not be remembered for how it ended, but rather for the amazing journey it took. Livingston put itself on the state and national map with arguably its greatest campaign ever.
Under coach Dave Czeizinger, Livingston finished second at the North Jersey, Section 1, Group 4 Championships, its highest finish ever, took third at the state Group 4 Relays, and it distance medley relay team was among the best in the country.
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The foursome of junior Nick Fogarty, senior Tyler DaSilva, senior Dave Coleman and senior Jeramy Elkaim combined to win the DM at the state Group 4 Relays in meet record 10:23.96, and then ran 10:16.04 to finish second at the Eastern States Championships.
Livingston’s 10:16.04 at Easterns was the No. 6 time in the nation this season, No. 14 in state history, and it clinched a berth in next month’s Penn Relays in Philadelphia . It will be the first appearance for the Lancers in the prestigious DM at the Penn Relays, the biggest relay carnival in the world.
The outdoor season opens in a couple weeks, so keep an eye on the Lancers this spring. They should continue to burn up the track.
FENCING
Ray Cai, Kelly Ng and Daniel Tracey posted solid finishes at the NJSIAA/Bollinger individual championships of fencing on Sunday at Montgomery High School in Skillman.
Cai, considered a contender for the sabre crown, ended up in sixth of 22 fencers. The senior finished 3-5 in the final pool, losing three bouts by a 5-4 margin. Cai was 6-3 in the opening pools in earning his way into the top eight. Cai’s sophomore brother, Jason, finished 12th in sabre.
Tracey, a junior, took seventh in foil, posting three victories in the tough final pool. He was 6-2 in earlier pools to make into the finals.
Ng posted two victories in the final pool to take eighth in foil. Ng snuck her way into the top eight on indicators.
The event was the last of the fencing season.
