After a sensational indoor season, there’s plenty of optimism and excitement around the Livingston track as a big spring campaign appears to be on the horizon.
The Lancers are poised to open the spring season next Monday with a dual meet against Nutley. Its first major invitational will be on April 9 at the Eighth Dodgertown Relays in Madison.
The boy’s team, coached by Bill Ehrlich, is coming off arguably its greatest indoor season in school history.
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During the winter, the Lancers 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 was one of the nation’s best distance medley relay teams.
Livingston’s 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 a meet record 10:23.96 and ran 10:16.04 to finish second at the Eastern States Championships. The latter time was No. 7 in the nation at the time and No. 14 in state history. It clinched a berth in next month’s prestigious Penn Relays in Philadelphia for the first time ever.
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"We have some outstanding individual performers and in certain events we will be very strong, but we need younger athletes to step up and fill some spots for us to be a competitive team,’’ said Ehrlich, in his 26th year at the helm for the Lancers.
"We also want to build a sense of team, so we put a lot of effort into relay meets, and try to peak for the Essex County relays, which we host," he said. "Last year, 14 relay teams had their season best performance on that day. We would like to repeat that this year.’’
The leader of the team is Elkaim, an All-American. The Oregon-bound runner won the 3,200-meter run at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions last year in a meet record 8:46.08 and will anchor Livingston ’s DM.
Elkaim has a strong supporting cast, featuring Coleman, a senior, juniors Fogarty, Kieran Tonero and Zach Brower, senior vaulters Andy Jung and Mike Lazar, hurdlers/jumpers German Valdez, Chris Bargoud, Shane Molzer, Tavis London, Dan Chi and Vincent Qi, and throwers Meldrick Umahon, Josh Wang, Pat Bargoud, Mike Russo, and freshmen Ethan Ehrlich and David Anderson.
The Livingston girls, coached by Keith Chaudruc, are also anticipating a strong outdoor season.
"The Lancers outlook seems very positive for the season with the team covering all events on the track and in the field competitively,’’ said Chaudruc, in his 15th year in the Livingston track program and 10th year as head girls coach.
Chaudruc feels the goals for his team are very reachable.
"We want to continue the tradition of being very successful on the conference, county and state level,’’ said Chaudruc. "As a program, we take great pride in hosting the Essex County Relays and always look toward that meet as one of the biggest meets of the season.’’
Chaudruc has a very deep roster, which is led by versatile senior captain Megan Kelly, who has high jumped 4-10, long jumped 16-7, run 67 in the 400 hurdles, 2:23 in the 800 and 61 in the 400.
The distance crew will be anchored by juniors Shannon Kelly and Eloissa Cusi. Kelly owns the school record in the 3,200 (11:26.2) and Cusi has run 2:22 for 800.
In the sprints and hurdles, Livingston will benefit from the efforts of Taylor Rosenblum, who posted the second fastest time in Lancer history indoors in the 55 dash. She’ll be joined by Ilana Bier, Abbey Eglow, Charlene Francois, and Eeshin Chang.
Livingston is also expecting contributions from multiple-event performers Ellika Salari, Elizabeth Yap, Taylor Everett, Morgan Collins, Andrea Perkins, Lucy Zhou, Sayer Collins, Dana Levanback and Brooke Moskowitz.
In the field, the throws will be led by senior Michelle Lee, the top shot putter and discus thrower who has also thrown the javelin 102 feet. Senior Shoshanna Mahon returns after an outstanding junior campaign that saw her consistently go beyond 110 feet.
In the jumping events, Nancy Yang (LJ/TJ/HJ) will team with Kelly to give the Lancers a solid 1-2 punch.
The pole vault features sophomore Jen Berger, the indoor Super Essex Conference Champion, Alex Vecchio, Tess Ehrlich, Joy Horng and Jen Su. Many of the vaulters will also be busy in the sprints, hurdles and jumps.
