Mellana, Handy Score Second at Track and Field Champs

Scotch Plains-Fanwood High senior Frankie Mellana and junior Camille Handy both took second at this weekend's NJSIAA Group III Track and Field Championships. But the way they did it was very different.

While Mellana led the javelin field before a late charge by Demarest's Steven Iafrate, Handy used a dramatic last effort in the triple jump to jump from 15th to 2nd. Both athletes performed well, along with junior long jumper Quentin Blackwell, who was third with a 20-11 distance.

All three will compete in Thursday's Meet of Champions meet at South Plainfield's Jost Field, where the group meet was held Friday and Saturday.

Mellana led the field with a toss of 184-4, but Iafrate won the event on his last throw, beating Mellana by five inches.

"He got me fair and square, but I'll see him next week," said Mellana, who didn't get out of the sectionals last year. "These meets are about getting through, but I like to win, too."

Mellana said he was disappointed he was so far away from his personal best, which is 199-5.

"I hate losing, but he got me fair and square," said Mellana, who won the North 2, Group III title last week. "We'll see what happens Thursday."

Like her teammate, Handy won her specialty at the sectional meet last week. She had a 37-foot distance. Handy went 36-7 this time. She was beaten by Lakewood junior Essence Meyers, who won with a 37-3.

"Her first jump wasn't very good and she was sitting like 15th or 16^th," said Scotch Plains-Fanwood coach Jeff Koegel. "The second jump was pretty good, but she walked the wrong way out of the pit and was called for a foul. But with one jump she made it."

"She was in a high pressure situation and went from 15th to 2nd in one jump,'' he added. "If not, her season would have been over. She was upset that she didn't jump as well as last week, but she's a competitive kid. Hopefully she'll get it together for Thursday. We'll be working on some stuff during the week."

Union Catholic's Allen Eke was second in the Non-Public A 800 with a 1:53.74 clocking, and teammate Jamaad Nash was second in the triple jump. Viking star senior, 600-meter runner D.J. Thornton, was just nipped Friday for first by Christian Brother Academy's Mike Mazzaccaro, who ran a 4:09:53 to beat Thornton's 4:09.63. Thornton and Eke also helped the Vikings' 1,600-meter relay team place fifth in 3:24.65. Freshman Mike DeAngelis led off and junior Evan Gingrich ran the third leg.