Mountaineer Boys and Girls Set for Super Essex Meet

What can the West Orange High School boys and girls track team do for an encore? Plenty. The Mountaineers have that kind of talent.

The teams will be in action this afternoon in the Super Essex Conference Championships for Large Schools (American and Liberty Divisions) at Millburn High. Throwing events begin at 3:30 with jumping events to start at 4 and running events at 4:15.

The Mountaineers figure to be in the middle of both team title races if last week's Essex County Relay Championships is any indication. The boys — the defending meet champions — finished third five points behind runner-up St. Benedict's Prep and seven behind first-place Seton Hall Prep at last week's relay meet. The girls also finished third with 62 points – four behind runner-up Livingston and 30 behind perennial champion Columbia.

"It was just a great, great weekend for both teams," said coach Joe Picataggio, who became a grandfather for the second time early Friday. 

The boys won three events – the 4x100-meter relay, the 4x200-meter relay and the 4x400.

The 400 team of junior Dexter Valley, senior Josh McNeil, junior Lance Smith and sophomore Kazari Trought combined to run 42.78. That time set a school record and is currently third best in the state this season. The 4x200 team of Valley, Smith, senior James Cham and Trought ran a 1:29.06, another school record. That time is also third fastest in the state.

The 4x400 team of junior Anfernee LaRue, sophomore Karl Cajuste, Cham and Valley won in 3:21.24. Only Rahway's 3:19.51 is faster for the event this year in the state.

"Our sprint team is amazing," said Mountaineer junior middle distance standout Jared Mason.

Valley ran a 47 split, his fastest ever.

"It was good; I enjoyed it, I was surprised that I ran 47.6 I went down low, so I'm proud myself,  but the goal is to at least get to 46 before the end of the year," said Valley. "I felt it in my legs when I got to straightaway, but I feel like I can do a little better."

Valley was third in the Super Essex Meet 400 last season and anchored the 4x400 team to a title.

He certainly turned it up last week.

Valley ran the 4x100, the sprint medley, the 4x400 and the 4x200. 

The sprint medley team finished second in 3:27.78 behind St. Benedict's Prep and their top 800-meter runner Edward Cheserek's 3:27.58. St. Benedict's and West Orange were both broke the 30-year-old meet record. Valley, Cham, Trought and Mason ran a time that is second in the nation – behind St. Benedict's.

Cheserek, a Kenyan native, ran a 1:50.2 anchor leg.  Mason, who had about a 15-meter lead when he got the baton, said Cheserek was going to need an amazing performance to beat him.

"I thought, 'If I'm going to lose, I'm going to lose with my best time ever'," said Mason, who ran a 1:53 split. "If I lose I'm going to lose with my best time. I think it came down to who wanted it more."

The girls were led by University Alabama-bound senior star Nia Barnes. She turned in season-bests in the javelin (136-3) and shot put (38-0). Barnes and sophomore Illissa Blackshear won the javelin relay in 233-7. The distance broke the seven-year meet record by about 13 feet. Barnes and teammate and senior Sydney Grimes won the shot put with a 64-8.

Barnes won the javelin and finished second in the shot put at last year's Super Essex meet where the Mountaineer s finished third.

Other big Mountaineer performance at the county relays was the second-place junior Kayla Turner, junjior Chantoll Gauntlett, sophomore Christy Gadeau and junior Chantoll Gauntlett delivered in the shuttle hurdles. The team ran 1:05.86 – a school record. Another school record came in the 4x100 where junior Onisha Henry, junior Adrienne Hassell, freshman Alyia  Barnes and Gauntlett was third in 50.7.  The javelin and the combined 14-foot-6 cleared by sophomore Olivia Taylor and sophomore Jessie Nelson were also school records.