Mountaineers Do Well Despite Rough Conditions

It was a terrible day — heavy rain, cold, snapping winds — conditions described simply by West Orange coach Joe Pigatarro as "brutal." But the Mountaineer boys and girls persevered through the brutal weather Saturday to make their mark at the annual Morris Hills Relays, both teams winning the big school division title and placing second overall in girls and boys standings.

The boys placed second with 38 points — winning the 4x100, 4x200 and 4x400 relays and taking a second in the sprint medley. The girls were runners-up with 48 points, winning the 4x200, 4x400, high jump, shot put and discus relays.

Pigatarro, whose team's next big date in the Penn Relays next week, weren't at full strength. The coach rested some of the athletes in the jumping events because of the conditions.

"It was pouring," he said.

Senior Nia Barnes teamed with senior Sydney Grimes and junior Kierra McCall to win the shot put in 100-11 ¾. The discus team of Grimes, sophomore Amanda Marcelin and McCall won in 242-8. Sophomore Chavi St. Hill's personal best 5-foot clearance sparked the victory in the high jump relay with her sister, senior Yori St. Hill and Nia Barnes' freshman sister Aliya won in 14-1. Yuri cleared 4-10 and Barnes 4-3.

Barnes, one of the best in the state in the javelin, led a fourth-place finish in the javelin relay, throwing 118 feet. She was teamed with sophomore Illisa Blackshear and Grimes to throw a combined 245 feet.

The boys loaded up in the sprint medley, which placed second. Junior Dexter Valley opened with a 50.1 for the 400 meter, senior James Cham went 22.8 and sophomore Kazari Trought 22.2 in the 200 and junior Jared Mason finished with a 1:57.7 for the 800. Mason had a 20-meter lead when he got the baton, but he was overtaken by Kenyan Edward Cheserek and St. Benedict Prep student. He ran a blistering 1:51 split to lead his team to a meet record 3:29.88. West Orange ran 3:35.32.

"The kid from St. Benedict is incredible," Pigatarro said.

The boys won the 4x200 with Valley, senior Lance Smith, Cham and Trought running 1:32.88. Smith, running the second leg, went 22.4, while Trought ran the anchor in a blazing 21.9. Sophomore Karl Cajuste, Mason, Cham and Valley won the 4x400 in 3:42.69. Valley, Cham, Smith and Trought won the 4x100 in 44.17.

"It was just about winning the event, the conditions were so poor," Pigatarro said.

West Orange didn't place in any of the hurdle relays, but junior Anfernee LaRue returned after an injury and looked very good in the intermediate hurdles, according to Pigatarro. He ran a 58.99 for the 400 intermediates in his first race since Feb. 12 in the indoor North Jersey, Section 1 Group IV meet.