Valley, Barnes are Double Winners at Super Essex Conference Meet

West Orange junior sprinter Dexter Valley won 200-meter and 400-meter and anchored the first-place 4x400 relay team at the Super Essex American Division championships, but Valley is looking for much more.

His contributions were one of the reasons the Mountaineers placed second with 110 points behind champion Seton Hall Prep's 132. The girls were also second behind perennial champion Columbia. The Mountaineers scored 124 points with senior Nia Barnes winning two events. The girls were 35 points behind Columbia.

Valley won the 200 in 22.38, the 400 in 49.02 and anchored the 4x400 team to a three-second victory over East Orange. The Mountaineers' team of junior Anfernee LaRue, sophomore Karl Cajuste, senior James Cham and Valley ran 3:22.880.

Valley was also second to Montclair's Aaron Rhodes in the 100-meter dash. He won the 200 in 22.38 and ran 49.02 in the 400 at Millburn High.

"I thought I could have gone out a little harder (in the 400); I kind of stumbled out of the blocks. I'm trying to get into the 48s. I'm this close,' said Valley. "The 200 was a good race. I could have gone harder there too."

Valley hopes the 4x400 team can get below 3:20. "I'd like to see us go 3:18, 3:19," he said. "We have to focus. We have heart to do it."

The boys placed in 13 of the 16 events.

Senior Josh McNeil won the triple jump with a 42-10 distance. He was also fifth in the 110 meter hurdles.

Junior Jared Mason was second in the 800 and fourth in the 1,600. LaRue was second in the 400-meter hurdles and senior Anthony Sugaste was second in the javelin. Mason was battling a virus all week.

The girls placed in 11 of 16 events. Senior star Nia Barnes won the javelin in 139-2 and the shot put with a 36-8 1/2 toss. Senior Sydney Grimes was second with a 34-9 1/2 toss and junior Kiera McCall was fourth.

Grimes also won the discus with a 100-2 effort.

Nia Barnes' freshman sister, Alyia, took first in the 100-meter hurdles with a 15.28 time. Senior Yori St. Hill won the high jump, clearing 5-foot and sophomore teammate Chavi St. Hill was second with the same height.

"My goal is to win the county meet (next week), the sectionals, group and Meet of Champions,'' Nia Barnes said. "The most important thing (in the javelin) is that I've been in the 130s. I want to be consistent in the 130s.''