Strong in sprints, weights, jumps and distance events
ATLANTIC CITY — The Ocean City High School boys track team is balanced this year with strengths from sprints to distance to jumps to weights. That has helped it remain undefeated so far this season, with the only blemish a tie with Mainland Regional.
The 4-0-1 Red Raiders finished their April 2 meet with the Mustangs with a 70-70 score, with Ocean City dominating in the distance events and Mainland doing better in the shorter races. The teams split in some of the field events.
In the same double-dual meet, the Raiders also beat Hammonton 95-44. Ocean City also won 96-44 against Egg Harbor Township and most recently beat Atlantic City last week 107-32.
Against the Vikings on April 15, the distance runners held sway with Kal Heyman (2:36.6) and Mike Romano finishing 1-2 in the 800 meters, Erik Preisner (4:54) and Nate Aschmann going 1-2 in the 1600 meters and Ethan Buck (10:45.8) and Zach Hutchinson first and third in the 3200 meters.
“We have a big chunk of our varsity lineup from cross country back for spring track, and a few bumps with injuries and illness over the last few months,” head coach Matt Purdue said about his distance runners. “We’re still trying to reach our stride. They got second place in the cross country state meet (in the fall), so I think they have that experience of competitive racing under their belt and hopefully translate that onto the track this spring.”
Among the sprinters, Jude Govern had a big day, winning the 100 meter race in 11.5 seconds, the 200 meters in 23.4 seconds and the 400 meters — in which he used a big kick in the final stretch — in 54.9 seconds.
“He won the triple crown in our dual meet against Atlantic City,” Purdue said of Govern. “He’s a lot more confident this year as a junior and has had a couple of really good dual meets.
“One of the nice things about this group of athletes is they’re competitive. We didn’t know what to expect at the beginning of the season, but they have been ready to compete and give it their best effort in each event,” Purdue said.
Ryan Davis won the 110 high hurdles in 14.9 seconds with teammate Connor Berich third. Davis was second in the 400 hurdles with his time of 63.6 seconds.
J.P. Forster was a double winner, taking the long jump with a leap of 20’.5” and the triple jump with a distance of 38’6.75”. Forster was second in the high jump, clearing the bar at 5’6”. He also was third in the 100 meters.
Forster, the coach said, “is one of our really clutch guys. He’s always running from place to place, but he’s become our top long jumper, triple jumper and high jumper and usually runs the 100 meters as one of our top sprinters as well.”
Against the Vikings, the Red Raiders swept the other field and weight events. Purdue said that is helping balance out his Red Raider team.
Grady Hanson won the shot put with a distance of 46’7.75”, followed by teammates Luke Smith and Clifford Dirkes in second and third.
Anthony Gasparovic won the discus at 138’6” with Smith and Dirkes second and third again.
Dale Curtis was the winner in the javelin, throwing for 144’9 with teammates Gavin Taylor and Garrett Sampson second and third.
Caleb Aristizabal cleared 9’ to win the pole vault with Raiders Nolan Servis and Logan Steigerwalt second and third.
Ocean City also won the 4×400 relay with Davis, Lukas Tuthill, Troy Amstutz and Curtis in a time of 3:51.3.
“One of the highlights this season is that we have a good group of senior throwers,” the coach said. “They actually scored a sweep of the three throwing events against Atlantic City.”
Purdue credited volunteer coaches for their support of the team in the field and throwing events.
“Not many teams in this day and age have three guys over 140 feet in the javelin or three guys over 130 in the discus or three guys over 40 feet in the shot,” he said.
“I think the strength of our team as a dual meet team is that we’re well balanced between the sprints, the jumps, the throws and the distance.”
Woodbury Relays
The Red Raider distance medley relay team was second to Winslow Township High School at the Woodbury Relays over the weekend, finishing with a time of 10:46.51.
Buck ran the 1200-meter leg in a personal-best time, Curtis the 400, Heyman the 800 and Preisner the 1600.
“We obviously go in hoping to win first, but Winslow really ran a tremendous race. Our guys ran well; we were just a little short at the end,” Purdue said.
Compacted season
The Red Raiders can finish their dual meet season undefeated with a win over Cedar Creek on April 28. That is followed by the South Jersey Invitational on May 1 and then the championship meet season begins.
The Cape May County Championship is Monday, May 5, at OCHS. The following Saturday, May 10, is the Cape-Atlantic League Track and Field Championship at Buena Regional High School. May 16-17 is the sectional meet followed by the state group meet May 30, both at Delsea Regional High School. The Meet of Champions is June 4 at Pennsauken High School.
– STORY and PHOTOS by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
