Boys track: Toms River North cements status as NJ's best team with first Group 4 title
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FRANKLIN -- The Toms River North boys track team added to an already sensational season with an NJSIAA Group 4 team title, making school history.
"Feels amazing, first to do it in school history," said senior Camryn Thomas. "And to be able to do it with my boys that I ran with throughout all high school has been amazing."
The Mariners haven't lost a meet all spring, and had no plans on changing that Saturday at Franklin High School at the state group championships. They finished the day with a total of 90.5 points; North Brunswick was next in second place with 59. The group title was the only crown that eluded them last spring, when their buildup as a statewide powerhouse began.
"Just shows our ability, just shows that we can do more. Shows that we're literally unstoppable," said senior Mamadi Diawara. "It feels very rewarding. It showed that practice paid off which has really made a difference in how we trained and things we need to do better."
Diawara was dominant, matching the Ocean County record while winning the 110-meter hurdles in 13.84 seconds. He also placed second in the 400 hurdles in 52.34. Thomas, who will be joining him in Rider University's program next year, was just as good, winning the 400 hurdles (52.08) and placing third in the 110 hurdles (14.13) and fourth in the long jump (21-11).
Though the Mariners' overall win was already solidified, they finished strong in the last race of the day. They came in first in the 4x400 relay, a race they lost here last year, with a blistering time of 3:13.69. The Mariners took the lead from the jump with Mordecai Ford (49.66 leadoff split), Thomas (48.23), Taysaun Wilson (49.98), and Diawara (46.83) carrying the baton. Wilson also had won the 800 gold in 1:53.50.
"I think it was good honestly; I think everybody ran what they needed to run," Ford said. "But on my end, I think I could've ran a little bit better. I'm not disappointed in myself, because I finished the race God bless, I just think I got to get my hamstring healed up and get into another one."
Ford had good reason to be tired. He also contributed third-place points in both the 400 hurdles (53.37) and high jump (6-4)
"What keeps us going really is we always want to bring it back to the Shore. We know other teams would do that for us," Ford continued.
The Mariners also finished second place in the 4x800 relay with a time of 7:56.23. Westfield came in first place.
Earlier this month, the Mariners broke a national record in the shuttle hurdles relay with a time of 55.93. Now they were able to get the first outdoor track group team title in school history. After the final race, instead of showing excitement for another historic moment, they were looking toward another opportunity at Wednesday's NJSIAA Meet of Champions.
"It feels good to get the first team title and show people what we can do," Wilson said. "We have a high standards for ourselves, around 3:13 just very normal for us and we can do better next week at MOC's."
Manalapan golden in the boys, girls 1600
Also on the boys side for the Shore Conference, Manalapan's Clay Stevens finished first place in the Group 4 1600 with a time of 4:14.46. On the girls side, Manalapan's Jessica Abbott finished first place in the Group 4 1600 with a time of 4:55.94.
"I know my first two years I had really good competition (at this meet), so I knew coming into this I had to be confident and try to get out and pace myself, run my race, and stay in control," said Abbott, who also finished second in the 800 in a time of 2:12.
In the Group 4 girls high jump, Toms River North's May Hanlon, a Monmouth University-bound senior, finished first and continued her in-state unbeaten streak with a height of 5-6.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Boys track: Toms River North, NJ's best team, wins first Group 4 title
