CHS girls' 4x400 relay is golden at State track Meet of Champions

The Columbia High School girls’ 4x400-meter relay team was victorious in meet-record fashion at the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association indoor track and field Meet of Champions on Feb. 27 last Saturday at the Bennett Center in Toms River.
Freshman Amber Ballew, senior Ty-Vonna Johnson, senior Brittney Jackson and junior Kayann Richards clocked a meet-record 3:53.50. Richards clocked a 55.9 on the anchor leg.
It was also the fourth-fastest time in the nation this season and is ranked 12th on the state’s all-time list. The old mark was 3:55.08 held by Camden in 2009.
CHS bested its school record of 3:54.24 that was set at the Millrose Games trials on Jan. 13 at the 168th St. Armory in New York City.
Last spring, the CHS girls’ team won the 4x400-meter relay at the NJSIAA outdoor Meet of Champions. Kelsey Jackson, who is a senior, joined Johnson, Brittney Jackson and Richards on that unit. Senior Jasmine Carter, Brittney Jackson and Richards also excelled in other events at the MOC on Feb. 27. Carter took second in the 55-meter dash in 7.11. English Gardner of Eastern was first in 7.03. Brittney Jackson placed fourth in the 800-meter run in 2:14.49. Richards took fifth in the 55-meter hurdles in 8.32.
On the boys’ side, CHS senior D.J. Roberts was fifth in the 400-meter run in 50.10.
Hill leads SHP track
Justin Hill, a South Orange resident, led Seton Hall Prep of West Orange this season. Hill, a junior, won the 800-meter run at the county individual meet.

Worrall Community Newspapers

2009-10 All-Area Indoor Track and Field

Boys
55-meters: Rashon Evans, Irvington; Wilvenson Baptiste, Irvington; Jerrick Oliver, Irvington; Eric Bennett, Columbia; Kyle Webster, Seton Hall Prep
200-meters: Rashon Evans, Irvington; Wilvenson Baptiste, Irvington; Kazari Trought, West Orange; Kyle Webster, Seton Hall Prep
400-meters: Floyd Morgan, West Orange; Miles Gray, Glen Ridge; D.J.Roberts, Columbia
800-meters: Justin Hill, Seton Hall Prep; Curtis Richburg, West Orange; Jared Mason, West Orange; Davian Jenerson, East Orange Campus; D.J. Roberts, Columbia; Josh Martin, West Orange;
1,600-meters: Curtis Richburg, West Orange; Jared Mason, West Orange; Brian Basili, Columbia; Davian Jenerson, East Orange Campus; Alec Duncan, Bloomfield
3,200-meters: Curtis Richburg, West Orange; Brian Basili, Columbia; Bryon Cure, Belleville
55-meter hurdles: Rashon Evans, Irvington; Wilvenson Baptiste, Irvington; Gregory Herbert, Irvington; Josh Major, West Orange; Al-Malik Walker, East Orange Campus; Franklin Bellamy, Columbia
Shot put: Roguilky Dormevil, West Orange
4x400-meter relay: Irvington (Rashon Evans, Bernard Bailey, Kevin Gordon, Wilvenson Baptiste); West Orange (Kirby Chery, Dexter Valley, Floyd Morgan, Anfernee Larue)
Girls

55-meters: Jasmine Carter, Columbia; Kayann Richards, Columbia; Sherece Shabazz, Belleville; Amber Ballew, Columbia; Imani Jones, Bloomfield; Nazmia Thomas-Cancel, Irvington
200-meters: Kayann Richards, Columbia; Kelsey Jackson, Columbia; Jasmine Carter, Columbia
400-meters: Nazmia Thomas-Cancel, Irvington; Kelsey Richards, Columbia; Katya Dombrowski, Glen Ridge; Imani Jones, Bloomfield
800-meters: Brittney Jackson, Columbia; Adebunmi Gbadebo, Columbia; Jade Johnson, Columbia; Vanessa Ackon, Belleville
1,600-meters: Brittney Jackson, Columbia; Ty-Vonna Johnson, Columbia
3,200-meters: Adebunmi Gbadebo, Columbia
55-meter hurdles: Kayann Richards, Columbia; DeNeil McLeod, East Orange Campus; Brittany Padmore, Columbia; Brianna Lovell, Irvington; Eleanor Ojinnaka, Irvington; Kayla Turner, West Orange; Demi Bourne, West Orange
High jump: Brianna Lovell, Irvington; Brittney Jackson, Columbia; DeNeil McLeod, East Orange Campus; Megan Koster, Nutley
Shot put: Janaya Lewis, Irvington; Sydney Grimes, West Orange; Kiera Battles, West Orange
4x400-meter relay: Columbia (Amber Ballew, Ty-Vonna Johnson, Brittney Jackson, Kelsey Jackson); East Orange Campus (Isalin Howard, Tiffaine L. Stephens, Nichole Candelaria, DeNeil McLeod)
Boys’ Athletes of the Year - Curtis Richburg, West Orange; Rashon Evans, Irvington
Girls’ Athletes of the Year - Brittney Jackson, Columbia; Kayann Richards, Columbia
Boys’ Coaches of the Year - Joe Picataggio, West Orange; Marvin Hawkins, Irvington
Girls’ Coach of the Year - Lisa Morgan, Columbia
Editor’s note: The All-Area is selected by the Essex County sports staff of Worrall Community Newspapers and consists of schools in the WCN publishing area of Belleville, Bloomfield, East Orange, Glen Ridge, Irvington, Maplewood, Nutley, Orange, South Orange, West Orange and Vailsburg. The athletes chosen also must reside in those municipalities.