By Katie DeMasi
The Westfield boys track and field team took third place at the Union County Indoor Relay Championships in Jersey City on Dec. 6. The team managed to place in the top six in every one of its events, aiding their 37 point score. However, Union Catholic High School took home first with 62 points.
Westfield finished first in the 4x800m relay and the high jump events. The relay team of juniors Dan Luzzi and Sam Eliades, and Tri-Captains Thomas Edwards and John Kirna crossed the finish line at 8:30.57, beating Cranford, who finished second in the race, by 12 seconds.Kirna said: “My teammates and I went into the race wanting to win…. Our first man [Luzzi] was able to break away from the pack and give us a lead. We each ran very well and were happy with our performances.”
Senior Mike DePaolo jumped into first place at 6’02” and senior Declan Fitzmaurice took sixth with 5’08”. In the high jump relay, Westfield placed first with a combined score of 11’10”. According to DePaolo, the competition in Union county is tough. DePaolo said: “The competition keeps me motivated to do better. I’m satisfied with getting 6’02” because it matches my personal best, but I’m sure I can do better.”
In the 400m distance medley, the team of sophomore Matt Luppino, junior Kevin Smith and seniors Jason Isbit and Jack Leahy took second place at 10:58.33.
The 1600m sprint medley team of seniors Jake Vergara, Kyle Star, Kevin Ingram and Tri-Captain Rob Ciardullo placed third with a time of 3:42.03, which according to Ciardullo qualifies as a “National Elite” level time.
Ciardullo, Star, Fitzmaurice and junior Bjorn Charlery took fifth place in the 4x200m relay with a time of 1:37.45.
To finish the scoring, WHS ran the 4x400m relay. The team of Vergara, Smith, Kirna and Ingram placed sixth with a time of 3:39.85.
The team will be competing in the Group IV State Relays, today in Toms River.
Luzzi said: “We have great coaches, we trust our training and more importantly we trust each other…. The day of the meet, we all ran great but we know we all could have done a lot better…. I think in the upcoming meets with the right training and right mentality our times will only continue to improve.”
Senior Mike DePaolo jumped into first place at 6’02” and senior Declan Fitzmaurice took sixth with 5’08”. In the high jump relay, Westfield placed first with a combined score of 11’10”. According to DePaolo, the competition in Union county is tough. DePaolo said: “The competition keeps me motivated to do better. I’m satisfied with getting 6’02” because it matches my personal best, but I’m sure I can do better.”
In the 400m distance medley, the team of sophomore Matt Luppino, junior Kevin Smith and seniors Jason Isbit and Jack Leahy took second place at 10:58.33.
The 1600m sprint medley team of seniors Jake Vergara, Kyle Star, Kevin Ingram and Tri-Captain Rob Ciardullo placed third with a time of 3:42.03, which according to Ciardullo qualifies as a “National Elite” level time.
Ciardullo, Star, Fitzmaurice and junior Bjorn Charlery took fifth place in the 4x200m relay with a time of 1:37.45.
To finish the scoring, WHS ran the 4x400m relay. The team of Vergara, Smith, Kirna and Ingram placed sixth with a time of 3:39.85.
The team will be competing in the Group IV State Relays, today in Toms River.
Luzzi said: “We have great coaches, we trust our training and more importantly we trust each other…. The day of the meet, we all ran great but we know we all could have done a lot better…. I think in the upcoming meets with the right training and right mentality our times will only continue to improve.”