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The Early Championship Season starts with the Olympic Conference Championships at Pennsauken (May 13th); and goes through the Burlington County Championships at Maple Shade (May 16th); the Eastern Regional Championships at Willingboro (May 18th); the Indian Frosh Frolic at Pennsauken (May 19th); and the Throwers Meet at Bishop Eustace and the Haddonfield Distance Night (both on May 20th). GO CHEROKEE!
Olympic Conference Championship
On May 13, 2009, the team competed in the Olympic Conference Championships on the wind-swept track and fields of Pennsauken High School. Justin Turner won the American Division high jump and finished 2nd overall, clearing 6' 4", while Ed Kramer cleared 6' 2" to place 5th. Will Rapp finished 2nd in the 100m Dash with Jon Scott taking the 5th place medal. Scott also finished 5th in the 200m Dash. And Major Mobley picked up a 3rd place finish in the 110m HH event.
In the distance events, Kyle Miller ran his fastest race of the year to finish 3rd in the 3200 Meter Run; Chris Applegate took 5th in the 1600m Run with his first sub-4:30 clocking; and Steve Burkholder took 5th in the 800m Run. Finally, in the throwing events, Dom Roskoski took 5th in the Discus, and Justin Nykiel took 6th in the Javelin.
Burlington County Championship
On May 16, 2009, Cherokee won its second consecutive Burlington County Championship at Maple Shade High School! Competing against all of the teams in the county, the Chiefs finished with 73.5 points to outscore second-place Cinnaminson High School who finished with 65.
The team was led by senior sprinter, Will Rapp, who won the 200m Dash, took second in the 100m Dash, and then ran a leg on the third place 4 X 400m Relay! Justin Turner again matched his school-record 6' 8" in the high jump to finish second, and put him at the number two spot on the state's performance list! Major Mobley finished third in the 110HH and came through with his best triple jump of the year to score in that event as well!
The distance trio of Steve Burkholder, Chris Applegate and Kyle Miller all set personal bests and finished second, third and sixth in the 1600m, picking up much-needed points near the end of the meet when the final outcome still uncertain. Senior Matt Maze then clinched the victory in the meet's last event, the pole vault, taking second place and setting a new PR of 13'!
Others contributing to the victory were Mike Palmieri, who took fourth in the 400IH, and then ran a leg of the 4 X 400m Relay; Mike Brocco, who was fifth in the 110HH and sixth in the 400IH; AJ Valentine, who took fifth in the 800m Run and also ran a leg of the 4 X 400m Relay; Ed Kramer, who took fifth in the High Jump; Jon Scott, who took sixth in the 100m Dash; and Josh Ungerleider who anchored the 4 X 400m Relay with Valentine, Rapp and Palmieri.
Results at: NJ Runners at Mile Split, or Dyestat.
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New Jersey East Coast Relays
On May 18, 2009, several members of the Sprint and Jump squads traveled to Morristown High School for the New Jersey East Coast Relays, the last of the season's major relay events and one of the most competitive meets of the year! The team highlight of the evening was a 1st place High Jump Relay performance by Justin Turner and Ed Kramer, who combined to jump 12' 8", four inches over their nearest competitors! Other highlights included the 12th place 4 X 400m Relays team of Jon Scott, Josh Ungerleider, and brothers Brandon Rapp and Will Rapp, where Freshman Brandon ran an impressive 23.3 on his leg of the event! And, the 13th place 4 X 100m Relay team of Jon Scott, Chris Jackson, Brandon Rapp and Will Rapp, which ran a solid 44.32 and finished 13th. Details at: Mile Split, NJRunner; or Dyestat.
A few pictures from Pat Montferrat to follow.
Frosh Finale
On May 19, 2009, many Freshmen -- a bunch missed the bus because of an evacuation drill! -- traveled to Pennsauken High School for the Frosh Finale, the last opportunity for many Freshmen to compete this season! There are no published results but details are drifting in and more will be mentioned soon! However, Brandon Rapp took an impressive 2nd in the 200m Dash; Andrew Webb took 4th in the Triple Jump; and Barry Fitzgerald took 5th in the 400 IH and 6th in the 800m Run! In addition, the 4 X 400m Relay team of Ross Staudt, Brandon Rapp, Mike Ryan and Andrew Webb ran a decent 3:43.
Haddonfield Distance Night
On the evening of May 19, 2009, the distance squad bussed to Haddonfield High School for one of the highlights of the season, the Haddonfield Distance Night, a meet devoted to distance racing, and one used by all to (1) prep for the up-coming Sectional Championships, or (2) have one last chance at a Personal Record!
The meet began well for Cherokee when Steve Burkholder set a PR in the 800m Run (1:58.95), taking 2nd overall; Chris Applegate set his own season PR for 6th; and Kyle Muench PR'd for 11th in the field of 33! In the Frosh 800m Run, Mike Lowinger took 2nd place, equaling his PR with a negative split!
In the 1600m Run, Sean Hartnett took 2nd, Marc Saccomanno took 3rd, Kyle Smith took 6th, and Frankie Devine took 9th . . . all while setting PR's in the event! In addition, all of the following PR'd in the race: Adam Henriksen, Billy Hornung, Ty Somers, Andrew Wenzel, Mike Cascio, Ryan Merrigan, Louis DiGeambeardino and Jesse Rosenberg! Yikes!
In the Frosh 1600m, with Billy Hornung running with the upperclassmen, Matt Venanzi won the race with a new PR, and Jeremy Morgan and Matt Adams followed him with their own PR's!
Finally, in the 3200m Run, Ryan McNair won with a big negative split and a new PR! In addition, Matt McCarroll finished 4th with a new PR, and PRs were also set by Greg Malloy, Josh Perez and Ryan Bobb. Wow!
The meet was, then, just as advertised: a great opportunity for athletes who are competing in the upcoming State Sectional Championships to "sharpen" for their events; and for those not competing in Sectionals to run one final race and set a "Personal Record" to carry with them as their season ends! GO CHEROKEE!
Results at: Mile Split NJ.
Sports photography by amateurs is always "hit or miss" but in a dark stadium it is mostly "miss!" For example:
Eustace Throws Meet
On May 20, 2009, the day after the Freshmen and the Distance Squad had their "last chances" to set a season Personal Record, the Throws group of Shot Putters, and Discus and Javelin Throwers had their "last chance" at the Bishop Eustace Throws Meet on their campus in Pennsauken. Details are s-l-o-w to arrive but here are some pictures from the meet while we wait!
