South Brunswick Girls Track gets Running Start

The South Brunswick High School girls track team showed off a lot of talent and depth during the winter season. As good as the girls were, however, the best is probably still to come.

"The girls team is coming off a great winter season and we hope to carry that momentum into the spring," South Brunswick Coach Stefan Moorhead said.

Because of some of the restrictions of competing inside, not all of the track events are competed on a consistent basis. That included Mariah Browne not being able to compete in the long jump in most meets. That's a shame because Browne is the defending state champ in that event.

While on her way to a state championship last season, Browne had a personal best of 19' 5 1/4". That happens to be the eighth best jump in New Jersey high school history.

Browne did get a chance to compete in both the long jump and triple jump at the New Balance Nationals last week. She was joined at that event by an All-American sprint medley team of Rachel Johnson, Janae Baker, Alicia Osley and Cayla Del Piano. Joy Spriggs also figured into the mix on a pair of very successful relay teams that made it all the way to the Nationals.

Baker (sprints and hurdles), Browne (sprints and jumps), Johnson (sprints and hurdles) and Spriggs (mid-distance) are seniors. Del Piano (distance) and Osley (sprints) are juniors.

Fortunately for South Brunswick, it's not just a team that is top heavy with stars. According to Moorhead, South Brunswick has over 100 girls on its team.

"We had a great turnout," Moorhead noted. "The girls are excited for the season."

Moorhead is counting on great results from his seniors. In addition to those mentioned, Amber Brown (throws), Lauren Calderone (mid-distance/hurdles), Chloe Hall (throws), Becky Himmel (distance), Jen O'Laughlin (hurdles/jumps), Brooke Sassman (jumps) and Kiya Strickland (throws) are other seniors that should make a big impact.

In addition to Osley and Del Piano, Savannah Barton (hurdles/jumps), Julia Bossert (distance), Lindsay Carbone (jumps), Melanie Huen (distance) and Alyssa McFarlane (throws) are juniors that should be a factor to South Brunswick keeping its long line of success going.

"As the five-time defending GMC champions in the spring -- and winner of the last two sectional meets -- we definitely have a target on our backs," Moorhead said. "However, we do have a strong senior class, plus some other strong returners, who are capable of leading us to those titles again."

The underclassmen are already starting to get noticed as well. Moorhead is already expecting great seasons from sophomores Jenna Boyle (distance), Lindsay Del Piano (distance), Danielle Padovano (throws) and Jenna Thompson (sprints).

"The pre-season has been going well so far," Moorhead noted. "The competition will obviously be tough, so the girls will have to work hard throughout the season and improve each week to be ready for the championship meets at the end of the season."

As the South Brunswick girls proved last year and this past winter season, they have that type of talent.