Patriots cruise to FRHSD track title

Ryan Spadola's track credentials are well known. To those running credentials, he has added his throwing talent.

ERIC SUCAR staff Manalapan High School's Mike Morris is airborne during the long jump competition at the April 30 Freehold Regional High School District Track and Field Championships at Howell High School. Morris placed fourth in the event. At the Freehold Regional High School District Track and Field Championships held at Howell High School on April 30, Spadola sped to victories in the 200- (22.5) and 400-meter (50.1) dashes, as expected, but he also won the gold medal in the javelin with a personal best throw of 156-10.

"I started throwing it my sophomore year," said Spadola. "My coach told me to give it a try. I was decent at it and kept at it. I knew I had to pick it up this year. I've worked hard on my form and I'm throwing it farther and farther."

On the track, Spadola was running the 200- meter dash for the first time this spring.

It is the type of versatility that was displayed by Spadola that has made the Freehold Township High School boys track and field team such a powerhouse. The Patriots have all the bases covered. They can score in every event in a meet and on April 30 they rolled up an impressive 218 points to retain the district championship. Howell's track and field men scored 115 points to place second at the FRHSD meet.

It was a tour de force for the Patriots, who were dominant throughout the meet, starting with Bob Searby's victory in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles (56.6). He led a 1-2-3 Patriots sweep in the first event of the meet. Searby was second to Spadola in the 400-meter dash as the Patriots placed 1-2-5.

Abe Hamami led all the way in winning the 800 meters (1:57.6), and James Faith used a late kick to win the 1,600-meters run (4:40.2) for the Patriots.

Freehold Township rested Spadola and Searby and still won the 4x400. The team of Hamami, Jeff Kole, Matt Intile and Gregg Tilley scored the win in 3:31.6.

"We have so many guys that can have times that could win, like Matt Intile," said Searby. "Our goal was to win the meet without killing ourselves and we did that."

In the field event, Sean Walsh won the high jump (5-8) and Tyler McKinnon won the triple jump (42-9¾) for Freehold Township.

Howell's Matt Borzomati won a tight 100-meter dash final in 11.3, the same time given to runner-up E.J. Tucker of Marlboro.

Tucker was the defending champion in the 100-meter dash.

Conrad Zwolinski won two events for Howell — the 110-meter hurdles (15.0) and the long jump (20-0). Also winning for Howell was pole vaulter John Klubnick at 11-0.

Manalapan had two winners. Matt Gabor won the 3,200-meter run (10:09.2) and Thomas Buffone won the discus (137- 5).

The shot put crown was won by Colts Neck's Dane Caninco with a toss of 44- 11½.

Spadola was named the meet's most outstanding track athlete. Buffone and Zwolinski were the outstanding weight and field athletes.

The FRHSD meet lost some of its star power with Manalapan's Robby Andrews resting following his 4:06.2 1,600 at the Penn Relays and with Colts Neck's Mark Leininger also resting (he ran a 3,200 on Saturday).

The Monmouth County Track and Field Championships will be held May 7 (4 p.m.) and May 9 (1 p.m.) at Neptune High School.