NEW JERSEY MEET OF CHAMPIONS

Micah Lawson Completes MOC Trifecta, Adding 1,600m To XC and Indoor Titles

By Mary Albl of DyeStat 

The NJSIAA Meet of Champions at Franklin High (Somerset, N.J.) capped off a long but memorable high school season for many prep track and field athletes.

Micah Lawson of Rahway closed his season with an emphatic victory in the boys 1,600 meters, winning by more than six seconds in a PR time of 4:12.01. Lawson also won the MOC title in cross country last fall and the MOC indoor 1,600. 

One of the top javelin throwers in the country, Millville’s Leah Howard won the MOC title with a throw of 159-feet, 4 inches. Howard, who will attend Texas Tech in the fall, didn’t lose a single in-state meet this outdoor season and leaves as the No. 3 javelin thrower in NJ history. 

Also in the field, Emma Keating of Pompton won the girls pole vault for the second straight year, clearing 13-feet.

Old Tappan junior Layla Giordano, who won the Group 3 discus title last week, added the MOC title with a throw of 159-7 and claimed the shot put crown with a throw of 44-3.25. 

On the track, Montgomery junior Julia Scrudato ran a person best at the right time, finishing in 4:45.76 to win the 1,600 title, the top time in NJ this spring. She edged out Emma Zawatski of Freehold (4:48.13). 

Timber Creek’s Naylah Jones won her first MOC title in the 100 (11.73) and was on the winning 4x400 (3:46.38) and 4x100 (46.89) relays. 

Freshman Sianni Wynn of Pennsauken claimed the 400 (54.56). 

On the boys side, sprinter Jack Ahart ended his high school season on a fast note, winning the 400 MOC title in a personal best time of 47.19. Ahart won the 100, 200 and 400 sectional and Group 1 titles earlier this month. 

In the hurdles, standout Nathaniel Rayan of Scotch Plains-Fanwood clocked a meet record of 13.42 in the 110 hurdles in the prelims, US#6. He went on to win the MOC title in 13.48. 

Bryce Tucker from Pennsauken won the boys 400-meter hurdles in 50.96 seconds. 

On the field, one of the top throwers in the country, Fabian Gonzalez of Southern, won the discus title with a mark of 193-7. He is US#5 with a best mark of 203-2. He finished second in the shot put (63-11) and is US#9 in the country (65-9). 

Sophomore Benjamin Shue of Bergen Catholic finished second to Gonzalez in the discus (190-7) and was third in the shot put (61-6.75).

George Kalkanis of Mahwah won the MOC title in the boys javelin with 205-9, edging out Kevin Burr of Rancocas Valley (204-2).  

Group Championships, Saturday, June 10 

Group 1:  Woodbury boys 71 points; Hasbrouck Heights girls, 77.40 points - RESULTS

Group 2: Demarest boys 63 points; Willingboro girls 72 points - RESULTS

Group 3: Deptford and Chatham boys 43 points (tie); Timber Creek girls 76 points - RESULTS

Group 4: Pennsauken boys 66 points; Elizabeth girls 59 points - RESULTS

Non-Public A: Christian Brothers Academy boys 128 points; Union Catholic Regional girls 195 points - RESULTS

Non-Public B: St. Rose boys 122 points; The Wilberforce School girls 83 points - RESULTS