NASIR HAINES
School: Freehold Township
Year: Junior
Event: Sprints
Highlights: Haines started off his championship campaign with a second-place finish in the 400-meter race at the Monmouth County Championship meet (51.16), before racing past CBA’s Mike Zupko to cpature the Shore Conference crown (50.88). The junior continued to play the title contender at the Central Jersey Group IV sectional meet, where he placed second in the 55 (6.75) before a third-place showing in the 400 (50.37). Haines followed with a fifth-place performance in the Group IV 400, running a 50.52 before closing out his season with a 50.94 at the Meet Of Champions.
RICK CARBERRY
School: Toms River North
Year: Sophomore
Event: Sprints
Highlights: Carberry emerged as the top 55-meter dash competitor in the Shore Conference, opening the championship season with both an Ocean County (6.61) and Shore Conference (6.65) title, before following with a fourth-place mark of 6.66 at the South Jersey Group IV sectional meet, a third-place finish at the Group IV championship (6.65), and closing his winter with another 6.65 at the Meet Of Champions.
CLINTON BAILEY
School: Jackson Liberty
Year: Senior
Event: Sprints
Highlights: Bailey captured the Ocean County 400-meter dash title with a time of 51.36 before placing third in the Shore Conference event (51.28). The senior won the Central Jersey Group III 400-meter race (51.03) after placing second in the 55-meter dash with a time of 6.72. Bailey went on to finish fourth in Group III 400 (50.51) before running a 50.81 at the Meet Of Champions.
MIKE MCCLEMENS
School: CBA
Year: Senior
Event: Distance
Highlights: The 2013-14 Boys Winter Track Athlete of the Year started off his season with a Monmouth County 800-meter title (1:57.88) before capturing the Non-Public A Group 800 crown (1:55.05), while placing second at the event in the 1,600 (4:15.15). McClemens went on to be named the best 1,600 runner in the state of New Jersey after running a 4:14.20 and would finish his season as part of CBA 4×1-mile team that won a championship at New Balance Indoor Nationals in New York while shattering a two-year old record of 17:20.20 with a 17:07.17.
BLAISE FERRO
School: CBA
Year: Sophomore
Event: Distance
Highlights: Ferro emerged as the future face of CBA’s storied running program when he was victorious in the 3,200-meter race at the Meet Of Champions, passing Middletown North’s defending champ Tom O’Neill (9:17.92) in the final lap to cross the line at 9:12.70. Ferro went on to be part of that record setting 4×1-mile team at the New Balance Indoor Nationals. The sophomore also placed third at the Monmouth County meet with a 1,600 time of 4:23.76 before winning the Shore Conference 3,200 (9:15.04) and placing second in the 3,200 at the Non-Public A group meet with a 9:12.76.
TOM O’NEILL
School: Middletown North
Year: Senior
Event: Distance
Highlights: O’Neill placed second at the Meet Of Champions 3,200 with a time of 9:17.92 after winning the Group III crown (9:22.22). The Providence University-bound senior won both the 1,600 (4:20.72) and 3,200 (9:39.03) at the Central Jersey Group III Sectional meet, after winning a Shore Conference 1,600 title (4:18.55) and a placing second in the Monmouth County 1,600 (4:21.84) behind teammate Justin Lippert and his 4:21.65.
CHRIS ALEXANDER
School: CBA
Year: Junior
Event: Hurdles
Highlights: Alexander ran a 7.82 to win the Monmouth County 55 hurdles championship and equaled that time at the Shore Conference meet to win yet another title. The junior’s 7.93 was good enough for fourth place at the Non-Public A Group meet, and Alexander finished his season with a 7.89 at the Meet Of Champions.
IAN KIRK
School: Howell
Year: Senior
Event: High jump
Highlights: Kirk captured the Meet Of Champions high jump crown at a mark of 6-07. The title was his fourth of the season as the University of Pennsylvania-bound senior opened his season with consecutive leaps of 6-06 to win both Monmouth County and Shore Conference championships. Kirk only needed a 6-04 to defeat Mongomery’s Dylan Petitto in the Central Jersey Group III Sectional meet, before placing second at the Group III state meet to West Orange’s Barden Adams, who reached a height of 6-06 in the fewest attempts.
MATTHEW ISAACSON
School: Matawan
Year: Junior
Event: Pole vault
Highlights: Isaacson opened the championship season with a Monmouth County title, reaching a height of 14-0 in fewer jumps than the contending field. Isaacson followed with a second-place finish (13-06) at the Shore Conference meet before earning the Central Jersey Group II sectional crown at 14-0, and finishing third at the Group II meet (14-0). Isaacson finished the winter season at 14-0 with an eighth-place finish at the Meet Of Champions.
JASON BRYAN
School: Rumson-Fair Haven
Year: Senior
Event: Shot put
Highlights: Bryan finished second overall in the state of New Jersey with a throw of 60-02 at the Meet Of Champions to Nick Pulli’s 61-03, and again finished second to the West Deptford senior at the Group II meet with a mark of 58-09. Bryan won the Central Jersey Group II sectional title at 60-00, while sweeping both the Shore Conference (58-11) and Monmouth County titles (56-01.50).
JACK DEVIZIA, MIKE SOMMA, MIKE ZUPKO, RALSTON HOUGH
School: CBA
Event: Relay
Highlights: CBA’s 4×400 team finished fifth overall at the Meet Of Champions with a time of 3:25.99 after racing to a second-place finish at the Non-Public A meet (3:27.73). The collective placed second at the Shore Conference meet (3:28.42) and won the Monmouth County championship at 3:29.39.
