Sat. S.J. boys’ and girls’ roundup: Venables runs to 3,200 title

Megan Venables of Highland won the State Group 2 3,200-meter run with the fourth-fastest time in the nation this season, and Delsea earned boys' and girls' team titles to highlight Saturday's NJSIAA indoor track and field championships at Bennett Complex in Toms River.

Venables blitzed the field by nearly a half-minute, crossing the line in 10 minutes, 38.11 seconds.

But the rest of the Group 2 competition served as a showcase for Delsea.

The Crusaders claimed the girls' crown, thanks to wins by Brianna Crofton (55) and Janeice Rose (shot put). Delsea's 4x400 relay team finished second, Crofton was third in the 400, and Felicia O'Donnell added a runner-up (800) and a third-place finish (1,600).

Delsea's boys followed the lead of Steve Butenewicz, who won the 800 and finished third in the 400. Teammate Brady Deckert took third in the 1,600.

Bridgeton finished first in the 4x400 relay and had Braheem Days win the shot put. Darius Holmes won the 400 for Willingboro.

State Group 3. Ocean City won four events, including a pair by Miles Schoedler, in running away with the boys' crown.

Schoedler edged teammate Erik Johnson in the 1,600 and won the 800 by nearly two seconds. James O'Connor (high jump) and Michael Oberg (pole vault) were the Red Raiders' other winners.

Ste'yce McNeil was a triple winner - 55, 55 hurdles, and 400 - for team runner-up Winslow Township.

State Non-Public A. Holly Bischoff of Bishop Eustace blew away her competition in the girls' 3,200, crossing the line in 11:04.46 - more than 17 seconds faster than the runner-up - while Courtney Kelly of Bishop Eustace (1,600) and Paul VI's Kelsey Reese (high jump) posted second-place finishes.

No local athletes finished third or better in the boys' competition.

State Non-Public B. Pete Toso of Holy Cross took gold in the boys' high jump and fellow Lancer Derek Gore claimed the silver in the 800.

Other top individual male performers included St. Joseph's Carl Watson, who placed third in both the 55 and 400, and Matt Mahon of Sacred Heart with a second-place finish in the pole vault.

The lone local female winner was Tacquaya Tobias of Our Lady of Mercy, who claimed the 55 in 7.36. Maddie Hummell of Holy Cross was second in the 55 hurdles, and St. Joseph's Sarah Bariglio was the runner-up in the 400.

Meghan Nowak became Gateway's all-time leading scorer - male or female - and the Gators celebrated the milestone with a furious stretch run to pull away to a 45-30 nonleague win at Pitman.

Nowak, a senior forward/center, scored 26 to boost her career total to 1,956. The previous record of 1,953 was set by Erich Wiltsee in 1991.

Alisha Fox added 13 points for Gateway, which ended the game on a 19-4 run.

Olympic. Senior center Addy Crenny pumped in 24 points, including the 1,000th of her career, to highlight Camden Catholic's 61-48 win at Shawnee.

Kelsey Kilpatrick (13 points), Nicole Angelo (12) and Caitlyn Brostrand (10) also supplied double-figure scoring for the Irish, who extended their winning streak to seven.

Prime Events Shootout. Alex Balara scored 16 and Nicole Fallon produced a 15-point, 15-rebound effort as Gloucester Catholic edged Vineland, 47-43, in a showcase event at Holy Spirit.

Alicia Fox led all scorers with 22 points for the Clan.

Nonleague. Chelsea Schmidt scored 14 in the fourth quarter to cap her 30-point outing and help cement Glassboro's 75-64 win at Burlington City. Angel Wilson poured in 26 points for the Blue Devils, who couldn't recover after falling behind by 17 in the opening period.

Luke Dickson and Eric Stafford keyed a long-range assault that erased a 10-point third-quarter deficit and sent Pitman past Timber Creek, 72-55, in the Cherry Hill East Tournament.

Dickson (24 points) and Stafford (15) each hit a pair of three-pointers to pull the Panthers within 44-39 heading into the final period.

Dylan Cogate added 13 points and 15 rebounds for Pitman (21-2), which has won seven of eight games against Olympic Conference teams over the last two seasons.