Stellar Showing for Chatham Track Teams at NJAC Championship

HAMBURG — The Chatham girls track team attained a third-place finish at the North Jersey Athletic Conference Small Division championships at Wallkill Valley Regional High School on Saturday, thanks in large part to Kat Grimes' heroics.

Not only did Grimes set a personal best and annihilate the competition at the 3200 meter run, but the senior also registered first-place finishes in the 800 and 1600 meter relays. Her time of 11:15.95 in the 3200 crushed the second-place time of 11:49.40.

"The 800, I was very happy with that," Grimes said. "I wasn't really sure going in. I thought it would be my most competitive race of the conference. I knew there was some good girls in it...I think Kayla [Parlavecchio of Hanover Park] passed me so I just kind of sat on her and then I felt really good and just kind of took off.

"Overall, I was very happy. The 3200, I don't really run it that much I only really run it in school meets so that was a huge PR [personal record] for me. I was shooting to go 11:20 or under."

Tara Hanley also chipped in with a second-place finish in the 1600 meter run and Julie Williamson did her part with a second-place tally in the 400 meter relay and sixth-place mark in the 800s.

"Today I ran the 800, which is a new event for me, but it was definietly a PR," said Williamson of her 2:26.80 finish. "That was also a big PR for me yesterday [a 400 time of 1:00.48], and I ran really well to get second place."

The Lady Cougars, with a score of 45, tied Whippany Park for third place and came in just behind Kinnelon (54 points) and first place Hanover Park (85 points). Other notable finishes for the girls team included a third-place finish in the shot put, a second-place showing in the javelin and a third-place mark in the 100 meter dash.

Jake Neumann shone brightly for the boys' team, finishing first in the discus throw. His length of 159-07 bested all competitors.

Anthony Malatesta came in fourth in the 1600 meter run with a time of 4:32.25 and Jack Beecher also notched a fourth-place finish in the 3200 at 9:55.44, as the Cougars placed ninth overall with a score of 18 points.

"I'm very happy with the performance," said Chatham girls' Head Coach Terence Ferguson. "We have a great group of middle distance running ladies and that's where we expected to score points. I'm glad it worked out."

Following its stellar showing on Friday and Saturday in the NJAC championship, Chatham will continue its postseason and hopes to eventually make some noise in the state tournament in a couple of weeks.

"On Tuesday and Wednesday we will be competing in the Morris County championships, on Saturday there is freshman and sophomore championships, and then the state sectionals are in two weeks," said Ferguson, whose team went 7-1 in group meets this season.

Williamson praised the teams' efforts.

"This is definitely one of our best seasons becuase we have a lot of good runners," she said "We're definitely getting a lot of practice and using it to our [advantage]."