Boys Varsity Outdoor Track and Field | 5/27/2023 10:41:00 AM
The Union Catholic track and field teams flexed its superior firepower once again by smashing three meet records and pulling off another sweep at the Union County Track and Field Championships that concluded on Wednesday at the Milt Campbell Track and Field Complex at Hub Stine Field in Plainfield.
It's the eighth straight title for the UC girls while the UC boys have now captured three in a row. Union Catholic also swept the team titles at the Union County Relays earlier this month.
In the girls competition, sophomore sensation Taylor Cox smashed two meet records and the Vikings won six of the nine running events on the way to a 161-94 victory over a very strong Elizabeth squad.
Cox was simply spectacular.
On the first day of the meet in Tuesday, Cox stormed her way to a meet record 11.80, the fastest time in the state this season, to win the 100-meter dash. In the trials of the 100 hurdles on Wednesday, Cox blasted a 13.56, tied for No. 6 in NJ history and the fastest time ever run by a sophomore in state history, to take down the meet record of 13.79 that UC legend Sydney McLaughlin set as a freshman in 2014. Cox went on to win her second straight 100 HH title when she ran 14.06 in the final.
In addition to Cox's two wins, senior Kaleigh Gunsiorowski won the 1,600 in 4:54.60 and placed second in the 3,200 in her first time racing that distance for the Vikings. Senior Alexandra Bonn won the triple jump (38-10) and placed third in the long jump (17-10.50. Peyton Hollis, who won the 800 for the second straight year in 2:12.01 to lead a 1-3-4 finish for the Vikings and also finished third in 1,600. Senior Maameyaa Nyinah won the 400 on Tuesday in 56.71 and was third in the 800, and freshman Kiara Fleming was a surprise winner in the 400 hurdles with a huge PR of 1:05.80. Her previous best was 1:08.79
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In the boys competition, UC, ignited by the dynamic doubles by junior Jimmy Wischusen and sophomore Noah Cooper, defeated runner-up Westfield, 115-87.
Wischusen won the 1,600 on Tuesday in 4:15.11, and then came back on Wednesday to deliver the greatest 3,200 performance in meet history when he stopped the clock at 9:01.05 to shatter his own meet record. Cooper won his second straight long jump title on Tuesday with a 21-11.75, and then he completed the horizontal sweep by flying out to a big PR of 44-4.50 to win the triple jump on Wednesday. UC also picked up a win from senior Javon McKay, who won the 100 in a PR of 10.96. McKay also placed third in the 200.
There have several great battles in the 3,200 in Union County over the years, but nothing comes close to what Wischusen and Lucas Reguinho of Elizabeth did.
Wischusen, who captured the 3,200 at the Indoor Meet of Champions in March, and Reguinho started to crank it up after Wischusen ran 4:38.47 for the first 1,600. Wischusen continued to lead until the start of the bell lap when Reguinho jumped to the front.
But Wischusen, was unfazed by Reguinho's bold move and slammed on the gas with 300 to go on his way to a 63.9 final 400, stopping the clock with a new meet record of 9:01.05!! Reguinho was second in a school record 9:03.48, also well under the previous meet record. I can't think of any county race in the state that's ever produced two sub 9:04 times in the 3,200!!!
The times by Wischusen, who set the Union County record when he ran 8:56.41 for 2-miles at the New Balance Nationals last year, and the Louisville-bound Reguinho are the No. 2 and No. 3 times in the state this season. Reguinho's 9:03.48 also makes him No. 3 all-time in Union County history.
