TRACK & FIELD: Haddon Township makes a run at history

EGG HARBOR TWP. — Haddon Township girls’ track is trying for a first in program history.

The Hawks have never captured a Group 1 girls’ South Jersey title. Heading into Day 2 of the 2016 NJSIAA Sectional championships at Egg Harbor Township, they have a chance to end that drought.

Haddon Township leads its group after the first day of competition with a slim lead over defending champion Schalick.

“I was really nervous coming in. You’re always a little nervous until you see it kind of materialize right before your eyes,” head coach Jim Younglove said. “I knew we were in the hunt. The girls all performed the way we kind of expected them to. They all showed up and handled their business.

Victoria Duva’s second-place finish in the 400 meter (59.06 seconds) and fourth-place finish in the 100 meter (12.75) helped set the pace in the track events. The Hawks’ strong day continued in the field where Kateryna Swan grabbed gold in the high jump (5-feet) and fifth in triple jump (33-5).

“She had good spring, good excitement today,” Hawks’ field coach Katie Schafer said. “The big thing with Kat is when she has to be focused, she is, and she’s very determined.”

Duva, who is one of Haddon Township’s captains, wanted to come out this weekend and get as many points that she could for her team. She knew her responsibility as a senior was to be a leader on all fronts for her squad.

This was especially true after the moment of realization the Hawks had earlier this season.

“We never really thought we had a chance of winning until Penn Relays where we got second in the 4x400,” Duva said. “We were like, ‘Wait, we’re really good this year, guys. We have a chance.’”

Younglove, on the other hand, knew the team had a chance to make some noise at the beginning of the season. But his main concern now is keeping his team focused because there is still plenty of events left to go.

“There’s no trophy at halftime,” he said. “Come back, stay hungry, get your rest, try and wind down on the bus, get to bed, get up early, and get ready to do it again.”

Southern Regional leads the Group 4 girls’ race while Union Catholic leads the Non-Public A girls’ race. On the boys’ side, Penns Grove leads in Group 1, Trenton Central in Group 4 and Christian Brothers Academy in Non-Public A.

Williamstown boys built an early lead in Group 4 to help set themselves up well for the second day, where it will enter in second place. Edwyn Pierre, who finished first in the 400 intermediate hurdles at Gloucester County Championships, also grabbed first place in the Group 4 event today (55.98).

“It’s still kind of unreal to me,” he said. “I came in here thinking I’ll do my best and we’ll see what happens. I wasn’t expecting first. It’s a great feeling.”

Though Williamstown girls’ sit in sixth heading into Saturday, Braves’ junior Bria Mack has collected all of the Braves points with an impressive Friday. She grabbed gold medals in the 100 dash (11.68) and 400 (57.90). It’s the third year in a row she has qualified for group championships, but it’s the first time she’s run an outdoor 400 meter.

“It definitely doesn’t feel the same, freshman year to junior year,” she said. “Each year gets a little different, a little more sweeter and a little more, ‘Wow, it happened again,’ because it could’ve stopped after freshman year.”

The second day of the sectional championships will kick off Saturday at 10 a.m. at Egg Harbor Twp.