Lunkenheimer leads list of MOC hopefuls
Monroe's Ragucci qualifies in two events
BY DOUG McKENZIE
Staff Writer

When the boys and girls NJSIAA Meet of Champions (MOC) are held this weekend at the Bennett Indoor Sports Complex in Toms River, local teams will be well represented following a strong showing in last weekend's Group championships.

This year's MOC will be held over two days in Toms River. The girls will start it off on Saturday at 11 a.m. and the boys will have their day on Sunday at the same start time.

Old Bridge senior Allan Lunkenheimer leads the list of local boys hoping for aN MOC title, as he enters the 400-meter dash after winning the Group IV title last weekend by running the fastest time in the state this year, 49.01. His time beat the 49.11 mark of Monmouth Regional's Charles Cox, the Group III champion. The Wake Forest-bound Lunkenheimer and Cox are expected to battle for the title here, though Trenton Central's Tykeen Fulton, and Cox's twin brother, Chris, should also be in the mix.

Another Old Bridge senior, Matt Ciambriello, enters this weekend's meet with high hopes after taking second in the Group IV 3,200. Colts Neck's Craig Forys, the top distance runner in the state and one of the best in the nation, took home the Group title with a 9:28.4, with Ciambriello in tow in 9:34.10.

Though Gill St. Bernard's Doug Smith is the top seed here after running a 9:08.11, Forys is considered the favorite, despite not running much this indoor season. Ciambriello will look to be the dark horse that could be in the mix if things go his way.

His teammate, junior Breandan Lyman, also made the 3,200 field after taking 10th at the Group IV meet (9:51.9) and earning a wild card berth.

The boys 800-meter field will have a pair of Knight runners in it, since both Nick Cabrone and James Hauser earned spots in the field after finishing seventh (1:59.44) and eighth (1:59.77) at the Group IV meet. Indian Hills' Maxwell Bruno is the top seed after running 1:57.33.

Old Bridge sophomore Jorge Merino is also in the MOC field, qualifying for the shot put after taking ninth at the Group IV meet (48-03) and earning a wild card. South Brunswick's John Viotto won the event with a throw of 53-04, while Scotch Plains' Mike Alleman has the top throw in the state at 59-06.

Old Bridge will also be in the 4x400 relay, after the quartet of seniors Sean Davila, Carbone, Shawn Phillip and Lunkenheimer took third at the Group IV meet in 3:238.57. Trenton Central won the event in 3:24.30, the top time in the state this year. This race is expected to be a battle between Trenton and Monmouth Regional's squad, which includes the Cox brothers and won the Group III event in a time of 3:24.42.

Thanks in large part to the efforts of Lunkenheimer and Ciambriello, the Knights finished second in the Group IV team competition with 24 points, behind Trenton's 42.

Among the other GMC boys who will be participating this weekend are South Brunswick's John Viotto (shot put) Steve Sample (3,200) and William Ricketts (high jump), St. Joseph's Albert Bastien (55-meter hurdles) and the Metuchen 4x400 relay team.

For the girls, Monroe's Nicole Ragucci will be looking to be in the mix in the girls 400-meter dash, after finishing second in Group III with a time of 58.72. The Flacon junior was right behind the Group champion, Kristen Mahon of Notre Dame, whose 57.19 was the third-fastest time in the state this year.

Ragucci is also competing in the girls pole vault, after winning the Group III competition last weekend by clearing 10-0. Montville's Chrissy Finkel and Jackson's Samantha Brady are the top seeds, having cleared 11-6 this year.

Sayreville senior Lynn Mayer, who took fourth in the Group IV high jump last weekend at 5-4, is the eighth seed in this weekend's MOC. A group of athletes share the top spot after jumping 5-6 already this year.

Among the other GMC girls in the field for the MOC are South Brunswick's Indira Morton (55 hurdles), J.P. Stevens' Lataya Dixon (55 hurdles, high jump) and Yasmin parks (high jump), North Brunswick's Tyia Gillon (55-meter dash) and Bishop Ahr's Monique Riddrick (shot put).