Lunkenheimer's four medals pace local athletes
BY DOUG McKENZIE
Staff Writer

Old Bridge's Allan Lunkenheimer has certainly earned his place among the state's top track stars.

The Old Bridge senior put forth a virtuoso performance at the Central Jersey Group IV championships over the weekend to lead his team to a strong second-place showing (72) points behind team champion Trenton Central (116). The second-place finish snapped a three-year winning streak for the Knights.

After finishing second to Trenton's Dean McClease in the 100 on Friday (10.87 to 10.97), Lunkenheimer came back to win the 400-meter event in a meet record time of 47.80. That topped the old mark set by his former teammate, Bryant McCombs, of 47.81, set in 2005.

McClease then topped Lunkenheimer in the 200 (21.74 to 22.02) on Saturday, before the Knight harrier evened the score again by anchoring Old Bridge's 4x400 relay team to the win in 3:18.48 (also a new meet record, topping the old mark of 3:18.8, set by Trenton Central in 2003). After senior Sean Davila, freshman Evan Petrovich and senior Shawn Phillip ran the first three legs, Lunkenheimer took the baton and ran a 48.05 split to beat McClease by a step at the line, and give the Knights the title.

Trenton's time of 3:18.56 also topped the old meet record.

Both Lunkenheimer and McClease will renew their rivalry this weekend at the Group IV championships, to be held in Little Egg Harbor Township.

Also making the trip down the Garden State Parkway for the Knights will be Brian Florek, who won the javelin with a throw of 187-3, as well as senior James Hauser (fifth in the 800, 1:58.43), senior Matt Ciambriello (fourth in the 3,200, 9:39.19, and sixth in the 1,600, 4:19.40), junior Jorge Marino (fourth in the shot put, 47-10), senior Avaas Sharif (fifth in the shot put, 47-05), and senior Chris Swinarski (third in the discus, 140-02).

Sayreville senior Brian Karlowitz also advanced to the Group IV meet with a fifth-place finish in the javelin (160-07).

At the Central Jersey Group III meet, Monroe senior Adam Modzelewski advanced to the Group championships with a sixth-place finish in the 400 (50.38), while teammate Mike Barszcz, also a senior, took fifth in the 400 hurdles (56.88). Monroe's 4x400 relay team of senior Zach Theinert, Barszcz, senior Billy Phillips and Modzelewski also advanced with a sixth-place finish (3:29.61), while senior John Leung took fifth in the pole vault (12-00).

Monroe's Nicole Ragucci was the top local performer in the girls' competitions, as the senior Falcon took third in the CJ Group III 200 (25.91) and second in the 400 (56.89), finishing behind Lakewood's Shavon Greaves, who set new meet records in both events.

Ragucci also added a fourth-place finish in the pole vault, clearing 10-00, to score all 18 of Monroe's team points, good enough for 12th place.

In CJ Group II action, Spotswood freshman Brooke Astor took sixth in the high jump (4-10) to advance to this weekend's Group II championships.

In CJ Group I, the South River girls took eight-place in the team competition with 27 points, led by the efforts of senior Cherubin Rena. Rena finished second in the discus (93-01), fifth in the triple jump (32-02), and third in both the 400 hurdles (1:12.23) and 100 hurdles (17.38). Sophomore Cheyenne Howard also scored for the Rams, taking fourth in the long jump (15-00).

In Group IV action, Sayreville's Lynn Mayer won the high jump, clearing the bar at 5-7, while East Brunswick junior Brittni Rodriguez took fourth in the 100 (12.50) and sixth in the 200 (25.99) and 100 hurdles (16.88).

Old Bridge's only points came from senior Allyson Cardullo, who took fifth in the javelin with a throw of 114-03.

Anyone who finished in the top six last weekend advance to this weekend's NJSIAA State Groups Championships that are today and tomorrow. Groups I, II and III will compete at South Plainfield, while Groups IV, Non-Public A and B are down in Egg Harbor Township. The top six there move on to the June 6 Meet of Champions at South Plainfield.