The Girls Winter Track Team from Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School has reigned victorious, earning the school’s first State Group II State Relay Championship for Winter Track and scoring its fourth consecutive Central Jersey Group II Sectional Title.
The historic State Group II Relay Championship was the result of a first-place finish at the State Relays in January, where 24 teams competed and RFH bested Holmdel by three points. RFH medaled in five of six races, with senior Janie DeVito competing in three of those events. Senior Hannah Anderson ran two of the races as did junior Morgan Steinhacker, who clinched the 4 X 400 relay with her outstanding anchor leg.
At the State Sectional Championship on February 8, the RFH girls earned their fourth straight Central Jersey Group II title.
“These four are the only Winter Track Sectional Titles that RFH has ever won,” said Head Coach Tim McLoone. “It is noteworthy that our seniors have won the Sectional championship during all four of their years on Winter Track.”
RFH earned a slew of medals at the State Sectional Championship. Nora Ryan equaled her own RFH record of 4’10” to place fifth in the high jump event, Janie DeVito turned in a fourth place finish in the 55-meter dash, junior Emily Boak placed fifth in the hurdling event, and Morgan Steinhacker placed fifth in the 400-meter race and second in the 800-meter event. Adding to the medal count were Hannah Anderson (placing third in the 1600 and sixth in the 800-meter events), junior Emily Hellman (placing sixth in the 1600-meter race) and senior Rachel Lehnert (placing fifth in the 1600-meter).
Yet even after attaining these medal-winning finishes, RFH was still trailing behind the leaders. The championship came down to the final two events – the 3200-meter run and the 4 X 400 relay.
In the 3200-meter event, Rachel Lehnert raced her best-ever indoor time (11:20.01) and took first place. Hannah Anderson placed second, and Emily Hellman grabbed fourth place.
“Hannah Anderson was absolutely heroic, placing second to Rachel after medaling in both the 1600- and 800-meter races,” said McLoone.
In the next and final event, the 4 X 400 relay, RFH placed second to clinch the championship with sophomores Emily Burns and Grace Hofferber, senior Lindsay McKean, and Morgan Steinhacker – who once again ran an amazing anchor leg.
“Nora Ryan’s high jump points were our only score in the field events – but, for the first time, we scored in all seven events on the track making it yet another full team effort to get the championship,” said McLoone. “This win means that both the Girls Cross Country Team and the Girls Winter Track Team have each won their last four Sectional titles.”
For the Boys Winter Track Team, senior Brendan Thorp finished second in the 1600-meter event with a personal best of 4:34.94 that advanced him to the State Group II Finals.
Assistant Coaches for the RFH Girls and Boys Winter Track Teams are Bob Keogh — McLoone’s former teammate at Seton Hall Preparatory School — and RFH Special Services Teacher Molly McBain.
