Haddonfield Girls Winter Track NJSIAA Group 1 State Champs

After Briana Gess of Haddonfield turned in one of the greatest performances in meet history with 4 victories, and Nickolette Dunbar of Whippany Park unloaded the best throw in meet history, both could only watch as an epic battle between their teams came right down to the wire at Friday's NJSIAA Groups 1-4 Track and Field Championships on Friday at the Bennett Center in Toms River.

MORE: FULL RESULTS OF THE MEET

Haddonfield was clinging to a 58-54 lead over Whippany Park heading into the meet-concluding 4x400 relay. With only 200 meters left in the race, Whippany Park anchor Gina Dello Russo was in 4th place and trailing Haddonfield. But Dello Russo was able to pass Haddonfeld and Weequahic to rally Whippany Park to a second place finish behind Hasbrouck Heights to give the Wlldcats 8 points. Haddonfield was 4th for four points as the instant classic battle between the two teams ended in a tie with each team scoring 64 points to share the Group 1 team title.         

PLUS: WATCH SEVERAL RACE VIDEO CLIPS FROM THE MEET 

Dello Russo, second to Gess in the 400 earlier in the meet in 58.83, split 58.5 on the anchor as Whippany Park won its first state title in school history. Haddonfield earned its 9th state title, the 2nd most in girls state history behind Columbia's 10.

Dello Russo knew the outcome of the meet was in her hands.

"I knew I had to catch Haddonfield for us to have any chance of winning the meet,'' said Dello Russo. "But after I passed Haddonfield I saw that maybe I could catch at least one more team. So with my teammates screaming the whole time on the side of the track as I went by them, I just went as hard as I could and I was able to catch them (Weequahic) also.    

Dello Russo was her all-round splendid self for Whippany Park. She also tied for third in the high jump at 5-2 and was second in the pole vault at 9-6. 

One of the biggest stars of the meet was the LSU-bound Dunbar, who unloaded a bomb of 53-0 on her final throw to smash the meet record (all groups combined). The former record of 51-9 1/2 was set in 1991. Dunbar's throw is No. 2 in the nation this season and No. 2 in state history behind Alyssa Wilson of Donovan Catholic, who has thrown 54-5 this season. Wilson will throw Saturday in the Non-Public A meet.

As for Gess, she was simply spectacular for Haddonfield as she lit the track up with 4 victories.. The junior won the 400 in 58.57, was first in the 1,600 in a Group 1 record 4:59.07, captured the 800 in 2:20.07, and won the 3,200 in 10:53.58 to score 40 points by herself.   

And Gess did all that the day before she runs in the mile at the Millrose Games on Saturday in New York. But Gess wasn't conerned at all about how four races might hurt her at Millrose.

"I wanted to do everything I could to help our team win,'' said Gess. "It's all about the team. I will worry about tomorrow's race tomorrow. I'm just so proud of how everyone on our team competed to give us a share of this championship.''

In the Group 4 competition, Ridgewood scored 32 points in the span of five minutes to take control of the meet as it defeated runner-up Lenape, 33-20.

Ridgewood, with 4 girls doing all its scoring, had just one point with 3 events to go, but sophomore Nicole Lester and junior Maxine Earl went 1-2 in the pole vault for 18 points, and Samantha Halvorsen  (10:53.03) won the 3,200 and Olympia Martin was 4th (11:07.66) in the 3,200 for 14 more points. Ridgewood other point came from Martin's 6th place in the 1,600.

It's the first state title for the Ridgewood girls since winning a second straight in 1989, and its 3rd overall.    

"Our coaches mentioned to us that it's been a long time since Ridgewood won this, so we were very motivated to finish firs,'' said Halvorsen. "We've all been working so hard for this.''