Springfield Girls Track Team Wins First Championship Since 1984

Springfield, NJ -- The Jonathan Dayton High School Girl Track team have won their first Valley Division of the Union County Conference Championships since 1984.

“It was great,” said Jacqueline Ritter, Head Coach for the Girls Track team. “We knew heading into it, we had a chance and we worked hard. It was even sweeter at the end when we saw our final score.”

Jonathan Dayton scored 151.5 points, and Kent Place School in Summit came in second with 117 points.

Highlights from the game:

• Viviane Orleans scoring 40 points alone by winning all 4 of her events: 400 hurdles, 400 meter dash, 100 meter high hurdles, and the 200 meter dash. She broke the record in the high hurdles that was set by her last year by running a 14.73.
• Lucia Gambuzza scored 36 points, winning the javelin and triple jump, and placing 2nd in the high jump and high hurdles.
• Marissa Chusid placed 2nd in the long jump and triple jump, and 3rd in the high jump.
• Haneefah Poindexter placed 2nd in the shot put, and 3rd in the discus.
• Isabella Barilla scored in all three throwing events, placing 2nd in the discus, 4th in the shot put and 5th in the javelin.
• Lizzie Giambattista contributed with a 6th place finish in the 3200 meter run.
• Emily Hochreiner had an amazing come-from-behind 3rd place finish in the 3200 meter run.

The team is made up of senior and juniors and Ritter said strategy definitely came into play to take home the win.

“We are strong in specialty events such as jumps and hurdles,” Ritter said. “So we put as many girls in as many races. They all worked very hard and it paid off.”

(Photo provided: JDHS Girls Track Team)