Athlete of the year
Long jump, 100-meter dash
Tacquaya Tobias
Our Lady of Mercy Academy, Sr.
Tobias finished second in the long jump with a leap of 18 feet, 4¼ inches at the Meet of Champions. She also was seventh in the 100 dash and 17th in the 200. She qualified for the MOC by winning the three events in the state Non-Public B championships - long jump (18-41/2), 100 (12.21) and 200 (25.51).
First team
200
Yvonne Wolef
Middle Township, Jr.
Won the South Jersey Group II race in 26.22 seconds. She also finished third in the 100 and second in the long jump and triple jump. At the Cape-Atlantic League Championships, she won the 200 (25.4) and triple jump (36-6) and tied with Tobias in the 100 (12.4) - her second straight year winning those three events. Wolef also repeated in four events at the Cape May County Championships - the 100, 200, long jump and triple jump.
400
Chanele Smith
Bridgeton, Sr.
Won the Cumberland County title in 59.7 seconds, the CAL title in 59.4 seconds and the S.J. Group II crown in 59.35.
800
Bridget Flynn
Holy Spirit, Fr.
Took fifth at the state Non-Public A championships in 2 minutes, 15.98 seconds and qualified for the MOC. She won the title at both the CAL Championships and Atlantic County Championships. Also won the 1,600 at both events.
1,600
Danielle Levitt
Lacey Township, Fr.
She qualified for the MOC with a fourth-place finish at states in 4:58.88. Finished fourth at the MOC in 5:01.28. Levitt also finished second in the 800 dash in S.J. Group III.
3,200
Christin Bettis
Hammonton, Sr.
Bettis won the Atlantic County title in 11:39.36 and CAL in 11:24.9. Also second in S.J. Group III (11:34.46).
100 hurdles
Meagan Thornton
Millville, Sr.
Won the Cumberland County title in 17.7 seconds and took third in S.J. Group IV in 15.02 seconds. Also won the S.J. Group IV title in 400 hurdles.
400 hurdles
Helena Leyrer
Buena Regional, Jr.
Won the state Group II title in 1:03.05. She also won the S.J. Group II and Atlantic County titles.
High jump
Brooke Angellella
Southern Regional, Sr.
Tied for fifth at the state Group IV championships at 5 feet, 2 inches, and won the S.J. title at 5-4. She led Southern to the Shore Conference title with the Rams' only victory of the meet, a 5-4 jump, and won at the Ocean County Championships as Southern claimed the title.
Triple jump
Samantha Rodriguez
Southern Regional, Jr.
Finished second in S.J. Group IV with a jump of 36-3.25.
Shot put
Alexis Kennedy
Millville, Jr.
Finished second in S.J. Group IV with a put of 37-11 inches. She qualified for the Meet of Champions with a fourth-place finish at states (39-0).
Discus
Ashli Weems
Millville, So.
Won the S.J. Group IV title with a personal-best 124-4.
Javelin
Maria Jimenez
Vineland, Jr.
Won the S.J. Group IV title with a throw of 143-4. She finished third in Group IV with 135-5 and qualified for the MOC. Jimenez also won the CAL title.
Pole vault
Chelsea Vaughan
Southern Regional, Jr.
Was the area's only athlete to receive a No. 1 seed at the MOC and finished second at 11-6. She placed fourth in the state Group IV meet, but her vault of 11-6 tied the top height. She also won the S.J. Group IV title.
Relay
Buena Regional
(Emely Ramirez, Casey Sturts, Ashley Roman, Helena Leyrer)
Won the state Group II individual title, S.J. Group II, CAL and Atlantic County Championships. The foursome also finished sixth at the Penn Relays, beating Southern Regional and Millville.
Second team
Sprints
Francesca Babore, Ocean City
Jovan Childers, Bridgeton
Sarah Bariglio, St. Joseph
Elissa Knight, Southern Regional
Bria Coursey, Atlantic City
Becki Wilson, Mainland Regional
Distance
Kassandra Irizarry, Bridgeton
Catherine Nolan, Holy Spirit
Relay
Millville (Victoria Thaler, Aaliyah Ellis, Myangel Davis, Tamara Janesse)
Southern Regional (Elissa Knight, Ashley Miller, Michele Simmons, Samantha Rodriguez)
Hurdles
Katie Champion, Egg Harbor Township
Ruby Rodriguez, Pleasantville
Jumps
Kristine Miller, Cedar Creek
Mone't Gist, Atlantic City
Throws
Brianna Young, Barnegat
Jessica Radich, OLMA
Pole vault
Michelina Hesse, Cedar Creek
Tracey Masterson, Mainland Regional
