The Hamilton West Unified Track & Field team displays its first-place plaque after winning the inaugural NJSIAA Unified Championship meet.

Rich Fisher
Fish4scores.com

June 13: In the past two weeks, the Hamilton West Unified Track & Field team won the inaugural NJSIAA state championship for unified track, and then claimed a gold and silver medal at this past Saturday’s Meet of Champions.

But had they finished dead last in both events, it would have still been successful for the Hornets. Just competing and having fun is a victory in itself.

The Hornets 4×400 team take hold of the baton with which they took second place at the Meet of Champions unified relay. The quartet, from left to right, is Mary Ruble, Ayofumi Carter, Vernon Jean and Elvis Alicea.

“Our athletes enjoy the opportunity to compete together as a team,” coach Erin Wolverton said. “I am very proud of our athletes and everything they have accomplished at groups and MOC. The individual medals are great but nothing compares to creating memories with your teammates.”  

Wolverton has been overseeing the unified program for several years now and proudly noted that it competes year-round in soccer, basketball and softball as well.

“We look forward to continued success and building our unified track program,” she said. “We have dedicated athletes who work hard to develop their skills. I am very proud of our athletes for their hard work and dedication to the program.”

At Saturday’s Meet of Champions, the Hornets won the 4×100 relay in a time of 59.24. The runners were Mark Harmon, Marty Barchue, Edith Barchue and Aniyah Blount-Davis. The 4×400 relay took the silver medal in 4:47.13 behind Mary Ruble, Ayofumi Carter, Vernon Jean and Elvis Alicea.

Medal winners in the NJSIAA State Meet are as follows:

BOYS
100:1^st, Vernon Jean; 2nd Marty Barchue
200: 1^st, Mark Harmon; 3rd, Elvis Alicea; 4^th, Javon Porter.  

400: 2^nd, Solomon Rios
4×100: 1^st – Solomon Rios, Marty Barchue, Adrian Trigueros, Mark Harmon
4×400: 2^nd, Javon Porter, Elvis Alicea, Mark Harmon, Vernon Jean.
Shot: 2^nd, Adrian Trigueros
Long jump: 1^st, Marty Barchue

GIRLS
100:1^st, Edith Barchue; 2^nd, Ayofumi Carter; 3^rd, Destanee Giovannini
200: 1^st, Mary Ruble; 2^nd, Gloria Owusu; 3^rd, Tajanea Wrenn
400: 3^rd, Aniyah Blount-Davis; 4^th, May Fletcher; 5^th, Sianni Merrill
4×100: 1^st, Aniya Blount-Davis Mya Fletcher, Kelechi Odinkemere, Ashlee Bruce
4×400: 3^rd, Ayofumi Carter, Mary Ruble, Edith Barchue, Destanee Giovannini

Long jump: 2^nd, Sianni Merrill

Shot: 1^st, Tajanea Wrenn; 3^rd, Gloria Owusu; 4^th, Kelechi Odinkemere; 5^th, Ashlee Bruce.