The Nottingham Boys Winter Track team celebrates after winning the NJSIAA Group III Relays. Photo courtesy of Godfred Akuffo Facebook page.
By Rich Fisher
Fish4scores.com
Jan. 23: The Nottingham High boys’ track & field program has done some wondrous things in state competition over the years, but always when the warm sun was shining brightly on the Northstars.
Never had a Nottingham won a team state title in Winter Track & Field.
Then Nottingham Northstars Winter Track the sprint medley relay team that set a meet record in winning the event. Photo courtesy of Godfred Akuffo Facebook page.
Until this past weekend.
Racking up 22 points, the Northstars tied for first place with West Morris Mendham and Hopewell Valley in the NJSIAA Group III Relays at the Bennett Center in Toms River Saturday. It was the first indoor state title of any kind for
And they did it on coach Jon “Big Dawg” Adams’ birthday no less.
“Despite not scoring in the shuttle hurdle relay, our team rallied back and showed tremendous heart to earn a piece of this title,” Adams said. “Had we scored in the shuttle hurdles, there is little doubt in my mind that we would have won the title outright.”
They scored big in the sprint medley, taking first place in a meet record time of 3:36.92 behind the efforts of Boaz Madeus (400 meters), David Viah (200), Godfred Akuffo (200) and Kenley Souffrant (800).
Nottingham also took third in the 4×200 and 4×400. The quartet of Isaiah Bethea, Akuoffo, Viah and Madeus ran a 1:33.63 in the 4×200, while the group of Akuoffo, Viah, Souffrant and Madeus clocked a 3:31.19 in the 4×400.
“I am proud of our team’s accomplishment,” Adams said. “However, I am more proud of their grit and their heart.”
The girls’ team did not go away empty handed, as the twosome of Sasha Louis and Ky’Ara McCray medaled in the shot put relay with a sixth-place finish.
