Boys Track: State Meet Recap
Boys Track: State Meet Recap
Thanks to Coach Shak for the write up
On Saturday, February 17th, four Cherokee athletes (Sam Green - HJ, Nick Kuenkel & Liam Tindall - 3200, Bobby Poplau - 800) competed in the Group 4 State Indoor Track & Field Championships at the Bennett Athletic Complex in Toms River. All four athletes advanced to the State Meet of Champions to be held at the Ocean Breeze Track & Field Center on Staten Island on March 3rd!
After finishing 4th at the South Jersey Group 4 Sectional, Sam Green improved on his standing by taking 3rd place in the State Group 4 High Jump competition! Only 6 athletes from all the Group State Meets jumped higher than Sam so he has a good shot at placing high in the State Meet of Champions!
The 3200 Meter event had some mixed results for the team. Nick Kuenkel went into the event slightly under the weather. However, he raced tough and managed a 5th place finish in what was, far-and-away, the fastest 3200 of all the group state meets. Considering his condition going in, it was a successful run and he will be the 8th seed at the State Meet of Champions! When completely healthy, Nick will be right in the mix up front at MOC’s! Liam Tindall had an excellent race! He ran very smart and controlled through the first mile (4:44.3) and was ready when things got going in the second mile (4:42.5). His 10th place finish in 9:26.88 makes him the 13th seed heading into the State Meet of Champions! It also puts him 11th on the All-Time Cherokee 3200 Meter List!
The highlight of the meet for the Cherokee boys was the 800 Meter Run. Bobby Poplau ran to perfection and came away with a Group 4 State title! The race went out very fast, led by Raynier Galvez from Passaic County Tech (who ran 1:52.78 last spring and was second in the Group 4 State Meet and 4th in the Meet of Champions). Bobby stuck right on him and went through the 200 in 27.2 and the 400 in 55.4. He hit the 600 in 1:24.5, still in second but with several runners right on him. Off the last turn, Bobby swung wide and moved into the lead as Galvez faded. Michael Card from Howell challenged Bobby down the stretch, but Bobby was too strong and held him off to win by 2/10th of a second in 1:54.64! The time was not only a Cherokee indoor record but was also a new Burlington County Indoor record! It also makes Bobby the top seed for the Meet of Champions!
Congratulations to all four athletes on their performances at the Group 4 State Meet! We look forward to what they will accomplish at the State Meet of Champions!
Results can be found here on Milesplit.
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