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RFH Sends Four Lady Bulldogs to Compete in the Ultimate Track Competition

Christ and McCarthy post personal bests to advance to the Meet of Champions.

The Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School women’s track and field team will send four female athletes to the New Jersey State Meet of Champions held today, June 9.

Rachel Christ, a sophomore, and Shannon McCarthy, a junior, will both run the individual 800 meters, before joining teammates Molly Hellman, also a junior,  and Courtney Howley, a freshman, to compete in the 4 x 800 meter relay.

The Meet of Champions is the ultimate competition in New Jersey high school track, showcasing the top track athletes in the state. In order to qualify for the competition, athletes must place in the top six at their respective NJSIAA State Group championship meet.

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At the Group 2 Championship this past weekend, Christ and McCarthy finished 3rd and 6th, securing their spots in Thursday’s competition with new personal best times. Christ dropped two full seconds off her time from the previous weekend to run a 2:16.54, while McCarthy dropped one second to cross the finish line in 2:17.41. The young women enter tomorrow’s competition seeded 24th and 29th out of a total 40 runners.

While a mere one to two seconds seems trivial in the grand scheme of time, it equates to a world of difference on the track. Regarding her new personal record, Christ explained that she had some doubts leading up to the race as her legs has been bothering her at the beginning of the week. However, she cast all doubts aside the morning of the race, channeling an inner confidence she harbors both in herself as an athlete and in her training. “I’m happy with the time,” she said. “And I’m so happy both Shannon and I qualified.”

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This will be both Christ and McCarthy’s first time competing in the Meet of Champions. However, as a sophomore and junior they will have the chance to return to the meet next year. As a freshman last year, Christ admits that she did not know much about the Meet of Champions. However, with another year of track experience under her belt, she has come to regard the meet differently. “I’m so honored to go to such a prestigious meet,” she said. “Last weekend the group 2 championship was at South Plainfield where the Meet of Champions is normally held, and I couldn’t believe I was running at a place where so many track legends had run before.”

 The girl’s 4x800 meter relay will also look to light up the track this Thursday. The team is just 2 seconds off the previous school record set in 2007 at the Nike Outdoor Nationals. The girls will try to capture this record, marking their place in RFH track history. Once again, this is the first time the team of Christ, McCarthy, Hellman, and Howley will compete at the Meet of Champions. However, all underclassmen, they will have the chance to return again next year.

The girl’s open 800 meter race is expected to start at 5:00 p.m. at Old Bridge T & F Complex, followed later by the girl’s 4x800 meter relay. 

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