IN THE NEWS: Track Team has 7-1 Record in Division Contests

CALDWELL - The Mount St. Dominic Academy track team has performed well this season.

“Our overall season highlight thus far is our 7-1 record in Super Essex Conference Colonial Division competition,” said co-head coach Mike Vigil. “Our dual meet season concluded (Tuesday, April 26) with victories over North Star Academy and Science Park.”

Members of the team’s 4x100m and 4x200m relay teams have been leading the team, he said.

“These relay teams consist of senior Gianna Mangili, sophomore Riley Merklinger, juniors Amanda Galasso and Julia Camporeale, and freshman Lorelei Middleton. The 4x100m relay broke the school record with a time of 50.31 at the Blue Devil Classic in Westfield (on April 23). The 4x200m team is approaching the record, having run 1:46.8 on (April 23).”

Several athletes are excelling this season, he said.

“Breakout individual athletes include Mangili; Galasso in the 100m hurdles with a PR of 15.6 at (the April 26) meet and is approaching our school record. Middleton has run 61.6 seconds in the open 400m, among our top three to four freshman performers all-time in that event.

"Frosh Bella Dressler has run three personal bests since (April 23): 800m (2:35), 1,600m (6:01) and 3,200m (13:05). Junior Keira Carbone continues her stand-out season from indoors, throwing a PR of 31-1 in the shot put thus far.”

The 4x100 and 4x400m teams consisting of Mangili, Merklinger, Galasso, Camporeale and Middleton competed at the Penn Relays on Wednesday, April 27. It was the team’s first appearance there since 2019.

The 4x100m team of Merklinger, Galasso, Mangili and Camporeale ran 50.60, finishing 71st among almost 500 high school teams in that event at the Penn Relays.

The 4x400m team of Merklinger, Mangili, Camporeale and Middleton ran 4:12.84, the fastest Mount 1,600m relay time since 2016.

The Lions also competed at the Paul H. Beck Memorial Relays at Millburn High School on Saturday, April 30.

The 4x800m team of Dressler, Cara D’Angelo, Ava LaBruno and Olivia LaBruno finished in fifth place in a season-best time of 10:50.3.

On Friday, May 6, the team will compete at the Essex County Relays in Livingston. It also will compete at the Joe Suriano Twilight Memorial Invite on Monday, May 9; the Mountaineers Frosh, Soph and Novice Series in West Orange on Thursday, May 12; and the Super Essex Conference Colonial and Independence Division Championships on Friday, May 13 in Newark.

Lacrosse

The Mount lacrosse team is 7-5.

The Lions lost to Governor Livingston, 9-8, on Thursday, April 28. Jayden DeSilva led the team with four goals and one assist. Erin Murphy registered one goal and two assists. Giuliana DeSilva, Liana Gumpel and Kiera Bevilacqua each chipped in a goal.

The Lions were seeded eighth in the Essex County Tournament. They lost to ninth-seeded Columbia, 9-3, in the first round Saturday, April 30. Murphy scored all three goals.

The team was set to play West Orange on Tuesday, May 3. It is scheduled to face Livingston on Friday, May 6; River Dell on Monday, May 9; and Kinnelon on Tuesday, May 10.