Senior Angela Bannan medaled in four races, and Julia Bannan led the throws team to 50 points as the Holy Spirit girls placed a close second in the South Jersey Parochial B Championships at Donovan Catholic in Toms River this week.
This is the fifth straight year the Spartans have placed in the top four at sectionals. Holy Spirit was 4th in 2015 and 2016, 3rd in 2017 and won it last year.
Trinity Hall of Tinton Falls won this year’s meet with 91 points, 12 more than Holy Spirit.
Bannan, a multiple state medalist in the 800 and 1,600, ran 2:26.86, 5:32.13 and 12:10.53, placing 6th in the 800, 5th in the 1,600 and 3rd in the 3,200. She also ran a leg on the second-place 3,200-meter relay team.
Julia Bannan, a sophomore, led a 1-2-3 sweep in the shot put with a winning throw and personal-best 33-5. Senior Ariana Mack (30-7 1/2) and soph Kat Patittuci (29-11 1/4) placed second and third. Mack won the discus at 116-3 and Julia Brannan was second with another PR of 113-5. Both of Mack’s throws were PRs as well. Bannan also placed third in the javelin, with soph Morgan Keil taking fifth.
Junior Melody Pugliese placed second in the 200 and led off the fourth-place 1,600-meter relay team. Pugliese, junior Jenna Bradberry, freshman Vanessa DeJean and junior Megan McCully ran 4:32.34.
Holy Spirit also took second in the 3,200-meter relay in 10:42.66 with Bradberry, DeJean, Bannan and freshman Paige Snyder.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 