Seniors Dahlia Beasley and Dylan Giloley and juniors Dakota Jones and Ella Karp each recorded individual wins Friday at the Bubble to lead the Washington Township girls to their second indoor sectional title and first since 2011.
The Minutemaids doubled 2nd-place Eastern 84 5/6-42 in Group 4, with Toms River North 3rd with 41 ½ points. Washington Township won the 2011 team title 69-67 over Lenape.
Washington Township’s 84 5/6 points are 2nd-most in Group 4 since indoor sectionals began in 2008. Southern Regional scored 91 in 2012.
Jones won the 55-meter hurdles in 8.47, Beasley the high jump at 5-4, Giloley the 55 in 7.26 and Karp the shot put with a 36-7 on her final throw.
The 55 was a huge event for Washington Township, with Giloley and senior Kayla D’Ottaviano going 1-2 for 18 points. D’Ottaviano placed second with a PR of 7.33, lowering her lifetime best from 7.42 at Ocean Breeze in December.
In addition to her high jump win, Beasley placed 2nd in the 400 with a 58.64 and led off Township’s 3rd-place 4-by-4, which ran 4:15.13. Giloley added a point in the 400 with a 6th-place finish in 1:00.05.
Sophomore Cali Lacovara matched her PR with a 10-0 clearance in the pole vault for 2nd place. Lacovra passed through 8-6 and cleared 9-0, 9-6 an 10-0 without a miss. Another sophomore pole vaulter, Gabrielle Chelnik, tied for 6th with an 8-0 clearance, matching her personal best.
Senior Lauren Stanger placed 3rd in the shot put with a 33-9 ¾ throw and junior Gianna Shippy was 5th with a 32-2 ½, senior Zarria Oliphant took 4th in the hurdles in 8.70 and junior Ashley Loprez cleared 4-10 for 5th in the high jump.
Also, freshman Layla Beasley ran 2:19.88 – a 5 ½-second PR – and placed 4th in the 800. That’s the fastest time by a Gloucester County freshman since Gabbi Kirsch of Williamstown ran 2:16.60 at 2015 Group 4 states.
The correct order for the 3rd-place 4-by-4 team was Layla Beasley to sophomore Hailey Kennedy to D’Ottaviano to Dahlia Beasley.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 