2009 Group II Championships

The record breaking Cranford High School girls’ track team ended a ten year drought in a big way Friday and Saturday May 29-30 in the NJSIAA/Star-Ledger group championships at Frank Jost Field in South Plainfield. Fresh off their first section title in history, the girls who had not had a state champion since 1999, earned three gold medals and tied Delaware Valley for second place in group II with 37 points. Powerful Camden easily won the title with 72 points but Coach Peter Kane was not the least bit disappointed.

“Of course we wanted to win, but we had such a great two days of competition that we were thrilled to have taken second. Del Val is a strong team and it was a battle last weekend to win over them at the Sectional Meet,” said Kane.

Junior Kelly Burke won the pole vault and triple jump, sophomore Natalie Englese won the 400 and placed third in the 200 and senior Julianne Grandal finished sixth in the javelin. The trio will compete in the Meet of Champions Wednesday June 3 at Frank Jost Field in South Plainfield.

Of the three victories, perhaps the most spectacular and surprising was Burke’s pole vault win as she cleared 12-0 to break her own Union County record and defeat Nicole Pompei of Hanover Park, the 2008 Meet of Champions winner, on misses.

“Nothing she does surprises us. She has been building up to making this height. Kelly works so hard every day to be the best. I'm really looking forward to the Meet of Champions to see her compete there. Beating the reigning champ this weekend helps the confidence going into the meet,” said Kane, a former pole vaulter, who is considered one of the state’s top pole vault coaches.

Her triple jump victory was no less dramatic although she came in the meet as the favorite. Burke, who established the county record in the triple jump at the sectional finals when she leaped 39’5, entered her final jump third in the competition but made a key adjustment and soared 38’6 for her second win.

“She had blasted a big jump on her third jump of the trials but fouled by two inches. We told her how great the jump was and reminded her of the importance of self confidence and composure. She took that and went with it. With the championship on the line we moved her back five inches and she went far enough to win,” said Kane.

“I have been doing 40 in practice, so before my last jump I just calmed down and relaxed and I was able to come up with my jump of the day,” said Burke.'

Despite competing with a broken nose, sophomore Natalie Englese, the other half of the teams’ 1-2 punch, took a first in the 400 and third in the 200. Englese won a stirring battle with favored Vickie Caruso of Walkill Valley in the 400. The runners were even until Englese broke away in the final 200 to win in a personal-best 56.18. Kane describes Englese as the type of runner who thrives on the best competition.

“Natalie is a fierce competitor and needs to compete with the best of the best. This is where she belongs. Nat has the confidence and ability to go out there and run something amazing. She really wants to get under 56.0 in the open 400,” said Kane.

Caruso and Assante Johnson of Camden edged Englese in the 200 and Kane is not certain whether she will compete in that event at the Meet of Champions.

“It’s a game time decision. The events are very close together, so we’ll see how it goes.”

Grandal put the icing on a solid career by qualifying for her first Meet of Champions.

“It was very important to us that she make it in her senior season. She has been such a positive leader for the team this year and has dedicated herself to perform at the highest level,” said Kane.