“In Union There is Strength”- The Lads of Union Catholic HS
SCOTCH PLAINS, N.J. - "In union there is strength," wrote Aesop, and that was back in the sixth century B.C.
A quick check of the results at the 31st edition of the New Balance Indoor Nationals, though, tells you that those five classic words continue to be far more than an ancient fable.
This latter-day union - Union Catholic High School, to be precise - was daunting and dazzling March 9-10 at New York's Armory Track Center, running to three NBIN relays victories, one of them in national-record time, in a display of scholastic speed and racing savvy that was one of the most impressive in NBIN annals.
Strength?
The Union Catholic Vikings, out of Scotch Plains in Central New Jersey, had it in All-American abundance as they ran off with (a) the NBIN 4x55-meter shuttle high hurdles relay in the national-record clocking of 29.20; (b) the 4x200 in 1:28.15, after a brilliant 1:27.80 in the prelims, and (c) the 4x400 in 3:16.31.
"It was really exciting for all of us," said junior speedster Obafemi Animashaun, the only Viking to run on all three winners.
"Winning the hurdles, that just started us going," said Animashaun, best known as "Femi" to all his teammates and classmates.
"We had to come from behind to win (over Western Branch of Virginia and take a 0.25 chunk out of Westside of Anderson, SC's nine-year-old national mark.) It gave us the confidence we could come back and do even more."
Sure enough, the Vikings did just that; just as head coach Mike McCabe knew they could.
"Our energy was flowing after the first win," said McCabe. "We were all fired up."
While the Vikings weren't as quick as they were in the 4x200 prelims - where they outclassed the second top qualifier by all of 1.24 seconds - they still won the 4x200 final by a clear margin.
Trailing in - in this truly national meet-up - were 4x200 teams from North Carolina, Alabama. Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.
"Coming in, I knew we'd do great in the hurdles and the 4x4," said McCabe, "but the 4x2 was going to be a stretch. Right after us, though, (in the trials) we saw three quality teams, who came in with better times than us, get DQ'd.
"But that's part of the game - I always tell the kids that to win a national title, you've got to be talented, you've got to work hard, and you've got to be lucky."
Capping it all - and ringing down the curtain on one of the best-ever editions of the NBIN - was the 4x400 triumph by a 0.79 edge over Pennridge, Pa., with rivals from North Carolina, New York and Virginia next in line.
And if you believe these performances by these lads was a one-up thing - just don't.
Don't ever think that the UC on their racing vests stood for Upper Class-men.
No, the Viking lineups were a delicate inter-class blend of seniors, juniors and sophomores, virtually guaranteeing that Union Catholic will be a power for years to come.
Animashaun is a junior and he ran the shuttle hurdles with seniors Christoffe Scott, Tyrell Gibbs and Zach Ghizzone.
It was junior Jordan Jimerson running with sophomore Taylor McLaughlin, junior Animashaun and senior Ghizzone in the 4x200.
Icing the cake was the 4x400 win by juniors Animashaun and Jimerson, senior Mike DeAngelis and sophomore McLaughlin.
"Track excitement is taking over the school," said McCabe, who took over the head coaching reins in 2002, just out of college. "We only have 720 students, boys and girls, total, in the school, and 145 are out for track. It was 115 a year ago; we keep growing and growing."
Years ago, Union Catholic was considered "a distance school" - when its star trackman was Bill Sieben, who went on to a brilliant career at Rutgers and had many more years of success at distances up to the marathon.
Another noted Viking was Rich Alexander, who high jumped over 7 feet in his days at Manhattan College, and still excels in the Masters ranks.
UC also had excellent teams in basketball and other sports.
Years ago, too, Union Catholic track teams ran a poor second in their own hometown. That was an era that saw neighbor Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School - featuring such greats as high hurdles record-smasher Renaldo Nehemiah; national indoor mile record-holder Vince Cartier; long jump star Bob Calhoun, and discus stalwarts Art Swarts and Mike Columbus - rule the local roost.
The arrival of enthusiasm-packed McCabe signaled a dramatic upturn in the school's latter-day track fortunes. He'd been a good, but not great high school runner at nearby St. Joseph's of Metuchen, with bests of 1:59 (800), 4:30 (mile) and 16:30 (5K cross country.) He went on to St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia, was a strong racer for the Hawks at a variety of distances, and became a student of the sport under SJ coach Mike Glavin.
Under the guidance of their young coach, the Vikings have been building and building for the past decade.
They won three past National Scholastic relay crowns with teams featuring such performers as D.J. Thornton (a 4:10 miler at UC now at Notre Dame), Allen Eke (a 1:51/4:12 UC man now at Oklahoma), sprint stars Garrett Ellis (now at Bethune-Cookman) and Darrell Costello (at Hampton), and Brian Guterl (a NJ state mid-distance champion who went on captain the St. Joe's team.)
Building a great coaching staff has been one more key to Viking success.
At first, Mary McCabe, the head coach's wife, was his key assistant. Now, with a son and a daughter to raise, she's stepped away.
Now, McCabe's key aides are Ed Guzman (throws), Luiz Cartagena (hurdles and jumps), Ed Thornton (throws and distance), Darren Boone (sprints, hurdles, conditioning, and more) and Shariff Stubbs.
"It's great to see our track team doing so well," said Tim Brezza, a Union Catholic baseball team coach. "All the teams cheer for each other at this school. We're like a family. We support everything they do. And they support us. Our school's not that big. So everything they do inspires us, too."
With the outdoor season here, Union Catholic is pointing to a big April 26-27 weekend at the Penn Relays.
"Our big goal is to make the Championship of America races in the 4x400 and 4x800," said McCabe. "We'll be running against the great Jamaica teams, but we think we can do it."
Andrew Ghizzone, Len Evely, DeAngelis, Derek Siegal - and, yes, the versatile Animashaun - comprise the UC 4x800 group, which figures to run in the 7:40s.
Then it will be on to the series of NJ state meets and New Balance Outdoor Nationals, June 14-15-16 in Greensboro, NC. Some of the leading Vikings may seek spots on the USA World Youth Championships team, too.
Oh yes, look for the Vikings to run some sizzling 4x110 shuttle hurdles times along the way, and again challenge the record book.
"If they can just repeat our indoor performance, I think we'll have a shot at the (outdoor shuttle) hurdles record," said coach Cartagena, still smiling over that drama-packed Armory win.
"We were about even (with Western Branch) after the first leg, then maybe 2-3 steps behind after the second. Gibbs, he stepped up big. He knew it was on him. He brought us back ahead, and Ghizzone kept us there."
Yet another plus - athletes from other sports are venturing into track at UC.
"Look at that kid over there," said McCabe, pointing to a basketball team member "who can reallllly-reallllly jump."
"We're getting lucky with that. It used to be hard to get those kids. Now they're recognizing that track's a very good option for them. They see their potential in track. They want to be part of it."
"Every practice here is intense," said Zach Ghizzone, a multi-talent who has obvious decathlon potential. "Kids keep coming out for the team, they see what we're doing, and they say 'I want to do that, too.' The whole atmosphere's tremendous."
"We take everything as a challenge," said Animahsaun. "We set our goals and know we can reach them. My teammates and all our coaches, we're all in it together."
"We have each others' back," said coach Boone. who joined the staff this season with a world of past experience (on the scholastic, collegiate and national club levels). His contributions have become another major UC plus.
"Everybody on this team keeps stepping up," said Boone. "Winning (the three) at Nationals, that was huge. Now, we have some huge goals for outdoors, and beyond."
UC's past deeds were rather amazing considering that the school didn't have a proper track to call its own. Previous Vikings trained on a beaten-up cinder path surrounding the school's all-sports field.
Actually, the school still doesn't have a proper facility. Fund-raising efforts let UC build an all-weather track in 2010, around an artificial-turfed ballfield. It may be 400 meters around but it's triangular-shaped, and requires drastic slowdowns around the odd bends.
It can't be used for meets and UC track athletes are always in a sharing mode with the school's baseball, softball and lacrosse teams.
So traffic jams are the rule.
"Keep it quick," McCabe commanded at a recent interval session around this circuit.
"Keep your head up, keep it cool, don't fade out.
"Lift-lift-lift."
That said it all for this whole, hectic scene - yes, genuinely uplifting.
