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Schools

Central Regional Athletes Among Best in State at Meet of Champions

Samantha Jensen, Joe Hardy both place in top eight in their respective events

A pair of Central Regional High School athletes cemented themselves among the best in the state in their respective events at the recent NJSIAA Meet of Champions at Old Bridge High School.

Junior Samantha Jensen took third in the 100 hurdles with a 14.48 and also reached the finals of the 100-meter dash, while senior Joe Hardy high-jumped 6-6 to place fifth in that event to become the only two Golden Eagles to secure top-eight finishes in the state this season.

That duo headlined the Central Regional contingent, which also included their 4x100 girls relay team along with senior high jumper Kelly Smith and junior javelin thrower John Azeceta.

Jensen’s 14.48 in the 100 hurdles was just off the personal best 14.11 that she ran in winning the South Jersey Group III title on May 28.

It was a strong showing for her first time participating in the Meet of Champions after having advanced to the Group Championships the past two seasons but not securing a top-six finish. She also was able to register that time on a sweltering day where temperatures reached nearly 100 degrees.

Hardy, meanwhile, was coming off a Group III meet in which he jumped 6-2 to earn fourth place, and he was able to get back to the form he showed earlier in the championship meet season to register a top-five finish on Thursday. His jump of 6-6 tied his season best that he set at the South Jersey Group III meet on May 28.

His leap was just two inches shy of the winner, Montgomery senior Rob Weimer. Hardy’s personal best is 6-8, which he jumped at last season’s Meet of Champions to take third.

Also competing was the girls 4x100 relay team of Jensen, Essence Clyburn, Megan Hubbard and Kristina Buhagiar, which finished 12th with a time of 49.64. Smith high-jumped 5-2 to tie for ninth in the state.

That was a personal best for Smith, who had jumped 5 feet to take sixth at the Group III Championships in order to qualify for the Meet of Champions.

Azeceta was coming off a personal best throw of 172-6 in the javelin that placed him third in Group III last weekend, but he could not match that mark on Thursday. He threw 157-9 to finish 25th.

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