Union County Relay Championship

Your Oratory Rams just recently concluded what is known as “relay season”. Relay season is the time in the beginning to middle of the season in which races are predominantly 4 man relays in the running events (passing a baton in between each leg) – and 2 man relays for the throwing events (adding up the best throw from each athlete). The first championship relays that the team ran in was on January 8 at the Jersey City Armory. The historic Jersey City Armory was built in 1937, making it the perfect place for the teams competing at the Union County Relays to forever insert their names into the county record books. 

The first race of the day was the varsity Distance Medley Relay (DMR). The events within the DMR consist of the 1200 meters (run by Captain Ciaran Bowler), 400 meters (run by Captain Evan O’Dowd), 800 meters (run by freshman Declan Kelly), and anchored by the 1600 meter (run by sophomore Tommy Hunt). The field was tough, topped off by the 4th best team in the country, Union Catholic, who would win the event. Bowler started the race off in the 1200, running a 3:22. This was an 8 second PR for the reigning conference champion in the 800; this shows the champ’s improved form even after winning a title. Ciaran would then pass the stick to Evan O’Dowd who would split a 59.1 in the 400 meters. The 3rd leg was freshman Declan Kelly, he would take on the tough task of his first high school 800 meters being at county relays. He would go out ambitiously, splitting a 65 second first 400 meters, closing his second 400 in 77 seconds. Declan’s 2:22 800 meter is one that is very respectable for a freshman and would pass the stick to sophomore Tommy Hunt to run 1600. Hunt would have a strong battle with former youth teammate, senior Chris Marinco of Governor Livingston, but would become detached from him in the last half mile. Although not necessarily the performance Hunt was looking for, he still ran a 4:57 mile, breaking the 5 minute barriers for the first time. The relay team would place 7th, missing out on points by 1 place. 

The next varsity relay was the 4×200. Senior Captain Jack Stickler was the first leg running 26.1, passing the stick to Captain Evan O’Dowd who would run 25.5, a pr of 0.8 seconds (a large pr in something as short as 200 meters). The 3rd leg was sophomore Byron Mendez who would run a 27.3, before senior Sebastian Murray would run a 27.5, bringing home the rams in 9th place. 

The final varsity race of the county relays was the Sprint Medley Relay (SMR). The SMR consists of 2×200 (Byron Mendez + Jack Stickler), a 400 meter (run by Sebastian Murray in place of the injured Patrick Feit), and the 800 meters (run by Ciaran Bowler). Byron would get out well before his race was altered. The race was altered due to the hectic handoff where runners were laid out across the track in a chaotic crash. Byron’s split would end up being a 28.6 before passing to Jack Stickler who would end the 200’s with a 26.2. The senior duo of Sebastian Murray and Ciaran Bowler would end the final varsity relay that Oratory had, Murray, running a 64.3 400, and Bowler running a 2:11.2. 

Other notable performances were Michael Kupetz in the JV 4×200. His leg would result in a PR of almost a full second, a performance that would earn him a performer of the meet. In the shot put, freshman beast James Martin would throw 30-0.50 feet in a very impressive county debut. 

This gave the team positive momentum going into the Non-Public A state relay championship, which they would partake in on January 14th. 

Non-Public A State Relay Championship

After gaining momentum from the Union County Relay Championships which took place on January 8th, the team had positive momentum going into the Non-Public A State Relay Championship. This meet would mark the conclusion of relay season, that being the time in the beginning to middle of the season in which races are predominantly 4 man relays in the running events (passing a baton in between each leg) – and 2 man relays for the throwing events (adding up the best throw from each athlete). This meet took place in the Bennett Center, otherwise known as the “Famous Bubble” as Mr. Seebode calls it. It is located in Toms River and is a 200-meter indoor track that is under a pressurized bubble, hence the nickname.

The first race of State Relays was the varsity Distance Medley Relay (DMR). The events within the DMR consist of the 1200 meters (run by Captain Ciaran Bowler), 400 meters (run by Captain Evan O’Dowd), 800 meters (run by freshman Declan Kelly), and anchored by the 1600 meter (run by sophomore Tommy Hunt). The field was tough, topped off by the 11th best team in the country, Christan Brothers Academy (CBA), who would win the event. Bowler started the race off in the 1200 – running a 3:25, his 200-meter split’s being 32.2, 34.5, 34.8,35.5, 35.1, 33.3. Ciaran’s performance was especially great as he went toe to toe with the first leg of CBA, handing off at virtually the same time, the two teams separating themselves from the rest of the field. Bowler would then pass the stick to co-performer of the meet Evan O’Dowd. Evan was an incredibly worthy candidate for performer of the meet as his 400-meter split was clocked in at a 55.8. Not only is this a PR for Evan, but it is an incredibly fast time that would position OP firmly in the top 2 with a good distance between the Rams and Seton Hall who was running in 3rd. The 3rd leg was freshman Declan Kelly, he would take on the tough task of his 2nd high school 800 meters being at county relays. He would go out ambitiously, splitting a 66.2 first 400 meters, closing his second 400 in 73.6 seconds. Declan’s 2:19 800 meters would position OP in the race for points, placing the stick in the race for 4th as CBA, St. Joe’s, and Seton Hall had distanced themselves from the field. Hunt would get the stick in a tight battle with St. Peter’s Prep. The race for 4th was tight going into the final 400 meters but Hunt’s speed would prove to be too much, as his 4:55.8 mile firmly put the Rams into the 4th position in State Relays. The team would score 4 points in this event, and put together a very impressive relay, running 5 seconds faster than they did just a week ago.

The next relay was the Varsity 4×200. Captain Jack Stickler kicked off the first leg with a 26.7 before passing it to fellow Captain Evan O’Dowd who would run his 2nd PR of the day, splitting a 25.2. The 3rd leg was Stephen Tuite who would run a 26.8 before passing it off to fan-favorite Michael Kupetz. Kupetz, everyone’s favorite corn-water enthusiast, has had a great season, moving up to varsity and running a 200 meter PR of 26.9, while supposedly taking the lead in who could get the most fist bumps from Mr. McCrystal, leading both the injured Pat Feit and TikTok star Gus Russo.

The Varsity Sprint Medley Relay (SME) was the next relay team to hit the track. The Rams ran in the same heat as US #1 SMR team, Seton Hall Prep. In a change of event order, the state relay would actually have the 400-meter leg (Kelly) go first, with the 2×200 (Mendez/ Murray) following after, and finally the 800 meter (Tommy Hunt). Declan Kelly would return from the DMR to kick off the Sprint Medley Relay with a 62-second first leg. The 200 legs would then take over, with Mendez running a 26.8 and Murray running a 26.9 before passing the stick in a close battle with St. John Vianney (SJV). Tommy Hunt would get the stick and be immediately tripped but avoided falling to the earth. Hunt would then run with the anchor leg of SJV, before setting a pace in the last 400 meters that would drop the runner from SJV, and avoid getting lapped by Seton Hall. This sequence of events in the anchor leg of the SMR is pictured below:

Hunt would run a 2:16.8, running his 2nd PR of the day, just as Evan O’Dowd did. This resulted in the 2 runners sharing the title of “Performer of the Meet.”

After the SMR the only events left for OP were the 4×400 and the results of the Shot Put Relay. In the 4×400, Tuite would run the first leg, running a PR of 58.9. He would pass the stick off to Ciaran Bowler who would split a 57.7. The last 2 legs were run by Jack Stickler, who would PR in 61.2, and Sebastian Murray who would run a 62.6.

Lastly, James Martin and Dylan Lozano had respectable performances in the shot put. Dylan threw 27-06.25, and James “The Mountain” Martin furthered his PR with a throw of 32-07.50.

Great job Rams!