1976 Henry Menke 4:16.8  Group IV State Championship

1978 Chris Likes 4:27.8  Group IV State Championship

1980 Michael Benson 4:03.6  Group IV State Championship

1994 Chris Greer 4:30.78  Group III State Championship

1995 Chris Greer 4:23.19  Group III State Championship

2012 Chris Marco 4:19.59  Group III State Championship

Going into the Meet of Championships on Saturday, Marco is the 6th seed from all the performances last weekend at the Group Championships.

Elly Wardle was South’s second individual champion.  She won the high jump with a leap of 5’4″.  Wardle, who has the school record in the high jump (5’5″) recently signed a letter of  intent to attend Lehigh University.  Her resume for the high jump is impressive: “four-time Shore Conference champion (three indoors/one outdoors), tied for fifth in the high jump at the Meet of Champions last winter and has a personal of 5-5, which she cleared to win the South Jersey, Group 3 title last winter.” (http://www.nj.com/hssports/blog/girlswintertrack/index.ssf/2012/02/elly_wardle_of_toms_river_south_picks_lehigh.html)

Wardle looks to improve on last year’s 5th place finish at the Meet of Champions on Saturday.  She had the 3rd best jump out of all the Groups.

Coach Eddie Baynes did a great job with the distance team this year as well.  Molly Applegate‘s time of 5:05.16 in the 1600 meter is the fast mile ever run at South for both indoors and outdoors.  She is ranked 10th going into the Meet of Champions.  South also had a freshman just miss getting a wild card entry into the meet.  Chelsea Smith ran a time of 5:14 in the 1600 meter race last Saturday, which ranks her second all-time behind Applegate on the indoor list.

Last, but not least, is Senior Kimberly Alfaro who was 6th in the shot put with a toss of 36’6″ last Saturday.  South’s girls team has always had a great history in the throwing events.  Alfaro continues this tradition and looks to improve on her sixteenth seed going into MOCs.

Here is the performance list for the meet:

http://cache.milesplit.com/user_files/899/36487/12%20moc%20performance%20list%20revised.pdf

Girls races start at 9am.  Boys start at 1pm.  Good luck to the four South athletes competing!

Another individual state championship title went to Ellie Wardle (’12) who won the high jump in 5’4″.  Molly Applegate (’13) improved 12 seconds from her last race and moved on to the Meet of Champions by running 5:05 for the 1600 meters which got her 5th place.  South’s girls team has three qualifiers to the All-Group meet with Kimberly Alfaro (’12) nabbing 6th place in the shot put with a toss of 36’6″.

More on this meet later this week.

Before 2008 there was very little written about the life of Cleveland Gaiter (’26).  It wasn’t until June of 2008 that Gil Leibrick (’52) wrote an article for the local Society Scroll that unveiled some of the incredible details about the life of Mr. Gaiter and his family (http://www.oceancountyhistory.org/pdf/june-08-web-version.pdf).

Cleveland Gaiter was born in Nassau, of the Bahamas, to Wilfred and Ernestine Gaiter.  At four years old, Cleveland immigrated with his family to the United States.  According to the records from Ellis Island, Gaiter arrived with 26 other passengers on July 23^rd, 1911 on the Vigilancia Ship.

The Vigilancia

(Link to Ellis Island Documents:  http://www.ellisisland.org/search/ship_passengers.asp?letter=v&half=1&sname=Vigilancia&year=1911&sdate=07/23/1911&port=Nassau,*Bahamas&page=1)

Cleveland Gaiter was one of the first African-American athletes to compete at Toms River High School.  The 1920s were a grueling time for African-Americans, who faced unfathomable levels of discrimination and racism.  An unfortunate example highlighting this tumultuous time happened during a Toms River football game against Point Pleasant High School.  Leibrick found an article on a “shameful incident” where the Point Pleasant players tried to purposely remove Gaiter from the game.  The Toms River coach at the time, N.S. Detweiler, saw this as unacceptable and had his team walk off the field, severing ties with Point Pleasant for many years.  Gaiter persevered through these hard times and by his high school graduation in 1926, he was recognized as one of the best football players in the state, garnering second team All-State honors as a running back.

Coach Detweiler also tutored the track and field teams during Gaiter’s four years at Toms River High School.  According to the archives found by Leibrick, Gaiter was a stellar track and field athlete who medaled in just about every event he competed in, including the 100 yard dash, 200 yard dash, broad jump, shot put, and high jump.  It was additionally discovered that he was a key leg on the mile relay team which consisted of Gaiter, Chester Johnson (‘27), Bartholemew Ellis (’27), and Aloysius Beckman (’27).

1926 Track Team

After graduating from Toms River High School, Gaiter went on to play semi-professional football.  Boxing also became one of his sports of choice.  We were able to find two heavyweight matches that he lost to Cowboy Frank Willis on February 2, 1931 and March 2, 1931 at an arena in Trenton, NJ.

Boxing results:  http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=593775&cat=boxer

Despite the obstacles faced by the Gaiter family, all ten Gaiter kids graduated from Toms River High School and almost all of them went on to graduate college as well.

Two of Cleveland Gaiter’s brothers served in the U.S. Army during World War II.  Worrell Gaiter (’33) played a vital role in the Battle of the Bulge in 1944 against the Germans, in which he received a Bronze Star.  Roger Gaiter (’39) was a pilot during World War II in the 332^nd Fighter Group, better known as the Tuskegee Airmen.  This legendary team was the first African-American aviation coalition of its kind in the United States.

Roger graduated from flight training on February 8, 1944 at the Tuskegee Army base in Alabama.  He flew thirty-seven missions over parts of France, Germany, and the Balkans before his P-51 Mustang plane was shot down by German antiaircraft guns on November 19, 1944, about twenty miles from Lake Balaton, Hungary.  He managed to escape the plane and elude the enemy on foot for some time but was ultimately captured and placed in a prisoner of war camp in Stalag ((http://www.tuskegee.edu/Uploads/files/About%20US/Airmen/332dFighterGroupMissingCrew.pdf).

Roger’s story has been added to many publications on the Tuskegee Airmen of World War II, with Black Knights by Lynn M. Homan and Thomas Reilly as one great example.

Caption reads: Class 44-B graduated from flight training on February 8, 1944 at Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama. Order unknown: Roger B. Gaiter is pictured in this photo.

In 2010, Cleveland Gaiter was inducted in the Toms River Schools’ Athletic Hall of Fame for his noteworthy achievements in football, baseball, and track and field.  Shortly after, J.D. Watson wrote an article about Gaiter and his family, which is also worth reading.

Link to Watson’s article:  http://tomsriver.patch.com/articles/uncovering-the-remarkable-story-of-cleveland-gaiter

In 2011, the Ocean County Library hosted a display with important relics from the Gaiter family’s history at Toms River High School and World War II, giving the family the recognition they deserved.

Chris Marco ('13) leading at the bell lap in the 1600 meter run

The relay team of Marco, Edmard Opepe (’12), Stephen Hopson (’12), and Joe Govea (’14) nabbed 6th place in the mile relay to move on to the Group Championships with a time of 3:42.98.

Finally, South got placed two guys in the pole vault.  Govea finished fourth with a jump of 11′ and Alex Roby (’13) was 6th in with a jump of 10’6″

Boys Results:  http://nj.milesplit.com/meets/104543/results/187527

South girls’ team also ran really well and took 3rd place overall for Head Coach Eddie Baynes (’03).  Kimberly Alfaro (’12) took South’s lone gold medal in the shot put with a throw of 36’6″.

Other scorers include:

Danielle Fernandez (’12) – 6th place in the 800 meters

Molly Applegate (’13) – 3rd place in the 1600 meter run and 2nd place in the 3200 meter run

Chelsea Smith (’15) – 4th place in the 1600 meter run

Elly Wardle (’12) – 2nd in the high jump

Girls Results:  http://nj.milesplit.com/meets/104543/results/187525

http://runningindians.wordpress.com/2011/10/11/jack-h-milne-a-legendary-toms-river-high-school-runner/

For anyone that would like to attend, we will send out more details closer to the date of the ceremony.

Congratulations to the Milne Family on a very deserved honor for Jack!

Most of this decade was coached by John Dalton.  In 1950, the team was led by Paul Dech (’52), Paul Werner (’50), Dick Revie (’50), Sid Kassenoff (’51), and Jake Newman (’51).  The manager was Harvey Hendricks (’50).

Caption in Yearbook reads: “The track men pictured above were the outstanding performers for Toms River during the 1950 track season. LEFT TO RIGHT: Manager Harvey Hendricks, Paul Dech, Paul Werner, Dick Revie, Sid Kassenoff, Jake Newman, and Coach John Dalton."

In the Red Bank Register newspaper on May 18, 1950, Toms River High School was dubbed the favorite going into the Shore Conference Championships.  Here are some excerpts from the article:

“The 880-yard run is expected to be a two-way battle for top honors with Webb, Neptune, and [Sam] Purpuri, Toms River Indian, fighting it out for a Conference medal.  In this event the Indians’ Purpuri is expected to get the nod as the favorite.”

“When it comes to the mile race, Toms River is one of the strongest schools in this particular event and the Indians are not only expected to take first place, but also second and third.  [Paul] Dech and the Harvey brothers, “Butch” and Randy, generally sweep all three places.”

Link to article:  http://209.212.22.88/DATA/RBR/1950-1959/1950/1950.05.18.pdf

Going into this Shore Conference race, “Toms River definitely is the school dominating the meet, winning the title eight times.  Neptune is next in line with half that number and then comes Red Bank and Freehold with one win each.”

They posted the Shore records as of 1949:

100 yard dash – Viron Jones, Neptune 1940.  Time 10.1.  Co-holder of this mark with Jones is Richard Clement

200-Yard Dash – Viron Jones, 1940, and Alfie Morgan, Manasquan, 1947. Time 22.8

440-Yard Dash – Charlie Simons, Toms River, 1946. Time 52.7

880 Yard Dash – Bruce Anderson, Rumson, 1939. Time 2:00.1

Mile – Jack Milne, Toms River, 1938  Time 4:36

120 high hurdles – Al Sica, Toms River, 1941. Time 15.8

220 Low hurdles – Al Bentzen, Neptune, 1938. Time 26.3

Shot Put – Alex Schibanoff, Freehold, 1937.  Distance 48’5 ½”

Discus – Arthur Van Schoick, Toms River, 1938. Distance 128’4”

Javelin – Walt Kurdechyk, Manasquan, 1944, Distance 141’

High Jump  – Viron Jones, 1940 and D. Myers, Manasquan, 1949.  Height: 5’10”

Broad Jump – Arnold Taylor, Neptune, 1947. Distance 21’11 ½”

Pole Vault – Bob Duckenfield, Freehold, 1948.  Height 11’7 5/8”

*Of the 13 track and field events, Toms River held four records.

Toms River lived up to the favorite status and dominated the 15^th Annual Shore Conference Championships in 1950, scoring 56 5/6 points.  Highlights from the meet included:

Martin Koscica (’50) – 3^rdin the 440 yard dash

Sid Kassenoff ('51)

Sidney Kassenoff (’51)-  4^th in the 440 yard dash, 2^nd in the 120 yard high hurdles, and 3^rd in the 220 yard low hurdles

Sam Purpuri (’51) – 1^st in the 880 in a time of 2:05.6

Paul Dech (’52) – 2^nd in the mile

Ed Harvey (’51) – 4^th in the mile

Carlton Hamilton (’52) – 5^th in the discuss

Richard Revie (’50) – 2^nd in the shot

Paul Werner (’50) – 2^nd in the javelin and 2^nd in pole vault

William McHugh (’52) – tied for 3^rd in the pole vault

Ed Harvey – tied for 1^st in the high jump with a jump of 5’4”

Joseph Fuccile (’51) and Roscoe Earyes (’52) –  tied for 3^rd in the high jump

Link to article and results:  http://209.212.22.88/data/rbr/1950-1959/1950/1950.05.25.pdf

The next year brought very similar championship results.  In 1951, the team was very strong in many events.

1951 Track Team

Here is a caption on the beginning of the track season in the 1951 yearbook:

At the Shore Conference Championships that year, Toms River again won the title with a score of 44 points.  The article from the Red Bank Register highlights that it is their 10^th title in the last 16 meets:

“Coach Johnny Dalton’s field operators came through with the necessary points in the last few field events which were responsible for the Toms River squad marking up is second straight championship.” 

Paul Dech (’52) was the individual highlight of the meet for Toms River as he dominated the mile race in a time of 4:42.  Also, Sid Kassenoff (’51) won the 120 yard high hurdles in a time of 16.2 seconds.

Sid Kassenoff ('51), second from the left, winning the 120 yard high hurdles

Other scorers included:

George Cranmer (’53) – 5^th in the 440 yard run

Sam Purpuri (’51) – 5^th in the 880 yard run

Ed Harvey (’51) – 5^th in the mile run and 4^thin the javelin

Carlton Hamilton ('52)

Joseph Fuccile (’51) – 4^th in the 120 HH and T-2^ndin the high jump

Carlton Hamilton (’52) – 2^nd in the discuss and 2^nd in the shot put

Harvey Kaplan (’52) – 3^rd in the shot put

Roscoe Eayres (’52) – T-5 in the high jump

William McHugh (’51) – T-2^nd in the pole vault

Link to article and results:  http://209.212.22.88/data/rbr/1950-1959/1951/1951.05.24.pdf

The team went on to win the Central Jersey Meet, which seems to be very similar to the Sectional State Championship meets that we have today.

Although losing seven out of the eleven varsity lettermen from last year, the 1952 team also had a lot of success.  There only dual meet loss that year was to the undefeated Red Bank team.

Link to article and results:  http://209.212.22.88/DATA/RBR/1950-1959/1952/1952.05.08.pdf

1952 Track Team

But the Toms River team rebounded really well from this defeat and just narrowly missed their 3^rd straight Shore Conference title.  They scored 42 points losing only to that same Red Bank team.  Three first place medals were given out to Roscoe Eayres (‘52) in the high hurdles, Larry Snow (’52) in the low hurdles, and Harvey Kaplan (‘52) in the javelin.  Other scorers included:

George Cranmer (’53) – 2^ndin the 880 yard dash

Hellis Reininghaus ('52)

Herbert Hahn (‘53) – 3^rd in the 880 yard dash

Randolph Harvey (’52) – 3^rd in the mile

Hellis Reininghaus (’52) – 2^nd in the pole vault

Eayres – 3^rd in the low hurdles and 2^nd in the high jump (as well as tied for 1^st in 120 yard high hurdles with Wes “Batman” Reavey of Red Bank in a time of 15.9)

Snow – 3^rd in the high hurdles (as well as 1^st in the low hurdles in a new Shore Area record of 21.6)

Kaplan – 5^th in the discus and 3^rd in the shot put (as well as 1^st in the javelin with a throw of 163’2”)

Link to article and results:  http://209.212.22.88/data/rbr/1950-1959/1952/1952.05.22.pdf

Another result we found for the 1952 season was that Toms River got 4^th overall at the Group II State Championship with a score of 19.5 points.

We could not find too much information on the 1953 season.  We found that they won three dual meets, including a victory late April against Middltown, where Toms River won 71 to 41.  Charles Richter (’54) won both the hurdle events that day.

Link to article and results:  http://209.212.22.88/DATA/RBR/1950-1959/1953/1953.04.30.pdf

1953 Track Team

At the Shore Conference Championships, Toms River was 5^th place overall with a score of 16 1/10 points.  Scorers at this meet were:

John Anderson (’53) – 3^rd in the 880 yard dash

James McVaugh (’55) – 1^st in the mile in a time of 4:52.3

Rolf Henn (‘55) – 4^th in the mile

Charles Richter (’54) – 1^st in the 180 yard low hurdles in a new record of 21.3, 4^th in the 120 yard high hurdles, and T-3^rd in the high jump

Anthony Raniero (‘53) – T-3^rd in the pole vault

The Toms River High School track team also place 2^nd in the State Conference Meet out of 4 school and place 4^th out of 21 teams at the State Meet.

Finally, in 1954, the team brought back the overall team championship at the Shore Conference meet by scoring 32 2/5 points.  Highlighting the meet was Harvey Braun (’54) who finished in a dead heat in the 180 yard low hurdles with Walt Freeman of Freehold to share a new mark of 20.6.

Harvey Braun ('54), third from the left, in the hurdles

Other scorers included:

Ken Weippert (’55) – 2^nd in the 100 yard dash and 3^rd in the low hurdles

James McVaugh (’55) – 1^st in the mile in 4:50.2

Charles Richter (’54) – 3^rd in the 120 yard high hurdles, 4^th in the low hurdles, and T-4^th in the high jump

William Mehler (’54) – 1^st in the discus with a throw of 130’7 ¼”

Rolf Henn (’55) – 2^nd in the javelin

Andrew Errickson (‘55) – 3^rd in the javelin

Richard Garretson (‘54) – 3^rd in the broad jump

William Small (‘55) – T-4^th in the high jump

Braun – 2^nd in the high hurdles (as well as 1^st in the low hurdles)

Link to article and results:  http://209.212.22.88/data/rbr/1950-1959/1954/1954.05.27.pdf

1954 Track Team

Later next month, we will go through the teams of the mid to late-1950s.  We would love to get some stories from the guys that were on these teams.  Please let us know if you have any contact information for the names in this article or on the roster list from the link below:

Track Alumni Spreadsheet

We had over 35 schools from both meets compete.  We hope to do these again next year.  Please send any suggestions on how we can improve these meets.

The results from both events can be found below:

Egg Frosh/Novice Relays:  http://nj.milesplit.com/meets/106668/results/185226

Mid Winter Classic:  http://nj.milesplit.com/meets/106670/results/186341

———————————————————————————————–
Our next alumni gathering will be in the summer down at Capones.

Coached by alumni Eddie Baynes (’03), the girls 4X800meter relays team placed second overall at the Group III State Relays in a great time of 9:55.  The high jump relay team of Elly Wardle and Addy Pollioni jumped a combined 9’10″ in the high jump relay to tie for 1st place with Cumberland.

The indoor championship season is approaching and it starts this Thursday with the Ocean County Championships.  Despite taking indoors less seriously than most school and not taking part in this event for a period of about 13 years in the 1990s and 2000s, we still have had a lot of success.  In the 21 indoor championships that we have competed in dating back to 1978, South has been on the podium 12 times, with five 1st place finishes.

South's 1st Indoor County Title in 1978

Best of luck to this year’s teams.  We found some interesting information on an old track and field site by Ed Scullion.  Below is the indoor records we hold for Ocean County:*

300Y Matt Levens 32.4 1988

200M Charlz Hester 22.26 1998

300M Charlz Hester 36.8 1997

880Y Don Grow 1:57.0 1974

1500M Michael Benson 4:03.6 1980

HH Sean Marches (tied) 7.4 1991

HJ Jesse Jenkins 6’10″ 1983

4X400M TRS 3:27.01 1998

4X880Y TRS 7:57.9 1974

*The information on Scullion’s website may not be up to date.

This is a list of South’s success at the State Championship meets during the Indoor season.  Lets see if the current team can add to this list with individual and team performances.

Individual Titles at the Indoor Group Championships

400 meter Dash

1998 Charlz Hester 50.31  Group III State Championship

800 meter/880 yard Dash

1974 Don Grow 1:59.4  Group IV State Championship

1982 Pat Kelty 1:58.4  Group III State Championship

1988 Jeff Lewis 1:59.49  Group IV State Championship

Mile/1500/1600

1976 Henry Menke 4:16.8  Group IV State Championship

1978 Chris Likes 4:27.8  Group IV State Championship

1980 Michael Benson 4:03.6  Group IV State Championship

1994 Chris Greer 4:30.78  Group III State Championship

1995 Chris Greer 4:23.19  Group III State Championship

2 mile/3000/3200

1980 Michael Benson 9:00.5  Group IV State Championship

High Jump

1979 Pierre Souchet 6’6”  Group IV State Championship

1982 Jesse Jenkins 6’6”  Group III State Championship

1983 Jesse Jenkins 6’6”  Group III State Championship

Shot Put

1977 George Scribellito 58’1 ½”  Group IV State Championship

1995 Matt Hanford 53’5 ½ ”  Group III State Championship

2003 Paul Applegate 56’7”  Group III State Championship

Pole Vault

2005 David McCullough 13’6”  Group III State Championship

2010 Eric Cottrell 13’6”  Group III State Championship

Individual Titles at the All-Group State Indoor Championships

1973 Don Grow 1:57.9* (880 yard)

1976 Henry Menke 4:16.2 (mile)

1980 Michael Benson 4:04.0 (1500 meters)

1994 Chris Greer 4:26.81 (1600 meters)

*tied with Alex Long from Hudson Catholic

Relay Titles at the State Indoor Championships

3200meter Relay

1974 – 8:06.8  Group IV Championships

1979 – 8:07.9  Group IV Championships

1980– 8:03.9  Group IV Championships

Headline in Star Ledger in 1981

1981– 8:16.2  Group III Championships

1982 – 8:13.9  Group III Championships

Distance Medley Relay

1980 – 10:43.1  Group IV Championships

1981 – 10:55.6  Group III Championships

1994 – 11:01.5  Group III Championships

1995 – 10:54.10  Group III Championships

2002 – 10:58.12  Group III Championships

2002 Distance Medley Champs: Pat Clancy ('03), Tyshawn Davis ('02), Bob Budesa ('02), Eddie Baynes ('03)

High Jump Relay

1982 – 12’2” (2man)  Group III Championships

1983 – 12’8” (2man)  Group III Championships

Pole Vault Relay

2005 – 25’0” (2 man)  Group III Championships

2010 – 25’0” (2 man)  Group III Championships

Shot Put Relay

1995 – 98’11” (2man)  Group III Championships

2003 – 102’8 ¼” (2man)  Group III Championships

2007– 111’7 ¾ “ (2man)  Group III Championships

Headline from 2007 Indoor State Relay Championships

In 1995, South won the team title at the Group III State Championships.

Some highlights from those races include the 300 meter dash race, where Dallas Medeiros (’13) ran 38.1 to move him into 3rd All-time on the 300 Meter Dash list.  Several guys in this race as well as the 600 meter dash were added to the All-time lists.

At the Frank Burns Relays meet, the 800 Meter Relay team ran 1:37.86 which ranks them as the 10th best performance for indoor track.

Finally, Chris Marco (’13) cruised to victory in the 1600 meter race in a time of 4:25.46.  This moves him to 5th All-time on the Mile list.