FAB FOUR: The Wilberforce School boys’ 4×800 relay team display the medals they earned for placing first in the state Non-Public B Group meet. The quartet, from left, of Jeremy Sallade, Danny Szeliga, Caleb Brox, and Dominic Madigan went on to take 18th in the event at the state Meet of Champions last Saturday at South Plainfield High, setting a school record of 8:18.54 in the process. The foursome also placed second in the 4×400 at the Group meet to advance to the MOC where they placed 23rd in a school-record time of 3:34.51. In addition, Madigan, and Sallade qualified in the individual 800 by placing third and fourth in the Group meet. Sallade placed 24th in a school record of 1:58.84 with Madigan finishing 29th in 2:01.97. (Photo provided by Lois Szeliga)

By Bill Alden

Although only about 100 students attend the Wilberforce School in Princeton, nearly 10 percent of the student body qualified to compete in the state track Meet of Champions (MOC) last weekend.

On the boys’ side, the quartet of sophomore Jeremy Sallade, freshman Caleb Brox, senior Danny Szeliga, and senior Dominic Madigan placed first in the 4×800 relay in 8:29.71 and second in the 4×400 with a time of 3:35.58 at the state Non-Public B Group meet to advance to the MOC. In addition, Madigan took third in the 800 in 1:58.56 with Sallade taking fourth in 1:59.58 to qualify for the MOC in that event.

As for the girls, the quartet of sophomore Sophia Park, senior Lydia Sallade, senior Hannah Park, and junior Laura Prothero took third in the 4×800 in 10:47.30 at the Group meet to punch their ticket to the MOC. Sophia Park finished third in the 1,600 in 5:35.81 and made the MOC individually in that event.

“It is the first time in school history that we are sending anyone to the MOC,” said Wilberforce head coach Lois Szeliga, noting that the program started in 2014. “We are so proud of these kids.”

FAST COMPANY: The Wilberforce School girls’ 4×800 relay team, from left, of Hannah Park, Sophia Park, Laura Prothero, and Lydia Sallade are all smiles after they finished third in the state Non-Public B Group sectional meet earlier this month. Last Saturday, the team took 23rd in the state Meet of Champions, clocking a school-record time of 10:19.91. Sophia Park competed in the 1,600 at the MOC, placing 27th in a time of 5:43.38. (Photo provided by Lois Szeliga)

In Szeliga’s view, the team’s veterans proved to be the impetus for that breakthrough.

“There is a lot of senior leadership there with Dominic and the whole team,” said Szeliga, who had a squad of 24 athletes.

“Because they had a year off, both boys and girls came in and they wanted to compete right away. They all spur each other on. Even in practices, they are very competitive. They also have lots of fun. The seniors graduated on the 7th and they come to practice to get back into it and they are loving it.”

Heading into the MOC, Szeliga believed her boys’ runners would rise to the occasion in the meet held at South Plainfield High.

“They have a lot of competition that can push them,” said Szeliga.

“The goal is for them to get their best times and improve upon what they have done and represent the school at the top level of competition in the state.”

The boys achieved that goal at the MOC, taking 18th in the 4×800, setting a school record of 8:18.54 in the process. The foursome also finished 23rd in the 4×400, clocking a school-record time of 3:34.51. In addition, Sallade placed 24th in the 800 in a school-record mark of 1:58.84 with Madigan finishing 29th in 2:01.97.

The addition of Sophia Park, who had originally been planning to play lacrosse this spring, made a big difference for the girls’ team.

“Sophia was my No. 1 runner in cross country last fall, she had to establish confidence too in track that she is also fast,” said  Szeliga.

“We were very happy to have her. Sophia had never done it before, these were all of her first mile times and her first 800 meter times.”

Two senior girls, Sallade and Hannah Park, stepped up to help make the 4×800 relay formidable.

“Lydia was our leadoff runner, she is more of a miler, 2-miler, she set the school record in the 2-mile at the Group event (12:39.61 in the 3,200),” said Szeliga.

“She is really a true teammate running the 800 meter leadoff leg. I knew that she is a mature athlete and could handle that leadoff leg in the Groups. The fastest split was Hannah. She is a sprinter, a 200-400 athlete and with us being a small school you stretch people just because you need bodies. That was her first 800-meter race and she had the fastest time.”

At the MOC, the quartet was even faster than at the Group meet, clocking a school-record time of 10:19.91 in finishing 23rd overall. Sophia Park ended up placing 27th in the 1,600 at the MOC, clocking a time of 5:43.38.

In reflecting on the program’s historic spring, Szeliga attributed the success to how the athletes bonded over a pursuit of excellence.

“I am so proud for our size school to be able to take this many athletes to the MOC,” said Szeliga, noting that assistant coach Kristen Yonkman, a former college heptathlete, played a key role as the team’s sprint and field coach.

“It comes from the senior leadership that we have. We have six seniors on the team and they really jumped back in and set the tone for ‘let’s keep reaching for our goals.’ ‘They have had opportunities wasted and they have a sense of urgency. And then we have these talented youngsters who have really bought into it. The kids showed that they have a competitive culture. They have a lot of character and they have so much fun.”

Szeliga, for her part, got a lot of enjoyment out of coaching the squad.

“They are good friends, they are like brothers and sisters,” added Szeliga. “It is really fun to be out there with them, they are very close with each other.”