GROUP EFFORT: Princeton High distance running stars Lou Mialhe, second from left, and Chloe Taylor, right, compete in a 2015 cross country race. Last weekend, senior Mialhe took 13th in the 3,200 and 15th in the 1,600 at the Group 4 state championship meet while sophomore Taylor was 23rd in the 3,200. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

For track coaches, an overriding challenge is fine-tuning athletes to produce their best performances in the biggest meets.

The process of laying a foundation over the season and then tapering at the right time and in the best manner is an inexact science.

Last weekend, the PHS track team showed that it was primed for crunch time as it excelled in the Group 4 state championship meet at Egg Harbor High.

The boys’ squad took eighth in the team standings as a number of Little Tigers achieved the top-six finish necessary to qualify for the Meet of Champions (MOC) on June 8. Senior Nick Birnie won the pole vault while junior Alex Roth was third in the 3,200, freshman Paul Brennan placed fifth in the discus and the 4×800 relay came in fourth. Senior Theodore Tel finished seventh in the long jump and subsequently made the MOC as a wild card entry.

As for the PHS girls, sophomore Jackie Patterson placed sixth in the 400 while the 4×400 relay, anchored by Patterson, finished second. The Little Tigers were 23rd in the team standings.

“It is everything we have worked for,” said Ben Samara, the associate head coach of the PHS boys’ and girls’ teams in assessing the results of the Group meet.

“To see everybody peaking at the right time after all that hard work is exactly what you want.”

Consistent hard work helped Birnie reach new heights as his leap of 13’0 gave him the pole vault title.

“He had trust in himself and the new pole that he was working with and he kept plugging away,” said Samara. “He finally got the clearance he needed. It wasn’t something that anybody was thinking about going in but it was a lot of fun to watch when a kid like that who has worked so hard gets a title.”

Noting that Birnie had no-heighted at the indoor sectional, Samara said that PHS assistant coach Joe Gargione played a key role in getting the senior star back into the groove.

“They talk a lot about the different aspects of the pole vault, they really break it down, they do a lot of video stuff,” said Samara, reflecting on Gargione’s work with Birnie.

“He knows what he needs to do and he just goes out and does it. For him to come back after no-heighting to where he is at now to be a Group 4 state champion is incredible for him.”

Freshman Brennan is showing incredible progress, heaving a personal record of 163’3 at the Group meet as he follows in the footsteps of older brother, Tim, a former star thrower for PHS who is now competing at Dartmouth.

“He had another 2-feet PR; his composure is really, really impressive…” said Samara, noting that Brennan is the sixth ranked freshman nationally in the discus.

“He comes out on his first throw, it is his first group championship and he throws a 125 and it was kind of flat. He went over and got himself together. He came back on the second throw, composed himself and unleashed it for 163’3. From there, he went for it. He was going for the big throw because he knew he pretty much had some free throws. I think once he puts it together, 170 is not out of the question.”

While senior Theodore Tel came in seventh in the long jump with a leap of 21’8, he advanced to the MOC as a wild card selection.

“He had one of the more constant jumping days I have seen from him this season,” said Samara.

“He has jumped 21’11 two times but never in the same meet has he been so consistently up close to 22 feet on every single jump. He is really putting it together. Unfortunately for him, he wasn’t able to get that big fair jump that he needed and that he really wanted. I do think he is due, he was hitting the front of that board every single time.”

Junior star Roth did some front-running in the 3,200, clocking a time of 9:20.76 to take third.

“He stayed at the front of that pack the entire race,” said Samara of Roth. “He had a perfect race plan again that he always follows through on and he got himself through. It was close to a PR.”

Roth also helped the 4×800 relay advance to the MOC, as the quartet clocked a time of 7:53.49, lowering the school record it set a weekend earlier at the Sectional meet.

“There are still about two seconds in that race for them,” said Samara of the relay which includes sophomore Nick Delaney, junior Cy Watsky, and senior Jack Metzheiser, in addition to Roth.

“They can get really close to 7:50, the handoffs were a little bit stagnant. Each of the legs made some really good moves but there are still some spots where we would like to pick up time and I know those guys want it real bad. They have put themselves in a good spot to possibly medal on Wednesday so we will see what happens.”

The girls’ 4×400 relay has put itself in a good spot as it set a school record for the second week in a row, running 3:55.70 to beat its previous mark by more than three seconds. Senior Jordan Vine had a 58.7 split to lead things off while sophomore Caren Ju had a personal best by over one second, coming in at 60.5. Senior Maia Hauschild ran a season best split of 58.9 on the third leg with sophomore Jackie Patterson producing a 57.5 split on the anchor.

“They were healthy, they were ready to roll,” said Samara. “They put it all together at the right time. It may have been my favorite race to watch ever; this was an absolute joy because we have been working at this for so long. I am so proud of these girls, they have faced so much adversity this year and they have really put it back together.”

Samara was particularly proud of how seniors Vine and Hauschild stepped up in the race.

“Jordan got us started off great; she went out a little bit slow and then I think she realized it a little bit and really kicked it in,” said Samara.

“She was in last place coming into the turn and then we were in third place when she handed the baton off. I am really proud of Maia Hauschild. She has dealt with a lot of struggles this year. She was at 57 last year and was running in the 60s all spring. She got all the way back down under 59 seconds for the first time this spring.”

Patterson added another chapter to her special spring with her effort in the relay and her 57.36 performance in the 400.

“She basically went out and did what she had to do; she ran basically the same time she had been running,” said Samara.

“She got out in that seeded heat and she matched the speed of those girls once again and then hung on. I think she saved what she needed to save for the 4×400, which was helpful for our team. It is amazing that all of a sudden we can totally rely on her for 57 every time. It is nice to have that in your back pocket for sure.”

While senior star Lou Mialhe didn’t make it to the MOC as she took 13th in the 3,200 and 15th in the 1,600,  she will have a chance to come up big for PHS at the New Balance Nationals Outdoor later this month in Greensboro, N.C.

“Lou has had a great year; she is going to be a fantastic addition for Rutgers next year,” added Samara.

“She is going to be doing the steeplechase at the national meet and running the 4×800 out there so it is a lot left for her even though her state meet is done. She has been this steady, consistent performer for us and we are really going to be sad to see her go.”

Looking ahead to the MOC, Samara is excited to see how his athletes perform on the state’s biggest stage.

“The kids really stepped it up, coming up to Group 4 and we have as many qualifiers as we have had at Group 3 in the past,” noted Samara.

“We could possibly take home as many as four medals from the MOC. The girls’ 4×400 and the boys’ 4×800 are both in the seeded heats and they are going to be a lot of fun to watch at the end of the meet.”