It should be an interesting season for the Moorestown High School track team, as the squad lost several high profile members of the team from last year through graduation.
Head Coach Troy Pappas — who has coached track for the past 10 years and compiled a 29–16–1 record at Moorestown — said his team would be competitive this season, despite losing several successful athletes from last year.
Last year, the team had a 3–2 record.
“Last season, we had five athletes in three events qualify for the New Jersey Meet of Champions. Jo Jo White, Sidney Ruffin, Austin Silver and Kama Steward qualified in the 4-by-100 meter. Ruffin also qualified for the triple jump, along with Greg Bolling. White also qualified for the high jump. That represented the most we had ever qualified for the Meet of Champions,” Pappas said.
White, Steward and Bolling — all school record holders in various events — graduated last year, Pappas said. Also gone is Anthony Horten, one of the team’s best distance runners ever, who now runs for Rutgers University.
“Over the last several seasons, our strength in the county, sectional and group championships has been our sprinters and jumpers. This season, we’ll need large contributions from several other specialty areas,” Pappas said.
T.J. DiPilla, a senior, is expected to be one of the county’s top pole-vaulters, Pappas said. A javelin specialist, Jeremy Wilbur, a junior, is a three-event threat in the throws.
Jesse Trigiani has improved significantly in the shotput as well, he said, and Chris Reubel, a junior, will surprise many in the 400 and 800.
“Jack Inglis, a senior, and Kevin Horten, a sophomore, lead a rapidly improving distance squad. Sidney Ruffin, a junior, and Austin Silver, a junior, return from last season’s 4-by-100 meter Meet of Champions relay team. Anthony Bonett, a junior, is also a member of the school-record 4-by-100 meter team who, as a freshman, missed most of last season with an injury. After an outstanding football season, he is ready to prove himself on the track,” Pappas said. “Seasoned long jumper Amir Anderson, a junior, is much improved and will jump in three events. Newcomer Tyreek Robinson, a sophomore, could make an immediate impact in the sprints.”
While they will be competitive, Pappas said the team to beat this year in the BCSL-Liberty Division will be Willingboro.
The Moorestown Invitational will be held on Saturday, April 14, at the high school.
The event is the largest championship meet in South Jersey, with 50 teams and more than 1,500 athletes competing.
