Mountain Lakes track team finding new ways to communicate
MOUNTAIN LAKES – Alex Zalmover calls himself "an academic athlete." A Mountain Lakes freshman, his favorite hobby is coding, and he wants to build an app of New Jersey bike trails. Zalmover loves to run and swim, and has participated in both sports for the Lakers.
Zalmover also happens to be deaf, one of 10 such athletes among the 130 in the track and field program. About 20 percent of the Mountain Lakes high school population is part of the team.
"I supported them. I helped them. I got to do it, and it made me feel happy," said junior sprinter Jimmy Henriquez, a junior from Passaic who is deaf, as Deanna Richter interpreted for him.
"The hearing kids encouraged me, so I got (the deaf kids) motivated. It's a lot more fun, because there's a lot more communication."
Mountain Lakes coach Sue Bessin, a French teacher, has been taking American Sign Language alongside the Mountain Lakes students since September. That has helped "bridge a gap" on the team, as more of the deaf students have heeded her request to bring a friend to practice. Keri Chavez, the Lakers throws coach, is a teacher in the Lake Drive Program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students.
"My dad said, 'This year, your junior year, you have to get better,' so I promised him I would," said Juan Cornejo, a Hamburg resident who threw a personal best of 113 feet, two inches in the Dodgertown discus.
"I need to work hard. I need to concentrate. I need to study more. I need to get better grades."
Mimi Pickett has been involved with cross country and track for four years, Henriquez and Cornejo for three. Henriquez also plays football at Mountain Lakes, Cornejo was on the JV soccer team last fall, and Zalmover swam in the winter. Being at the pool was more difficult, since Zalmover's hearing aids aren't waterproof and had to be removed, leaving him in a soundless world.
"That's the hardest thing for me, being on the swim team, to be able to be with other team members," said Zalmover, a Basking Ridge resident. "I really like (track). It makes me feel happier, and more comfortable. I'm more confident connecting."
Morristown's Epps not giving up yet
Christina Epps isn't done with school – or triple jump. Though Epps graduated from Coppin State last spring, she is pursuing a master's degree in sports psychology through Daphne, Ala.-based United States Sports Academy. But Epps didn't head south. Instead, she is taking classes online while in Baltimore, and continuing to train with Coppin State coach Alecia Shields-Gadson, while also working at her alma mater as an academic advisor.
"I'm trying to do it all," said Epps, a Morristown alumna who now represents Garden State Track Club. "It's tough. … I always had in the back of my head that, if I had the opportunity, to try to pursue the Olympics. I wanted to see how far I could take it. I didn't want to miss out on a dream, and not pursue it, and regret it later on."
That complex schedule is paying off.
Epps won the Penn Relays Olympic Development triple jump (44-2.5) on Saturday, finally taking home a coveted gold watch. Her personal best of 45-4.5 from Morgan State's Legacy Meet on April 18 is the No. 2 mark in the United States, and tied for No. 6 in the world this spring, according to All-Athletics.com.
She even surpassed Mount Olive graduate Keturah Orji, a Georgia freshman who has the No. 1 mark in NCAA Division I. Orji jumped a school-record 45-2.25, No. 3 in the U.S. and 12th overall, at the Spec Towns National Team Invitational on April 11.
They could meet at USA Track & Field's outdoor championships in Eugene, Ore., in late June. Based on performances there, Team USA will be selected for the Pan-American Games and IAAF World Championships this summer.
However, Epps still has to meet the international qualifying standard of 14.2 meters – about a foot farther than her current PR. She has improved about two feet in the past year, gaining strength and refining her technique.
"I kind of surprised myself a lot," Epps said. "It seems unreal. (The rankings are) kind of just there. In my eyes, I feel like I have a lot of work to do."
Finish lines
• Randolph will try to defend its Morris County Relays titles this weekend. The Rams boys romped over the competition a year ago, but major graduation losses will likely make this a much tighter meet. Senior-heavy Morris Knolls won the Morris Hills Relays two weeks ago and finished second at Randolph on Saturday. The well-balanced Randolph, Mendham and Whippany Park girls were close last year – and that's likely to continue.
• Congratulations to Roxbury coach Laura Schmidt, who gave birth to Mason Alexander Schmidt (8 lbs., 9 oz., 21 inches) on Friday.
Staff Writer Jane Havsy: 973-428-6682; jhavsy@gannettnj.com; www.dailyrecord.com/writerjane/
Top Girls Performances
4x100: Mendham (Emma Schacht, Sierra Tonnesen, Maggie Wadley, Audrey O'Neill) 50.84 – April 18 at Morris Hills Relays
4x200: Roxbury (Nikki Alford, Daniella Carter, Tiffany Larusso, Alexis Smith) 1:49.18–April 25 at Randolph Relays
4x400: Mendham (Audrey O'Neill, Emma Schacht, Kylie Cooper, Sierra Tonnesen) 4:06.39–April 23 at Penn Relays
4x800: Randolph (Nora May McSorley, Margaret Thomson, Carole Harsch, Liz Lansing) 9:27.05–April 11 at Cougar Classic
4x1,600: Randolph (Carole Harsch, Liz Lansing, Margaret Thomson, Nora May McSorley) 21:23.08–April 18 at Morris Hills Relays
Sprint medley: Roxbury (Daniella Carter, Tiffany Larusso, Alexis Smith, Olivia Viparina) 4:11.92–April 18 at Morris Hills Relays
Distance medley: Randolph (Nora May McSorley, Stephanie Robinson, Liz Lansing, Carole Harsch) 12:35.92–April 18 at Morris Hills Relays
High jump: Leah Wis (Montville) 5-4–April 18 at Morris Hills Relays
Long jump: Tymia Joseph (Morris Knolls) 18-0–April 18 at Morris Hills Relays
Triple jump: Tymia Joseph (Morris Knolls) 37-7.75–April 4 at Raider Relays
Pole vault: Katlyn Rymarzow (Pope John) 11-6–April 25 at Randolph Relays
Shot put: Nickolette Dunbar (Whippany Park) 50-8–April 23 at Penn Relays
Discus: Leah Wis (Montville) 134-0–April 23 at Penn Relays
Javelin: Kathryn Campbell (Parsippany) 118-8–April 4 at Summit Relays
Top Boys Performances
4x100: Mendham (Julian Montilus, Alex Tafro, Spenser Clouse, Christian Kildal-Brandt) 44.09–April 18 at Morris Hills Relays
4x200: Randolph (James Lienhardt, Keanan Mitchell, Greg Stickle, Endale Selishi) 1:31.66–April 25 at Randolph Relays
4x400: Mendham (Colin Hall, Sam Curtis, Dylan Heraghty, Christian Kildal-Brandt) 3:29.3–April 23 at Penn Relays
4x800: Morris Hills (Ian McNally, Jason Schweizer, Alex Pai, John Dennehy) 7:55.53–April 18 at Morris Hills Relays
Sprint medley: Mendham (Christian Kildal-Brandt, Julian Montilus, Colin Hall, Paul Ehmann) 3:30.61–April 18 at Morris Hills Relays
Distance medley: Pope John (Chris Drace, Aaron Naphor, Jon Buck, Steve Skydel) 10:44.31–April 25 at Randolph Relays
High jump: Spenser Clouse (Mendham), Spenser Clouse (Mendham), and Andrew Pondiscio (Sparta) 6-2
Long jump: Greg Stickle (Randolph) 22-2.5–April 18 at Morris Hills Relays
Triple jump: Magnus Selden (Wallkill Valley) 42-2–April 18 at Morris Hills Relays
Pole vault: Matthew Tomaino (Randolph), Tyler Simmons (Morris Knolls) and Keanan Mitchell (Randolph) 12-0
Shot put: Jaylon Jorge (Morristown) 51-3.75–April 18 at Morris Hills Relays
Discus: Edward Dennerlein (Chatham) 137-1–April 18 at Morris Hills Relays
Javelin: Dan Campbell (Parsippany) 174-8–April 18 at Morris Hills Relays