Patriot sophomore Nicole Ohannesian repeated Regina Duncan's feat of earning a state medal as the entire North Warren team. Their success shows that spring track and field could be a real success for the Patriots -- time to consider it?
The Lone Patriot struck again at Egg Harbor Township High School Saturday afternoon.
Nicole Ohannesian, just like Regina Duncan in 2015, swept into the NJSIAA Group 1 3,200-meter championship and rode off into the sunset (actually a hot, blazing sun, but play along here) with a state medal and a Meet of Champions berth for the mighty North Warren track and field team.
And she even had a sidekick – Duncan was there to watch.
Actually, Ohannesian, also just like Duncan, IS the entire Patriot track team. North Warren probably leads the state in percentage of entries in state group meets making it to the Meet of Champions over the last two season – 100.
Ohannesian earned a trip to Wednesday’s Meet of Champions at its new site, Central Regional High School in Bayville, by finishing fifth in the 3,200 in 11 minutes, 32.54 seconds, a personal-best for the Patriot sophomore.
“After what Regina did last year (fourth in the 3,200) I hoped I could come down here and be like her,” said Ohannesian, who was a first-team all-area selection in cross country by lehighvalleylive in 2015. “I would have liked to have been part of a team, but I don’t think that’s coming any time soon. Maybe in the future. I really hope so.”
So do we.
Ohannesian and Duncan have shown the way the way for a spring track and field program at North Warren.
Oh, we know that in these tough economic times school districts are pinching every penny and adding a new athletic program for girls and boys might be hard to justify, or afford.
But perhaps North Warren should seriously think about it.
The Patriots are a consistent small-school power in cross country. They have added indoor track. Ohannesian and Duncan show they’d be plenty competitive at a high level in Group 1. They have an exciting and enthusiastic young cross country coach in Jessica Loughlin who would be perfect – perfect – to be the one to build a track program from the start.
To that suggestion, Loughlin just smiles.
“Our individual success is a first step,” she said. “We have a new superintendent, Sarah Bilotti, who is very supportive of us.”
So, maybe North Warren won’t be one-athlete track and field teams … at some point,
Right now, though, that one-person team is doing just fine. Ohannesian ran a steady, determined race, well-paced and careful. She made no effort to go out with New Providence senior Jillian Turner, who won in a terrific time of 11:01.87.
Ohannesian, who admits cross country is more her thing than track, had to battle the scorching heat as well as her competition. The NJSIAA, which runs pretty good championship meets otherwise, has to figure out a way to stop deep-frying its distance runners in afternoon full-blast sun.
“I wish this race had started at 9 a.m.,” said Ohannesian when told that is when Pennsylvania runs its 3,200’s at states.
The heat may have claimed Ohannesian’s target in the race, sophomore Izzi Gengaro of North Warren cross country rival Mountain Lakes. (Mountain Lakes, by the way, won the girls’ state team title in Group 1; no reason North Warren couldn't do that, eventually, too.)
“I wanted to follow (Gengaro); we usually run together,” Ohannesian said. “But then she dropped oyt and I just kept going and tried to stay in the race.”
Which she did just fine, as Duncan did in 2015.
“I guess maybe I inspired Nicole to do track this year like I did,” said Duncan, who now competes for Stockton University just a few miles from Egg Harbor Township.
And just like Duncan, Ohannesian will compete against the top distance athletes in the state at the Meet of Champions.
“I want to go out and get another personal-best,” Ohannesian said. “I can’t wait for Wednesday.”
When the Lone Patriot will ride again – and, maybe, inspire North Warren to get into spring track and field with more than just one athlete.
Brad Wilson may be reached at bwilson@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @bradwsports. Find Lehigh Valley high school sports on Facebook.