The following was submitted by Moorestown High School Boys Track head coach Troy Pappas.
The following was submitted by Moorestown High School Boys Track head coach Troy Pappas.
It was 1974. Gasoline was 55 cents per gallon. Bruce Springsteen wasn’t famous yet. 1974 was the last time the Moorestown HS Boys Track team won a sectional title.
The dryspell ended this season when the team won the Central NJ Group 3 team championship over a field of 20 teams. Coming down to the last event, the 4×400 meter relay, Moorestown placed 2nd with a school record effort 3:19.86 and edged out its closest competitor Hamilton North — Nottingham by 11 points, 81–70. It was Moorestown’s third overall sectional title — the others coming in South Jersey Group 3 in 1972 and 1974.
Numerous athletes stepped up with stellar performances and personal bests. Brandon Outlaw won the 400M in a school record, state-best 46.82. He was also fourth in the 200M in 21.89 and on the 2nd place 4x400M relay. Hunter Rieger snagged 2nd second place finishes with 6'4" in the high jump and 22'3" in the long jump, both personal bests. Kevin Fox scored in the 800M, 1600M, 4x400M relay and 4x800M relay. Diego Arvelo and Bavish Gummadi both grabbed points in the 3200M. Arvelo, with Fox and Jesse Wun and Jack West, took 3rd in the 4x800M relay. Senior Zion Howard scored in four events: 400M hurdles, 400M, 200M, and 4x400M relay. Nick Cartwright-Atkins was the third leg on the 4x400M relay. A big surprise came from freshman Christian Phelps who took 3rd in the triple jump and 6th in the high jump, setting new freshman school records in each event.
