Spring Preview: Depth Ready to Deliver for Freehold Township Track

The Freehold Township High School boys team sees even bigger things ahead this spring after a successful indoor track and field season.

The Patriots won the Central Jersey Group IV championship indoors, and their deep team gives them the potential to be even tougher to beat outdoors.

“We’re excited,” said Patriots head coach Todd Briggs. “Adding the extra events actually helps our team. They’re event areas we can cover really well, like long jump, triple jump and javelin. We’re excited we had success in the indoor season and we can add to it in these other events.”

The Patriots lost Sean Walsh, who graduated and is now a multi-event athlete for UConn, but return the same boys that helped earn an indoor sectional title, and add a few big point scorers for the outdoor season.

“We’re a very deep team,” Briggs said. “We don’t have a lot of top-heaviness. It’s not like we have superstars. We just have a lot of guys that are good.

“Outdoor, there are a lot of events. We pretty much have them all covered as far as having one talented guy in each event.”

The majority of the Patriots’ top scorers are upperclassmen, though they also have their share of talented underclassmen.

The senior class is full of athletes capable of earning big points. Andy Amakihe is the Patriots’ top 400 runner and top all-around sprinter. He will score points in the 100 and 200, and he anchors the 4x400 relay.

Dave Benjamin was a first-team All-Shore selection in the high jump. He comes off competing in the indoor nationals. He has a personal-best of 6-feet-6. He’s also a strong 110-meter hurdler.

“He’s basically top five in our school’s history in both events,” Briggs said. “He’s a stud.”

James Faith is the top 800 runner. He went to the indoor Meet of Champions in the mile and runs a leg in the 4x400 relay.

“We’ll use him comfortably in the 400, 800 and mile,” Briggs said. “He’s a monster. He’s probably going to run DI next year.”

Jonathan Galya is a high jumper, who has cleared 6-feet-4. His indoor season was sidetracked.

“He’s probably as talented as Dave Benjamin, but he just got hurt,” Briggs said. “We think he could go 6-8.”

The Patriots’ top distance runner is senior Keenan Huggins-Filozof. He’s run a 4:25 mile indoors and in the winter he qualified for the MOC in the 3,200 meters. He will anchor distance relays.

Toure Lowe has been looking forward to showing his talents outdoors. The senior long and triple jumper could make the MOC in both events this spring.

“He jumped 43 feet and 21 feet as a junior,” Briggs said. “He might get 22 and 45 when it’s all said and done.”

Matt Intile was not a part of the indoor team, but the starting tailback for the football team is out for the spring track and field season. He’s already won state championships with the 4x400. Intile is their top 400 hurdler as well.

Joe DeFranco is a senior who brings the Patriots big points in the javelin. He threw 160-feet as a junior last spring.

The juniors, too, can supply plenty of contributors. Ryan Barrera finished seventh in the pole vault at the indoor MOC. His 13-feet-6 clearance stands as the school record.

The Patriots are thrilled to have Damon Ellis back healthy. Ellis will be the team’s top sprinter.

“He’s one of the fastest people, let alone high school kids, I’ve seen in my life,” Briggs said. “Last year as a sophomore, he set our all-time record in the 100 and 200. He got injured right before states and wasn’t able to participate in states, but if we keep him healthy, he’s someone you’ll see at the Meet of Champs for sure.”

Graham Huggins-Filozof is another in them Patriots’ fleet of distance runner. He ran 4:28 in the indoor mile, and will run the mile and two-mile. He is being counted on as a big points scorer in dual meets.

Collin Mascola is a multi-event standout. He has cleared 12-6 in pole vault and is a capable 400 hurdler. He will also score in the long jump and triple jump.

“He’s got a lot of talent in a lot of areas,” Briggs said. “He adds to our depth.”

Paul Yoncak is another 12-6 pole vaulter who qualified for the indoor MOC.

“He’s got a lot of natural ability that we’re hoping to harness here in the spring season,” Briggs said. “He’s someone that can go 13-6 by the end of the spring.”

The Patriots’ top sophomores are Joe Ramm and Kevin Summonte. Summonte enjoyed a terrific indoor season that included a school-record 9:34 in two-mile. He placed third in 9:34 at the state sectional meet and qualified for the MOC. Ramm will focus on the 110 and 400 hurdles. He’s capable of running 57 in the 400s and high-15s in the 110s.

Dylan Tarpery and Joe Mazzarella are already big contributors as freshman. Tarpey made quite an impact in the indoor.

“He’s the best freshman distance runner we’ve ever had,” Briggs said. “He ran 9:53 as a freshman in the two-mile and a 4:41 in the mile. He’s head and shoulders above anything else we’ve had as a freshman.”

Mazzarella’s strengths lie in the 800 and mile, in which he’s run 2:14 and 5:08 respectively.

“We think he’ll be a sub-5:00 and maybe sub-2:10 guy,” Briggs said. “He’ll help us with depth.”

The Patriots will kick off the spring season April 2 at the Rebel Relays. It will be their first chance to display their depth that they hope will help them defend their A North Division championship. Freehold Township was also runner-up at the Shore Conference meet and finished in the top four at the CJ IV meet.

“Our toughest competition is usually Old Bridge, East Brunswick and West Windsor South,” Briggs said. “We might be the deepest team. But when it comes to those big championship meets, it can be one or two guys can help you win it. We’re going to give it our best shot.

“The biggest goal for me is to see how many kids we get to the Meet of Champs,” he said. “I think we had 11 last year. If we can come somewhere between 5-10, I’ll be happy.”