East Brunswick Boys are GMC Champs

For the second year in a row, the East Brunswick High boys track team was involved in a close finish at the Greater Middlesex Conference Championships. Fortunately for East Brunswick, this time the numbers added up on its behalf.

East Brunswick scored 86 points to win the GMC, held May 14 at South Plainfield. Piscataway (82 points) and South Brunswick (81 points) followed closely behind in the 16-team field.

"We lost by half a point last year, which was ridiculous," East Brunswick junior Sam Mattis said. "We knew we could win this. We just had to find a couple of extra points."

Mattis provided 20 points by winning the shot put and discus. It was a shame there were no bonus points awarded for outstanding performances because Mattis won the discus with a distance of 192' 6" and the shot put at 56' 9 1/2". Mattis won the discus by over 28 feet and the shot put by over six feet.

"I try not to focus too much on what the other people are doing," Mattis said. "I just try and do my best in every meet. Hopefully, I do. If not, I practice harder the next week."

Mattis wasn't the only person to win two events for East Brunswick. Leonard Robbins-Lockhart won the 200 (21.74) and the 100 (11.12). He also joined Donald Urschel, Gabriel Wood and Tom Marciante to win the 4x400 (3:20.15).

"We all needed to step up together to win the title," Mattis noted. "The sprinters, jumpers and the distance team really did the job."

Urschel was second in the 200 (22.35) and fourth in the 400 (50.84). Sam Frost was fourth in the 800 (1:57.75). Brian Smith was third in the 1600 (4:28.77).

Julian Quintin also had an outstanding day for East Brunswick, placing second in the triple jump (45' 1") and fourth in the long jump (20' 10"). Nick Larstanna was sixth in the long jump (20' 1  1/2").

"It was great to win," Mattis said. "It's something that we haven't done in a while. We just all worked really hard, pulled together and got it done."