2005-2006 Season Yearbook

06/22/06 - Posted from the Daily Record newsroom
2006 Boys Outdoor Track and Field Team of the Year

Morris Hills completed a Triple Crown year, winning Morris County titles in cross country, winter track, and outdoors. In honor of their first spring county championship since 1977, the Scarlet Knights are the 2006 Daily Record Boys Outdoor Track and Field Team of the Year. "I didn't think anybody really thought we were going to bring the success for indoors to outdoors," junior Aaron King said. "It was really big for us to carry on the success from season to season." For Morris Hills, the 2006 spring season was really all about 1977. No matter that the athletes hadn't been born then. The coaching staff made sure the Scarlet Knights had a firm foundation in their own history. Then the team rewrote it.

Led by 10 seniors who had vowed to stick together, the athletes made sure to take care of all the little details. Whether it was an extra mile at the end of practice, going to bed early the night before a meet, or ensuring they ate balanced meals, Morris Hills was willing to step up. Keith Lindsley, who coaches the Scarlet Knights hurdlers and jumpers, was a junior in the fabled 1977 season. He told the shuttle hurdles team, in particular, how tired he was of seeing the old records. The Scarlet Knights surpassed the old standard indoors and outdoors. Senior Ted Galligan earned his first Morris County title, winning the intermediate hurdles. He also finished first at sectionals. Senior Dominique Dixon followed up his breakthrough indoor season with yet more stellar outdoor performances, including earning 30 points at the Morris County Championships. He placed second to King in the triple jump after practicing the event for only a couple of days. He was also second in the long jump and javelin, and third in the high jump. King won the long jump and set a meet record in the triple jump. Dixon also won the high jump and javelin at sectionals. "He and Aaron really drove each other to achieve great things," Struck said. "Dom shows people how to do things by his work ethic. ... He's such an amazing athlete and such a great kid. His positive attitude was very big." Junior Kyle Soloff broke a 51-year-old school record in the 1,600 meters at the North 2, Group III championships. Tom Skutka had set the standard at 4:19.5 in the full mile in 1955, which, at the time, was the national high school record as well and the first time a high school athlete had run under 4:20. Soloff and senior Jared Labar both added their names to the very short list of Morris Hills runners to go quicker than 4:20 at the North 2, Group III meet. Labar and seniors Brandon Rodkewitz and Ryan Uhrynowich went 1-2-3 in the sectional 3,200.

The Scarlet Knights:

• Won their own relay meet.

• Placed third by six points at the Morris County Relays.

• Beat Hanover Park by 25 points in the Iron Hills Conference-Hills Division Championships.

• Crushed the field in the Morris County Championships with 84 points, earning the school's first outdoor title since 1977.

• Placed second at the North 1, Group III Championships.

• Finished third in Group III.

<>The loss to Northern Highlands at sectionals was one of Morris Hills' few disappointments. Yet that meet may have been the best of the year, perhaps surpassing even the Morris County Championships. Almost every athlete turned in a personal-best performance as the Scarlet Knights earned 102 points."You can't be mad," head coach John Struck said. "You have to shake your head and say we're a pretty good team."

GIRLS OUTDOOR TRACK 2006