Locals among GMC's track and field champions Above, J.P. Stevens Tom Urbanowicz leads the pack en route to winning the 110-meter high hurdles at Saturday's GMCChampionships in South Plainfield. At left, St. Joe's James Ballanco competes in the high jump. The Greater Middlesex Conference's best track and field stars converged on Frank Jost Field in South Plainfield on Saturday to battle for conference supremacy. Among those taking home gold medals were several local athletes, many of whom were multiple winners. J.P. Stevens' Lataya Dixon was the brightest star of the day, as she collected three gold medals, winning the intermediate hurdles (1:03.2), 100-meter hurdles (14.2) and high jump (5-6). She added a silver by taking second in the triple jump (35-6 1/4). Not a bad day's work for the multi-talented Hawk senior, who helped lead her team to a second-place finish with 59 points, well behind champion South Brunswick's 95 points. Bishop Ahr's Monique Riddick also had a stellar day, winning the shot put with a throw of 42-3, and breaking a nine-year-old meet record in the process. Riddick also took second in the discus with a throw of 120-7. Rosalyn Martin of Colonia was third (116-4), while Edison's Amanda Mathisen was sixth (91-2). PHOTOS BY CHRIS KELLY staff Riddick's teammate, Jordan Simmons, finished second to North Brunswick's Tylia Gannon in the 100, only to come back and beat Gannon in the 200 with a time of 25.4. Only a freshman, Simmons certainly knows how to make her presence felt. Among the other local girls that recorded top finishes were Bishop Ahr's Alyssa Bannon (second in the 1,600, 5:23.4) and Diana Martin (second in the 3,200, 11:50.3); Edison's Desiree Shields (fourth in the 100, 12.7) and Yasmine Doumi (fifth in the pole vault, 8-0); Woodbridge's Jasmine Johnson (fifth in the 200, 26.1), Morgan Reinhart (sixth in the 3,200, 12:15.3) and Danielle King (sixth in the javelin, 108-1); Metuchen's Chelsea Fisher (fifth in the 800, 2:26.2), Caitlin Walker (second in the javelin, 125-7), and Gabby Brown (third in the javelin, 117-10); J.P. Stevens' Yasmine Parks (fourth in the high hurdles, 15.6, high jump, 4-10, and triple jump, 34-6), and Samantha Grabler (third in the pole vault, 9-0); and John F. Kennedy's Tasha Jean-Baptista (sixth in the triple jump, 32-7 1/2). St. Joseph's Carl Luxhoj was the top local boys performer: he won both the long jump (22-2) and the triple jump (44-2 1/2, a new meet record). Meanwhile, his teammate Albert Bastien won the high jump, clearing the bar at 6-4. Their efforts led the Falcons to a fifth-place team finish, one spot behind Metuchen, which was led by Dejuan Miller, the 200 champion, who crossed the line in 21.7. J.P. Stevens also had a pair of individual champions: Tom Urbanowicz won the 110 high hurdles (15.0), and Brent Scott took the 400 intermediate hurdles (55.3). Among the other local boys to record top finishes were: J.F. Kennedy's Dustin Rudy (fourth in the pole vault, 11-6), John McKenna (fifth in the javelin, 155-1), Derek Jordan (second in the 100, 10.9) and Dan Brown (fourth in the intermediate hurdles, 56.9); Metuchen's Chris Pisano (second in the high hurdles, 15.1, fifth in the long jump, 20-7 1/2, and second in the triple jump, 43-2 1/2)), Julian Fensterheim (fourth in the 1,600, 4:30.5), Ray Doherty (third in the 100, 11.2), Doug Bonner (sixth in the 800, 1:58.6) and Zach Karpusyuk (sixth in the pole vault, 11-0); Woodbridge's Chuck Pierson (third in the shot put, 50-9 1/2, and sixth in the discus, 126-5) and Anthony Viola (sixth in the 100, 11.3); Edison's Jay Chang (fifth in the pole vault, 11-0), Mark Kaplan (sixth in the javelin, 152-8) and Mike Campbell (fifth in the 200, 22.4); J.P. Stevens' Billy Latta (fifth in the 800, 1:58.3); Bishop Ahr's Ted Brinkofski (second in the 3,200, 9:38.9); St. Joseph's James Ballanco (sixth in the high jump, 6-0), Robert Dawson (fourth in the javelin, 161-3) and Brad Moran (fourth in the shot put, 48-3); the Metuchen 4x400 relay team, which took fourth in the 3:27.1; and St. Joe's relay team, which was sixth in 3:29.6. - Doug McKenzie