Princeton High’s Bazile is Female Track Athlete of the Year
Princeton High’s Michelle Bazile was not sure if she won the gold at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions last week until about ten minutes after the event.
“I didn’t know where I was sitting,” Bazile said. “I didn’t know I won until about ten minutes after the finals, before I threw the discus. I asked my coach if I had won the shot put, because I had no idea.. She gave me a funny look. Then I heard it over the loudspeakers a little while later as well.”
Bazile, the Brown University-bound Times’ Area Track and Field Athlete of the Year, won the shot put to extend Mercer County’s streak to 13 years with at least one winner at the MOC.
But she has not had much time to think about her accomplishments this season. Bazile will throw at the nationals in Greensboro, N.C., this weekend, and will try to bring home another medal or two.
“I haven’t thought about it too much,” Bazile said. “ I’m not thinking about winning the title, I am thinking about how far I threw. My last throw was at least 45 feet, and I want to carry that over into nationals this weekend. If I can hit that 45, and stay in the circle, that will be great. Right now, I just want to throw that distance, and then continue training all summer so I am ready for my college career.”
Bazile got some advice before her final monster throw at South Plainfield last week by a fellow Ivy League Princeton High School alumnus, Tim Brennan, who was there to show his support.
“Tim told me to keep my chest up on that last throw,” Bazile said.
“What he noticed on all my throws is that when I would release the shot put, my chest would be either flat or facing downwards, and that took off a lot of footage. He said I could throw 45 or 46 easily if I kept my chest up and extended over the toe board. That is what adds all the extra distance.”
Brennan’s advice worked, as Bazile had a huge throw of at least 45 feet on her sixth and final throw of the meet that wowed the assembled crowd. It was taken off the board after the referee called her for a foul for touching the toe board, but she now knows it is possible.
“I think this will all sink in a little more after I am done with the nationals,” Bazile said. “When I have a chance to reflect back at my whole high school career. Right now, it is a little too soon. But that is definitely one of the things that will stick out for me.”
GIRLS CVC TRACK AND FIELD
FIRST TEAM
100m Jalayzha Ford Trenton Freshman
200m Dakota Mills Hightstown Senior
400m Dakota Mills Hightstown Senior
800m Deirdre Casey WW-P South Junior
1,600m Grace Dwyer Nottingham Sophomore
3,200m Grace Dwyer Nottingham Sophomore
110m H Patrycja Dziekonska WW-P North Senior
400m H Attallah Goodman Notre Dame Senior
4x100m Ewing
4x400m Hopewell Valley
4x800m WW-P South
Discus Michelle Bazile Princeton Senior
Javelin Kristen Kowalski Robbinsville Junior
Pole Vault Sienna Kochis Hightstown Sophomore
Shot Put Michelle Bazile Princeton Senior
High Jump Vanessa Romulus Notre Dame Senior
Long Jump Kathryn Schoenauer WW-P South Sophomore
Triple Jump Tatiana Hewitt Lawrence Senior
CVC Athlete of the Year Michelle Bazile Princeton
CVC Coach of the Year Todd Smith WW-P South
GIRLS ALL-AREA TRACK AND FIELD
FIRST TEAM
100m Jalayzha Ford Trenton Freshman
200m Dakota Mills Hightstown Senior
400m Dakota Mills Hightstown Senior
800m Deirdre Casey WW-P South Junior
1,600m Grace Dwyer Nottingham Sophomore
3,200m Grace Dwyer Nottingham Sophomore
110m H Patrycja Dziekonska WW-P North Senior
400m H Attallah Goodman Notre Dame Senior
4x100m Ewing
4x400m Hopewell Valley
4x800m WW-P South
Discus Michelle Bazile Princeton Senior
Javelin Kristen Kowalski Robbinsville Junior
Pole Vault Maeve Devlin Lawrenceville Senior
Shot Put Michelle Bazile Princeton Senior
High Jump Kate Gulbrandsen Lawrenceville Senior
Long Jump Kathryn Schoenauer WW-P South Sophomore
Triple Jump Ashley Edwards N Burlington Junior
Area Athlete of the Year Michelle Bazile Princeton
Area Coach of the Year Todd Smith WW-P South
Jalayzha Ford
School: Trenton
Year: Freshman
Event: 100m. Season in Review: The freshman announced herself on the scene this season. County champion, sectional ans state medalist, and Meet of Champion participant.
Dakota Mills
School: Hightstown
Year: Senior.
Events: 200m, 400m.
Season in Review: Mills was dominant all year in the two events, as well as the 100. County champion at both distances.
Dierdre Casey
School: WW-P South.
Year: Junior.
Event: 800m
Season in Review: County champion, sectional runner-up, and state medal winner. Also helped the 4×800 team to a third place finish at the MOC.
Grace Dwyer
School: Nottingham.
Year: Sophomore.
Events: 1600m, 3200m.
Season in Review: County champion, Sectional champion, and runner of the most exciting race at the MOC. just nipped at the wire for a second place finish in the 3,200, the sophomore has arrived on the national scene.
Patrycja Dziekonska
School: WW-P North.
Year: Senior.
Event: 110 Hurdles.
Season in Review: Sectional and state champion, plus a MOC second-place medal. She finished her career as one of the most decorated runners in county history.
Attallah Goodman
School: Notre Dame.
Year: Senior.
Event: 400m Hurdles.
Season in Review: County champion, and sectional runner-up, The senior dominated the event for Notre Dame.
4x100m
School: Ewing
Season in Review: It took the team a while, but it finally cranked it up at the end of the year. State champions, and a fifth at the MOC, gives this young team something to build on for next year.
4x400m
School: Hopewell Valley
Season in Review: County champions, relay champions, sectional and state medal winners, 17th at MOC.
4x800m
School: WW-P South
Season in Review: Mercer County relays champion, county champion, sectional and state runners-up, and third at MOC. Young team will dominate for years to come.
Kristen Kowalski
School: Robbinsville.
Year: Junior.
Event: Javelin.
Season in Review: Mercer County champion, sectional champion. Kowalski will try to add to her impressive haul this season.
Maeve Devlin
School: Lawrenceville.
Year: Senior.
Event: Pole Vault
Season in Review: One of the top vaulters in the state. Helped the Big Red to a NJISAA state title.
Kate Gulbrandsen
School: Lawrenceville
Year: Senior
Event: High Jump
Season in Review: Leaves Lawrenceville with the school record. Indoor gold medalist, and finished third at the Eastern Championships right before the season started. Top five jumper in the country.
Kathryn Schoenauer
School: WW-P South
Year Sophomore
Event: Long Jump
Season in Review: County champion, third at sectionals, second at states, MOC participant. The sophomore will be the dominant force in multiple events for next two years.
Ashley Edwards
School: Northern Burlington
Year: Junior
Event: Triple Jump
Season in Review: Long Jump and triple jump sectional champion, as well as medalist at the state meet. Has another year to improve and challenge for state titles.
Coach
Name: Todd Smith
School: WW-P South
Season in Review: He just reloads. Most of his runners are underclassmen, and the ability to train kids every year to win major events is amazing. Should be even better next season, if that is possible.
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