ELIZABETH, NJ — Elizabeth High School at Frank J. Cicarell Academy varsity girls track and field coach Michael Penta will be presented with the National Federation of State High School Associations 2022-2023 New Jersey Coach of the Year Award at a ceremony on Sunday, Jan. 14, at The Pines Manor in Edison.
The 2022-2023 Elizabeth varsity girls track team had its most successful season in the history of the program, winning their first Group 4, Section 2 championship in 20 years and their first ever Group 4 championship in finishing No. 2 in NJ.com’s season ending Top 20.
The team finished the Group 4, Section 2 meet with a dominating 112 points, nearly doubling the score of second place Hunterdon Central who finished with 58 points. They were led by Cynthia Boakye, who finished first in the 100, 200 and 400; Maisha Valme, who finished first in the high jump, long jump and triple jump, as well as third in the 100 hurdles; Linya Gedeon, who finished second in the 100 and 100 hurdles and fourth in the 200; Aniyah Murrell-Sanders, who finished second in the discus, fifth in the shot put and ninth in the javelin; the relay team, that finished first in the 4×100 and sixth in the 4×800; and Sakiyyah Brooks, Ka-Deen Scott, Darlineka Joanus and Alex Koon, who each also had a top 10 finish in an event.
The Group 4 final ended with an equally stellar team performance, as they finished 15 points ahead of second place Eastern Regional High School, which would finish as the No. 4 team in New Jersey. They were again led by Boakye, who finished first in the 200 and second in the 100 and 400; Valme, who finished first in the long jump, third in the triple jump and fourth in the high jump; Murrell-Sanders, who finished fourth in the discus; Gedeon, who finished fifth in the 100 hurdles; the relay team, which finished second in the 4×100; and Reyana Trail, who finished 10th in the triple jump.
Elizabeth also competed very strongly in conference and county competition. Though they placed second to Union Catholic High School, the No. 1 team in the state, at the Union County Championships, they still had many individual successes. Elizabeth finished first – Boakye – and second – Gedeon – in the 200; third – Gedeon – in the 300; first – Valme – in the high jump; second – Valme – in the long jump; second – Valme – and fourth – Pricille Burdy– in the triple jump; first – Brooks – and fourth – Murrell-Sanders – in the discus; and first – Scarlett – in the pole vault.
Penta, who had previously served as an assistant coach for the highly successful Elizabeth varsity boys track program, took over the girls track program and quickly turned it into a state contender.
“Coach Penta has done a truly remarkable job in identifying and developing talent for the girls track and field team and quickly turning it into a championship level athletic program,” said Elizabeth Public Schools Superintendent Olga Hugelmeyer. “Leading a program to an unprecedented level of success and finishing among the very best in the state level is certainly worthy of such a prestigious honor. I am excited to see the continued growth and success of the girls track and field program in the years to come and wish coach Penta congratulations for this spectacular and well-deserved recognition.”
“Congratulations to coach Penta for being chosen for this great award,” said Elizabeth Board of Education President Iliana Chevres. “He helped lead so many of our young women to award-winning performances and I am happy to see his hard work and dedication rewarded.”
Photo Courtesy of Mike Sedelmaier