Chatham's bid for a North 2 Group 3 boys track and field sectional title ran into an old friend Saturday.
"Always at sectionals, that's all I remember hearing about, for really the last three years, is it always coming down to us and Rahway, always the 4x4 where we clash," said Chatham captain and distance standout Adam Petitjean said.
Thanks to overwhelming power in the distance events and some decent balance, the Cougars overcame Rahway 105-95 to win their second N2 G3 title in three seasons at Warren Hills on Saturday.
Behind the Wake Forest-bound Petitjean and juniors Marcus Valenzuela and Brady Byrne, Chatham piled up 56 points is the distance events.
"They more or less put this meet away," Chatham coach Marvin Hawkins said.
Rahway countered with 49 in sprints and hurdles but scored just two in distance while the Cougars had 20 in sprints and distances.
Hawkins praised his team's overall strength.
"This is a very well balanced team," he said. "We have hurdlers, jumpers, throwers, and we're good in the sprints as well. Kyle Wickham coming in second in the 100 was big."
Petitjean said it was a team-focused effort all day.
"Everybody has to contribute, everybody had to show up and everybody had to do their best." he said. "On the bus coming here, we were all, 'You're seeded this? You have to do better'. Top six was our focus, scoring as many points as we can - but also have fun along the way. Not everything is an about winning - it's really about enjoying it."
Chatham certainly seemed to be enjoying themselves at sectionals.
Sectionals was a last call for Petitjohn, by the way. He won the 800 (1:55.98) and 1,600 (4:20.46) at the meet but, with prom and graduation coming, decided to call time on his scholastic career.
"Prom is the same weekend as groups, so I have made the decision to not run (at groups)," Petitjohn said. "I am just doing the prom. I have done all that I wanted to through high school, I am ready to move and enjoy my friends before I go, before they go."
There was never much doubt who was winning North 2 Group 2 boys.
Behind an utterly dominant distance crew, Bernards had it all its own way and waltzed to its second consecutive N2 G2 title with 101 points.
Bernards scored one more point in the distances (56) than runner-up Madison did overall (55).
"The most important thing for us was our distance crew multi-eventing and toughing out over the two days and our big guns running all three events," Mountaineer coach Dave Carmon said. "We're coming together as a team at the right time, all of guys are getting healthy at the right time, and our distance kids are three-season guys who are peaking at the right time. We're hoping to carry the momentum into the group.
Bernards' junior distance ace Brody Watt won the 800 (1:53.34), 1,600 (4:13) and 3,200 (9:24) all in dazzling times, but he said it was more than just him.
"I think our camaraderie coming in was really big," Watt said. "We were all hyped up, really wanting to win the sectionals. Everybody was willing to triple, double, and it really worked out for us. Everybody was excited to go all-out today."