By early January, Coach Mickey Cassu knew something special was happening. 

“We put our first relay team together and won a couple of relays at Union County,” said Cassu. “That was in early January. So we knew we had some firepower there. Then we put together a two-mile relay — four girls running a half mile — for the state relays on January 10 and absolutely obliterated our old team record. We had the number one time in the state and the number eight time in the country.”

Close to the end of their regular winter season, the 25 team members of the indoor track team are shattering old Oak Knoll records and blazing a trail to the upcoming NJSIAA Non-public State Group Championship on Friday, February 16, and the 2024 Nike Indoor Nationals on March 8-10 at The Armory in New York.

“This is my first year running track in high school,” said new freshman 400 meter record holder Regan Moore ’27. “Joining the team was a new and great experience for me. We’ve had a really successful season, both individually and as a team. I am super excited to compete at nationals and carry over our success into the spring season. The coaches continue to motivate and support us, and I am looking forward to the next three years!”

Some highlights of the season include:

The Shuttle Hurdle Relay Team

Heidi Pearce ’24, Danya Spoor ’25, Lauren Soeder ’24, and Emma Walters ’26 have qualified for nationals and are eagerly awaiting acceptance. The fleet-footed foursome set the Oak Knoll school record twice this year.

4X200 Meter Relay

Heidi Pearce ’24, Anna Wojie ’25, Reagan Moore ’27, and Gaelle Jones ’26 qualified and will compete in the National Championship. The team also set new school records twice this season.

4X400 Meter Relay

Alexandra Sparno ’26, Danya Spoor ’25, Anna Wojie ’25, and Reagan Moore ’27 qualified and will compete in the National Championship. The team set the school record twice this season as well.

4X800 Meter Relay

Alexandra Sparno ’26, Danya Spoor ’25, Sally Marchesi ’26, and Reagan Moore ’27 qualified and will compete in the National Championship. The team set the school record twice this season also.

60 Meter Hurdles

Heidi Pearce ’24 qualified and was accepted into the Emerging Elite division, comprised of athletes who just miss the qualifying standards for the Nike Outdoor Nationals and are granted a chance to compete. Pearce is the current school record holder in this event.

High Jump

Danya Spoor ’25 qualified and was accepted into the Emerging Elite division. She is the current school record holder in this event.

400 Meter 

Freshman and new team member Reagan Moore ’27 is making noise. She qualified and will compete in the national Championship and is the current school record holder in this event. 

Clare Ratliff ’27 qualified and was accepted for the freshman division of the New Balance Nationals.

800 Meter

Reagan Moore ’27 and Alexandra Sparno ’26 both qualified and will compete in the National Championship. They have been breaking each other’s times throughout the season to set new records. Sparno set the bar higher twice this season with new record times, and Moore answered back last Sunday to reclaim the new school record.

Be sure to come out and support the team at the NJSIAA State Championship on Friday, February 16, 2024, at 4:15 p.m. in the Bennet Indoor Athletics Center in Toms River, NJ. Favored to become State Champs in that event include Spoor in the High Jump, Moore in the 400 Meter, and our 4x400M relay team.

Go Royals!