Mustangs' Perrine, Brodeur run well at MOC
BY WAYNE WITKOWSKI
Staff Writer

JEFFGRANIT staff Brick Memorial's Kristen Perrine races to the finish in the 800 at Saturday's MOC in Toms River.

TOMS RIVER - Brick Memorial star runners Kristen Perrine and Andrew Brodeur ran indoor personal bests to medal in the Meet of Champions indoor track and field championships over the weekend.

Perrine on Saturday clocked a 2:16.49 to finish in fourth place in the 800. Her previous best was a 2:18 run the previous weekend in the state group meet when she finished in fifth place.

"I ran OK; I probably should've picked it up a little more," said Perrine, with a laugh.

Coach Jessica Jones was encouraged with the steady progress of Perrine.

"Her best time outdoors is a 2:14 and she's not far off that right now," said Jones of Perrine, who was a Meet of Champions outdoors qualifier in the 800 last spring.

Brodeur, meanwhile, was making his fourth Meet of Champions appearance, third indoors, on Sunday and ran the 1,600 in 4:24.78 for fifth place. It was four seconds faster than what he ran a week earlier in the group meet, also good for fifth place.

"That's quite a jump in one week," said Brick Memorial boys indoor track and field coach Alan Cuthbert.

Injuries have plagued Brodeur. He had hoped to return to the MOC cross country segment last fall after making it as a sophomore when he was a second-team All-State selection, but had a strained hip injury. Injuries also had kept him out of the MOC in previous springs.

"I'm very happy with what I did today," said Brodeur, who had qualified for the MOC indoors the past two seasons in the 3,200. "I thought my time was pretty good."

Even more importantly on a physical point of view, Brodeur said he "felt pretty good.

"I had someone take out the pace and I followed him and settled in until the last couple of laps."

Running in the unseeded heat, Brodeur finished a close second as he apparently continued to run more effectively when he does not start out in the lead.

"I feel pretty healthy," he said. "I'm ready to train for the spring. My mile is pretty good but I'm playing catch-up, just lacking indoors in the two-mile."

Cuthbert said the training regimen was geared to the 1,600 because Brodeur came out late for the team from his injury and could not get in the running needed to contend in the two-mile where his times were not as good.

"He ran a great race," said Cuthbert emphatically. "He stayed close to the lead and the pace went out fast and he kicked well. I'm very encouraged. He had an exceptional finish to his indoor season, especially based on the fact that he was unable to do a lot of preseason running. He ran exceptionally well."

With practice for outdoor season expected to start very soon, Brodeur hopes to finally qualify for the MOC outdoors.

"If he can stay healthy, he certainly can place in either the 1,600 or the 3,200 outdoors," said Cuthbert.

Added to that, Brodeur continues to practice the tuba with the school band as it prepares for a spring recital. He certainly hopes that the spring will be an eventful time for him.