Long Branch's Shuler, Worsley Looking to Make Impact at Track Championships

With county championships already in their back pocket, Long Branch seniors Miles Shuler and Steve Worsley now have Shore Conference supremacy in their sights heading into the two-day meet that starts on May 20 at Neptune High School.  

Shuler, the reigning NJSIAA Meet of Champions outdoor winner in the 100-meter dash, is coming off a performance in which he won the 100 in 10.77 seconds, with Worsley in third at 11.17 behind Ocean’s Mike Andre (10.87). Andre again looks to be Shuler’s primary competition in the Shore Conference Championships, along with Ocean County champion Jihaad Howard of Brick Memorial, who ran 11.08 to win his county title.  

“I know the target is on my back, but I’m used to that,’’ Shuler said. “I ran a pretty good time in the 100 (at the Monmouth County meet), but I am trying to work my way down to 10.2 because I know I am capable of it.’’  

Shuler, a Rutgers football recruit, is also looking to avenge a loss to Andre in the 200-meter dash, as he ran a 21.89 to finish in second behind Andre (21.81). Howard won the 200 at the Ocean County meet in 22.51, so it looks to be Shuler and Andre again for a Shore Conference title in that event.  

Worsley, meanwhile, is coming off multiple gold medals at the Monmouth County meet in the triple jump and 110 hurdles. In his first year of participating in the event, Worsley won the triple jump with a leap of 44-6 ¾ . He is the clear favorite at the Shore Conference meet, having outjumped Matawan’s Dion Gray by more than a foot last week. The Ocean County champion, Lakewood’s Daquan Moore, who is a football player just like Shuler, Worsley and Howard, jumped 43-9.  

“I think I’ve only scratched the surface of what I can do because I just started doing it this year,’’ Worsley said. “I’ve jumped farther (than 44-6 ¾ ) in practice, so I know I’m capable of improving on what I did.’’ 

Worsley won the county title in the 110 hurdles with a 14.43 to edge Freehold’s Eric Kahana (14.52). Worsley is the favorite to bring home a conference championship considering the Ocean County champion, Manchester’s Geordan Ferguson, ran a 15.11.  

One other competitor on the boys side to keep an eye on is Shore Regional’s Andrew Mahon, who threw 157-2 in the javelin to take fifth in Monmouth County and could have a shot to place in the top six at the Shore Conference meet.  

On the girls side, the primary local athlete to watch is Shore Regional’s Kelly Altenau, who took third in the shot put in Monmouth County with a throw of 33-4 ½ and has a chance to place in the conference. Her teammate, Liz Hagerman, threw 32-3/4 and could have an outside chance to snag a top six finish as well.