Last year North Brunswick’s boys team put forth one of the best seasons in its history by earning its first sectional title. Expectations were as high as ever for this season, but after the end of the Group 4 championship meet in Franklin, it seems safe to say the Raiders delivered.

North Brunswick again made history by earning the program’s first ever group title by topping the Group 4 team race.

“This was the goal ever since summer sessions,” said head coach Schwann Grimes II.

“We all said ‘listen, we’re all gonna eat and you’re gonna get yours, but how much more special will it be if we do it as a team?’”, the coach said. “‘You’re home grown guys and a lot of you are seniors. To know what it feels like to do something that’s never been done in your town; That’s the goal.’ I said if they can achieve that, they’ll get (individual accolades) in between. Now they’re understanding what I’m saying, and this is going to be something that will stick with them for the rest of their lives.”

The group title win also marked a remarkable turnaround from the second place finish the team took in the Central, Group 4 meet two weeks ago.

Jamell Wilmote was battling the flu through the sectional and conference meets, but the senior Raider showed up ready to go in Franklin this weekend, and it showed in the 20 points he earned for his team.

Wilmote took gold in both the 100 and the 200, and earned a personal best along the way. The senior Raider ran a 21.16 in the 200 to best the 21.49 he ran to take fifth in last year’s Meet of Champions. In the 100, Wilmote posted a 10.64.

“It’s been very hard to really get back in shape,” Wilmote said of his illness recovery. “But my coaches push me every single day in practice. I eat right, I sleep right. So I’ve just been preparing for this moment. I’m trying to bring this into the Meet of Champions and become a two-time state champion in the 100 and 200.”

Tyler O’Garro, the current holder of the state season No. 1 in the high jump, didn’t have the best weather conditions in his event, but the junior standout still came through for the Raiders by recording a 6-8 to defend the title he won in the event last year. O’Garro set the state benchmark two weeks ago by sailing for a 6-10 at the sectional meet.

“My first attempt, it was a little shaky. I got a little bar luck I would say, but I just had to adjust my approach,” O’Garro said. “The wind was against me a little but, so I just had to get through that. Once I got my first jump over, then I felt the adrenaline and I just kept going. It feels amazing (to repeat). Last year was my first year really coming into track. Last year I had a big PR of 6-8 and it feels good to match that again.”

The Raiders went 1 and 2 in the high jump as Aniyh Hall took second by clearing 6-6.

“Every day in practice, we push each other,” said O’Garro. “Even two weeks ago in sectionals, we went 1 and 2 once again. It all starts in practice. We push each other, we compete and then we even compete out here.”

Wilmote, Michael Perry, Salvatore Fama-Linn and Elvin Marte Feliz combined to take gold in the 4x100 with a time of 41.73. Fama-Linn took fifth in the 100 as well, while Marte Feliz added six more points with a third-place finish in the 110 hurdles. Reddrick Robinson Jr. took third in the discus with a throw of 160-8 while Hall took fourth in the long jump with a 22-8.50.

Wilmote said that everyone on the team played a part in the victory. The senior added that he was happy to be able to help earn a historic achievement for his coach.

“I’ve been on this team for three years now, so we’ve created a bond and a brotherhood,” the senior sprinter said. “My team is like my family, and I would never let my family down. My coach never won the state and it’s my last year, so I had to do it for him, especially because he’s the one that put me on track. Everyone stepped up today.”