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Sydney McLaughlin Advances to Olympic Trial Finals

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Dunellen’s Sydney McLaughlin won her heat in the US Olympic Trials Women’s 400m Hurdles Semifinals in Oregon on Friday [VIDEO]. She again came in second overall behind Dalilah Muhammad, who at 26 is a decade older than Sydney. Sydney advances to the final on Sunday, July 10 at 7:03 PM. It will be televised on NBC. The top three finishers will represent the USA at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Continue Reading →

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McLaughlins advance to Olympic semifinals

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Siblings Taylor and Sydney McLaughlin both advance to the semifinals at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials for the 400m hurdles. Sydney, who at 16 years old was just named Gatorade National Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year, finished first in her qualifying heat with a time of 55.46. She finished second overall, behind Dalilah Muhammad. Although Taylor, who just finished his freshman year at the University of Michigan, did not finish in the top three of his heat, he did have a time fast enough to qualify for the last spot left in the semifinals (51.24). Whether or not the McLaughlins make it to Rio, they are guaranteed some international competition. Continue Reading →

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Lily Yip Table Tennis Center Hosts 2016 Olympic Team

Dunellen residents were able to meet the U.S. Olympic Table Tennis Team at a fundraiser held at the Lily Yip Table Tennis Center (LYTTC) June 18. Part of the USA Table Tennis (USATT) “Friends with Paddles” fundraising initiative, the event featured the six members of the Olympic team who actually arrived days prior to the challenge for additional training. They were pitted against LYTTC players, including former US National Team Champions and two highly-ranked Chinese players currently hosted by the center. After the program, sponsors and players celebrated the $25,000 raised at Cheng Du 1 Palace in Green Brook. Although the US Olympic Trials were held in Greensboro, North Carolina in February, team members were not guaranteed a spot in the Olympics. Continue Reading →

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Taylor McLaughlin to Represent Team USA at World Jr. Championships

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Dunellen’s Taylor McLaughlin won the men’s 400m hurdle competition on the final day of the USATF Junior Championships with a time of 50.74. [VIDEO]

The University of Michigan freshman added his gold medal to the family collection… his sister Sydney, the Gatorade Girls National High School Track and Field Athlete of the Year, won the women’s 400m hurdle on Saturday and currently holds the American junior record in the event. Although McLaughlin had won the preliminary round, the final win was not easy. “It was a little bit of a slow start, but overall I got what I wanted out there today to make the team. Continue Reading →

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Sydney McLaughlin named USATF Athlete of the Week

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USA Track & Field (USATF) named Dunellen’s Sydney McLaughlin USATF Athlete of the Week after her recent record-breaking performance at New Balance Nationals (NBN). On Sunday, McLaughlin, a junior at Union Catholic High School (UC), had a time of 54.46 in the 400m hurdles, smashing a 32-year-old high school record (55.20 set by Leslie Maxie in 1984). She now holds the best youth 400m hurdles time in the world. This is McLaughlin’s third consecutive NBN title in the 400m hurdles. [VIDEO]

Mclaughlin, as the 400m anchor, also helped her UC team win the Swedish Medley Relay (SMR) for a third consecutive national championship on Saturday with a national record time of 2:07.99. Continue Reading →

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Dunellen Junior High Places 3rd in State Chess Championship

chess board morgue file by mconners

Lincoln Middle School’s chess team recently placed third in the New Jersey Junior High School Chess Championship at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft. The February 21 event, sponsored by the New Jersey State Chess Federation, was open to all public and private schools in New Jersey. First place went to the Sparta Chess Club. Initially, two teams tied for second: Dunellen and Westfield’s Holy Trinity School. After judges went through rankings and past wins, Holy Trinity was awarded second place, and Dunellen was awarded third place. Continue Reading →

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Dunellen 7th Graders Win B-Ball Championship

Dunellen's 7th grade travel basketball team and coaches celebrate first JBA championship. March 2016

Dunellen Recreation Department’s 7th Grade Boys Basketball Travel Team won the Jersey Basketball Association (JBA)’s gold division championship, having played a perfect season, 17-0. This was the first year that Dunellen participated in the JBA. Based on same-sized neighboring towns, Dunellen was initially placed in the blue division. During the regular season, the team was undefeated (13-0) in the blue division. The league decided to move the team up into the gold division which is a higher competition level, seeding the Destroyers in 8th place out of 9 teams. According to Dunellen Recreation Director Alex Miller, the JBA moves teams up or down at playoff time so that each division will have a balanced competition. Continue Reading →

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Destroyer Alumni Holding Special Olympics Fundraiser

Destroyer alumni, MetLife Stadium, March 21, 2015

Last year, a team of former Destroyers competed in the NY Giants Snow Bowl, a flag football tournament benefiting the Special Olympics New Jersey. The team raised over $7,000, placing them 7th place for fundraising. This year, they are hoping to more than double that amount, with a goal of $15,000. The main fundraiser event will be held on Sunday, February 21, 2016 at Gabriele’s Bar & Grill, 1351 Centennial Ave, Piscataway from 1pm-4pm. This family friendly event is geared towards sports enthusiasts and will include special guests such as Giants greats Eric Dorsey, Odessa Turner and Stephen Baker, as well as NJ native and Super Bowl Champ Shawn Mayer. Continue Reading →

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County’s Spring and Fall Slow-Pitch Softball Leagues Forming

Teams are being sought for the Middlesex County Parks and Recreation Office’s Adult Slow Pitch Softball Leagues, with sessions planned for both Spring and Fall. Those interested can register now and begin play as early as March 2016. Registration is now open. The Spring leagues will begin play in late March, and their team divisions are: Sunday Men’s, Tuesday Men’s and Thursday Co-ed. Fall leagues will begin to play in late August. Continue Reading →

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Teams Sought for Freeholders’ Annual Youth Basketball Tournament

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The Middlesex County Office of Parks and Recreation is seeking teams for the annual Board of Chosen Freeholders’ Youth Basketball Tournament, which starts in early March. Games are played Mondays through Thursdays at 6:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. and will be held at the Piscataway Campus of the Middlesex County Vocational-Technical Schools, 21 Sutton Lane. The tournament consists of four divisions:

Youth Division #1 (Boys and Girls ages 10 and under)
Youth Division #2 (Boys and Girls ages 12 and under)
Youth Division #3 (Boys and Girls ages 13 and 14)
Youth Division #4 (Boys and Girls ages 15 to 17)

Age cutoff is Oct. 31. Teams must have a minimum of five, but no more than 20, participants. Continue Reading →

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