Local Sports: Athletic Excellence

The following six local high school students have excelled both on the field and off: Crystal Langhorne, Wali Lundy, Heather Meng, Aaron Ross, Bob Stinson, and Emily Weigand. Here is a summary of their accomplishments:

Crystal Langhorne: Willingboro, Basketball Willingboro's Crystal Langhorne didn't begin playing organized basketball until the eighth grade. The 6'2" sophomore proved to be a quick learner. Langhorne helped lead Willingboro to the Burlington County Liberty Division title and was South Jersey's top scorer, averaging more than 26 points per game. She also was a rebounding terror, averaging more than 14 per game. Langhorne helped Willingboro be South Jersey's most improved team. After going 15-10 as a freshman, the Chimeras won their first 20 before losing to Peddie School. Many Division I powers have already let Coach Guy Fowler know that they will be making a pitch for Langhorne's services. By her senior year, there should be a long line of suitors willing to offer a scholarship.

Wali Lundy: Holy Cross, Basketball & Football

Holy Cross's Wali Lundy was a 1,000-point career scorer in basketball, a dangerous point guard who averaged 17 points per game this season. He owns a state championship, earned when he was a sophomore at Florence. Not bad for his second sport. Lundy is more known for his football skills, which earned the running back a scholarship to the University of Virginia. This season he set a single-season South Jersey record with 36 touchdowns. He rushed for 2,036 yards and 29 touchdowns on 210 carries and caught 29 passes for 411 yards and six touchdowns. Lundy is one of the few players to win state championships in both football and basketball.

Heather Meng: Washington Twp., Swimming

Washington Township junior Heather Meng has been dominant in the pool this season and looks to be among the swimmers to watch when the state championships come to the Gloucester County Institute of Technology pool this month. Meng already took a pair of titles at the South Jersey Coaches Invitational, winning the 200-meter individual medley in a time of 2:10.26 seconds and the 100 breaststroke in 1:07.38. She followed up that performance with a pair of victories at the South Jersey Swim League Championships, winning the 100 butterfly and 100 breaststroke.

Aaron Ross: Clearview, Track (*pictured)

This winter, senior Aaron Ross's speciality was the 55 meter high hurdles, an event that requires, speed, grace, jumping ability and timing. Ross brought all those attributes with him to the biggest event of the winter, the Meet of Champions, which consisted of the top finishers in the state championship meets. He won the 55 meter high hurdles at the Meet of Champions with a blistering time of 7.72 seconds. He looks to gain momentum in the spring. Ross will run the hurdles, where the distances outdoors are longer, 110 and 400 meters respectively. After proving to be the state's best this winter, Ross should be ready for the spring.

Bob Stinson: Camden Catholic, Wrestling

A three-time District 28 and three-time Region 7 champion, Bob Stinson was a state runner-up at 103 pounds as a freshman and finished in the top four of his weight class in each of his first three varsity seasons. The senior has been perfect during the regular season, going 27-0 this season, helping the Fighting Irish to a 24-2-1 dual meet record, including a tie with Absegami, the state's top-ranked team. Stinson also led Camden Catholic to its first Parochial B state title. For his career, Stinson is 133-6 in dual matches.

Emily Weigand: Haddonfield, Swimming

The Haddonfield junior Emily Weigand is perhaps the top female diver in the region. Weigand dove to several titles this season, including a win at the South Jersey Interscholastic Swimming Association meet at the Gloucester County Institute of Technology. Weigand collected a six-dive mark of 207.75, the best of the meet, to easily outdistance teammate Kate Fiorella and win the small school title. She also duplicated the fete at the South Jersey Diving championships last month.

Content provided by South Jersey Sports Club.

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Author: Sean Fallon and Marc Narducci