SDA's Bethel, Sullivan share the Female Athlete of the Year honors

One arrived with a strong background in track and field from grammar school. The other never ran a yard in her life, concentrating more on becoming a competitive Irish step dancer. But Milani Bethel and Kayla Sullivan enrolled at St. Dominic Academy simultaneously and the two members of the SDA Class of 2021 combined to lead the Blue Devils to several championships, including the school’s first NJSIAA state championship in almost 30 years. Bethel was the workhorse, the versatile athlete who could compete in practically every event. In fact, Bethel once lent her services to the good of her team by attempting to throw the shot put. “It went okay,” Bethel laughed. “It was a one-time thing.” Bethel’s foray into track and field began in grade school in Bayonne. “I was 10 years old, attending St. Francis Academy,” Bethel said. “There was a track team at the school. I tried other sports like basketball and gymnastics, but I lacked coordination to play. I tried playing soccer for about a week. The same with swimming. I just didn’t like it as much as I thought I would. It wasn’t my thing.” In fact, track and field didn’t appear to be Bethel’s thing either. “I actually didn’t like it at first,” Bethel said. “I didn’t like running all the miles.” But Bethel’s father, Chris, told his daughter to give the sport a decent shot. Chris played basketball and ran track in high school. “He told me that I would like the experience,” Bethel said. “So I decided to stick with it. I did like the team bonding. I just kind of fit.” Bethel’s first major success took place in the seventh grade, when she qualified for the United States Track and Field junior nationals. “We all pushed each other and helped me stay focused,” Bethel said. At the same time, Sullivan was content with being a competitive Irish dancer, even though Sullivan came from excellent track and field roots. “My aunt was a really great runner, but she didn’t want to push me,” Kayla Sullivan said. Sullivan’s aunt, Liane Sullivan Rae, was one of the greatest performers in St. Dominic Academy history, eventually earning her rightful place in the Hudson County Sports Hall of Fame. The former Liane Sullivan was a phenomenal distance runner for the Blue Devils in the late 1980s. Kayla Sullivan said that the family roots had nothing to do with her decision to give running a try. “I wish I could say that it was, but I never felt any pressure,” Sullivan said. “I never planned to break any of my aunt’s records. I wish there was some tall tale to tell. Joking around, looking back, there was never any family trash talk.” Sullivan said that she dabbled with running in eighth grade and like her future SDA teammate Bethel, Sullivan said that she loved the team aspect of the sport. “I had the best time at practice,” Sullivan said. “A lot of people might think otherwise, but you really can have fun. Maybe it’s about misery loving company.” Sullivan almost walked away from the sport before she even started. “I went to cross country camp two weeks before school was supposed to start,” Sullivan said. “I was really scared. I said to myself, ‘How am I going to do this?’” As it turned out, Bethel and Sullivan became two of the greatest athletes in the history of Hudson County track and field. They won countless Hudson County Track Coaches Association titles, with Sullivan winning two HCTCA cross country championships and the NJSIAA North Jersey state sectional crown, as the Blue Devils and Sullivan both posting undefeated state titles her senior year. “She finished third at the SDA cross country meet and didn’t lose another race,” said veteran SDA head coach and athletic director John Nagel. “In the indoor and outdoor seasons, she didn’t lose in the half (800-meter), mile (1,600-meter) and two-mile (3,200-meter). That’s very unique.” Bethel was also a member of that cross country team, but her strength came on the track with her immense versatility in several different events, during both the indoor and outdoor seasons. Bethel won county and state championships in the 110 and 400-meter hurdles, as well as the high jump, long jump and triple jump. “Bethel’s diversity and willingness to do different things is clearly her legacy,” Nagel said. Both Bethel and Sullivan became two of the most decorated products of the vastly successful SDA track and field program, even sharing a championship at the historic Penn Relays, bringing home the first Penn Relays wheel for SDA in more than 20 years. So it was only fitting that the two would share the Jim Hague Sports Co-Female Athlete of the Year. The two Blue Devils became the fifth and sixth athletes to receive the year-end honors. Cheri Selby was the first to receive the award in 1994-1995, but that was a time when only one Athlete of the Year was honored. In 2002, it was determined that one male and one female should get the year-end award. Since that time, three other SDA products were honored, with all three coming from the storied Blue Devil cross country and track and field programs. Christine Capetola (2004-2005), Camille Bertholon (2015-2016) and Malia Gray (2016-2017) also received the honor, given to the top male and female athlete who starred in more than one varsity sport during their high school careers. More than 30 different male and female athletes have been honored as the respective top all-around athlete in Hudson County sports. Jamling Lama of Secaucus received the Jim Hague Sports Male Athlete of the Year earlier this year. Nagel never likes comparing one of his current Blue Devils with those of the past, but knows one thing. “They’re both destined for the Hudson County Track Coaches Association Hall of Fame,” Nagel said. “They both contributed a lot, brought a lot to the table. They gave equal contributions to what has become the golden age of this program. The teams did well locally and beyond in their tenure. I think they have to appear on the Mount Rushmore of St. Dominic Academy track. Bethel’s range is something that we try to coach in every athlete. Kayla has a drive that she’s just going to win every race. I love her drive. It was amazing to have both together.” Bethel agrees. “It’s crazy to think we were on the same team together,” said Bethel, who considers Sullivan as her best friend. “The bond we enjoyed is like nothing else. I remember our first race it really hit me that we could make a future in this.” Remarkably, the two were able to achieve their heights in the middle of a global pandemic. The coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic forced hundreds of thousands of athletes nationwide to the sidelines. But both Bethel and Sullivan have left their indelible marks on both SDA and Hudson County history. Sullivan heads to Rutgers University, but her competitive track and field career is over. Bethel is off to San Diego State, where she plans to try to walk on to the Aztecs’ incredible track and field program. “I knew we had a chance to do something great, but every time I take a picture and hang it up on the wall at home, well, those pictures add up,” Bethel said. “I remember our last practice at Garret Mountain (Reserve in Woodland Park) and I was wondering where I would finish in the race,” Sullivan said. “John (Nagel) said that he thought I was going to win. I didn’t know.” Sullivan won that race, her final cross country race of her career. It was a fitting ending – and then there was this award. “Milani is my best friend,” Sullivan said. “We grew up together since freshman year. We shared a lot of struggles together. It’s amazing to think we shared this together. I definitely have no regrets. At the end of the day, we grew up together and learned a lot together. I’m grateful to have had Milani with me. I’m sad it’s over, but I’m super happy I can share this my kids one day.”

From left, Kayla Sullivan and Milani Bethel display their Jim Hague Soorts Co-Athlete of the Year award with St. Dominic Academy head coach and athletic director John Nagel. HUDSON COUNTY—JIM HAGUE SPORTS FEMALE ATHLETES OF THE YEAR 1994-1995-Cheri Selby, St. Dominic Academy 2000-2001-Tiffany Aciz, Secaucus 2003-2004-Mercedes Nunez, Memorial 2004-2005-Christine Capetola, St. Dominic Academy 2005-2006-Nicole Degenhardt, Secaucus 2006-2007-Leslie Njoku, McNair Academic & Cory Roesing, Secaucus 2007-2008-Jenna Totaro, Secaucus 2008-2009-Jennifer Mateo, Union City 2009-2010-Ashley Barron, Hoboken 2010-2011-Shannon Waters, Secaucus 2011-2012-Sybil Lynch, Hoboken 2012-2013-Danielle Roesing, Secaucus 2013-2014-Carolina Herrera, North Bergen 2014-2015-Julia McClure, Secaucus 2015-2016-Camille Bertholon, St. Dominic Academy 2016-2017-Malia Gray, St. Dominic Academy 2017-2018-Nyasia Mixson, Hoboken 2018-2019-Claire Chapeau, McNair Academic 2019-2020-Alicia Campbell, Snyder 2020-2021-Milani Bethel & Kayla Sullivan, St. Dominic Academy