From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Haddonfield’s Seth Clevenger, a junior at Rowan, became the 8th South Jersey miler to break four minutes Friday when he ran 3:59.41 at the Fastrack Invitational at Ocean Breeze.

Clevenger became the 4th NCAA Division 3 runner to break 4 minutes, joining Ryan Wilson of MIT [3:55.29 in 2023], Aidan Ryan of Williams [3:56.88 in 2022] and Jeremy Hernandez of Ramapo [3:59.01 in 2018].

He broke his own Rowan school record of 4:02.76 that he set last month on the same track. He’s now No. 4 in D-3 history in the mile and No. 3 in the 3,000 with his 7:54.87 at Ocean Breeze last month.

Clevenger, a transfer from Iowa State, was out in 60.76 for 400 meters, 2:01.14 for 800 and still off the pace through 1,200 with 3:01.17. But he closed in 58.25 for his final 400 and 28.20 for his final 200 to dip under four minutes.

Two post-graduates, Ben Allen from Concordia University in St. Paul, Minn., and Eric Holt from Binghamton, made this a very fast race, finishing 1st and 2nd in 3:53.40 and 3:53.70.

Clevenger is now fastest in NCAA Division 3 this year in both the mile and 3,000. He’s the 37th New Jersey runner to break four minutes.

All-Time South Jersey Sub-4 List
3:56.79i….. Ford Palmer [Absegami HS], Boston, Feb. 14, 2015
3:58.14i …. Rob Novak [Bordentown HS], Boston, Feb. 11, 2012
3:58.62i …. Brett Johnson [Ocean City], Seattle, Feb. 9, 2013
3:59.19i … Austin Gabay [Cinnaminson], Boston, Feb. 14, 2025
3:59.35i …. John Richardson [Ocean City], Lexington, Ky., Feb. 2, 2008
3:59.85i …. Mark Sivieri [St. Augustine Prep], Boston, Jan. 28, 1994
3:59.91i …. Brian Gallagher [Sterling], Boston, Feb. 14, 1998

All-Time New Jersey Sub-4 Milers
3:49.44 … Edward Cheserek [St. Benedict’s], Boston, Feb. 9, 2019
3:52.2h … Marty Liquori [Essex Catholic], Kingston, Jamaica, May 17, 1975
3:53.16 … Robby Andrews [Manalapan], New York, Feb. 20, 2016
3:53.85 … Liam Murphy [Allentown], State College, Pa., Jan. 26, 2025
3:54.28 … Rob Napolitano [Red Bank Catholic], Boston, March 3, 2019
3:54.32 … Damien Dilcher [Brick], Boston, Feb. 14, 2025
3:54.60 … Marco Langon [Bridgewater-Raritan], Philadelphia, Jan. 25, 2025
3:54.92 … Ford Palmer [Absegami], Boston, Feb. 26, 2018
3:55.66 … Jeremy Hernandez [Clifton], Boston, March 3, 2019
3:56.39 … Sean Dolan [Hopewell Valley], Nashville, Feb. 11, 2022
3:56.75 …. Steve Slattery [Mount Olive], New York, March 6, 2006
3:56.9h … Ron Speirs [Paramus], Philadelphia, April 30, 1977
3:57.86…. Travis Mahoney [Old Bridge], Boston, March 3, 2019
3:57.89 … Ray Sellaro [North Hunterdon], State College, Jan. 29, 2022
3:58.00 … Zach Michon [Robbinsville], Boston, Feb. 11, 2023
3:58.02 … Craig Forys [Colts Neck], New York, Feb. 6, 2016
3:58.14 … Rob Novak [Bordentown], Boston, Feb. 11, 2012
3:58.4y … Roger Jones [Ramsey], Boston, Feb. 13, 1982
3:58.62 … Jim McKeon [Millburn], Johnson City, Tenn., Jan. 19, 1985
3:58.62 … Brett Johnson [Ocean City], Seattle, Feb. 9, 2013
3:58.78 … Tim Gorman [Christian Brothers], Seattle, Feb. 11, 2017
3:58.90 … Ben Malone [Pascack Valley], Boston, Feb. 9, 2019
3:59.07 … Collin Boler [Delbarton], Boston, Feb. 14, 2025
3:59.18 … Jeramy Elkaim [Livingston], Seattle, Feb. 23, 2013
3:59.19 … Austin Gabay [Cinnaminson], Boston, Feb. 14, 2025
3:59.21 … Chris Hatler [Pope John XXIII], New York, Feb. 11, 2017
3:59.35 … John Richardson [Ocean City], Lexington, Ky., Feb. 2, 2008
3:59.41 … Seth Clevenger [Haddonfield], Feb. 6, 2026
3:59.43 … Rich Kenah, Fayetteville, Feb. 12, 2000
3:59.2h … Cliff Sheehan, Philadelphia, April 27, 1985
3:59.60 … Mike Kerrigan [Blair Academy], Swarthmore, Pa., May 14, 2007
3:59.74 … Colin Daly [River Dell], Boston, Feb. 15, 2020
3:59.84 … Edwin Klanke [St. Peter’s Prep], Philadelphia, Dec. 7, 2024
3:59.85 …. Mark Sivieri, Boston, Jan. 28, 1994
3:59.6h … Jim Crawford, Modesto, Calif., May 23, 1970
3:59.91 …. Brian Gallagher, Boston, Feb. 14, 1998
3:59.98 …. Christian Gonzalez, Boston, Jan. 27, 2012

In her 2nd race for Bloomsburg after transferring from UMBC, Cherry Hill East graduate Alexis Tepper destroyed the school record in the mile Friday at Ocean Breeze.

Tepper, who had a PR of 4:57.08 at UMBC from last year’s America East Championships at Boston University, ran 4:54.45 at the Fastrack National Invitational.

Tepper broke the school record of 5:00.05 set by Teresa Ortiz of Philly and St. Hubert’s in the Holmdesburg neighborhood at the 2017 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference meet at the Zafirovski Center in Edinboro.

Her time is fastest in the PSAC this year and puts her 28th in NCAA Division 2 so far.

Tepper came through 400 in 73.32 and 800 in 2:26.51. She was 3:39.86 at 1,200 and closed in 74.3 and 36.90.

Lathan Brown of Deptford and Bobby Poplau from Cherokee, both sophomores from Rutgers, ran the 5th- and 8th-fastest 600s in Rutgers history Friday afternoon at the Armory.

Racing at the Scaret Knight Open, Brown placed 2nd in 1:18.73 and Poplau was 4th in 1:19.83. Modou Sanneh of Monroe University won the race in 1:17.56 and Rutgers junior Gabriel Rodriguez was 3rd in 1:19.23.

Brown’s previous PR was 1:19.50 from last year’s Big Ten Championships in Indianapolis. Poplau had never run a 600.

Brown was out in 24.01 and 50.1, closing in 28.64. Poplau came through 200 in 25.14 and 400 in 51.74, running his third lap in 28.01.

Five of the eight fastst 600 times in Rutgers history are from South Jersey runners. Rancocas Valley’s Micah Wood ran No. 2 1:17.65 in Geneva, Ohio, in 2024, Pennsauken’s Bryce Tucker – a current Rutgers junior – is No. 4 1:18.24 last year in Chicago and Delsea’s Aaron Younger is No. 6 at 1:18.91 from 2011.

The No. 1 distance medley performance in the New Jersey Athletic Conference belongs to Rutgers-Camden, which ran 10:39.65 at the NYC Gotham Cup at Ocean Breeze last month.

Although the official results list a lineup of junior Jacob Dinerman from Haddon Township, freshman Jack Wessner of Maple Shade and Paul VI, sophomore Josiah Saint Elien from Cinnaminson and sophomore Kristopher Ewell from Ewing, I’m going to guess that Ewell – a 1:57 half-miler who hasn’t run a mile – led off and Dinerman anchored.

In any case, the Scarlet Raptors are currently 26th-fastest in NCAA Division 3 as well as atop the NJAC performane list.

The splits are messed up in the official results – they combined the 400 and 800 legs – but Ewell led off with a 3:22.38, Wessner and Saint Elien combined to run 2:52.17 so probably something like 51 and change and 2:01 and change – and Dinerman anchored in 4:20.82.

Rutgers-Camden last won the DMR at the conference meet in 2011, with Adam Biner of Scotch Plains-Fanwood, Matt Curtis from West Deptford, Jon Warren of Camden and Haddon Township’s Jason Kendall running 10:26.54.

The school record in the indoor DMR is a speedy 10:08.24 from the 2008 Valentine Invitational at Boston University with Frank Iwanicki of Edgewater Park and Holy Cross, Akeem Lloyd from Atlantic City, Jonathan Salamon from Bridgewater and St. Joe’s Metuchen and Mike Fox from Hainesport and Rancocas Valley.

Rutgers-Camden is scheduled to compete at the Fastrack National Invite Friday at Ocean Breeze.

Paul VI senior Giovanna Mantuano dipped under 11 minutes for the first time and Cherry Hill East sophomore Addison Weiss wasn’t far behind in the mixed 3,200 at the SJTCA meet at the Ott Center on Monday.

Mantuano ran a PR 10:59.61 and Weiss was just behind her with a PR 11:03.97.

Mantuano ran 11:07.24 at the Meet of Champions in May 2024 at Pennsauken, and her indoor PR was 11:37.08 from January 2024 in a meet at Ocean Breeze. Weiss didn’t have a previous best as this was the first 3,200 she’s ever run indoors or outdoors.

Their times are No. 4 and 5 in South Jersey this year, behind Holy Cross senior Julia Flanagan [10:38.95], Ocean City sophomore Riley Tolson [10:55.99] and Audubon senior Riley Fayer [10:57.28] . Four South Jersey girls under 11 minutes equals the most ever in one year.

Mantuano fell a fraction of a second shy of the Paul VI indoor record of 10:59.26 from Ocean Breeze in 2024. Weiss’s time is also No. 2 in school history, behind only Theresa Cattuna’s 10:42.42 at the 2007 state Group 4 meet at the Bubble.

Also under 11:30 at the Ott were Cherokee sophomore Erin Healy [11:18.02], Mainland Regional senior Emma Preissman [PR 11:24.56], Cherry Hill East junior Ryleigh Budsock [PR 11:25.87] and Egg Harbor Township junior Meghan Johnson [PR 11:28.92].

All-Time Camden County 3,200-Meter Run List
10:38.11 … Megan Venables [Highland], 2011
10:38.90 … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2001
10:40.80 … Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 2017
10:42.06 … Holly Bischof [Bishop Eustace], 2012
10:42.42 … Theresa Cattuna [Cherry Hill East], 2007
10:48.78 … Shelby Cain [Haddonfield], 2014
10:49.12 … Madison Coppolino [Sterling], 2017
10:49.46 … Alyssa Condell [Timber Creek], 2016
10:53.89y … Sarah Naticchia [Haddonfield], 2020
10:55.29y … Ann Klocke [Bishop Eustace], 1996
10:57.28 … Riley Fayer [Audubon], 2026
10:57.95 … Katy Storti [Bishop Eustace], 2019
10:59.02 … Catherine Van Horn [Triton], 2005
10:59.26 … Shaelan McNally [Paul VI], 2024
10:59.61 … Giovanna Mantuano [Paul VI], 2026
11:02.02 … Jenn Rawls [Highland], 2009
11:03.97 … Addison Weiss [Cherry Hill East], 2026
11:04.46 … Ava Thomas [Haddonfield], 2023
11:06.95 … Sarah Pierce [Cherry Hill East], 2017
11:07.63 … Vanessa Wright [Haddonfield], 2004

Benjamin Andrus’s 4:13.49 anchor led Haddonfield to the 2nd-fastest indoor DMR in South Jersey history Wednesday evening at the Ott Center.

Haddonfield ran 10:10.12 and placed 3rd in a very fast distance medley at the La Salle Winter Series Boys Relay Night.

The race produced the seven-fastest times in the U.S. so far this year according to the MileSplit database, with all seven running sub-10:15.

Senior Peter Simpson led off in 3:08.18 for the 1,200, junior Jack Brand split 50.90 for two laps and senior randon Stoner ran 1:57.56 on the 800 leg setting up Andrus, who was out in 2:07.08 and came back in 2:03.77, closing in 60.33 for his final 400.

North Penn of Towamencin Township, Montgomery County, won the race in 10:08.88, and La Salle College High of Springfield, Montgomery County, was 2nd in 10:08.98 on a 4:09.07 anchor by Justin Landis.

Haddonfield missed the South Jersey and school record by less than half a second. When they won 2009 Armory Nationals, Haddonfield’s Colin Baker, Jordan Harris, Ben Potts and Jonathan Vitez ran 10:09.78.

Haddonfield’s 10:10.12 is No. 19 on the all-time New Jersey DMR list.

Cherokee ran 10:46.36, with junior Ben Realley leading off in 3:15.76, senior Mateo Rosario splitting 52.62, senior Dominic Pileri running 2:07.13 and junior Sean Sooey anchoring in 4:30.85.

Cinnaminson was also sub-11 minutes in 10:53.65 with junior Edward Abu-Adas out in 3:23.54, senior Victor Bastos running 53.14, junior Dylan Burk 2:08.13 and senior Jacob Wickersham anchoring in 4:29.03.

All-Time New Jersey DMR List
9:53.40 … Ridge, 2022
9:55.12 … Union Catholic, 2022
10:01.92 … Westfield, 2024
10:02.99 … Christian Brothers Academy, 2011
10:03.98 … River Dell, 2016
10:04.77 … West Windsor-Plainsboro North, 2011
10:05.21 … Christian Brothers Academy, 2025
10:06.06 … Morris Hills, 2009
10:07.21 … West Windsor-Plainsboro North, 2009
10:07.66 … Colts Neck, 2025
10:07.80 … Westfield, 2025
10:08.58 … Delbarton, 2023
10:08.72 … Bernards, 2025
10:08.80 … Christian Brothers Academy, 2012
10:09.78 … Haddonfield, 2010
10:09.82 … Christian Brothers Academy, 2024
10:10.08 … St. Benedict’s Prep, 2012
10:10.11 … St. Benedict’s Prep, 2011
10:10.12 … Haddonfield, 2026
10:10.20 … Ridge, 2024
10:10.78 … Christian Brothers Academy, 2013
10:10.95 … Don Bosco Prep, 2014
10:11.61 … Haddonfield A, 2025
10:11.61 … Union Catholic, 2023

All-Time South Jersey DMR List
10:09.78 … Haddonfield, 2010
10:10.12 … Haddonfield, 2026
10:11.61 … Haddonfield, 2025
10:12.42 … Haddonfield, 2016
10:16.32 … Cherokee, 2002
10:16.60 … Haddonfield, 2002
10:17.97 … Ocean City, 2011
10:19.24 … Haddonfield, 2009
10:21.11 … Haddonfield, 2011
10:21.38 … Haddon Township, 2015
10:21.80 … Cinnaminson, 2023
10:22.2y … Williamstown, 1974
10:22.85 … Eastern, 2016
10:23.52 … Haddonfield, 2015
10:23.54 … Haddonfield, 2003
10:28.30 … Kingsway, 2020
10:28.59 … Cherokee, 2020
10:29.39 … Bishop Eustace, 2013
10:29.9y … Cherry Hill East, 1975

Audubon senior Riley Fayer, Ocean City sophomore Riley Tolson and Paul VI junior Grace Gutowski ran three of the six-fastest 1,600s in South Jersey this year Monday night at the Ott Center.

Fayer won the race in 5:04.68, an indoor PR, Tolson was 2nd in a lifetiem-best 5:06.40 and Gutowski took 3rd in 5:07.27, a season-best.

They now rank 3rd, 4th and 6th in South Jersey this year.

Fayer ran negative splits of 2:34.37 and 2:30.31, closing in 73.26. Tolson also negatived, out in 2:34.55 and 2:31.85, as did Gutowski, who split 2:34.35 and 2:32.92.

Fayer is No. 2 in New Jersey Group 1 and fastest South Jersey Group 1 miler since Haddonfield Olympian Erin Donohue ran 4:51.15 in Landover, Md., in March 2001.

Tolson is now No. 8 on the all-time Cape May County indoor list, which is also the all-time Ocean City list.

Also under 5:20 were Mainland, who ran a PR 5:11.48 for 4th, Cherokee senior Sofia Recinto PR’d at 5:15.57, closing in 35.45 and 74.59, and Cherokee senior Maya Kumar, who also PR’d with a 5:19.96.

All-Time Cape May County List
4:49.11 … Renee Tomlin [Ocean City], 2005
4:51.57y … Maeve Smith [Ocean City], 2025
4:54.71 … Megan Hartman [Ocean City], 1994
4:55.41 … Brittany Sedberry [Ocean City], 2004
5:02.43y… Bridgett Flynn [Ocean City], 2014
5:03.57y … Devon Grisbaum [Ocean City], 2015
5:04.40 … Carly Godfrey [Ocean City], 2026
5:06.40 … Riley Tolson [Ocean City], 2026
5:08.37 … Chloe Care [Ocean City], 2025

Gutowski is already 9th-fastest in Camden County history with her 5:03.00 from Virginia Beach Nationals last March.

All-Time Camden County List
4:49.46y … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2001
4:51.60 … Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 2016
4:52.11y … Dylan Hosty [Haddonfield], 2026
4:52.90 … Shaelan McNally [Paul VI], 2024
4:55.04y … Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], 2010
4:56.87 … Macy Huber [Paul VI], 2025
5:01.96 … Grace Wassell [Highland], 2022
5:02.21 … Shelby Cain [Haddonfield], 2014
5:03.00 … Grace Gutowski [Paul VI], 2025
5:03.82 … Allison Colflesh [Haddonfield], 2020

Floyd Whitaker was listed as a senior last year when he placed 2nd in the triple jump at the NCAA Championships in Eugene, so we assumed his college career was over. But he’s back at Oklahoma and has taken his rightful spot once again among the top collegiate triple jumpers and top American jumpers.

Whitaker, a Highland graduate and Minnesota transfer, has jumped at least 53-8 in three of his four meets so far, including an indoor PR 53-9 ¾ in a meet in Norman, Olka.

That makes him No. 13 in the world this year and tied for No. 1 among Americans with teammate and 2024 outdoor NCAA champion Brandon Green, who jumped 53-9 ¾ in the same meet Whitaker did.

The 53-9 ¾ is an indoor PR for Whitaker, topping his previous mark of 52-3 ¼, which he hit in Lubbock in February 2024 and again last January in Norman.

It’s also just half an inch from his lifetime-best 53-10 ¼ from his 2nd-place finish at NCAAs in June.

He finished 2nd at nationals to Green, who has the indoor school record with his 55-3 ½ at SECs last February in College Station.

Whitaker competed indoors in 2022 for Minnesota and in 2023, 2024 and 2025 for Oklahoma, but he only competed in one indoor meet as a true freshman – the Jack Johnson Classic, which he won at 51-5 ½ – and he’s listed as competing unattatched in that meet, so that apparently gave him this year of indoor eligibiity.

Whitaker competed outdoors in 2022 for Minnesota but did not compete at all outdoors in 2023 before resurfacing in Norman for 2024 indoors. So it looks like he used outdoor eligibility seasons in 2022, 2024 and 2025, which should afford him one more year outdoors this spring.

Whitaker’s 53-10 ¼ is the best jump ever by South Jersey athlete, topping a 53-6 ½ by Shawnee graduate Greg Foster Sr. in Flagstaff, Ariz., in May 1988. It’ 3rd among New Jersey jumpers, behind Norm Tate of East Orange, who jumped 54-9 ½ in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1970, and Piscataways Eric Bethea, who jumped 54-7 ½ in Austin in 2019.

Burlington Township senior Laila Fairweather raced into the all-time Burlington County top 10, and Ocean City junior Carly Godfrey broke the Cape May County record in a hot 400-meter dash Monday evening at the SJTCA Meet at the Ott Center.

Fairweather won the race in 57.36 and Godfrey was just behind in 57.58. Fairweather’s time is No. 9 in Burlington County history indoors and a school record. Godfrey broke the Cape May County record of 57.80 set by Ocean City’s Sophia Curtis at 2024 South Jersey Group 3 Sectionals at the Bubble.

Their times are No. 14 and 18 in New Jersey this year and No. 5 and 8 in South Jersey.

Fairweather ran 57.12 outdoors last year when she won the Central Jersey Group 3 sectional race in Jackson. Godfrey had only run one previous 400, a 60.74 a year ago this week at the Bubble. She has PRs of 2:11.08 and 5:04.33 and ran 19:39 at Holmdel. She also owns the Cape May County indoor 800 record with her 2:14.13 at Ocean Breeze last month. Crazy range!

Also under 60 were Haddonfield senior Riley Austin, who was 3rd in 58.81, and Rancocas Valley senior Rhyann Roseboro, who ran 59.41.

Here’s a look at the all-time Burlington County indoor 400 top-10 list:

54.24 … Okechi Ogbuokiri [Willingboro], 2003
55.19 … Michelle Brown [Seneca], 2008
55.21 … Aliyah Taylor [Rancocas Valley], 2017
55.52 … Nester Wea [Willingboro], 2025
56.76 … Simone Thomas [Willingboro], 2003
56.85 … Emily Duffey [Lenape], 2012
57.14 … Danielle Myricks [Willingboro], 2001
57.36 … Shakirah Rutherford [Willingboro], 1999
57.36 … Laila Fairweather [Burlington Twp.], 2026
57.37 … Courtney Foster [Cherokee], 2013

St. Joe’s Crystal Benito is the 2^nd-fastest freshman 400 runner ni the Atlantic 10 after her indoor PR 57.19 Sunday at the Ott Center.

Benito placed 5^th in the 400 at the Penn Invitational in the same race that Washington Township graduate Dylan Giloley ran 56.30 to break the Rider indoor 400 record.

Benito never ran indoor track in high school. She ran 61.91 at the Ott early last month in her first lifetime indoor race, then dropped to 59.09 again at the Ott in her 2^nd indoor race. So that 57.19 was a nearly two-second indoor PR for Benito.

Reagan Garibaldi of Rhode Island leads the Atlantic 10 with a 56.10 from Boston University last month, and she’s the only faster feshman in the conference. Overall, Benito is 8^th-fastest in the A-10 this year.

According to St. Joe’s web site, that 57.19 is 5^th-fastest in St. Joe’s history and fastest in seven years, since Caroline Duffy of Methacton High in Worcester Township, Montgomery County, Pa., set the school-record 54.86 at 2019 ECACs at Boston University.

Benito ran within 2-100ths of a second of the St. Joe’s freshman record of 57.17 set at Ocean Breeze in 2016 by Kelly Liebel of Ephrata, Pa.

Benito ran her outdoor PR 56.50 at Delsea this past May. She won the County Open, placed 2^nd in South Jersey Group 1 Sectionals at Pennsauken and 3^rd at states in Somerest. Benito also ran 2:18.87 at Maple Shade, but she hasn’t run a college 800 yet.