From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Washington Township’s Ajani Dwyer, a Penn State sophomore, ran the 7^th-fastest 100-meter dash time by an American sprinter this year in the trials of the Big Ten Championships in Lincoln, Neb.

Dwyer led all qualifiers with a wind-legal time of 10.04, the 3^rd-fastest time ever by a New Jersey native behind Olympic gold medalists Carl Lewis [9.86 in 1991] and Dennis Mitchell [9.91 in 1996].

Dwyer’s time, made with a legal 1.9 meters-per-second tailwind, is 2^nd-fastest legal time by a collegian this year, behind a 10.00 by John Caleb of Minnesota last month in Gainesville.

Dwyer has run a wind-aided 9.96 this year, but his previous legal PR was a 10.06 in Gainesville (at a different meet). That was also the previous Penn State school record.

Dwyer will race in the final at 2:52 p.m. Sunday, starting in Lane 5.

Jelani Watkins
Nketia
Ajayi
Kaalund
Okon
Mosebi
Caleb
Ian Johnson
J. Reid
Fakorade

Senior Ashton Gage scored 22 points in three sprints, senior Humberto Cuellar added 16 points in the weights, senior Brandon Lamon was part of a 1st and two 2nds and the Eastern boys won their first sectional title Saturday at Lenape.

Lenape outscored 2^nd-place Williamstown, 82-68, to win South Jersey Group 4. Eastern is the 8^th different school to win South Jersey Group 4 in the last 12 years.

Some 10 schools scored at least 30 points, with Cherry Hill East [53] third, followed by Millville [51], Rancocas Valley [49], 2024 and 2025 winner Toms River North [48 ½], Egg Harbor Township [47], Southern Regional [41], Cherokee [38] and Bridgeton [30].

Eastern’s best previous sectional finishes were 2^nd places in 2007, 2010 and 2013, all at Egg Harbor Township.

Gage won the 200 in 22.15, placed 2^nd in the 400 in a PR 48.49 and was 4^th in the 100 in 10.92.

Cuellar won the shot put with a lifetime-best 55-4 ¼, becoming Eastern’s first sectional shot put champion in 17 years, since Jarred Williams won in 2010 with a 51-3 ¾. Cuellar also threw 140-9 for 3^rd in the discus.

The 400 was a huge event for Eastern, with Gage, sophomore Paul Moore and junior Keshawn Townsend going 2-3-5 for 16 points. Moore lowered his PR nearly a full second from 49.71 to 48.75 and Townsend dropped from 49.81 to 49.52. Gage’s previous PR was 49.18.

Eastern finished the meet by winning the 4-by-4  in 3:21.39 with junior Mike James, senior Brandon Lamon, Moore and  Townsend in the lineup.

Lemon had a big weekend, running 1:55.92 for 2^nd in the 800 and running a leg on the Vikings’ 2^nd-place 4-by-8, which also included senior Liam Keet, junior Michael Young and junior Timothy Shack. They ran a school-record 7:47.45, the program’s first time under eight minutes.

In addition to his 5^th place in the 400, Townsend ran a huge PR 55.76 for 2^nd in the intermediates. His previous fastest 400 hurdles time was 58.41. He never ran the event before last month.

Junior Michael James also medaled in the 400 hurdles, taking 5^th in 58.32.

Led by its deep distance crew, the Haddonfield girls won their 11^th sectional title in the last 15 times the meet has been contested, outscoring 2^nd-place Barnaget 120-54 in the South Jersey Group 2 Sectionals at Delsea.

The sectional title is Haddonfield’s 24^th overall, most of any New Jersey school.

Haddonfield previously won Group 1 in 1983, 1984, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1998 and 1999 and Group 2 in 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Haddonfield scored more than half its points – 63 of 120 – in the four distance events – the 800, 1,600, 3,200 and 3,200-meter relay.

Freshman Dylan Hosty led a 1-2-3 sweep in the 1,600, running 4:57.32 with juniors Molly Mills [5:16.45] and Madison Kelsey [5:21.40] 2^nd and 3^rd. Hosty also won the 800, with Mills 3^rd [2:21.72] and sophomore Natalie Lacroce 6^th [2:26.67]. And Mills [11:34.23], Kelsey [11:34.25] and freshman Tatum Russo [11:44.81] went 2-3-4 in the 3,200 for

Haddonfield won the 4-by-8 with Lacrose, junior Harper Benjamin, freshman Bella DeFinis and junior Devon Gervasi running 9:59.98. This was the 11^th time in a row Haddonfield has won the sectional 4-by-8.

Haddonfield also won the 4-by-4 with junior Saya Sood, freshman Scarlet Perry, senior Edith Green and Hosty running 4:06.65.

Junior Nina Fisicaro won the pole vault with a 10-0 clearance, Sood was 2^nd in the 400 [58.83] and intermediates [1:06.68], junior Ansley Kazmarek placed 5^th in the triple jump [32-7] and junior Natalie Mazzei placed 3^rd in the discus [100-2].

Despite a DQ that cost them eight points after placing 2^nd in the 3,200-meter relay, the Winslow girls set a record this weekend at Delsea for most points scored in any South Jersey sectional meet.

Winslow swept four events in the South Jersey Group 3 meet at Delsea and netted 193 points, breaking the record of 181 that they set last year.

Winslow’s 193 points come out to an average of 10.7 per event. So they averaged more than first place per event. Winslow scored in 15 of 18 events, everything other than the 3,200, discus and javelin. Without the 4-by-8 DQ, they would have been over 200 points.

This is Winslow’s 17^th sectional title, 4^th in a row and 12^th the last 13 times the meet has been contested.

Let’s take a look at Winslow’s weekend event-by-event:

100-METER DASH [24 points]: Senior Olivia Okaro, senior Leeya Joseph and junior Amaya Jones swept the 100, Okaro winning in 11.93, Joseph 2^nd in 12.13 and Jones 3^rd in 12.17.
200-METER DASH [24 points]: Sophomore Jasmine Jackson led the 200 sweep with a 24.33, with junior Cinniya Robinson 2^nd in 24.59 and Okaro 3^rd at 25.12.
400-METER DASH [24 points]: Robinson, Amariah Arango and Okaro swept the 400, Robinson winning in 55.66, Arango 2^nd in 56.82 and Okaro 3^rd in 57.60.
800-METER RUN [8 points]: Arango placed 2^nd in 2:15.09.
1,600-METER RUN [2 points]: Sophomore Annabella Cassidy took 5th in 5:26.39.
100-METER HURDLES [14 points]: Jackson broke the all-division sectional record with a wind-legal 13.39, matching her South Jersey record. Senior Ma’Syiah Brawner was 4^th in 14.87.
400-METER HURDLED [24 points]: Jackson, Robinson and junior Jordyn Cato recorded this sweep, Jackson winning by 1-100^th of a second over her teammate. Jackson ran 1:0179, Robinson 1:01.80 and Cato 1:05.79.
400-METER RELAY [10 points]: Adaiah Arango, Cato, Jones and junior Skhye Seamon won the 4-by-1 in 47.87.
1,600-METER RELAY [10 points]:The Eagles closed out the meet by winning the 4-by-4 in 3:52.65. No names listed in the results yet, but we’ll add them when we get them.
3,200-METER RELAY: Winslow initially placed 2^nd to Ocean City in 9:21 but was disqualified.
HIGH JUMP [10 points] Brawner cleared 5-4 to win her 3^rd straight sectional high jump title.
LONG JUMP [19 points]: Brawner and Joseph both surpassed 19 feet with no wind readings available. Brawner won with a 19-8, Joseph was 2^nd at 19-3 ½ and freshman Laila Harrison was 3^rd with a 16-6.
TRIPLE JUMP [14 points]: Brawner and Joseph went 1-4, Brawner jumping 40-5 ½ and Joseph 34-3.
POLE VAULT [8 points]: Senior Nyla Williams cleared 10-0 on her 1^st attempt to take 2^nd place.
SHOT PUT [2 points]: Sophomore Jenelle Harrison threw a four-foot PR 37-5 ¼ for 5^th place.                                                      2

Most Points in a South Jersey Sectional Meet
193 … Winslow Twp., Group 3, 2026
181 … Winslow Twp., Group 3, 2025
154 … Haddonfield, Group 2, 2023
148 ¾ … Winslow Twp., Group 3, 2013
148 … Sterling, Group 2, 2017
148 … Penns Grove, Group 1, 2013
141 … Sterling, Group 2, 2016
141 … Winslow Twp., Group 3, 2018
140 … Winslow Twp., Group 3, 2014
139 … Willingboro, Group 2, 2024
134 … Haddonfield, Group 2, 2012
133 … Lenape, Group 4, 2015
132 ½ … Woodbury, Group 1, 2007
132 … Haddonfield, Group 2, 2014
131 … Camden, Group 2, 2009
130 … Haddonfield, Group 2, 2022
130 … Haddonfield, Group 2, 2021
129 … Clayton, Group 1, 2022
129 … Haddonfield, Group 2, 2013
129 … Winslow Twp., Group 3, 2024
128 ½ … Penns Grove, Group 1, 2014
127 … Winslow Twp., Group 3, 2019
127 … Bridgeton, Group 2, 2005
120 … Winslow Twp., Group 3, 2017

Hannah Nuhfer shattered the state discus record Saturday and then she broke it again.

Nuhfer, a Delsea senior competing at her home track, threw a state record 184-0 on her 1^st attempt at the South Jersey Group 3 Sectionals and followed that with a 184-5 on her 2^nd. She added a 183-2 on her 4^th attempt, surpassing the previous state record for a 3^rd time.

The previous state record was 182-0 set by Donovan Catholic’s Alyssa Wilson at the 2017 Rowan Open in Glassboro. So the two-best marks in state history were both made in Gloucester County.

Nuhfer threw 178-9 to win last year’s West Philly Nationals at Franklin Field and then PR’d in April with a 179-5 at the Woodbury Relays.

Her 184-5 is No. 10 in U.S. scholastic history.

Nuhfer broke the South Jersey Group 3 meet record of 157-6 that she set last year, the overall South Jersey sectional record of 168-0 set by Cherokee’s Jessica Woodard in 2013 and the overall New Jersey sectional record of 172-2 set by Old Tappan’s Layla Giordano in 2024.

Her throw puts her at No. 26 among all U.S. women and No. 2 on the U..S. Under-20 list, according to the World thletics database.

All-Time U.S. High School Discus List
198-9 … Shelbi Vaughan [Mansfield (Texas) Legacy], 2012
196-10 … Amanda Walton [Riverton, Wyo.],, 2026
195-10 … Emma Sralla [Marcus, Flower Mound, Texas], 2023
190-3 … Anna Jelmini (Shafter, California), 2009
188-7 … Jaslene Massey [Aliso, Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Calif.], 2026
188-4 … Suzy Powell [Downey, Modesto, Calif.], 1994
186-10 … Elena Bruckner (Valley, San José, California), 2016
186-3 … Seilala Sue [Aquinas, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.], 1996
185-4 … Melanie Uher [Wilkes-Clatonia, Clatonia, Neb.], 2002
184-5 … Hannah Nuhfer [Delsea, Franklinville], May 16, 2026
184-2 … Valerie Allman [Silver Creek, Longmont, Colo.], 2013
184-2 … Jillian Scully [Miller Place, N.Y.], 2025
183-11 … Leslie Deniz [Gridley, Calif.], 1980
182-6 … Billie Jo Grant [Arroyo Grande, Calif.], 2003
182-4 … Madeleine Fey [Midlothian, Texas], 2023
182-0 … Alyssa Wilson [Donovan Catholic, Toms River], 2017
181-3 … Stephanie Brown [Arroyo Grande, Calif.], 1998
180-9 … Alex Collatz Sellens [Stockdale, Calif.], 2010
180-2 … Camryn Massey [Ashbrook, N.C.], 2024
179-7 … Kiani Phelps [Kingsley-Pierson, Kingsley, Iowa], 2014
179-6 … Maggie Ewen [St. Francis, Washington, D.C.], 2013

56.210

All-Time N.J. Alumni Discus List
199-4 … Alyssa Wilson [Donovan Catholic], May 24, 2019, Sacramento, Calif.
198-8 … Pam Dukes [Freehold Twp.], June 4, 1996, Dallas
190-9 … Jessica Woodard [Cherokee], March 31, 2018, Austin, Texas
189-4 … Denise Wood [Haledon], May 7, 1983, Knoxville, Tenn.
189-7 … Layla Giordano [Old Tappan], April 18, 2026, Charlotte, N.C.
184-5 … Hannah Nuhfer [Delsea], May 16, 2026, Franklinville, N.J.

182-1 … Jamine Moton [Delsea], April 27, 2001, Philadelphia
181-7 … Helene Connell [Jackson], March 22, 1980, Palo Alto, Calif.
180-1 … Jocelyn White [Delsea], May 17, 2008, Chapel Hill, N.C.

Winslow sophomore Jasmine Jackson, who set a South Jersey sectional all-group hurdles record of 13.66 earlier in the day, destroyed that mark with a 13.39 in the Group 3 final Saturday at Delsea.

Jackson’s time, achieved with a legal 1.7 tailwind, is the fastest FAT time ever recorded at any sectional meet. The joke of a program that the NJSIAA puts out lists Neptune great Dawn Bowles with a 13.30, but that Central Jersey Group 4 race in 1988 was hand-timed and her time should be listed as 13.3. How do you list hand-timed records but not FAT records? That’s just inexcusable. (They also list all the girls hurdles events as 110 meters. What a joke!)

The fastest previous FAT time at any sectional meet turns out was actually Jackson’s 13.66 in the trials.

Jackson tied her own South Jersey record and New Jersey sophomore record, 5^th-fastest in state history. She also ran 13.39 in Baltimore at a meet earlier this month.

Clearview junior Nya Jackmon-Smith was 2^nd in 14.57 and Mainland senior Camryn DeMorat 3^rdin 14.72. Winslow senior Ma’Syiah Brawner took 4^th in 14.87, giving Winslow 14 points in the event and 149 overall so far.

Winslow sophomore Jasmine Jackson broke her own South Jersey sectional meet record in the 100-meter hurdles Saturday morning at Lenape.

Jackson ran 13.66 with a legal 0.8 wind reading to lead all qualifiers into the finals later in the day. She broke the South Jersey Group 3 and overall South Jersey sectional record of 13.76 that she ran last year.

Winslow also advanced senior Ma’Syiah Brawner to the final with a 15.06, the 3rd-fastest qualifying time.

Alabama freshman Alexander Osayemi from Clayton PR’d Friday in the 400-meter trials at the SEC Championships at Auburn.

Osayemi qualified for the final Saturday with a time of 45.59, dropping his PR from 45.85 from last month in Tuscaloosa.

Osayemi is 6^th-fastest on the all-time South Jersey alumni list and 7^th-fastest in NCAA Division 1 by a freshman this year.

The 400 final is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. Saturday.

All-Time South Jersey Alumni Sub-46 List
44.30 … Lamont Smith [Willingboro], June 19, 1996, Atlanta
45.26 … Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], April 12, 1986, Tampa, Fla.
45.01 … Gabriel Moronta [Pleasantville], May 30, 2025, Jacksonville
45.49 … Darrell Bush [Woodbury], April 11, 2015, Tucson, Ariz.
45.59 … Alexander Osayemi [Clayton], May 16, 2026, Auburn, Ala.
45.98 … Antonio Abney [Willingboro], May 29, 2010, Charlotte, N.C.

Natalie Dumas raced to the fastest 400 in New Jersey this year Saturday morning, winning the South Jersey Group 4 race in a season-best 52.28 at Lenape.

Dumas, who won the intermediate and 800 on Friday, set the meet record of 51.87 last year before setting a state record of 51.14 at West Philly nationals at Franklin Field.

Her previous-best this year and the previous fastest New Jersey time was a 53.45 last week at the Camden County Championships at Haddon Township.

In all, 10 girls broke 60 in a fast, deep race. Moorestown sophomore Hope Edwards was 2^nd in a PR 55.92, Kingsway sophomore Noemi Haller took 3^rd in 56.64, Atlantic City senior Taison Parker was 4^th in 57.22, Pennsauken junior Summer Schaeffer placed 5^th in 57.27, Williamstown junior Tristan Hughes ran 6^th in a PR 58.30, freshman Allana Peebles was 7^th with a PR 58.91, Kingsway freshman Abigail Asis ran a PR 59.71 for 9^th – her first time under 61 – and Bridgeton senior Amirah Murphy placed 10^th in 59.82.

The Winslow girls are up to 116 points with eight events left after a 1-2-3 sweep in the 400-meter dash at the South Jersey Group 3 Championships at Delsea.

Junior Cinniya Robinson, sophomore Amariah Arango and senior Olivia Okaro, who won the 100 on Friday, added 24 points to Winslow’s remarkable total through 10 events by sweeping the first event on Day 2.

Robinson, who was 2^nd in the intermediates on Friday, won the race in 55.66, Arango was 2^nd in 56.82 and Okaro ran 57.60 for 3^rd.

Triton junior Lyla Briggs ran 57.99 for 4^th, Timber Creek junior Taylor Gaines was 5^th in 58.33 and Deptford senior Taquirah Davis placed 6^th in 58.33.