From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Who is Brendan Sanon and how did he just win the Olympic Conference discus?

OK, so here’s the deal. The Olympic Conference results show Paul VI senior Brendan Sanon winning the discus at Rancocas Valley with a 144-6 – no series information available since Tomahawk isn’t doing results for this meet.

Now, Milesplit isn’t perfect, but Sanon’s profile shows this as only the 2nd track meet of his life. And in the first, the state Parochial A meet in May at Stockton, he threw 124-124-2. No indication anywhere that he threw in any other meets last spring or threw at all indoors or competed this spring before Wednesday.

So was this really his 2nd meet ever and a 20-foot PR?

Whatever his history, he’s Paul VI’s first Olympic Conferene discus champion in 23 years, since Matthew Deliso won his 2nd straight title in 2003 with a throw of 155-0.

Sanon’s 144-6 is No. 5 in South Jersey this year.

Senior Humberto Cuellar of Eastern also surpassed 140 feet, placing 2nd with a PR 141-0. His previous PR was 140-10 at last year’s Camden County Championships at Haddon Township.

Since the Olympic Conference girls meet started in 1977, only one girl had broken 11 minutes in the 3,200.

Two did it in one race on Wednesday.

Sophomore Addison Weiss of Cherry Hill East and senior Giovanna Mantuano both broke 11 minutes at Rancocas Valley in the fastest Olympic Conference 3,200 in 43 years.

Weiss won in 10:53.94 and Mantuano was half a step back in 10:54.08. Those are the fastest times in this meet since legendary Michelle Rowen ran 10:20.7 in the 1983 meet at Glassboro State College.

Weiss is the first Cherry Hill East girl to win the Olympic Conference 3,200 since Lori Watson ran 11:06.2 at the 1984 meet at Pennsauken.

Weiss and Mantuano both ran huge negative splits. Mantuano came through 1,600 in 5:34.67, with Weiss just behind her in 5:34.84. Weiss came back in 5:19.10, with Mantuano in 5:19.37. Both closed in 72.5-ish, Weiss in 72.54 and Mantuano in 72.55.

Weiss only ran the 800 outdoors last year, so this was the first outdoor 3,200 of her life. She did run slightly faster indoors with a 10:47.46 at indoor states in February at the Bubble.

Weiss is East’s fastest over 3,200 meters in 19 years, since Theresa Cattuna ran 10:34.79 at the 2007 Meet of Champions in South Plainfield.

Mantuano’s previous outdoor PR was 11:07.24 in June 2024 at the Meet of Champions at Pennsauken. Her previous PR was 10:54.33 from the indoor Meet of Champions in March at Ocean Breeze.

Mantuano, like Weiss, is 2nd-fastest in her school’s history. Shaelan McNally ran 10:18.93 at Cherokee Night of 3,200s in Marlton in April 2024. Their times are No. 17 and No. 19 on the all-time Camden County list.

There are now five South Jersey girls under 11 minutes this year. In addition to Weiss and Mantuano, Holy Cross senior Julia Flanagan ran 10:33.44 at Holmdel on Monday, Haddonfield freshman Dylan Hosty ran 10:55.34 in Colts Neck two weeks ago and Delran senior Ashley Doyle ran 10:57.26 at Holmdel on Monday.

10:12.8h ….. Michelle Rowen [Washington Twp.], 1983
10:18.93 … Shaelan McNally [Paul VI], 2024
10:19.31 … Chelsea Ley [Kingsway], 2009
10:22.02 … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2012
10:22.20 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2024
10:27.44 … Alyssa Aldridge [Mainland Reg.], 2017
10:28.6h….. Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2001
10:29.28y … Rachel Vick [Kingsway], 2017
10:30.57 … Dina Iacone [Washington Twp.], 2012
10:32.54 … Maeve Smith [Ocean City], 2025
10:32.4h….. Mindy Rowand [Sterling], 1985
10:33.22 … Holly Bischof [Bishop Eustace], 2012
10:33.25 … Megan Venables [Highland], 2011
10:33.44 … Julia Flanagan [Holy Cross], 2026
10:33.85 … Sarah Naticchia [Haddonfield], 2021
10:34.79 … Theresa Cattuna [Cherry Hill East], 2007
10:35.59 … Amanda Goetschius [Delsea], 2007
10:37.47 … Meghan McGlinchey [West Depford], 2009
10:37.53 … Vanessa Wright [Haddonfield], 2005
10:39.15 … Devon Grisbaum [Ocean City], 2015
10:40.24 … Katie Van Horn [Triton], 2005
10:40.95 … Erika Kemp [Rancocas Valley], 2013
10:42.22 … Jenn Rawls [Highland], 2009
10:43.3h….. Deanna Germano [Shawnee], 1985
10:43.50 … Alyssa Condell [Timber Creek], 2017
10:43.86 … Ava Thomas [Haddonfield], 2023
10:44.23 … Brittany Sedberry [Ocean City], 2004
10:45.12 … Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 2014
10:45.24 … Nicole Clifford [Cherokee], 2022
10:45.40 … Julianna Catania [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2016
10:45.73 … Meghan Hughes [Moorestown], 2002
10:46.38 … Madison Coppolino [Sterling], 2018
10:43.36y… Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], 2009
10:50.58y … Lillie Widmer [Delsea], 2023
10:52.75 … Meghan Malloy [Haddonfield], 2013
10:52.9y … Monique Purcell [Holy Spirit], 1978
10:53.94 … Addison Weiss [Cherry Hill East], 2026
10:54.0y … Lori Watson [Cherry Hill East], 1983
10:54.05 … Maria Ruiz [Williamstown], 2009
10:54.08 … Giovanna Mantuano [Paul VI], 2026
10:54.16 … Lisa Burkholder [Cherokee], 2004
10:55.18 … Nicole Lipieta [Kingsway] 2022
10:55.34 … Sophie Steidle [Collingswood], 2021
10:55.34 … Dylan Hosty [Haddonfield], 2026
10:55.92 … Isabella Turner [Shawnee], 2018
10:56.02 … Kerry O’Day [Cherokee], 2023
10:56.34 … Brianna Rogers [Moorestown], 2005
10:56.54 … Arianna McKinney [Highland], 2004
10:57.04 … Chloe Care [Ocean City], 2025
10:57.26 … Ashley Doyle [Delran], 2026
10:57.52 … Mara Schiffhauer [Seneca], 2014
10:58.45 … Riley Fayer [Audubon], 2023
10:58.46 … Doreen Startare [Paul VI], 1978
10:58.85 … Jordan Hadfield [Schalick], 2025
10:58.97 … Megan Quimby [Lenape], 2015
10:59.02 … Helene Usher [Haddonfield], 2023
10:59.25 … Pam Adams [Gateway], 1976
10:59.56 … Amanda Bakley [Pennsauken], 2015
10:59.94 … Macy Huber [Paul VI], 2025

Soon after winning the 800 in 2:14..85 at the Olympic Conference Championships in Mount Holly, Eastern senior Natalie Dumas smashed a 29-year-old meet reord in the 400-meter hurdles.

Dumas, the record-setting triple national champ last spring in the 400, 800 and intermediates, won the hurdles in 59.35, breaking the meet record of 60.6 hand-timed set by Shawnee’s Mandie Dulin in 1997 at Overbrook.

The 59.35 is a season best for Dumas, who ran 55.99 in June at Franklin Field along with a 51.14 and 2:00.11.

It’s fastest in the U.S. this year, according to the MileSplit database, bumping Rebecca Okebe of Dorman High in Spartanburg, S.C., who ran 59.38 yesterday in Spartanburg.

It’s No. 22 on the world Under-20 list and No. 4 among U.S. women in the Under-20 division.

Dumas won the intermediates as a freshman in 2023 in 1:05.01 and in 2024 in 1:01.40. Only the meet getting rained out last year prevented her from being a four-time winner.

Winslow junior Cinniya Robinson placed 2nd in 1:01.41, not far off her PR of 1:01.01 from her win in May at the state Group 3 meet in South Plainfield.

In the 800, Dumas won for the second time following a win in 2023 by her older sister, Kadence. Dumas is scheduled to run the 400 on Thursday.

It’s hard for a race to be much closer than this.

Eastern senior Brandon Lamon edged Moorestown senior Sean Sobin by 5-1,000ths of a second to win the 800 on Day 1 of the Olympic Conference Championships Wednesday in Mount Holly.

Both were timed in 1:58.61, but when their times were broken down to thousandths of a second, Lamon was credited with a 1:58.601 and Sobin 1:58.605.

Lamon is the first Eastern half-miler to win the Olympic Conference 800 in 35 years, since Bryn Haines won another very close race, running 2:01.3 hand-timed at Overbrook and edging Overbrook’s John Golden, who ran 2:01.4.

Lamon ran 1:56.39 indoors at Virginia Beach Nationals, but the 1:58.61 is an outdoor PR. His previous outdoor best was a 2:00.42 at Cherokee last May.

His 1:58.61 makes him Eastern’s fastest outdoor 800 runner since Nicholas Pschunder, who ran 1:55.61 in 2016 at Haddonfield.

This was Sobin’s first time under two minutes. MileSplit only shows him competing in two previous 800s, including a previous PR of 2:00.98 earlier this month in a batch meet on his home track.

Lamon is scheduled to anchor Eastern’s 4-by-8 on Thursday.

Holy Cross senior Julia Flanagan ran the 14th-fastest 3,200 in South Jersey history Monday night at the Holmdel Twilight Series Night of 3200s.

Flanagan ran 10:33.44 and placed 2nd among girls, behind only West Windsor-Plainsboro North’s Allison Lee, who set a state outdoor record of 9:46.78.

Flanagan’s previous outdoor PR was 10:52.74 from her win at the state Parochial B meet in May in Galloway Township.

Flanagan has run slightly faster indoors with a 10:29.07 at the Meet of Champions at Ocean Breeze in March. That’s 4th-fastest in South Jersey history indoors and No. 16 in state history.

All-Time South Jersey Outdoor 3,200 List
10:12.8h … Michelle Rowen [Washington Twp.], 1983
10:18.93 … Shaelan McNally [Paul VI], 2024
10:19.31 … Chelsea Ley [Kingsway], 2009
10:22.02 … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2012
10:22.20 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Bu;rlington], 2024
10:27.44 … Alyssa Aldridge [Mainland Reg.], 2017
10:28.6y … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2001
10:29.28y … Rachel Vick [Kingsway], 2017
10:30.57 … Dina Iacone [Washington Twp.], 2012
10:32.54 … Maeve Smith [Ocean City], 2025
10:32.4y….. Mindy Rowand [Sterling], 1985
10:33.22 … Holly Bischof [Bishop Eustace], 2012
10:33.25 … Megan Venables [Highland], 2011
10:33.44 … Julia Flanagan [Holy Cross], 2026
10:33.85 … Sarah Naticchia [Haddonfield], 2021
10:34.79 … Theresa Cattuna [Cherry Hill East], 2007
10:35.59 … Amanda Goetschius [Delsea], 2007
10:37.47 … Meghan McGlinchey [West Depford], 2009
10:37.53 … Vanessa Wright [Haddonfield], 2005
10:39.15 … Devon Grisbaum [Ocean City], 2015

Peter Simpson and Ben Andrus of Haddonfield both moved into the all-time South Jersey 3,200-meter run top 20 at Holmdel Twilight Series Night of 3200s.

Simpson was fastest of nearly 500 runners, crossing the line first in the 18th and final section in 9:04.97, which is 16th-fastest in South Jersey history and 3rd-fastest on the all-time Haddonfield list, behind Jim Smith [9:00.3 converted from two miles by Jim Smith in 1980] and Seth Clevenger [9:03.65 in 2022].

No splits in the results, unfortunately. Simpson’s previous PR was 9:14.76 from last May, when he won the state Group 2 title at South Plainfield.

Andrus was 2nd in 9:05.93, which is 19th in South Jersey history and 4th on the all-time Haddonfield list.

Haddonfield becomes the first school in South Jersey history with two runners under 9:06 in the same year.

Simpson and Andrus are No. 1 and 2 in South Jersey this year and No. 6 and 7 in New Jersey.

Delsea senior Matthew Littlehaeles also broke 9:10, placing 4th overall in 9:07.84, dropping his PR from 9:12.23 from his win at the state Group 3 meet last May in South Plainfield. His time is 4th-fastest all-time by a Gloucester County runner. Littlehales also snagged the family PR from older brother Andrew, who ran 9:12.39 at 2022 South Jersey Group 3 Sectionals at Delsea.

Cherokee junior Sean Sooey ran 9:18.17, dropping his PR a whopping 20 seconds from 9:38.38 earlier this month on his home track in Marlton.

Other South Jersey two-milers under 10 minutes: Haddonfield senior Michael Sinnes [9:33.17], Cherokee junior Gavin Danielewicz [9:33.77], Cherokee freshman Hamza Salahuddin [9:37.63] and Haddonfield sophomore Brendan Casey [9:57.60].

The first girl was West Windsor-Plainsboro North’s Allison Lee, whose 9:45.78 is the fastest outdoor time in state history and No. 4 in U.S. history.Angelina Perez of Lakeland ran 9:53.29 at the state Group 2 meet in Somerset in 2022. Blair Bartlett of Lawrenceville School ran slightly faster indoors, 9:42.38 in February at Tsai Fieldhouse in Lawrenceville. Whether or not a 9:45.78 in a mixed race will stand as the state record is Jim Lambert’s problem, not mine! Either way, it’s one of the fastest 3,200s or two-miles ever run.

All-Time South Jersey 3,200 List
8:54.11 … Peyton Shute [Woodbury], 2024
8:55.43 … Murad Campbell [Overbrook], 1999
8:58.32 … Luke Petela [Haddon Twp.], 2015
8:59.6y … Mike Butynes [Sterling], 1972
8:59.8y … Jason DeJoseph [Paul VI], 1987
9:00.3y … Jim Smith [Haddonfield], 1980
9:00.30 … Jimmy Daniels [Sterling], 2013
9:01.89 … Marc Pelerin [Cherokee], 2002
9:01.9y … Mike Mantini [Gateway], 1979
9:03.1y … Jerry Andrews [Highland], 1979
9:03.65 … Seth Clevenger [Haddonfield], 2022
9:03.7y … Ed Blakeley [Haddon Twp.], 1975
9:03.9h … Mike Elder [Haddon Twp.], 1973
9:04.05 … Shawn Wilson [Cherokee], 2013
9:04.94 … Louis Corgiano [Hammonton], 2014
9:04.97 … Peter Simpson [Haddonfield], 2026
9:05.12 … Sean MacPherson [Sterling], 2015
9:05.87 … Nick Kuenkel [Cherokee], 2024
9:05.93 … Benjamin Andrus [Haddonfield], 2026
9:05.98 … Steve Maine [Highland], 2014
9:06.2y … Greg Stremmel [Gateway], 1974
9:06.47 … Jonathan Vitez [Haddonfield], 2010
9:06.52 … Connor Melko [Bishop Eustace], 2019
9:06.70 … Joshua Clark [Highland], 2016
9:07.03 … Greg Hughes [Mainland], 2004
9:07.2y … Ron Faith [Paul VI], 1985
9:07.2y … Kevin Pumphrey [Highland], 1986
9:07.42 … Aaron Groff [Cherry Hill East], 2016
9:07.79 … Ben Realley [Cherokee], 2025
9:07.84 … Matthew Littlehales [Delsea], 2026
9:07.7y … Marty Ludwikowski [Cherry Hill West], 1975
9:08.22 … Jon Anderson [Cinnaminson], 2004
9:08.27 … Ben Andrus [Haddonfield], 2025
9:09.17 … Bennett Wright [Haddonfield], 2025
9:09.27 … David Forward [Shawnee], 2009
9:09.38 … Kevin Antczak [Mainland Reg.], 2019
9:09.38 … George Andrus [Haddonfield], 2022
9:09.80 … Todd Campbell [Cinnaminson], 2009
9:09.91 … Jack Tindall [Cherokee], 2026

Missed this one last week, but Kingway’s Evan Corcoran, a junior at Rowan, ran a big wind-legal 200 PR in Charlottesville, Va., with a 21.23 with a 1.3 tailwind.

Corcoran’s previous 200 PR was 21.37 in Daytona Beach, Fla., last May.

Corcoran’s time is No. 16 in NCAA Division 3 and No. 3 in the NJAC going into the conference meet this weekend, behind only teammates Rajahn Dixon of Eastern [21.02] and Eli Hendricks of Penns Grove [21.08].

It’s also No. 5 in Rowan history, behind Jah’mere Beasley of Sterling [20.91 in 2022], Dixon, Hendricks and Shamar Love of Bridgeton [21.18 in 2025].

Corcoran is also No. 2 in the NJAC in the 100 at 10.36, although that was wind-aided. That’s No. 9 in Division 3. His wind-legal PR is 10.61 from last year’s NJAC meet in Ewing.

Jacob George from Haddon Township broke the Monmouth freshman pole vault record Saturday in Ewing.

George cleared a lifetime-best 15-5 ½ in winning the Rick McCorkle Invitational at The College of New Jersey, the highest clearance ever by a Monmouth freshman. The previous mark was 15-5 by Dalton Yeust from Tunkhannock High northwest of Scranton at the 2021 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference meet in Lawrenceville.

George’s 15-5 ½ is No. 7 in Monmouth history overall and 2nd-best by a South Jersey vaulter. Nick Gilanelli from Moorestown cleared 15-9 in Charlottesville in 2006.

George’s previous PR was 15-3, which he first cleared last May at the Camden County Championships on his home track at Haddon Township and again just last week in a meet in Piscataway.

At TCNJ, George cleared 14-1 ¼, 14-7 ¼, 15-1 and 15-5 ½ all on his 1st attempt. With the win secured, he had the bar moved up to 15-9, where he took three attempts.

George is currently No. 2 in the Coastal Athletic Association behind only Leighton McGee of William and Mary, who cleared 16-5 ½ in Williamsburg, Va., earlier this month.

Rider freshman Kendra Brown from Rancocas Valley bombed a big shot put PR Saturday at the Rick McCorkle Invitational in Ewing.

Brown raised her PR from 45-0 ¼ indoors at the Armory in February to 45-5 on her 3^rd throw at TCNJ. She also had a 45-0 on her 1^st attempt so she recorded two of her three-best throws ever in the span of three throws.

Her throw is 8^th-best in Rider history and best by a freshman since 2017, when Jules Fidele from Red Bank Catholic set a school record that still stands of 49-3 ¾ at the Penn Relays.

Brown’s 45-5 is tops in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference by more than two feet.

Sophomore David Godbolt from Rancocas Valley matched the best high jump clearance by a Monmouth athlete in 10 years Saturday in Ewing.

Godbolt cleared a lifetime-best 6-10 ¾ at the Rick McCorkle Invitational at The College of New Jersey, placing 2^nd on fewer misses to teammate Gavin Nelson.

Godbolt’s previous PR was 6-9 indoors at the Armory in January. His previous outdoor PR was 6-8 ¾ from Fairfax, Va., last May.

Nelson, a freshman from Northwestern Lehigh High School in Heidelberg Township, Lehigh County.

The only Monmouth jumper to go higher than Godbolt and Nelson is Joseph Marini of Boonton, who cleared 6-11 ½ at High Point, N.C., in 2016.

Godbolt passed through 6-2 ¼ and then cleared 6-4 ¼ on his 2^nd attempt and 6-6 ¼ and 6-8 ¼ on his 1^stattempt. He missed his first two tries at 6-10 ¾ before clearing on his 3^rd. He and Nelson both took three jumps at 7-0 ½. Nelson and Godbolt had identical series, other than Godbolt had that miss at 6-4 ¼, which gave Nelson the win.

There have been 14 7-footers from South Jersey and seven from Burlington County: Darren Burton from Delran [7-5 ¾ in Ylivieska, Finland, in 1989], the late great Mike Pascuzzo from Lenape [7-5 ¼ in New York in 1992], Moorestown’s Jim Pringle [7-4 ½ in Tallahassee in 1982], Willingboro’s Mike Morrison [7-4 ¼ in Landover, Md., in 2003], Seneca’s Drew Kanz [7-1 ¾ in Birmingham in 2014] and Todd Lowber of Delran [7-0 ½ in 2006 in Lisle, Ala.].

Godbolt and Nelson now share the No. 1 ranking in the Coastal Athletic Conference.