Cherry Hill East senior Aaron Groff nearly won himself a national title in the 5,000 at the National Scholastic Championships this weekend before settling for a South Jersey indoor record, the No. 2 time in state history and a spot in the all-time New Jersey indoor or outdoor 5,000 list.

Groff ran 14:43.10 for a close second to Eric Van Der Els of Norwalk High in Connecticut. Van Der Els ran 14:42.41.

The only faster time in New Jersey history indoors is the national record 13:57.04 by legendary Edward Cheserek of St. Benedict’s Prep in 2013. How good is Cheserek? He won three more NCAA titles this weekend, giving him 13 career NCAA championships at Oregon, including three in cross country.

As for Groff, he ran within five seconds of the overall South Jersey indoor-outdoor record of 14:38.37 set in 2002 by Cherokee’s Marc Pelerin. He broke the South Jersey indoor mark of 14:43.49 set three years ago by Sterling’s Jimmy Daniels.

Here’s a look at the all-time New Jersey 5,000 list, including both indoor and outdoor times. I bold-faced South Jersey runners:

• 13:57.04 … Edward Cheserek [St. Benedict’s Prep], 2013
• 14:13.68 … Joe Rosa [West Windsor-Plainsboro North], 2011
• 14:25.8i ….. Chris Hallinan [Bernards], 1976
• 14:26.6 ….. Andy Martin [North Hunterdon], 1984
• 14:28.96 … Craig Forys [Colts Neck], 2007
• 14:35.32 … Doug Smith [Gil St. Bernard], 2008
• 14:38.37 … Marc Pelerin [Cherokee], 2002
• 14:42.2 ….. Jerry Andrews [Highland], 1979
• 14:43.10i … Aaron Groff [Cherry Hill East], 2016
• 14:45.49 … Jimmy Daniels [Sterling], 2013
• 14:48.73 … Ben Massam [Chatham], 2006
• 14:50.71 … James Rosa [West Windsor-Plainsboro North], 2010
• 14:51.0 ….. Jim Smith [Haddonfield], 1980
• 14:51.17 … Tom O’Neill [MIddletown North], 2014
• 14:54.15 … Chris Luciano [Mountain Lakes], 2014
• 14:54.62 … Jeramy Elkaim [Livingston], 2011
• 14:54.87 … Craig Corti [Walkill Valley], 2015
• 14:54.2 ….. Steve O’Connell [Millburn], 1976
• 14:55.35 … Kyle Livermore [Don Bosco], 2014
• 15:01.01 … Kevin McDonnell [Camden Catholic], 2008
• 15:01.04 … Paul Szulewski [Williamstown], 2011
• 15:02.09 … Sean Lyons [Morristown], 2014
• 15:02.75 … Leighton Spencer [Don Bosco], 2009
• 15:04.42i … Andrew Hanko [Trinity], 2007
• 15:04.97 … Ryan Tucker [Don Bosco], 2012
• 15:05.56 … Anthony Dentino [Washington Twp.], 2011
• 15:06.47 … Dan Riff [West Windsor-Plainsboro South], 2013
• 15:07.97 … Zaid Smart [Princeton], 2011
• 15:08.82 … Matt Valeriani [Southern], 2010
• 15:08.99 … Brian O’Toole [Robbinsville], 2011
• 15:09.5 ….. Bryan Spoonire [Asbury Park], 1991
• 15:09.62 … Brian Leung [West Windsor-Plainsboro South], 2008
• 15:10.38i … Brandon Jarrett [St. Benedict’s], 2006
• 15:11.45 … Steve Maine [Highland], 2014
• 15:11.4 ….. Scott Sarnoski [Bergen Tech], 1979
• 15:11.57 … Matt Nelson [Barnegat], 2013

 

Cherokee graduate Jessica Woodard just keeps getting better and better.

Woodard, now a sophomore at Oklahoma, placed third in the shot put at the Big 12 Championships at the Lied Recreation Center on the campus of Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa., where she improved her shot put PR more than a foot — from 54-6 to 55-7.

She moved up from No. 18 in NCAA Division 1 to No. 12 and earned a berth in the NCAA Championships, scheduled for this weekend in Birmingham, Ala.

This will be Woodard’s first NCAA championships in the shot. She placed 17th in the discus last spring as a freshman.

Woodard set her previous shot PR of 54-6 in January at the J.D. Martin Invitational on Oklahoma’s home track in Norman, Okla.

Woodard’s 55-7 ranks her No. 21 among all U.S. women and No. 51 in the world, according to the IAAF rankings.

Woodard, whose PR was 51-8 1/4 coming into this season, now ranks third in Oklahoma history indoors, behind Tia Brooks (63-0 3/4 in 2013) and Karen Shump (58-11 1/2 in 2011).

She’s the No. 2 sophomore in the country and No. 5 underclassman.

Woodard had three throws of 54-8 or better at the conference meet. She opened with a foul but then went 52-9 and 54-9 to finish the trials and 54-8, 55-7 and 53-1 1/4 in the finals. So she PR’d three times.

Woodard’s best throw in her freshman year outdoors was 50-10 3/4, but she was the No. 6 freshman discus thrower in Division 1 with a 173-0 throw.

Woodard also placed seventh in the weight throw at the Big 10 Championships with a PR of 61-0 1/4.

At Cherokee, Woodard won Meet of Champions titles in both the shot and discus and was a national scholastic champ in the shot put.

Woodard set South Jersey records of 168-10 and 47-1 1/4 at Cherokee.

 

 

 

Woodard went into Big 12 competition ranked 18th but had a big-time performance, recording two personal bests last weekend in Ames, Iowa, that pushed her to 12th on the qualifying list. Her 55-7.00 replaced her previous 54-6.00-career mark as third best in program history.

When the long jump ended at Easterns Tuesday night, Tionna Tobias sat at the start of the runway looking disappointed while a friend from Timber Creek’s track team consoled her.

Then the results were distributed. Turns out Tobias had nothing to be disappointed about.

Tobias, a freshman competing in the long jump for only the second time as a high schooler, had placed third with an 18-9 jump – the best jump ever indoors by a New Jersey freshman and overall No. 5 in South Jersey history!

According to the MileSplit data base, Tobias had only long jumped once previously this year — she went 16-8 for fifth at the Bishop Laughlin Games in December at the 168th Street Armory.

Because the New Jersey state meet series doesn’t have a long jump, that was it until Easterns, also at the Armory.

And Tobias blew up.

She PR’d at 17-6 1/2 with her first jump, extended that to 18-1 on her second and then bombed her 18-9 on her final jump of the trials. She then went 17-3 1/2, 18-3 and 18-2 3/4 on her three jumps in the finals.

So she got six legal jumps and averaged 18-2 3/4 on those six jumps.

The previous state freshman record indoors was 18-0 1/4, set in 2001 by Collette DeBenedetto of Mountain Lakes. Outdoors it’s 20-5, set in 1981 by Olympian Carol Lewis of Willingboro.

Tobias is also the No. 1 freshman in the U.S. so far, nearly four inches ahead of Nyla Ward of T.C. Williams High in Alexandria, Va., who jumped 18-5 1/4 at the Virginia High School Group 6A State Indoor Championships at the Boo Williams Complex in Hampton, Va., last weekend.

Here is the updated all-time South Jersey indoor list:

• 21-7 1/2 … Carol Lewis [Willingboro], 1981
• 19-8 ……. Cidae’a Woods [Winslow], 2014
• 19-7 1/2 … Helen Wilks [Bridgeton], 1993
• 18-9 …….. Shameka Speed [Bridgeton], 2002
• 18-9 …….. Tionna Tobias [Winslow], 2016
• 18-8 3/4 … Artrelia Turner [Wilson], 1984
• 18-7 1/4 … Shelly  Bailey [Woodbury], 1982
• 18-6 1/2 … Tisifinee Taylor [Woodbury], 2002
• 18-6 1/2 … Asia Young [Holy Spirit], 2016
• 18-5 3/4 … Lindsey Walsh [Lenape], 2008
• 18-5 1/4 … Tacquaya Tobias [Our Lady of Mercy], 2011
• 18-4 3/4 … Tonya Lee [Rancocas Valley], 1988
• 18-4 1/2 … Kristin Tricocci [Cinnaminson], 2004
• 18-2 3/4 … Sable Loper [Woodrow Wilson], 2005
• 18-1 3/4 … Emily Carson [Haddonfield], 2013

Tobias moved pretty far up the all-time state list, as well — No. 21 overall.

Tobias isn’t just a long jumper. She placed in two events at sectionals, taking fourth in the 55-meter dash in 7.56 and fifth in the high jump at 5-0. Winslow won the team title 75-67 over Delsea.

She also ran a leg on Winslow’s 800-meter relay team at Easterns. That group, which also included Brittany Preston, Flora Ahiarakwe and Iyianna Williams, ran 1:43.85 in the trials and 1:43.01 in the finals.

That’s No. 2 in New Jersey this year and No. 1 among South Jersey schools.

The discerning reader will notice that there is another Tobias on the all-time South Jersey list. That’s Tacquaya Tobias, a multiple state champion at Our Lady of Mercy Academy in Newfield and Tiona’s older sister. She was a 19-9 jumper for Duquesne.

Here’s a nice story by Mike McGarry of the Atlantic City Press on the Tobias family, including Greg, who is the middle child and ran track and played football for St. Augustine – OLMA’s sister school – before attending Syracuse: Click here. Their parents, Gregory and Rosalind Tobias, founded the Omega Track Club to help young athletes in the South Jersey area excel in track and field.

 

Haddonfield and Fordham Prep hooked up in a massive distance medley showdown at the 82nd annual Easterns Tuesday night, and the race resulted in the two-fastest times in the country this year.

Haddonfield ran the No. 2 time in South Jersey history, missing the program’s own South Jersey record by less than five seconds.

The DMR was a highlight of the oldest high school-only meet in the country, with nine schools breaking 10:30.

The Fordham Prep, Danbury, Eastern, Toms River North, Morristown and Haddonfield leadoffs all came through between 3:09 and 3:11. Haddonfield leadoff, freshman Derek Gess, handed off to freshman Luke Colehower, whose 50.4 leg moved the Bulldogs from sixth to third.

At the second handoff, Fordham Prep came through in 4:00.4, with Danbury (4:00.9) and Haddonfield (4:02.3) in closest pursuit.

Danbury took the lead during the 800 leg, and a 10 schools were within six seconds of each other at the crowded final handoff. Senior Colin Gallagher split 2:00.3 to keep the Bulldogs right in the middle of everything heading into the anchor legs.

As the milers hit the track, Fordham Prep’s Conor Lundy took off in the lead, with  Haddonfield’s Greg Pelose quickly passing the Danbury anchor and moving into second, in pursuit of Lundy.

Pelose was coming off his indoor/outdoor PR of 4:14.2 that got him third in the Meet of Champions. Lundy ran 4:07.50 last spring when he won the New York state title in Albany and has gone 4:12.75 this winter at the Ocean Breeze Center.

Pelose didn’t back down from Lundy, ranked No. 9 in the U.S. last year, and while he never quite caught him, he crossed the line with a personal-best 4:11.9 split and a tremendous 10:14.31 clocking for Haddonfield. Lundy split 4:09.5, and Fordham Prep won in 10:10.23.

The race produced the No. 1, 2, 10, 11, 15, 16, 18, 21, 23 and 25 times in the country this year. That’s 10 of the top 25 times in the U.S. in one DMR at the Armory.

Fordham Prep – which ran 10:07 for second at nationals last spring – and Haddonfield now rank No. 2 and No. 10 in meet history. Haddonfield is also now the only school that’s run sub-10:15 at Easterns more than once and the only school to run sub-10:17 more than twice!

New York State schools have now won the Easterns DMR three years in a row after New Jersey had taken 10 of the previous 12 titles. This is the first New York has won three straight since 1998 through 2000. Fordham Prep also won last year.

OK, let’s go to the lists!

Here’s every sub-10:18 DMR performance in Easterns history!

10:07.21 … West Windsor-Plainsboro North, 2009
10:10.23 … Fordham Prep, 2016
10:10.60 … Haddonfield, 2010
10:10.70 … St. Benedict’s, 2012
10:11.5+ … T.C. Williams, Va., 1979
10:12.1+ … Archbishop Ryan, Pa., 1976
10:13.0+ … Paramus Catholic, 1977
10:13.60 … West Windsor-Plainsboro South, 2013
10:14.02 … Chaminade, N.Y., 2014
10:14.13 … Haddonfield, 2016
10:14.54 … St. Benedict’s, N.J., 2011
10:15.08 … Colts Neck, N.J., 2005
10:15.16 … Shenendehowa, N.Y.
10:15.23 … Northport, N.Y., 2003
10:15.40 … Chaminade, NY., 2013
10:15.44 … DeWitt Clinton, N.Y., 1991
10:15.82 … Ridgefield, 2014
10:15.86 … Toms River North, 2010
10:15.87 … Middletown North, 2014
10:16.54 … Livingston, N.J., 2011
10:16.07 … Christian Brothers Academy, 2001
10:16.09 … Shenendehowa, N.Y., 1999
10:16.0+ … Monsignor Bonner, Pa., 1975
10:16.1+ … St. Joseph-Metuchen, 1976
10:16.26 … Northport, N.Y., 2013
10:16.32 … Cherokee, 2001
10:16.84 … Haddonfield, 2002
10:16.88 … Chaminade, N.Y., 2010

OK, next, let’s take a look at the all-time South Jersey list. I’ve included all 11 times under 10:25 achieved indoors. Haddonfield now has five of the top-seven times in South Jersey history!

10:09.78 … Haddonfield, 2010
10:14.31 … Haddonfield, 2016
10:16.32 … Cherokee, 2002
10:16.60 … Haddonfield, 2002
10:17.97 … Ocean City, 2011
10:19.29 … Haddonfield, 2009
10:21.11 … Haddonfield, 2011
10:21.38 … Haddon Township, 2015
10:21.8y … Williamstown, 1974
10:22.85 … Eastern, 2016
10:23.52 … Haddonfield, 2015

And – finally – here’s a list of every Easterns DMR winner in meet history. The meet began in 1934 but the distance medley was added in 1974:

1971 … Power Memorial, N.Y., 10:31.7y
1972 … LaSalle Academy, N.Y., 10:25.2y
1973 … Not Held
1974 … St. Anthony’s, N.Y., 10:22.6y
1975 … Monsignor Bonner, Pa., 10:20.0y
1976 … Archbishop Ryan, Pa., 10:16.1y
1977 … Paramus Catholic, N.J., 10:17.0y
1978 … Abington, Pa., 10:29.8y
1979 … T.C. Williams, Va. ,10:15.75y
1980 … Walt Whitman, N.Y., 10:25.5y
1981 … Bishop Loughlin, N.Y., 10:28.2y
1982 … East Brunswick, N.J., 10:20.6y
1983 … Coatesville, Pa., 10:23.24y
1984 … Christian Brothers Academy, N.J., 10:27.44y
1985 … Ridgewood, N.J., 10:33.53y
1986 … Bishop Henricken, R.I., 10:32.96y
1987 … Bishop Loughlin, N.Y., 10:28.39y
1988 … Christian Brothers Academy, 10:27.7y
1989 … Overbrook, Pa., 10:30.25y
1990 … Georgetown Prep, Washington, D.C., 10:28.63y
1991 … Clinton, N.Y., 10:15.44y
1992 … Not Held
1993 … LaSalle, Pa., 10:36.4
1994 … Mepham, N.Y., 10:29.87
1995 … Andrew Jackson, N.Y., 10:27.15
1996 … Westfield, N.J., 10:24.77
1997 … Westfield, N.J., 10:25.35
1998 … St. Peter’s, N.Y., 10:34.91
1999 … Shenendehowa, N.Y., 10:16.09
2000 … St. Anthony’s, N.Y., 10:16.84
2001 … Christian Brothers Academy, N.Y., 10:16.07
2002 … Haddonfield, N.J., 10:16.84
2003 … Northport, N.Y., 10:16.23
2004 … Pope John, N.J., 10:18.08
2005 … Colts Neck, N.J., 10:15.08
2006 … Ridgewood, N.J., 10:18.57
2007 … Collegiate, N.Y., 10:18.15
2008 … West Windsor-Plainsboro South, N.J., 10:18.76
2009 … West Windsor-Plainsboro North, N.J., 10:07.21
2010 … Haddonfield, N.J., 10:10.60
2011 … St. Benedict’s, N.J., 10:14.54
2012 … St. Benedict’s, N.J., 10:06.00
2013 … West Windsor-Plainsboro North, N.J., 10:13.60
2014 … Chaminade, N.Y., 10:14.02
2015 … Fordham Prep, N.Y., 10:18.24
2016 … Fordham Prep, N.Y., 10:10.23

Toms River, NJ: The best track meet of the winter season took place on Saturday at the Bennett Indoor Complex in Toms River.  The fastest New Jersey has  to offer gathered under the dome and clashed to determine the strongest athlete in each event.  The top 6 athletes per event from every group as well as the 6 fastest non-automatic qualifiers had their opportunity to prove their NJ supremacy.  

Boys

Egg Harbor Arrives

The heart of a great track and field team is 400 meters.  Teams with depth in that event prove difficult to conquer.  Challenge them in the 200 and they will compete.  Challenge them in the 800 and they will respond.  Challenge them in the 400 and you are in trouble.  Egg Harbor Township has shown strength throughout this winter season in all three events and capped off indoors with a performance that should shake the confidence of the rest of South Jersey.  The Eagles soared to victory in the 4×400 meter relay as Alex Dessoye, Robert Dessoye, Aidin Hendriks, and Amir Brock turned in the fastest South Jersey time of the season running 3:22.75.   

Alex Dessoye set the stage for EHT from lane 3 as he cruised around the first two turns before making the break into lane 1.  After being gapped by Paul VI, Hunterdon Central, and Old Bridge he was able to kick his way into a confusion causing dead heat (50.8).  As all three teams fought to pass the baton Robert Dessoye had to spin around other athletes take the exchange from his brother.  Adrenaline racing from the messy pass, R. Dessoye made a huge back stretch pass and grew his lead before handing off to Hendricks with room to spare (51.9).  Paul VI and Franklin passed the Eagles on the first lap of the third leg but Hendrick summoned his speed, kicked home, and handed off in 1st (50.9).  From there Brock closed the deal and pulled away in the last 75 meters (48.9) to register his school’s first Meet of Champions 4×400 title (3:22.75).  The Paul VI foursome of Maxwell Dickens, Richard Bush, Antonio Tarantino, and Stefone Moore-Green came up for second in 3.23.31.

Coach Ryan Smith said his athletes work, “tremendously hard in practice.”  3 of the 4 (the Dessoye brothers, and Hendricks) train with distance coach Joe Lucchio and “they even attack the OC bridges each Saturday for extra training.”  Brock works with the sprint group and yet their team chemistry is forged on Wednesdays when the foursome comes together for “M.O.P. training.”  According the Smith the workouts, “were started by EHTHS’s late Head Track and Field Coach George Wilkinson [and] stand for Minutes of Pain.”  All of South Jersey stands to feel “minutes of pain” as all four champion athletes are juniors.  

Isaiah Curbelo of Rancocas Valley ran what coach Jeff Dzuranin called, “the best and most complete race he has run in his career.”  Curbelo, an 800 meter specialist with distance running strength knew he couldn’t sit and kick against the loaded Meet of Champions field so he use his aerobic power to lead the race through 400 meters in 55 seconds.  Curbelo and Dzuranin hoped that if he opened in an “honest pace,” he could outlast 2015 Spring MOC winner Ray Rivera of Old Bridge.  Despite executing the plan and running nearly perfect splits through 600 meters he was unable to hold off the charging Rivera. Still, his 1:55.72 personal record setting 2nd place performance sets him up to take a stab at sub 1:54 at tonight’s Eastern States and the New Balance Indoor Nationals in two weeks.  Cherry Hill East’s Isaiah Jean-Baptiste also medaled finishing 8th in 1:58.21.

For a freshman it is a fantastic accomplishment to be selected by your coach to run at a sectional meet.  To qualify for the State Meet exceptionally rare.  To win is unfathomable.  To enter the Meet of Champions as the number 1 seed is so outrageous it borders on comical, yet that was the situation young Luke Colehower found himself in entering Saturday’s 400 meter competition.  He lead through 200, through 400, through 600, and through 700 but was outgunned in the final meters.  Still, the Haddonfield quarter miler smashed his own school record running 49.44 and placed 2nd overall.  

Colehower’s teammate Greg Pelose sought to outduel a set of mile running twins in the 1600 and knew it would take a nearly perfect race to accomplish that goal.  After running to a final lap lead he finished 3rd in a school record time of 4:14.18.  That time not only made him the top South Jersey performer but also is the 3rd fastest time ever by a SJ runner indoors.  Aaron Groff from nearby Cherry Hill East was South Jersey’s top finisher in the 3200 with an outstanding effort that notched him 3rd place in 9:16.57.  Martin Booker of Pennsauken was SJ’s top finisher in the 55 meter dash where he finished 8th in 6.74 seconds.

SJ athletes captured 4 of the 8 medals in the 55 meter hurdles where Deptford’s Tyler Farland place 4th in 7.69 seconds.  His 7.68 trails time was a personal record.  He was followed by Thomas Zor (7.70) of Millville, Jason Stefanski (7.71) of Penns Grove, and Jamil Adams of Winslow (8th, 8.02).  Booker of Pennsauken earned his second medal of the day in the 200 meter showcase where he placed 2nd in 22.55 seconds.  He was followed by teammate Marquan Jones in 3rd (22.65) and Derrick Clement(22.94) of Deptford who placed 6th.  

Kyle Loveland of Moorestown lead the way for South Jersey in the field.  After petitioning his board of education to participate in the State Meet series (Moorestown does not sponsor Winter Track) Loveland cleared 14 feet 6 inches to place 2nd in the pole vault.  He was South Jersey’s top finisher by misses as Jarrod Brovero also cleared 14’6.  He placed 3rd.  Brovero’s teammate Nick Clarke finished 4th with a 14 foot clearance.  Caade Antonucci of Holy Spirit was South Jersey’s only medalist in the shot put where he placed 6th with a huge throw of 55 feet, 3.5 inches.  Kingsway’s Chase Matthews lead the way in the high jump with a 7th place earning 6 foot 4 inch performance.  

Girls

Sprint Stars Capture Gold

For the second consecutive year Deptford sprint start Kiara Lester won the 200 meter showcase at the New Jersey Meet of Champions.  Her winning time of 24.96 seconds was nearly 2 tenths of a second better than 2nd place sophomore Cecelia Gerstenbacher of Delsea who ran an outstanding 25.17 seconds.  The Gloucester county foes were joined by Eastern’s Shakira Dancy who placed 7th in 26.08 second.  Lester placed 2nd in the 400 meters where she ran 55.83 and was only defeated by a State Record performance from Union Catholic’s Sydney McLaughlin.  She was followed by South Jersey’s other sprint start, Aliyah Taylor of Pemberton who ran a personal record of 57.29 for 3rd.  

Taylor, who’s coach Sophia Ard calls, “a dedicated student-athlete who doesn’t mind putting in the hard work,” was rewarded on Saturday with a dominant Meet of Champions win in the 55 meter dash.  Her time of 7.04 seconds was a full tenth of a second faster than second place.  In the 55 dash, on this level, that is an enormous margin of victory.  That time is #1 in New Jersey and #13 in the Nation.  She was followed by Bria Mack (4th, 7.31) of Williamstown , Gerstenbacher (7th, 7.39), and Najiyah Palmer (8th, 7.42) of Kingsway.

Brittany Preston of Winslow Township continued her school’s outstanding tradition by placing 2nd in the 55 hurdles with a personal record time of 8.19 seconds.  She is the fourth different Winslow Township girl to place in the top 6 at Meet of Champions in the last 5 years.  Christine Lavallias of Timber Creek turned a wildcard bid into a 7th place finish with a career best 8.36 second performance in the preliminaries (8.46 finals).  Creek Coach Mike Short said he was, “Thrilled to see two area girls medal at the MOC.”

Briana Gess of Haddonfield continued her outstanding winter with a 3rd place finish in the 1600.  After getting out to an early lead it looked like she might have enough for the win but her opening 2:24 800 meters took its toll and two hard charging girls were able to surpass her.  Her time of 4:51.03 lead the way for the 3 South Jersey medalists.  Megan Quimby of Lenape smashed the 5 minute barrier running 4:57.12 for 4th and in the process eclipsed her school and the Burlington County record.  Triton’s Kelsey Cummings closed in 71.5 seconds to win the slow heat and place 8th overall.  Her time of 5:06.85 was a school record by 8 seconds.  

Cross Country Meet of Champions winner Alyssa Aldridge of Mainland continued to show her strength in the 3200 where she pushed the pace before placing 3rd in a personal and school record time of 10:42.4.  She will complete in the 5,000 meters at the New Balance Indoor Nationals where her cross country prowess is sure to be on display.  Alyssa Condell of Timber Creek smashed her school record and set a personal best with a 10:49.46.  She passed 2 girls in the last 150 meters to place 5th.  

Seneca’s Kayla Martin continued to lead the way for South Jersey in the 800 meters where she placed 4th in 2:17.03.  She was with the leaders through 600 meters running 32, 33, 34 second splits and attempted to make her move but was stifled when another athlete pounced first and trapped her on the rail.  Still she rebounded and earned SJ’s only medal in the event.  Coach Karen O’Neil hopes she can learn from the race: “She was up against some tremendous competition… and the experience of running with that type of competition was good for her.”  She will test that hard earned experience at Eastern States in the DMR, and at New Balance Indoor Nationals in the open 800 and 4×800 meter relay.  

South Jersey’s 4×400 powerhouses, Lenape and Winslow Township, duked it out for top honors and ran to fast times in the process.  The Lenape foursome of Megan Quimby, Shannon Lambert, Jasmine Staten, and Shannon Storms (4:00.76) outpaced the Winslow group of Iyianna Williams (61.7), Flora Ahiarakwe (59.6), Nicole Berry (59.8), and Brittany Preston (59.7) (4:00.8).  They finished 4th and 5th respectively.  Eastern Regional’s team of Jennifer Civatte, Gabrielle Jackson, Victoria Liverpool, and Nyjah Young-Bey ran 4:02.61 for 7th.  

Seneca Junior Brittney Raffo continued to be South Jersey’s top field performer with her 4th place pole vault clearance of 11 feet.  After clearing 10’, 10’6, 11’ on her first attempts she made three strong attempts at 11’6.  She will look to eclipse that barrier at tonight’s Eastern States Championship.  Vineland’s Najeaya Singleton was South Jersey’s only other field medal.  Her throw of 43’3 eared her 6th place in what was arguably the strongest field of the day, the shot put.  

The 82nd annual Eastern States Track Championships starts at 4:30 p.m. today at the 168th Street Armory. The meet brings with it a ton of history. The girls meet started in 1986, so this is Year No. 31 for the girls.

I’ve been maintaining the girls performance list since the late 1980s. But results from some of the meets at Harvard are spotty. If you see any errors or omissions, please post in the comments section!

Here is the all-time girls top-10 in the events that will be contested tonight! If you missed the boys list, it’s posted here: https://sjtrackblog.com/2016/02/29/its-the-all-time-easterns-boys-performance-list/

(incomplete non-winning results 1980-1984, full results 1985-2015)
55-METER DASH
6.5+ … Michelle Glover (Willingboro), 1980
6.84 … Myasia Jacobs (Paramus Catholic), 2011
6.91s … Lynne Layne (New Rochelle), 2006
6.91 … English Gardner (Eastern), 2010
6.93 … Brenesha Thompson (Medger Evers), 2015
6.95+ .. Denise Mitchell (Edgewood), 1983
6.97 … Jenna Harris (Franklin), 2003
6.98 … Virgil Hodge (Washington Irving, N.Y.), 2003
6.99 … Dominique Booker (Immaculate Conception), 2008
7.00+ … Angie Johnson (Nashua, N.H.), 1989
7.00 … Amandi Rhett (Moorestown), 2000
7.00 … Torie Robinson (Winslow), 2014

200-METER DASH
23.77 … Whitney Fountain (Chris. Columbus, N.Y.), 2009
24.02 … Darius Symone (New Rochelle, N.Y.), 2014
24.19 … Tiandra Ponteen (Washington Irving, N.Y.), 2001
24.21 … Dominique Booker (Immaculate Conception), 2008
24.25 … Kyle Plante (Colonie, N.Y.), 2010
24.32 … Quashira McIntosh (Hope, R.I.)
24.34 … Toneisha Friday (Franklin Twp.), 2005
24.38s … Krystal Cantey (Winslow), 2006
24.38s … Raquel Vassell (East Orange), 2006
24.38 … Zoey Russell (Fredrick Douglas), 2008

400-METER DASH
54.40 … Zola Golden (Arlington, N.Y.), 2014
54.87 … Neisha Bernard-Thomas (Tilden, N.Y.), 2000
54.91 … Nijgia Snapp (Oakcrest), 2008
54.98 … Tawana Watkins (Paterson Kennedy), 2002
55.14 … Okechi Ogbuokiri (Willingboro), 2003
55.23 … Dominique Blake (Harry S Truman, N.Y.), 2004
55.25 … Elizabeth Mott (New Rochelle, N.Y.), 2008
55.32 … Amber Allen (Passaic County Vo-Tech), 2008
55.42 … Jennifer Edobi (Union), 2014
55.44 Kyle Plante (Colonie, N.Y.), 2009

800-METER RUN
2:09.26 … Janine Davis (Queen of Peace), 2005
2:09.94 … Brittany Sheffey (Bellport, N.Y.), 2005
2:10.61 … Olivia Williams (St. Anthony’s, N.Y.), 2011
2:11.16 … Alaine Tate (Bayside, N.Y.), 2010
2:11.26 … Brianna Welch (North Shore, N.Y.), 2007
2:11.35 … Ellen Dougherty (Riverhead, N.Y.), 2004
2:11.37 … Kristin Reese (Carmel, N.Y.), 2008
2:11.80 … Kameron McIntosh (Suffern, N.Y.), 2013
2:11.85 … Jessica Gelibert (Bay Shore, N.Y.), 2012
2:11.86 … Erica Johnson (Bayview Academy, N.Y.), 2013

ONE-MILE RUN
4:43.1 … Michelle Rowen (Washington Twp.), 1983
4:45.09 … Ceci Hopp (Greenwich, Ct.), 1981
4:50.11 … Maddy Berkson (Classical, R.I.), 2014
4:52.31 … Eileen Ellig (Rutland, Vt.), 1985
4:52.36 … Shola Lynch (Hunter, N.Y.), 1986
4:52.37 … Patty Weigand (Conestoga, N.Y.), 1986
4:52.55 … Nnena Lynch (Hunter, N.Y.), 1987
4:53.36 … Lisa Welch (Peabody, Mass.), 1981
4:54.73 … Erin Donohue (Haddonfield), 2001
4:56.86 … Laurie Glynn (Winchester, Mass.), 1981
4:57.56 … Wendy Delan (Bonny Eagle, Maine), 1986

TWO-MILE RUN
10:22.29 … Leslie Welch (Peabody, Mass.), 1981
10:28.20 … Aisling Cuffe (Cornwall, N.Y.), 2010
10:32.73 … Katie McCafferty (Oak Knoll School), 2008
10:34.26 … Christine Crowley (Wellesley, Mass.), 1986
10:35.66 … Anne Letko (North Hunterdon), 1986
10:36.63 … Bella Burda (Arlington, N.Y.), 2014
10:38.0 ….. Cathy Feeney (Wayne Valley), 1990
10:40.01 … Jodie Bilotta (North Hunterdon), 1987
10:40.6 …. Molly Murray (Plymouth Whitemarsh), 1981
10:40.8 …..Patti Mileski (Ridgewood), 1983

60-YARD HURDLES
7.66 … Sydney McLaughlin (Union Catholic), 2015
7.71 … Charmaine Walker (Plainfield), 1997
7.76 … Lindsay Rowe (Benjamin Cardoza, N.Y.), 2007
7.82q … Dawn Bowles (Neptune), 1988
7.89 … Nia Ali (Pleasantville), 2006
7.89 … Ste’cye McNeil (Winslow), 2012
7.91s … Lindsay Rowe (Benjamin Cardoza, N.Y.), 2007
7.92 … Shenea Dawkins (New Rochelle), 2002
7.93 … Allison Williams (Brentwood, N.Y.), 1989
7.93 … Wendy Vereen (Trenton), 1983

HIGH JUMP
5-11 … Emily Kianka (Hopewell Valley), 2010
5-10 … Deb Vento (Freehold Boro), 2003
5-10 … Lacey Shuman (Maryvale Prep), 2010
5- 9 … Tatiana Smolin (Randolph), 1985
5- 9 … Shauna Byfield (Manhasset, N.Y.), 2000
5- 8 … Tish Edwards (Mater Dei), 1980
5- 8 … Shelley Mitchell (Lakewood), 1988
5- 8 … Tammy Peeples (Weston, Mass.), 1991
5- 8 … Stacy Grant (South Shore, N.Y.), 1995
5- 8 … Kathy Kilar (North Edison), 1996
5- 8 … Michelle June (Meade, Md.), 1997
5- 8 … Jessica Taibe (Hunterdon Central), 2000
5- 8 … Lauren Biscardi (Shoreham Wading, N.Y.)
5- 8 … Carin Knight (New Rochelle, N.Y.)
5- 8 … Lataya Dixon (J.P. Stevens), 2007
5- 8 … Sarah Palmer (Schuylerville), 2010
5- 8 … Kyaira Wright-Harmon (Franklin), 2012
5- 8 … Noel Jancewicz (Robbinsville), 2012
5- 8 … Megan McCloskey (Germantown Academy), 2013
5- 8 … Kate Gulbrandsen (Lawrenceville), 2014

POLE VAULT
13-0 … Danielle O’Reilly (Shawnee), 2004
13-0 … Megan Clark (Jamesville DeWitt, N.Y.), 2011
12-0 … Lindsay Rosales (Washingtonville, N.Y.), 2003
12-0 … Jessica Kloss (Moorestown), 2004
12-0 … Julianne Toto (Middletown South), 2005
12-0 … Stephanie Duffy (Washingtonville, N.Y.), 2007
12-0 … Michelle Quimby (Shenendehowa, N.Y.), 2009
12-0 … Nicole Pompei (Hanover Park), 2009
12-0 … Kayula Polcai (Ridgewood), 2010
12-0 … Chelsea Hartigan (Ramapo), 2010
12-0 … Catherine Shih (Bernards), 2010
12-0 … Kayla Polcai (Ridgewood), 2011
12-0 … Dana Schweiger (Toms River North), 2011
12-0 … Carissa Leonard (Lakeland-Panus, N.Y.), 2011
12-0 … Chelsea Vaughan (Southern Regional), 2012
12-0 … Jenna Calandro (Newtown, N.Y.), 2014
12-0 … Nicole Macco (Matawan), 2014

LONG JUMP
20- 8 … Keturah Orji (Mount Olive), 2014
20- 6 ¼ … Carol Lewis (Willingboro), 1980
19-11 ½ … Nolle Graham (Taft, N.Y.), 1998
19- 8 … Cidae’a Woods (Winslow Twp., N.J.), 2013
19- 7 ½ … Keyon Soley (Uniondale, N.Y.), 1998
19- 7 ½ … Lynn Layne (New Rochelle, N.Y.), 2006
19- 5 ½ … Claire Connor (Rahway), 1984
19- 5 ½ … Jennifer Clayton (Suffern, N.Y.), 2009
19- 4 ½ … Chinela Davis (North Rockland, N.Y.), 2001
19-4 … Celeste Holder (Parsippany), 2006

TRIPLE JUMP
43-11 ½ … Keturah Orji (Mount Olive), 2014
40-11 … Stephanie McIntyre (South Brunswick), 2007
40- 8 ½ … Gabriela Baiter (Elwood-John Glenn, N.Y.), 2007
40- 6 … Carlene Cummings (Englewood), 1998
39-9 ¼ … Kirsten Fields (Mount Vernon, N.Y.), 2005
39-9 … Bryanna Grant (Cranford), 2012
39-7 ¾ … Adefunke Sonaike (Montgomery), 2012
39-7 ¼ … Iana Amsterdam (Essex County Vo-Tech), 2011
39- 6 ¾ … Ebony Young (Hillsborough), 2009
39- 5 … Shenae Dawkins (New Rochelle), 2002

SHOT PUT
48-10 … Jessica Molina (Westwood, N.J.), 2015
47-4 ¾ … Vanessa Stewart (North Babylon, N.Y.), 2010
46-9 … Jackie Hudgins (Hightstown), 2001
46-6 … Theresa Picciallo (Immaculate Heart), 2011
45-11 ¼ … Nicole Sims (Plainfield), 1991
45-9 … Apresha Hampton (Teaneck), 2011
45-9 … Theresa Picciallo (Immaculate Heart), 2012
45-8 … Melody Johnson (No. Attleboro), 1986
45-7 … DeAnne Hahn (Brick Twp.), 2007
45-5 … Kelly Fazekas (Northern Valley-Demarest), 2003
45-5 … Taryn O’Connor (Hillsborough), 2007

800-METER RELAY
1:39.27 … Middle College/Medger Evers, N.Y., 2011
1:39.41 … Uniondale, N.Y., 2007
1:39.86 … Paul Robeson, N.Y., 2001
1:39.94 … Hempstead, N.Y., 2007
1:40.22 … Medgar Evers, 2015
1:40.37 … Washington Irving, N.Y., 2001
1:40.51 … Hempstead, N.Y., 2005
1:40.76 … Hope, R.I., 2012
1:40.76 … New Rochelle, N.Y., 2013
1:40.77 … Moorestown, 2000

1,600-METER RELAY
3:46.80 … Columbia, 2013
3:47.03 … Union Catholic, 2015
3:48.7+ … Plainfield, 1980
3:49.07+ … Camden, 1995
3:49.19 … Boys and Girls, 2007
3:49.27 … Willingboro, 2003
3:49.74+ … Plainfield, 1981
3:50.55+ … Snyder, 1981
3:51.30+ … Tilden, N.Y., 1987
3:52.31 … Simon Gratz, Pa., 1998

3,200-METER RELAY
9:05.40 … Columbia, 2014
9:06.94 … Pope John XXIII, 2007
9:11.22+ … Upper Perkiomen, Pa., 1982
9:11.37 … Lenape, 2012
9:11.94 … Lenape, 2008
9:12.67 … Bay Shore, N.Y., 1996
9:13.0+ … Notre Dame, N.Y., 1987
9:13.30 … Southern Regional, 2009
9:13.82 … Freehold Township, 2013
9:13.92 … Boys and Girls, N.Y., 2001

DISTANCE MEDLEY
11:48.61 … Southern Regional, 2009
11:49.59 … Warwick Valley, N.Y., 2008
11:49.62 … Southern Regional, 2007
11:50.86 … Boys and Girls, Brooklyn, N.Y., 2002
11:51.54 … Red Bank Regional, 2002
11:51.28 … Shenendehowa, N.Y., 2009
11:52.9 … Red Bank Regional, 2003
11:53.54+ … Bernards, 1983
11:54.63 … Lenape, 2013
11:55.32 … Red Bank Catholic, 2012