It’s been 33 years since a South Jersey school ran a faster distance medley than Haddonfield did at the Penn Relays.

Haddonfield placed fifth in a ridiculously fast race with a dazzling 10:10.62, No. 2 in South Jersey history and fastest since Willingboro ran its then-national-record 10:00.9 to win Penn in 1983.

This year’s Penn race featured six schools at 10:12 or under, and Haddonfield was in the middle of everything.

Derek Gess led off with a 3:10.84 for 1,200, Luke Colehower followed with a 50.06 400, and Autin Stoner set up anchor Greg Pelose with a 1:55.59 for the 800. Pelose anchored in 4:14.13.

To make things even more impressive, Gess and Colehower are freshmen, and Stoner is racing after missing most of the indoor season with a stress fracture of his femur.

Loudon Valley of Purcellville, Va., and La Salle Academy of Providence, R.I., both crossed the line in 10:00.01, but Loudon Valley got the win when times were measured down to 1-1,000th of a second — 10:00.003 to 10:00.004.

Haddonfield broke its school record of 10:16.14, set in 2000 by Colin Baker, Matthew Nussbaum, Ben Potts and Jonathan Vitez at New Balance Nationals.

The Bulldogs’ time is No. 7 in the U.S. this year and No. 2 in New Jersey, behind only River Dell, which ran 10:10.36 behind the Daly twins at Penn, finishing just ahead of Haddonfield.

Let’s take a look at the update all-time South Jersey list:

• 10:00.9 … Willingboro, 1983
• 10:10.62 … Haddonfield, 2016
• 10:10.74 … Washington Twp., 2000
• 10:10.6 … Haddon Township, 1973
• 10:16.11 … Cherokee, 2001
• 10:16.14 … Haddonfield, 2010
• 10:16.29 … Highland, 1991
• 10:18.74 … Shawnee, 1991
• 10:19.11 … Washington Twp., 2009
• 10:19.47 … Cherokee, 2012
• 10:19.67 … Haddon Twp., 2015 [Penn]
• 10:19.90 … Cherry Hill East, 2016
• 10:20.11 … Haddonfield, 2002
• 10:20.92 … Rancocas Valley, 2015
• 10:20.98 … Northern Burlington, 2014
• 10:21.78 … Cherokee, 1998
• 10:22.9 ….. Paul VI, 1988
• 10:23.1y … Holy Cross, 1972

As if running 10:10 wasn’t enough, the same quartet came back to place third in the South Jersey small-school 4-by-4 in a school-record 3:24.27.

Pretty good day’s work!

Big day for the Moorestown sprinters at their relay meet Saturday on their home track with a New Jersey No. 1 time in the 800-meter sprint medley and a New Jersey No. 2 and South Jersey No. 1 time in the full sprint med.

The Quakers ran 1:33.35 to win the 800 sprint medley and 3:31.66 to win the full 1,600-meter sprint med.

Kevin Fox, Skyler Clark, Brandon Outlaw and Melvin Sheppard ran on the 3:31.66 team, with Clark, Zion Howard, Outlaw and Sheppard on the 1:33 team.

As you can see Moorestown’s time in the 800 sprint medley is 10th-fastest in South Jersey history and a school record. It’s No. 4 in Burlington County history and fastest by a Burlco school since Cherokee’s 1:33.29 eight years ago at Nike Outdoor Nationals.

• 1:30.09 … Willingboro, 2007
• 1:31.05 … Camden, 2005
• 1:31.22 … Cherry Hill East, 2012
• 1:31.66 … Willingboro, 2006
• 1:31.90 … Delsea, 2007
• 1:32.98 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2015
• 1:33.06 … Washington Twp., 2010
• 1:33.29 … Cherokee, 2008
• 1:33.35 … Moorestown, 2016
• 1:33.43 … Timber Creek, 2013
• 1:33.44 … Winslow Twp., 2008
• 1:33.54 … Oakcrest, 2012
• 1:33.66 … Timber Creek, 2009
• 1:33.67 … Camden, 2009
• 1:33.68 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2010
• 1:33.81 … Camden, 2007
• 1:33.89 … Delsea, 2014
• 1:33.92 … Camden, 20014
• 1:33.97 … Winslow Twp., 2003

Moorestown’s full SMR didn’t make the all-time South Jersey top-10 — it’s almost impossible to make that list this early in the season without tremendous competition — but the Quakers did break a 41-year-old school record by nearly four seconds.

The only faster time by a New Jersey school this year is Ridgewood’s 3:29.80 earlier this month at a relay meet in Oradel.

The two long legs were handled by Outlaw, who ran 48.6, and Fox, who anchored in 1:57.5.

Moorestown’s previous school record was 3:34.5, set over a full mile by a quartet that included Jim Little and Larry Friedman.

The old record of 3:34.5 in 1975 was by T. Swain, J. Little, K. MacDougal, Larry Friedman

Moorestown wasn’t really pressed in each race. Northern Burlington was somewhat close in the shorter sprint med, with a 1:35.00, but nobody was within 13 seconds of the Quakers in the full sprint med, with Shawnee placing second in 3:45.35.

The Quakers are now ranked No. 22 in the U.S. in the 1,600 sprint medley and No. 10 in the 800 sprint medley, which is obviously contested much less frequently.

For the record, it takes 3:27-low to make the all-time South Jersey top-10. But by nationals? Who knows?

• 3:22.71 … Vineland, 2002
• 3:22.75 … Vineland, 2003
• 3:22.85 … Camden, 2001
• 3:23.56 … Willingboro, 2003
• 3:23.79 … Willingboro, 2001
• 3:24.19 … Bordertown, 2005
• 3:26.25 … Absegami, 2008
• 3:26.75 … Winslow Twp., 2003
• 3:27.10 … Washington Twp., 2010
• 3:27.32 … Oakcrest, 2014
• 3:27.1h … Bridgeton, 2001

Pennsauken made the trip to Lakewood Saturday for the Georgian Court High School Challenge, and by the time they left Martin Booker had run not one but two New Jersey No. 1 times!

Booker, a junior, ran 10.87 to win the 100 and 21.96 to win the 200.

What makes his double so impressive is that he was unpressed in both races. Second place was 11.34 in the 100 and 22.54 in the 200.

Both races were big breakthroughs for the son of the former Villanova hurdle star. In fact it was his first time under either 11 or 22 seconds.

Booker’s previous PRs were 11.11 for third in the Group 3 sectionals last spring and 22.18 for fifth in sectionals.

Robert Darby set Pennsauken’s school records in both sprints in 2006, with 10.69 and 21.91.

 

Juniors Megan Quimby and Jasmine Staten are both off to hot starts for Lenape, and both posted New Jersey No. 1 times at the Abington Jack Armstrong Invitational in Montgomery County, just outside Philadelphia.

Staten ran 57.55 and Quimby ran 2:16.54,  both racing against very strong fields.

Staten placed fourth and was one of 11 girls under 60 seconds. Terri Turner of Penn Wood High in Lansdowne, Pa., won in 55.96. Staten’s PR is 56.31, which got her second place in Group 4 states last spring.

Quimby placed second, behind Agnes Mansaray, also of Penn Wood. Mansaray ran 2:13.63. Quimby’s PR is 2:12.78, when she placed fifth in the Meet of Champs last spring.

Turner is No. 5 in the 400 on this year’s Pennsylvania state list, and Mansaray is No. 3 in the 800. She ran sub-2:10 last spring.

Staten also took second in the long jump at Abington with a 17-0. She has a PR of 18-4 1/4 and a season-best already of 18-2 1/2.

Staten also has PRs of 12.62 in the 100, 14.82 in the high hurdles, 24.81 in the 200, but she hasn’t contested any of them in major meets yet this spring.

Quimby will anchor Lenape’s 3,200-meter relay team at the Penn Relays Thursday. The Indians are ranked No. 4 in New Jersey at 9:32.80. Sarah Gibson, Shannon Lambert and Gabby Sharp will also race on that team.

Gabrielle Farquharson just missed her PR on her first jump. She just missed her PR on her second jump.

She obliterated her PR on her third jump.

Farquharson, a Rutgers senior from Williamstown High, unleashed a record-setting 21-5 1/4 long jump at the Seminole Invitational this past weekend in Tallahassee, Fla.

And she’s now the No. 1 long jumper in the NCAA.

Farquharson’s 21-5 1/4 is a seven-inch improvement on her PR of 20-10 1/4, which she had hit at the 2015 Big Ten indoor meet at the SPIRE Institute track in Geneva, Ohio. Her previous outdoor PR was 25-5 1/4, set in the spring of 2014 at the same meet at South Florida that she PR’d this weekend.

In Tallahassee, Farquharson went 20-8 1/4 and 20-7 on her first two jumps before passing on her third. On her first jump of the finals, she flew 21-5 1/4, qualifying for the Olympic Trials and moving into the No. 1 spot on the 2016 college rankings.

Farquharson’s mark is also No. 15 on the 2016 IAAF world list. She’s No. 5 American woman, behind Tori Polk (21-10 1/2), Janay DeLoach (21-9 1/4), Fungi Jimoh (21-9) and Kenyattia Hackworth (21-7 3/4).

Farquharson just missed the Rutgers outdoor school record of 21-6 3/4, set by another former South Jersey athlete. That mark was set by Shameka Marshall of Oakcrest at the 2005 ECAC championships at Princeton. Marshall also had a 21-10 1/4 indoors at the 2006 NCAAs in Fayetteville, which is the Rutgers overall record.

Ironically, Farquharson did break a Rutgers record during her trip to Tallahassee, though not in her best event. A day after jumping 21-5 1/4, she ran 23.25 in the 200, breaking her own school record in the 200. She also had a 23.32 indoor 200 to her credit.

Last month in a meet in Tampa, Farquharson ran 100 meters in 11.39, breaking the school record 11.54 set by Asha Ruth two years ago on the same track at South Florida. Farquharson is ranked 21st in Division 1 in the 100.

Farquharson jumped 19-4 3/4 at Williamstown. She was a state champion in the 55 indoors and the 100 outdoors and placed as high as third in the Meet of Champions in the 55 and fourth in the long jump.

Curtis Thompson is the American No. 1 javelin thrower after bombing a PR 265-10 at the Florida Relays in Tallahassee.

Thompson, a graduate of Florence High and a Mississippi State sophomore, added more than 17 feet to his previous personal-best of 248-1, set last last year’s SEC Championships at his home facility.

Thompson, a two-time U.S. junior champ and third-place finisher at NCAAs as a freshman, moved into the No. 22 mark on the all-time U.S. list with the new implement.

Thompson’s throw broke the MSU school record and Florida State’s Mike Long Stadium records and also moved him into the No. 11 spot on the 2016 IAAF World list.

The Mississippi State web site’s track site does not list school records, so it’s not known what the previous school record was. MSU might be the only Division 1 school that doesn’t list track school records on its web site.

The only collegian ranked higher than Thompson is Greece’s Ioannis Kyriazis, who threw 268-7 at the Nike Clyde Littlefield meet in Austin last month. The college rankings are here.

Thompson opened up his record-setting day with a 234-6 and then heaved the 265-10 on his second throw. He added a 244-10 on his third throw, then passed his three throws in the finals.

The qualifying standard for the U.S. Olympic Trials is 252-7 with a field of 24, so Thompson virtually guaranteed himself a spot in the Trials, scheduled for July 1-10 in Eugene, Ore. The qualifying standard for the Games is 273-3, although if no Americans reach the standard, the Olympic Trials winner will head to Rio.

Working from a number of sources, I put together my best approximation of an all-time U.S. list in the javelin.

• 299- 6 … Breaux Greer, Indianapolis, June 21, 2007
• 292- 6 … Tom Petranoff, Potchefstroom, Jan. 3, 1991
• 285- 9 … Tom Pukstys, Jena, May 28, 1968
• 276- 2 … Mike Barnett, Santa Barbara, Calif., July 11, 1991
• 275-10 … Tim Glover, Tennessee Relays, Knoxville, April 11, 2015
• 275- 2 … Dave Stephens, Knoxville, May 3, 1991
• 275- 2 … Chris Hill, Eugene, Ore., June, 25, 2009
• 275- 0 … Roald Bradstock, Tucson, Ariz., May 2, 1987
• 274- 9 … Leigh Smith Athens, Ga., May 9, 2008
• 273-11 … Riley Dolezal, Des Moines, Iowa, June 23, 2013
• 273- 4 … Sam Crouser, Olympic Trials, Eugene, Ore., June 25, 2012
• 272-10 … Cyrus Hostetler, Pepsi Team, Eugene, Ore., April 4, 2009
• 272- 9 … Sam Humphreys, Olympic Trials, Eugene, Ore., June 23, 2012
• 272- 3 … Brian Crouser Corvallis, May 16, 1987
• 272- 2 … Corey White, Texas Relays, Austin, April 4, 2009
• 271- 5 … Duncan Atwood, San Jose, Calif., June 26, 1987
• 271- 5 … Sean Furey, Lisle, Ill., June 9, 2012
• 270- 5 … Ed Kaminski, Emporia, Kans., May 14, 1994
• 270- 0 … Craig Kinsley, Lisle, Ill., June 9, 2012
• 269- 8 … Mike Hazle, Doha, May 9, 2008,
• 269- 5 … Todd Riech, Gateshead, Aug. 19, 1996
• 265-10 … Curtis Thompson, Tallahassee, Fla., March 25, 2016
• 265- 2 … Rob Curtis, Norwalk, Calif., June 14, 1990
• 263-11 … Brian Chaput, Princeton, N.J., April 23, 2005
• 263- 0 … Ty Sevin College Station, Texas, April 15, 2000
• 263- 1 … Adam Montague, Drake Relays, Des Moines, Iowa, April 25, 2008

And here’s an all-time collegiate list, with every collegiate that’s ever thrown 265 feet. It  shows Thompson at No. 16 overall and No. 11 among American collegians. Those shown with an asterisk hit their PR outside the college season. If they had an in-season mark over 265 feet as well, it’s also listed.

292- 4 … Patrik Boden [Texas/Sweden], 1990
288- 4* … Matt Närhi [UTEP/Finland], 1999
279- 1* … Pål Arne Fagernes [Arizona State], 1996
275- 2* … Chris Hill [Georgia], 2009
273- 4* … Sam Crouser [Oregon], 2015
273- 3 … Tom Pukstys [Florida], 1990
273- 2 …… Narhi, 1999
272-10 … Cyrus Hosteler [Oregon], 2009
272- 9* … Sam Humphreys [Texas A&M], 2013
272- 2 … Corey White [USC], 2009
272- 1* … John Ampomah [Ghana/Middle Tennessee], 2015
271- 0 … Dag Wennlund [Sweden/Texas], 1987
268- 8 …… Humphreys, 2013
268- 7 … Ioannis Kyriazis [Greece/Texas A&M], 2016
268- 7 … Esko Mikkola [Finland/Arizona], 1998
268- 4 …… Hill [Georgia], 2009
267-11 … Leigh Smith [Tennessee], 2004
268- 0 … Tim Glover [Illinois State], 2012
265-10 … Curtis Thompson [Mississippi State], 2016

Thompson broke the South Jersey and New Jersey alumni record of 261-3, set by Holy Cross graduate and Tabernacle Township native Vince Labosky.

Labosky, a former U.S. national champion, threw 261-3 at the Mobile Outdoor Championships in in Norwalk, Calif., on June 15, 1990.

Thompson’s long-time rival, Chris Mirabelli of Rutgers, is ranked No. 18 among U.S. collegians at 236-2 from last weekend, also in Tallahassee (but a different meet than Thompson). The Holy Cross graduate and Lumberton native has a PR of 238-3.

Mirabelli, who beat Thompson to win the New Jersey Meet of Champions as a junior and placed second to him at the U.S. Junior Championships, also won the Pan Am World Junior Championships, which Thompson led after five throws.

 

Paul VI on Saturday raced their way to one of the most incredible sprint relay performances in South Jersey history and re-wrote the Woodbury Relays record books along the way.

Competing in Group 3 against the likes of traditional sprint powerhouses Pennsauken, Timber Creek and Winslow Township, Paul VI ran 1:27.38 to win the 800-meter relay and 3:16.53 to win the 1,600-meter relay.

Junior Erich Robertson, freshman Antonio Tarantino and seniors Max Dickens and Stefone Moore-Green ran the 4-by-200, with junior Richie Buch, Tarantino, Dickens and Moore-Green on the 4-by-400.

As fast as Paul VI was, Pennsauken was right there in both races, registering a historic double of its own at 1:28.38  and 3:17.74 for second in both races. Both Pennsauken times are No. 2 in New Jersey this year, and they’re No. 6 and No. 7 in meet history.

Sophomore Braheem Whitfield, junior Martin Booker, freshman Nahzir Russell and senior Ryan Wemegah ran on both Pennsauken relay teams.

More on the Indians later!

Let’s take a look at exactly what Paul VI accomplished Saturday at the 44th annual Woodbury Relays.

We’ll start with the 4-by-200.

Paul VI’s 1:27.38 is fastest ever run in any group at Woodbury, breaking the Group 3 record of 1:28.35, set two years ago by Timber Creek, and the overall meet record of 1:28.2 hand-timed set in 2008 by Winslow.

It’s the No. 1 mark in New Jersey this year, it’s No. 5 in South Jersey history and it’s the fastest by a South Jersey school in 12 years!

And it’s the middle of April!!!

Holy cow … how fast will they go when it heats up at Penn, the state relays, the Meet of Chaps and nationals?

Paul VI’s performance is also fastest by any New Jersey school at any meet at any time in three years, since Union Catholic placed fifth with a 1:27.03 at New Balance Nationals, a meet that takes place two months later in the season than the Woodbury Relays.

Here’s the updated all-time South Jersey 4-by-200 list:

• 1:24.49 … Winslow Township, 2003
• 1:24.90 … Camden, 2004
• 1:26.05 … Camden, 2000
• 1:26.68 … Camden, 1997
• 1:27.38 … Paul VI, 2016
• 1:27.52 … Woodrow Wilson, 1996
• 1:27.66 … Oakcrest, 2011
• 1:27.69 … Oakcrest, 2012
• 1:27.74 … Pleasantville, 1994
• 1:27.75 … Willingboro, 2007
• 1:27.80 … Pleasantville, 1999
• 1:27.84 … Winslow Twp., 2002
• 1:27.88 … Camden, 2002
• 1:27.90 ….. Winslow Twp., 2008
• 1:27.96 … Williamstown, 2015

And here’s a look at the fastest 800-meter relay times in Woodbury Relays history. Remember, the meet didn’t add the 4-by-200 until 2002. I listed every time I could find under 1:30. There may be one or two non-winning marks under 1:30. If you have any, feel free to pass them along! Note that more than half of the sub-1:30 performances (nine of 17) have been achieved in the last seven years.

• 2016: Paul VI, 1:27.38 [Group 3]
• 2015: Williamstown, 1:27.96 [Group 4]
• 2008: Winslow Twp., 1:28.2 [Group 4]
• 2012: Cherry Hill East, 1:28.29 [Group 4]
• 2014: Timber Creek, 1:28.35 [Group 3]
• 2016: Pennsauken: 1:28.38 [Group 3]
• 2004: Winslow Twp., 1:28.58 [Group 4]
• 2009: Delsea, 1:28.8 [Group 3]
• 2008: Delsea, 1:28.9 [Group 3]
• 2015: Deptford, 1:28.96 [Group 2]
• 2007: Willingboro, 1:29.20 [Group 3]
• 2007: Winslow Twp., 1:29.29 [Group 4]
• 2003: Winslow Twp., 1:29.36 [Group 4]
• 2011: Oakcrest, 1:29.63 [Group 4]
• 2014: Rancocas Valley, 1:29.76 [Group 4]
• 2012: Willingboro, 1:29.86 [Group 2]
• 2015: Paul VI, 1:29.90 [Group 3]
• 2002: Camden, 1:29.96 [Group 3]

OK, let’s move on to the 4-by-400.

Paul VI didn’t break the meet record in the 4-by-4, but the Eagles did post the fourth-fastest time in any group in meet history. Again, some non-winning marks may be missing. Please help me fill in the blanks if you have non-winning sub-3:20 marks from Woodbury!

• 2001: Camden, 3:13.8 [Group 3]
• 2003: Winslow Twp., 3:14.28 [Group 4]
• 2012: Oakcrest, 3:16.11 [Group 3]
• 2016: Paul VI, 3:16.53 [Group 3]
• 2002: Camden, 3:16.94 [Group 3]
• 2012: Cherry Hill East, 3:17.50 [Group 4]
• 2016: Pennsauken, 3:17.74 [Group 3]
• 2002: Winslow Twp., 3:18.04 [Group 4]
• 2015: Deptford, 3:18.18  [Group 2]
• 2000: Camden, 3:18.4 [Group 3]
• 2015: Egg Harbor Twp., 3:19.77 [Group 4]

Paul VI didn’t quite make the all-time South Jersey 1,600-meter relay performance list, but that 3:16.53 is second-fastest by a South Jersey school in the last 12 years, behind only Oakcrest’s 3:16.11 at Woodbury in 2012. It’s also No. 1 in New Jersey this year and No. 17 in the U.S.

Now, let’s get onto the really cool stuff.

How many schools have run a sub-1:30 / sub-3:20 double in Woodbury Relays history?

There’ve only been six — and all six  have come courtesy of Camden County high schools. And two of them this year!

So there have been three schools in Woodbury Relays history that have run sub-1:29 and sub-3:18 in the same meet, and two of them occurred in the same races this year!

• Camden, 2002: 1:29.96 / 3:16.94 [Group 2]
• Winslow, 2003: 1:29.36 / 3:14.28 [Group 3]
• Cherry Hill East, 2012: 1:28.29 / 3:17.50 [Group 4]
• Deptford, 2015: 1:28.96 / 3:18.18 [Group 2]
• Pennsauken, 2016: 1:28.38 / 3:17.74 [Group 3]
• Paul VI, 2016: 1:27.38 / 3:16.53 [Group 3]

And you thought Paul VI was a distance school? Forget Jason DiJoseph, PVI has sprinters too!

Just one word: WOW!!!!!!!!

All the Cinnaminson girls 4-by-8 team did Thursday evening was run the fastest time in South Jersey this year, break the school record, win the Holmdel Twilight Series race and — hopefully — post a Penn Relays qualifier.

Senior Olivia Rocks, junior Andrew Benites, sophomore Tina Harrell and sophomore Haley Adams ran 9:49.26, edging Sterling (9:49.53) for the win.

Cinnaminson will learn on Monday whether they’re in the field for the Small School 3,200-Meter Relay at the 122nd annual Penn Relays in two weeks at Franklin Field.

But their time is No. 3 in New Jersey this spring, behind only perennial powerhouse Ridgewood, which went out to California to run 9:28.62 last weekend, and Summit, which ran 9:43.32 at its own Summit Relays on April 2.

The Pirates’ time is already fastest by a BCSL school in three years, since Rancocas Valley ran 9:31.49 at the Burlington County Open in 2013.

Rocks led off with a 2:28.5, followed by Benites in 2:27.5, Harrell with a 2:30.9 in her first race of the year and Adams with a 2:22.2 anchor.

High hurdler David Benjamin and intermediate hurdler Anthony Salemo are both off to hot starts this spring for Rowan University’s track team.

Benjamin, a versatile sophomore jumper, sprinter and hurdler from Freehold Township, already has a 14.42 to his credit in the 110-meter highs this spring from the Emory Invitational last month. That ranks No. 2 in NCAA Division 3 behind only indoor national champ Luke Campbell of Salisbury (Md.), who ran 14.04 at the Colonial Relays.

Benjamin also has a 10.94 100 and a 6-2 3/4 high jump under his belt this spring. He’s a returning All-America in the high hurdles for the Profs after placing seventh at indoor nationals in Grinnell, Iowa, and winning the New Jersey Athletic Conference title.

At Freehold Township, Benjamin was a sectional champ in the high jump and participated in just about every other event at some point before graduating in 2011.

Salemo, a sophomore from Ramsey, has already run a lifetime PR, and we’re not even halfway through April.

Salemo came into the season with a PR of 53.77, set at a meet on his home track in Glassboro last April, but he broke that with a 53.75 on the same track in his first 400 IH outing of the season. That’s No. 5 in Division 3.

Salemo led a 1-2-3 Rowan sweet in the Oscar Moore Invitational, with Christopher Mesiano of Schalick second in 54.45 and Ulysses Santos of Bloomfield High School third in 54.81.

Mesiano and Santos are 17th and 24th on the D-3 list, giving Rowan three of the 24-fastest intermediate hurdlers in the country.

Rowan will be in Baltimore this weekend for the Johns Hopkins/Loyola Invitational on Saturday.