Glenn Kohles opened his senior year at Rowan in a big way, with a PR in the discus and the No. 1 throw this year in NCAA Division 3.

Kohl’s, a senior at Rowan, heaved the discus 165-3 to win the Emory Invitational in Atlanta and break his PR of 164-7 from last year’s ECAC meet in Westfield, Mass. The PR came on his fifth of six throws.

Kohles actually had the three best throws of the meet. His 162-8 was the second-best throw of the meet, and he also had a 159-7 3/4 that was good enough to beat second-place Brennan Cole of Indiana Wesleyan, who threw 158-4 3/4.

The Toms River East graduate is now just five feet short of the Rowan discus record of 173-3 set in 2007 by All-America Aaron Braxton, who is now a Rowan University throws coach.

Kohles is also ranked 12th in NCAA Division 3 in the shot put with a 50-11 1/2. His PR is 54-1 1/4, also from last year’s ECAC meet.

Kohles is the only thrower in NCAA Division who has already surpassed both 50 feet in the shot put and 165 feet in the discus.

 

Kevin Veltre’s steeplechase debut didn’t go too badly. The Rowan junior ran 9:11.76 — the No. 2 time so far this year in NCAA Division 3 — and won the 3,000-meter steeple at the 22nd annual Monmouth Season Opener this weekend in West Long Branch.

Not bad for a novice!

Veltre’s time is No. 2 in Division 3 behind Luke O’Connor of Tufts, who ran 9:11.70 at the Point Loma Nazarene Invitational in San Diego on Saturday. O’Connor ran 9:04 last year and placed fourth in the NCAA Championships

His time is also only about 11 seconds off the Rowan school record of 9:00.13 set by former Oakcrest star Don Deckert in 1980.

According to the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, Veltre’s 9:11 was the eighth-fastest steeplechase run by any college runner regardless of division this past weekend.

Veltre, a graduate of Brick Memorial High School, has PRs of 1:56.36 for 800 meters and 3:53.55 for 1,500 meters. But he had never completed a steeplechase, so this was one heck of a debut.

Indoors, Veltre ran on Rowan’s first-place 4-by-8 and DMR teams at the NJAC championships and placed second in the 1,000 at the Division 3 ECAC meet.

Josh Awotunde got right to work this spring, opening his junior year at South Carolina with a mammoth personal-best 64-10 3/4 at the Weems Baskin Invitational at South Carolina’s new home track facility in Columbia, S.C.

Awotunde’s previous PR came in his previous meet, a 64-6 on his final throw at the NCAA indoor championships at Texas A&M in College Station, Texas, where he placed fifth for his second career All-America honor.

Early on, Awotunde’s 64-10 3/4 is the No. 1 mark in NCAA Division 1.

Awotunde, a Franklinville native and Delsea graduate, actually placed second to professional thrower Kurtis Roberts, who popped a 68-0 1/4 on his second throw at the Sheila and Morris Craggier Track.

Awotunde opened with a 60-11 1/4, improved to 61-11 1/2 on his second throw, 62-5 1/4 on his third and then popped his 64-10 3/4 on his first throw of the finals. He backed it up with two more big throws — 63-4 1/4 and 64-6 3/4.

So the top three throws of his life have come within his last seven throws.

Awotunde’s previous outdoor PR was a 63-9 from last year’s NCAA Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

Awotunde’s mark is No. 2 in South Carolina history and best in 18 years. Brad Snyder set the school record of 67-3 1/2 in 1999.

Awotunde is No. 5 in Gamecocks history in the discus at 191-5 from the 2015 Penn Relays but hasn’t thrown the discus yet this spring.

 

 

Cherokee graduate Jessica Woodard closed out indoor season with another shot put PR and fifth place at the NCAA track championships at Gilliam Indoor Stadium on the Texas A&M campus in College Station, Texas.

Woodard had only one legal throw in the competition, but bombed a 57-7 on her first throw to earn indoor All-America honors for the second straight year. She’s also been an outdoor All-America once.

Woodard fouled on each successive throw, but the 57-7 stood up for fifth.

“There’s not much more you can ask out of somebody than to come and set a PR in the first round,” Oklahoma head coach Jim VanHootegem said. “It means that she was ready to go. I’m not going to say that I’m disappointed, but I’m sure she’s going to say that she’s disappointed that she couldn’t correct her foul issue after that. I think she felt that she had a special one in her.

“Still, a year ago we were ecstatic for her to come to this meet and not throw close to that far. She’s come a long way. She continues to set high standards for herself. She’s probably a little disappointed, but in the big picture, she’s still progressing all of the time. We’re pleased with Jess and how she’s done.”

Woodard ranks 13th among Americans and 29th in the world this indoor season, according to the IAAF list.

The 57-7 is an indoor PR for Woodard, who has thrown as far as 58-8 outdoors. Her previous indoor PR was 57-4 1/4, set at the J.D. Martin Invitational in Norman, Okla., in January.

Woodard’s mark is No. 3 in Oklahoma indoor history, behind Olympian Tia Brooks (63-0 3/4 in 2013) and Karen Shump (58-11 1/2 in 2011).

Woodard placed eighth at indoor nationals last year with a throw of 55-11. She was third at outdoor nationals this past spring with that 58-8 bomb.

She made the finals of the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, finishing tied for 11th.

Oklahoma is scheduled to open its outdoor season next weekend at the Baldy Castillo Invitational in Tempe, Ariz.

The Sooners are scheduled to come to Philly for the Penn Relays at Franklin Field the final weekend of April. The women’s college shot put championship is generally one of the first events contested at Penn, with the final scheduled for Thursday morning.

Woodard is also a two-time top-three finisher in the discus at the Big 12 Conference championships. She has a PR of 177-10.

 

With three legs under 1:57, Egg Harbor won the 3,200-meter relay at the New Balance National Championships at the Armory with a time of 7:48.92.

Senior anchor Eric Barnes held off St. Benedict’s anchor Alfred Chawonza, who split 1:51.16, and moved St. Benedict’s up from ninth to second in the 12-team seeded section.

Barnes split 1:56.58 after carries by seniors Robert Dessoye (2:00.05), Alex Dessoye (1:56.40) and Aidin Hendriks (1:55.89).

St. Benedict’s finished second in 7:50.48, 10 meters behind Egg Harbor. Second through sixth place all finished less than a second apart – from 7:50.48 through 7:51.41.

The Eagles are the first New Jersey school ever to win the 3,200-meter relay in the meet’s 19-year history.

South Jersey’s last winner on the boys side at indoor nationals is from another Cape-Atlantic school — Braheme Days of Bridgeton won the shot put in 2012 and 2013.

The last South Jersey school to win any relay at indoor nationals was Winslow, which won the 1,600-meter relay in 2004 — some 13 years ago.

Egg Harbor ran 7:47.27 last spring and had run 7:52.12 earlier this year, which was No. 6 in South Jersey indoor history. EHT moved up to No. 3 behind teams from Cherokee and Pleasantville. Here’s the all-time South Jersey indoor list:

7:43.64 … Cherokee, 2012
7:45.55 … Pleasantville, 2013
7:48.92 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2017
7:51.43 … Washington Twp., 2009
7:51.78 … Cherokee, 2000
7:52.77 … Pleasantville, 2006
7:52.95 … Willingboro, 2003
7:53.64 … Willingboro, 2002
7:54.76 … Pleasantville, 2007
7:55.40 … Washington Twp., 2008
7:55.44 … Haddonfield, 2010

The Eagles’ time is also No. 10 on the all-time South Jersey list, including marks achieved both indoors and outdoors. Here are all the times of 7:55 or faster. The list include just one time per year per school, whichever is faster:

7:40.71 … Pleasantville, 2013 [outdoors]
7:43.57 … Haddonfield, 2015 [outdoors]
7:43.64 … Cherokee, 2012 [indoors]
7:47.27 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2016 [outdoors]
7:47.66 … Kingsway, 2011 [outdoors]
7:47.96 … Haddonfield, 2016 [outdoors]
7:48.16 … Kingsway, 2013 [outdoors]
7:48.25 … Vineland, 2012 [outdoors]
7:48.70 … Rancocas Valley, 2016 [outdoors]
7:48.92 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2017 [indoors]
7:49.67 … Washington Twp., 2009 [outdoors]
7:49.85 … Cherokee, 2012 [outdoors]
7:50.87 … Haddonfield, 2014 [outdoors]
7:51.43 … Washington Twp., 2009 [indoors]
7:51.52 … Vineland, 2010 [outdoors]
7:51.78 … Cherokee, 2000 [indoors]
7:52.60 … Cherokee, 2011 [outdoors]
7:52.95 … Willingboro, 2003 [indoors]
7:52.77 … Pleasantville, 2006 [indoors]
7:53.64 … Willingboro, 2002 [indoors]
7:54.16 … Woodrow Wilson, 2011 [outdoors]
7:54.76 … Pleasantville, 2007 [indoors]
7:54.94 … Kingsway, 2014 [outdoors]
7:55.40 … Washington Twp., 2008 [indoors]
7:55.44 … Haddonfield, 2010 [indoors]

On the all-time state indoor list, Old Bridge moved into the No. 12 spot:

7:41.53 … Christian Brothers Academy, 2012
7:43.64 … Cherokee, 2012
7:43.91 … Morris Hills, 2009
7:44.07 … Pope John XXIII, 2012
7:44.5h … Roselle Catholic, 1969
7:45.55 … Pleasantville, 2013
7:47.69 … Colts Neck, 2005
7:48.10 … Morris Hills, 2016
7:48.55 … Christian Brothers Academy, 2001
7:48.6h … Roselle Catholic, 1970
7:48.82 … Ridgewood, 2014
7:48.92 … Egg Harbor, 2017
7:49.23 … Christian Brothers Academy, 2013
7:49.31 … Old Bridge, 2015
7:49.70 … West Windsor-Plainsboro South, 2013
7:49.89 … South Brunswick, 2014
7:49.96 … Old Bridge, 2017

Here’s a list of all the 4-by-8 winners at indoor nationals:

1999 T.C. Williams, Alexandria, Va., 7:55.33
2000 John F. Kennedy, Bellmore, N.Y., 7:57.25
2001 North Penn, Lansdale, Pa., 7:56.55
2002 North Penn, Lansdale, Pa., 7:54.96
2003 West Springfield, Springfield, Va., 7:50.25
2004 Carmel, Ind., 7:54.20
2005 Syosset, N.Y., 7:53.80
2006 Mountain Brook, Ala., 7:53.32
2007 Eleanor Roosevelt, Greenbelt, Md., 7:55.66
2008 New Bern, N.C., 7:58.18
2009 Alebemarle, Charlottesville, Va., 7:36.99
2010 Shaker, Latham, N.Y., 7:48.45
2011 Abington, Pa., 7:45.21
2012 Boys and Girls, Brooklyn, N.Y., 7:41.10
2013 Bishop Kellenberg, Uniondale, N.Y., 7:45.24
2014 Chaminade, Mineola, N.Y., 7:40.80
2015 Davis, Kaysville, Utah, 7:42.19
2016 Coffman, Dublin, Ohio, 7:45.27
2017 Egg Harbor Twp., N.J., 7:48.92

Finally, here’s a list of all South Jersey winners in indoor nationals’ 19-year history:

BOYS
2001
Jamar Ervin [Camden], 60-Meter Dash, 6.83
Camden, 1,600-Meter Relay, 3:17.26
2002
Haddonfield, Four-Mile Relay, 18:02.51
2003
Vineland, 1,600-Meter Relay, 3:19.21
Vineland, Sprint Medley, 3:29.46
Mike Morrison [Willingboro], High Jump, 7-4 1/4
Mike Morrison [Willingboro], Long Jump, 24-0 3/4
2004
Winslow Twp., 1,600-Meter Relay, 3:22.16
2011
Damiere Byrd [Timber Creek], 60-meter dash, 6.74
2012
Braheme Days [Bridgeton], 68-10 3/4
2013
Braheme Days [Bridgeton], 66-7
2017
Egg Harbor Township, 3,200-Meter Relay, 7:48.92

GIRLS
2001
Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 4:51.15
2004
Danielle O’Reilly [Shawnee], 12-9 1/2
2005
Ocean City, Distance Medley, 12:12.22
2006
Nia Ali [Pleasantville], 8.36
2013
Winslow Township, 220-Meter Shuttle Hurdles, 32.45

Moorestown’s Brandon Outlaw placed fourth in the 400-meter dash at the New Balance Nationals Sunday — out of the first heat — with a monster PR and South Jersey record of 47.90 at the 168th Street Armory.

Outlaw broke the South Jersey record of 48.27, set in 2002, and the Burlington County mark of 48.36, set in 2000 by Lenape’s Mohammad Kanu.

His time is No. 11 on the all-time state list.

Outlaw actually shattered both records with a 48.26 in the trials and then lowered them by another 36-100ths of a second in the final.

Outlaw ran as fast as 47.60 outdoors last spring at the Burlington County Scholastic Division Liberty Division meet at Northern Burlington.

Here’s the all-time South Jersey list:

47.90 … Brandon Outlaw [Moorestown], 47.90
48.27 … Jade Smith [Camden], 2002
48.36 … Mohammad Kanu [Lenape], 2000
48.48 … Amir Brock [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2017
48.50 … Alex Reber [Cherry Hill East], 2013
48.55 … Royce Reed [Bridgeton], 1995
48.64 … Keith Griffith [Florence], 2010
48.68 … Lamont Smith [Willingboro], 1991
48.75 … Luke Colehower [Haddonfield], 2017
48.7h … Curt Mcintyre [Bridgeton], 1992
48.7h … John Morris [Camden], 2001
48.91 … Marlin Gross [Bridgeton], 2001
48.91 … Rob Gary [Lenape], 1998
49.03 … Ian Moore [Lenape], 2001
49.05 … William Mobley [Eastern], 1990
49.11 … Darrell Bush [Woodbury], 2012
49.0h … Eric Chekemian [Washington Twp.], 2001
49.19 … Amir Brock [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2017
49.1h … Antonio Abney [Willingboro], 2007
49.24 … Duke Mack [Pleasantville], 2007
49.26 … Tim Carey [Washington Twp,], 2010

And here’s the all-time state list, with everybody who’s run under 48 seconds:

46.06 … Najee Glass [St. Peter’s Prep], 2012
46.80 … Taylor McLaughlin [Union Catholic], 2015
47.13 … Zaire Clemes [Trenton], 2014
47.20 … Lance Wigfall [East Orange], 2003
47.37 … Bryant McCombs [Old Bridge], 2005
47.45 … Ray Williams [Scotch Plains], 2002
47.58 … Clayton Parros [Seton Hall Prep], 2009
47.75 … Shaquan Brown [JFK Paterson], 2005
47.76 … Adian Sanderson [Ewing], 2004
47.82 … Cory Poole [East Orange], 2017
47.90 … Brandon Outlaw [Moorestown], 2017

Senior Briana Gess ran a 4:54.94 anchor to lead Haddonfield to sixth place in the distance medley at New Balance Nationals Saturday at the 168th Street Armory and the No. 4 time in South Jersey indoor history.

Senior Kaitlyn Bonnet led off with a 3:38.59 for 1,200 meters, with freshman Rachel Bonnet splitting 1:00.92 for the 400 and senior Lauren Lynch 2:23.19 for 800 meters. All four earn All-America honors with the top-six finish against the fastest competition from around the country.

The time is second-fastest in Haddonfield history behind an 11:43.94 also anchored by Gess at Nationals in 2014. It’s also No. 5 in South Jersey history indoors or outdoors.

In the same race, Sterling ran 12:04.62, also moving into the all-time South Jersey top-10.

Junior Sydney Coppolino led off in 3:36.04, with junior Salary Gonzalez splitting 1:00.83, sophomore Leyna Jewell 2:23.26 and Madison Coppolino anchoring in 5:04.49.

Sterling’s time is No. 9 all-time in South Jersey history indoors and No. 14 on the merged absolute list. Sterling had run 12:07.00 at Easterns on the same track late last month.

Here’s the all-time South Jersey indoor list, with all times under 12:20.

• 11:43.94 … Haddonfield, 2014, New Balance Nationals
• 11:54.63 … Lenape, 2013, Easterns
• 11:55.90 … Lenape, 2012, Varsity Classic
• 11:57.64 … Haddonfield, 2017, New Balance Nationals
• 11:58.92 … Lenape, 2010, Easterns
• 12:02.51 … Ocean City, 2014, New Balance Indoors
• 12:03.4 ….. Haddonfield, 2015, Varsity Classic
• 12:04.45 … Haddonfield, 2009, National Scholastic Indoors
• 12:04.62 … Sterling, 2017, New Balance Nationals
• 12:04.9 ….. Lenape, 2015, Varsity Classic
• 12:12.22 … Ocean City, 2005, Nike Indoor Nationals
• 12:13.46 … Washington Twp., 2011, Easterns
• 12:14.48 … Haddonfield, 2013, Easterns
• 12:15.60 … Lenape, 2014, Varsity Classic
• 12:19.81 … Lenape, 2009, Nike Indoor Nationals

And here’s the all-time combined South Jersey list, with all times under 12:10 both indoors and outdoors:

11:43.94i … Haddonfield, 2014, New Balance Indoors
11:53.15 … Lenape 2012 New Balance Outdoors
11:54.63i … Lenape, 2013, Easterns
11:55.90i … Lenape, 2012, Varsity Classic
11:57.64i … Haddonfield, 2017, New Balance Nationals
11:58.92i … Lenape, 2010, Easterns
12:00.64 … Ocean City, 2004, adidas Outdoor Championships
12:02.34 … Haddonfield 2000, Penn Relays
12:02.37 … Haddonfield, 2014, Penn Relays
12:02.51i … Ocean City, 2014, New Balance Indoors
12:03.4i … Haddonfield, 2015, Varsity Classic
12:04.39 … Lenape, 2010 Rowan Open
12:04.45i … Haddonfield, 2009, National Scholastic Indoors
12:04.62i … Sterling, 2017, New Balance Nationals
12:04.9i ….. Lenape, 2015, Varsity Classic
12:05.39 … Ocean City, 2005, Nike Outdoor Nationals
12:06.73 … Ocean City, 1994, Penn Relays
12:07.21 … Lenape, 2008, Penn Relays
12:08.61 … Ocean City, 2004, Rowan Open

The quartet of juniors Flora Ahiarakwe and Shakira Dancy, sophomore Tionna Tobias and senior Iyianna Williams ran 1:39.94 Saturday in the 800-meter relay trials at the New Balance Nationals at the Armory, shattering a 17-year-old South Jersey record and advancing to the finals.

Winslow posted the sixth-fastest qualifying time, winning the fifth of six heats by about 2 1/2 seconds.

The previous South Jersey record of 1:40.77 was set by Amandi Rhett and Moorestown on the same track at Easterns in 2000.

The previous Camden County record was 1:41.14, set by Woodrow Wilson in 2006. Winslow’s previous school record was a 1:41.78 at nationals three years ago.

Winslow’s time is No. 5 in state history, behind two Columbia performances and one each by Union Catholic and Franklin Township.

The championship is scheduled for 12:55 p.m. Sunday. Heat sheets not yet available.

Here’s the all-time state indoor list, with every time under 1:43 and the meet it was accomplished where known.

1:38.99 … Columbia, 2014 [Millrose]
1:39.29 … Union Catholic, 2016 [Easterns]
1:39.37 … Columbia, 2011 [Nationals]
1:39.74 … Franklin, 2003 [Easterns]
1:39.94 … Winslow Twp., 2017 [Nationals]
1:39.94 … East Orange, 2007 [Easterns]
1:40.51 … Union Catholic, 2014 [Nationals]
1:40.67 … Union Catholic, 2017 [Easterns]
1:40.77 … Moorestown, 2000 [Easterns]
1:41.07 … Union Catholic, 2015 [Armory Invitational]
1:41.13 … Queen of Peace, 2003 []
1:41.14 … Woodrow Wilson, 2006
1:41.19 … Camden, 2008 [Easterns]
1:41.28 … Woodrow Wilson, 2005 []
1:41.42 … Moorestown, 1999
1:41.43 … East Orange, 2004 []
1:41.59 … Lincoln, 1981 []
1:41.65 … Jackson, 2008 []
1:41.67 … Columbia, 2013 [Easterns]
1:41.67 … Franklin, 2005 []
1:41.70 … Willingboro, 2002[]
1:41.74 … Franklin, 2001 []
1:41.78 … Winslow Twp., 2014 [Nationals]
1:41.87 … Trenton, 1986 []
1:41.91 … Trenton, 1983 []
1:41.96 … Newark Central, 1983 []
1:41.97 … Columbia, 2012 [Easterns]
1:41.98 … Camden, 2009 [Easterns]
1:42.11 … Union, 2012 [Easterns]
1:42.15 … Columbia, 2010 ]Nationals]
1:42.40 … Columbia, 2015 [Nationals]
1:42.42 … Neptune, 2014 [Nationals]
1:42.45 … Deptford, 2015 [Easterns]
1:42.45 … Rancocas Valley, 2017 [Easterns]
1:42.49 … Winslow Twp., 2013 [Nationals]
1:42.52 … Piscataway, 2014 [Easterns]
1:42.99 … Newark Tech, 2012 [Nationals]

One event, two fast races, an indoor and overall PR and an immensely rewarding trip to Boston for Sarah Robbie!

Robbie, a Rutgers junior, placed third in a loaded field Sunday at the IC4A Championships at Boston University with a time of 2:09.76, finishing just 1.05 seconds behind winner Nichelle Scott of Virginia Commonwealth, who ran 2:08.71.

It was a remarkable breakthrough weekend for the Cherokee High School graduate, who began her collegiate career at Towson.

Robbie came into the meet with an indoor PR of 2:10.34, which she ran at the Big 10 Championships in Geneva, Ohio. That broke both her indoor PR of 2:12.04 from last winter and her overall PR of 2:11.28, set last spring in the Larry Ellis Invitational at Princeton.

Robbie nearly surpassed her overall PR in the trials, when she ran 2:10.44 and won the third of four sections, earning an automatic berth in the finals.

The final was very close, with the first five runners – all juniors – all finishing within 1.2 seconds:

2:08.71 … *Nichelle Scott [VCU]
2:09.71 … *Zoe Matherne [Holy Cross]
2:09.76 … *Sarah Robbie [Rutgers]
2:09.86 … *Katie Foley [U. Conn]
2:09.90 … *Claire Peabody [Brown]
2:10.84 … *Mae Thompson [FDU]
2:11.07 … Jennaya Hield [Maryland Eastern Shore]
2:14.62 … *Kelly Gorman [Manhattan]

Robbie’s time is No. 5 in Rutgers indoor track history:

2:07.07 … Jennifer Heggie, NCAA Championships, Indianapolis, 1994
2:08.35 … Amonica Phipps, ECAC Championships, Boston, 2005
2:08.37 … Lori McCauley, Vitalis Invitational, East Rutherford, 1983
2:08.7h … Kathleen Tisdale, EAIAW, Boston, 1983
2:09.76 … Sarah Robbi, ECAC, Boston, 2017

Robbie’s time is also No. 7 all-time at Rutgers indoors or outdoors:

2:06.59 … Dominique Sanon, NCAA Regionals, Greensboro, N.C., 2006
2:07.07i … Jennifer Heggie, NCAA Championships, Indianapolis, 1994
2:07.46 … Amonica Phipps, ECAC, Princeton, 2005
2:08.37i … Lori McCauley, Vitalis Invitational, East Rutherford, 1983
2:08.7h,i … Kathleen Tisdale, EAIAW, Boston, 1983
2:08.98 … Krista Dunbar, unknown, 1994
2:09.76i … Sarah Robbie, ECAC, Boston, 2017
2:09.85 … Elizabeth Graham, ECAC, Princeton, 2000

Robbie was a high school teammate of St. Joe’s senior Courtney Foster, who won the 400 at the ECAC meet Sunday. That story is here: https://sjtrackblog.com/2017/03/05/cherokee-grad-courtney-foster-wins-ecac-400-shatters-school-record-becomes-first-st-joes-runner-to-win-ecac-title-in-31-years/

Robbie ran as fast as 2:19.64 at Cherokee, when she placed sixth at sectionals in 2013, her senior year. Her indoor PR was almost identical, a 2:19.66 when she took third at indoor sectionals.

She also ran the 400 intermediates a lot at Cherokee, taking third at outdoor sectionals as a senior and running as fast as 1:05.28.

Robbie and Foster both ran legs on Cherokee’s winning 1,600-meter relay team at the 2013 indoor Group 4 sectionals, teaming up with Kristen Visconti and Brittany King to run 4:02.23. She also ran on Cherokee’s school-record third-place 3:54.12 relay at Penn in 2013 with Foster, Visconti and King.

 

Cherry Hill native Isaiah Jean-Baptiste and Florence native Scott Wood both ran legs Sunday on Rider’s school-record 3,200-meter relay team, which placed third at IC4As in Boston with a 7:32.83 and earned all-East honors.

Jean-Baptiste, from Cherry Hill East, and Wood, who graduated from Holy Cross, ran the first and third legs for Rider, whose time shattered the school record of 7:36.34 set two years ago at the same meet on the same track. Wood is the only runner who was on both teams.

Rider ran 7:40.54 with a slightly different lineup in Saturday’s trials — sophomore Dalin Hackley running instead of Jackson. They were a wild-card qualifier as one of the five-fastest non-winning times in three sections, but they only qualified by about 2 1/2 seconds.

But in the final, it was lights out.

Jean-Baptise led off in 1:55.13, followed by senior Jonathan Jackson with a hot 1:50.65 split, followed by Wood with a quick 1:52.70 and then sophomore Anthony Arduino with an 1:54.18 anchor. Jackson is from Roselle and Ardino from Bloomfield.

“The 4×800 ran a great, competitive race,” said Rider coach Bob Hamer, a former star at Council Rock High in Newtown, Pa.

“Breaking the Rider record and earning All-East honors were the two big goals for them coming in to this weekend.  Each of them did their job and that contributed to a great end result.”

Jean-Baptiste was Camden County champ last spring for Cherry Hill East and ran as fast as 1:54.59 for 800 meters and 4:16.76 and was Olympic Conference champ in the 1,600. His indoor PRs were 1:58.21 and 4:26.06.

Wood has progressed remarkably at Rider.

He ran as fast as 1:57.90 as a junior at Holy Cross when he placed fourth at the 2012 Burlington County Open at Maple Shade. But that was his only time under 1:59. His best as a senior was 1:59.90 when he won the BCSL meet at Northern Burlington. His indoor 800 PR was 2:03.60.

At Rider, Wood has just gotten better and better.

He ran 1:59.11 as a freshman, 1:57.87 as a sophomore and then broke through with a 1:53.81 at the 2016 Terrier Invitational in Boston last winter. His 1:52.70 split was a career-best.

“Scott Wood a great leg,” Hamer said. “He has come so far in four years, and he has run many really good relay legs for us, but today was his best.

“We have built a program on guys like Scott who come to Rider as an average high school runner and just continue to work hard and they end up accomplishing great things. Scott is an inspiration to so many on this team.”

The 4-by-8 is not an NCAA event and is not contested at most indoor meets, but nonetheless Rider’s time is No. 5 in the country this winter:

7:27.12 … U. Conn, March 5, IC4A
7:28.72 … Rutgers, March 5, IC4A
7:31.79 … Duke, , Feb. 4, Armory Invitational
7:32.73 … Villanova, Feb. 25, Big East
7:32.83 … Rider, March 5, IC4A
7:32.95 … Indiana, Jan. 21, Gladstein Invitational
7:33.28 … Princeton, Feb. 26, Ivy League
7:33.34 … Columbia, March 5, IC4A
7:34.03 … Bucknell, March 5, IC4A
7:34.99 … Rhode Island, March 5, IC4A
7:35.51 … Dartmouth, Feb. 26, Ivy League
7:35.51 … Albany, March 5, IC4A
7:35.58 … Harvard, Feb. 26, Ivy League
7:35.61 … Georgetown, Feb. 25, Big East