Maple Shade senior Kenneth Karcher out-ran a loaded field to win the 400-meter dash at Saturday’s 79th annual Burlington County Open at Rancocas Valley.

And he did it in style.

Karcher lowered his PR and school record from 49.07 to 48.56 in edging Brian Merriman of R.V. (49.26) and Jalen Jones of Burlington Township (49.90) to the finish line.

That’s fastest by any New Jersey Group 1 runner this year and fastest by a New Jersey Group 1 runner since 2014, when both Phillip Gomez of Glen Ridge (47.98) and Jaymes Dennison of Penns Grove (48.33) did it.

It’s second-fastest all-time by a Burlington County Group 1 runner, behind only Keith Griffith of Florence, who ran 47.64 in 2010.

Karcher’s time is fifth-fastest in meet history and fastest in 17 years! Since Mohamad Kanu ran 48.47 back in 2000 for Lenape.

Here’s the all-time Open 400-meter dash performance list:

47.2h … Darron Outler (Lenape), 1984
47.3h … Rob Gary (Lenape), 1998
47.9y … Eric Rucker (Willingboro), 1977
48.47 … Mohamad Kanu (Lenape), 2000
48.56 … Kenneth Karcher (Maple Shade), 2017
48.4h … Barry Douglas (Willingboro), 1993
48.4y … Bill Tyler (Kennedy), 1976
48.66 … Keith Griffith (Florence), 2009
48.74 … Michael Bolling (Willingboro), 2000
48.5h … Mike Williams (Willingboro), 1985
48.6h … Jeff Bradford (Willingboro), 1982
48.6h … Charles Simpson (Lenape), 1993
48.70 … Kenny Brosier (Willingboro), 2015
48.71 … Phil Reid (Rancocas Valley), 2006

Karcher, who is headed to Monmouth next year, also won the 200. He’s only the second Maple Shade runner to double in County Open history. Robert Jones won the 100 and 200 in both 2013 and 2014 (and the 100 in 2012).

Overall, Karcher is No. 11 in New Jersey this year and No. 2 in South Jersey, behind only Egg Harbor Township’s Alex Dessoye, who ran 48.44 at the South Jersey Invitational.

Karcher’s previous PR was 49.07, also at the South Jersey Invitational. His time is No. 12 in Burlington County history.

Here’s a list of every Burlington County Open 400 winner since 1968:

1968….. Don Alexander (Florence) 53.1
1969….. Mike Lewandowski (Holy Cross) 51.4
1970….. Carlos Castillo (Pemberton) 51.9
1971….. Greg Paolillo (Burlington Twp.) 50.9
1972….. John King (Northern Burlington) 50.7
1973….. Ken Maxson (Rancocas Valley) 50.4
1974….. Mark Mancinin (Burlington Twp.) 50.9
1975….. Bill Tyler (Kennedy) 49.9
1976….. Bill Tyler (Kennedy) 477
1977….. Eric Rucker (Willingboro) 48.2
1978….. Quicny Vaughan (Willingboro) 49.5
1979….. Quincy Vaughan (Willingboro) 51.0
1980 ….. Tom Wellmon (Northern Burlington) 49.5 (400 meters)
1981 ….. King (Palmyra) 49.9
1982 ….. Jeff Bradford (Willingboro) 48.6
1983 ….. Eric Moore (Willingboro) 49.4
1984 ….. Darron Outler (Lenape) 47.2
1985 ….. Mike Williams (Willingboro) 48.5
1986 ….. Rodney Coon (Palmyra) 50.5
1987 ….. Sean Scott (Willingboro) 50.4
1988 ….. Sean Scott (Willingboro) 49.9
1989 ….. Roger Howell (Willingboro) 49.9
1990 ….. Lamont Smith (Willingboro) 50.1
1991 ….. Rob Douglas (Willingboro) 49.9
1992 ….. Mark Nelms (Cinnaminson) 49.6
1993 ….. Barry Douglas (Willingboro) 48.4
1994 ….. Brondon Jenkins (Delran) 48.9
1995 ….. Brian Pitt (Willingboro) 49.3
1996 ….. Sean Watson (Willingboro) 48.9
1997 ….. Rob Gary (Lenape) 48.7
1998 ….. Rob Gary (Lenape) 47.3
1999 ….. Mohamed Kanu (Lenape) 49.34
2000 ….. Mohamed Kanu (Lenape) 48.47
2001 ….. Sean Mayers (Cherokee) 49.69
2002 ….. Ahmad Rutherford (Willingboro) 50.40
2003 ….. Mike Morrison (Willingboro) 49.42
2004 ….. Chris Leonberg (Moorestown) 50.52
2005 ….. Phil Reid (Rancocas Valley) 50.33
2006 ….. Phil Reid (Rancocas Valley) 48.71
2007 ….. Antonio Abney (Willingboro) 50.03
2008 ….. Tyrone McRae (Willingboro) 49.57
2009 …..Keith Griffith II I(Florence) 48.66
2010 ….. Vinny Pini (Burlington Twp.) 49.16
2011….. Horace Steele (Cinnaminson) 49.46
2012….. Drew Viscidy (Cherokee) 49.29
2013….. Michael Williams (Lenape) 49.15
2014….. Daniel Joseph (Burlington Twp.) 49.80
2015….. Kenny Brosier (Willingboro) 48.70
2016….. Chase Campbell (Lenape) 48.90
2017 … Kenneth Karcher (Maple Shade), 48.56

Previous Maple Shade school record was 51.63 by Malcolm Jenkins at the 2012 BCSL meet.

Clemson junior Torie Robinson ran huge PRs of 11.31 and 23.53 in the 100 and 200 at the ACC Championships at Georgia Tech.

Robinson placed second in the 100 and fifth in the 200, accounting for 10 team points for Clemson.

In the 100, Robinson ran a PR 11.31 in the trials for the third-fastest qualifying time, then improved to second in the final although with a slightly slower time of 11.43.

Robinson, a former Meet of Champions winner at Winslow Township, had a previous 100 PR of 11.46 from the Penn Relays. Her fastest time coming into this season was an 11.77 at last year’s ACC meet.

In the 200, Robison ran a PR 23.59 in the trials and lowered the to 23.53 in the final. Her previous PR was 23.61 in a meet last month at LSU. Coming into the season, her 200 PR was a 24.13 indoors at the ACC indoor championships at South Bend this past winter and her outdoor PR was a 24.56 in a meet at Auburn last spring.

Robinson also anchored Clemson’s second-place 400-meter relay team, which ran 43.64, so she had a hand in 18 of Clemson’s 95 points in the meet. Clemson placed fourth but only 29 points behind first-place Virginia Tech.

Robinson had PRs of 11.73 and 24.57 at Winslow, where she was a three-time Meet of Champions winner.

Her best event in high school was the 400-meter intermediate hurdles, where she ran 59.56 in 2013 — sixth-fastest in the U.S. She was third in the ACC last year in the intermediates but hasn’t run it this year.

Robinson now ranks 26th in NCAA Division 1 in the 100. Clemson’s 4-by-100 ranks No. 21.

 

Rancocas Valley’s combined program put on quite a show Saturday at the 79th annual Burlington County Open on RV’s home track in Mount Holly.

Egg Harbor is the top-ranked boys team in South Jersey, and Winslow is the top-ranked girls program, but R.V. is ranked No. 2 in both polls, the only program ranked in the top six for both boys and girls.

On Saturday, the Rancocas Valley boys and girls made a case that the 81-year-old Mount Holly school has the strongest overall program in the region.

The boys won their 13th meet since 1952 and fourth in a row, and the girls won their first in program history.

The girls’ best previous finish was second place in 1989, 2011 and 2016. The R.V. girls became the first school from outside the Lenape district to win the County Open girls meet since Willingboro in 2006.

The boys scored a meet-record 152 1/2 points and beat second-place Willingboro by 82 points. The girls scored 134 points in a close 13-point win over Lenape.

RV’s combined 286 1/2 points is more than 100 more than any other school scored Saturday. Combining girls and boys, Lenape was second with 161.

It’s also the most combined points by any program ever, 14 1/2 more than Willingboro scored in 2004, when the Chimera boys won with 125 points and the girls won with 147.

With 121 points, the Lenape girls actually had the 12th-highest point total in meet history and the highest non-winning point total.

The Red Devils boys broke the meet scoring record of 139 set by last year’s R.V. team. With 134 points, the girls scored the sixth-most points in meet history.

Rancocas Valley’s 82-point margin of victory is another record. The previous largest margin of victory was 81 points, set back in 2003, when Willingboro outscored Holy Cros and Cinnaminson 131-50.

There are 18 events in the County Open, so 152 1/2 total points means the R.V. boys averaged 8.5 points per event. The Red Devils scored in 16 of the 18 events — all but the 1,600 and pole vault.

The girls averaged 7.4 points per event and scored in all but the 3,200 and pole vault.

Combined, Rancocas Valley scored in 32 of 36 events, averaging 8.0 points per event.

RV’s four-year winning streak matches the sixth-longest in meet history:

16 … Willingboro [1976-1991]
10 … Palmyra [1941-50]
7 … Willingboro [1999-05]
5 … Rancocas Valley [1967-71]
5 … Moorestown [1933-37
4 … Rancocas Valley [2014-17]
4 … Palmyra [1953-56]

Let’s look at the highest point totals in meet history:

MOST COMBINED POINTS [200-plus]
286.5 … Rancocas Valley, 2017
272.0 … Willingboro, 2004
237.0 … Willingboro, 2003
229.0 … Rancocas Valley, 2016
228.0 … Willingboro, 1993
224.0 … Lenape, 2015
211.0 … Shawnee, 1992
211.0 … Lenape, 2010
209.5 … Cherokee, 2012
203.0 … Lenape, 2014

BOYS MEET — MOST POINTS [100-plus]
152.5 … Rancocas Valley, 2017 [1st]
139.0 … Rancocas Valley, 2016 [1st]
132.0 … Willingboro, 1993 [1st]
131.0 … Willingboro, 2003 [1st]
131.0 … Shawnee, 1992 [1st]
125.0 … Willingboro, 2004 [1st]
124.0 … Willingboro, 2001 [1st]
118.0 … Rancocas Valley, 2015 [1st]
116.0 … Willingboro, 2011 [1st]
111.5 … Cherokee, 2008 [1st]
110.0 … Lenape, 2013 [1st]
108.0 … Rancocas Valley, 2014 [1st]
106.0 … Lenape, 1997 [1st]

GIRLS MEET — MOST POINTS [100-plus]
162.0 … Lenape, 2015 [1st]
147.0 … Willingboro, 2004 [1st]
146.0 … Lenape, 2008 [1st]
144.0 … Lenape, 2010 [1st]
138.0 … Lenape, 2014 [1st]
134.0 … Rancocas Valley, 2017 [1st]
133.0 … Cherokee, 2013 [1st]
130.0 … Lenape, 2007 [1st]
127.0 … Shawnee, 1997 [1st]
124.0 … Lenape, 2016 [1st]
123.0 … Willingboro, 1992 [1st]
121.0 … Cherokee, 2012 [1st]
121.0 … Lenape, 2017 [2nd]
114.0 … Lenape, 2011 [1st]
113.0 … Shawnee, 1995 [1st]
107.0 … Shawnee, 1998 [1st]
107.0 … Shawnee, 1996 [Tie 1st]
107.0 … Willingboro, 1996 [Tie 1st]
106.0 … Willingboro, 2003 [1st]
100.3 … Lenape, 2012 [2nd]
101.0 … Lenape, 2009 [1st]
101.0 … Willingboro, 2005 [1st]

Top point scorers for the RV boys were Maurice Johnson (first in discus, third in shot), Hawkins (second in intermediates, third in 100), Hills (second in both), Liam Alderman (third in long jump, sixth in highs, fourth in triple jump), Nick Mirabelli (javelin win, sixth in discus), Iverson Clement (22-0 win in the long jump) and Merriman (second in 400, fifth in 200).

Ameenah Saalih (win in triple jump), second in long jump, fourth in 200), Sydne Nance (second in 100, third in high jump, fifth in 400), Foering (javelin win, fourth in discus), Steff (second in, third in shot), Jonise Ledbetter (100 win, sixth in 400) and M. McClenahan (third in intermediates, fourth in highs).

R.V. also won all three relays, with Ledbetter and Kharonay Brown running on two of the three teams for the Red Devil girls.

Rowan junior Anthony Salemo lowered his 400-meter intermediate hurdles PR from 52.00 to 51.33, the fastest time this year in NCAA Division 3.

Salemo’s time is just 8-100ths off the Rowan school record of 51.25 set in 2012 by Demetrius Rooks from Absegami.

Salemo, a graduate of Ramsey High School, turned in the time at the Oneonta (N.Y.) Final Qualifier at SUNY Oneonta.

It was quite a race between Salemo and Peter Girardi of St. John Fisher, who finished second in 51.34 — 1-100th of a second behind Salemo. Girardi was second at Division 3 nationals last year in 50.88 and was the top underclassman. Salemo was eighth in that race.

Salemo and Girardi are now the only two Division 3 runners who’ve gone faster than 51.78 this year.

Salemo had just run the 52.00 PR a few days earlier in a last-chance meet at Swarthmore. As a matter of fact, he’s now PR’d four times since April 21, when he tied his PR of 52.71 originally set at last year’s NJAC meet:

52.71 … Morgan State Legacy Meet [April 21]
52.29 … Penn Relays [April 27]
52.00 … Swarthmore Final Qualifier [May 15]
51.33 … Oneonta Final Qualifier [May 17]

Salemo was a Bergen County champion at Ramsey, where his fastest 400IH time was 54.45 at the 2014 state Group 2 meet at Egg Harbor, when he placed second to Raymund Clarke of Abraham Clark.

He’s up to No. 5.

Rancocas Valley junior Nick Mirabelli moved up from No. 11 to No. 5 on the all-time New Jersey javelin performance list Saturday with a tremendous series that included a personal-best 213-5 throw to win the Burlington County Open at R.V.

Mirabelli improved nearly seven feet from his previous PR of 206-8. His series included three legal throws — a personal-best 210-3, then the 213-5, then a 209-6. Those are now the three-best throws of his life.

Mirabelli averaged 211-1 on his three legal throws. The 213-5 is No. 2 in the U.S. this year.

Three of the five 210-foot throwers in New Jersey since the javelin implement was changed to make it softer before the 2002 season are Burlington County throwers — state record holder Curtis Thompson of Florence, last year’s NCAA champion, threw 224-10, and Chris Mirabelli of Holy Cross, Nick’s older brother, threw 216-6. He’s now a two-time Big 10 Conference champ for Rutgers.

Nick is doing so well it’s easy to forget that he had never thrown 180 feet in a major meet until the Moorestown Invitational last month. His PR coming into this season was 176-10 from last year’s state meet.

So he’s now added nearly 37 to his PR since April 8.

Let’s get some lists going! Here’s the all-time Burlington County Open performance list, using only marks since 2002:

222- 8 … Curtis Thompson (Florence), 2014
214-11 … Chris Mirabelli (Holy Cross), 2014
213- 8 … Nick Mirabelli (Rancocas Valley), 2017
211-10 …….. C. Mirabelli, 2013
191-03 … Robert Marks (Rancocas Valley), 2016
196-11 …….. C. Mirabelli, 2012
188- 9 …….. Thompson, 2012
185- 4 … Jeremy Wilbur (Moorestown), 2013
184- 6 …….. Thompson, 2013
181- 8 … Shane McDevitt (Cinnaminson), 2014
181- 0 … Steve Finlan (Lenape), 2000
176- 1 … Anthony Santino (Holy Cross), 2007
174- 1 … Tony Butch (Maple Shade), 2003
174- 1 … Shaun Schaffer (Cinnaminson), 2010
173-10 … Jeremy Wilbur (Moorestown), 2012
173- 5 … Brandon McCleese (Cherokee), 2012

And here’s a list of every javelin winner at the County Open since 1968:

1968….. Ross Percifield (Kennedy) 173- 4
1969….. Ross Percifield (Kennedy) 185- 1
1970….. Frank DePhillippo (Cinnaminson) 189- 3
1971….. Curt Turner (Cinnaminson) 202- 4
1972….. John Barta (Florence) 182- 11
1973….. John Gerhart (Shawnee) 187- 0
1974….. Mike Coffey (Moorestown) 178- 6
1975….. Mike Coffey (Moorestown) 214- 7
1976….. John MacNeill (Kennedy) 187- 5
1977….. John MacNeill (Kennedy) 204- 6
1978….. Drew Forbes (Rancocas Valley) 218- 0
1979….. Ron Brodrick (Rancocas Valley) 196- 11
1980 ….. Ron Fazio (Willingboro) 196- 3 ½
1981 ….. Foster (Moorestown) 187-11
1982 ….. Mike Tamaccio (Holy Cross) 206- 9
1983 ….. Eric Schoenborn (Holy Cross) 202- 4
1984 ….. Eric Schoenborn (Holy Cross) 200- 5
1985 ….. Eric Schoenborn (Holy Cross) 198-10
1986 ….. Vince Labosky (Holy Cross) 212- 9
1987 ….. Jerry Vitelli (Holy Cross) 205- 6
1988 ….. Jerry Vitelli (Holy Cross) 186- 7
1989 ….. Steve Kiessling (Holy Cross) 207- 6
1990 ….. Gil Winters (Willingboro) 211- 8
1991 ….. Andre Fisher (Delran) 183- 3
1992 ….. Jason LaBarbera (Shawnee) 194- 7
1993 ….. Chris Eberly (Palmyra) 177-10
1994 ….. Chris Eberly (Palmyra) 176-10
1995 ….. Joe Travis (Shawnee) 171- 8
1996 ….. Gary Forsythe (Rancocas Valley) 163- 8
1997 ….. Stephan Baldwin (Holy Cross) 177- 4
1998 ….. Eric Dare (Holy Cross) 203- 7
1999 ….. Jason Cowden (Rancocas Valley) 181-11
2000 ….. Steve Finlan (Lenape) 180- 0
2001 ….. Ryan Pallas (Florence) 172- 3
2002 ….. Tony Butch (Maple Shade) 168- 8
2003 ….. Tony Butch (Maple Shade) 174- 1
2004 ….. Matt Reitinger (Shawnee) 163- 9
2005 ….. Lyman Bozarth (Lenape) 165- 2
2006 ….. Mike Torre (Shawnee) 168- 2
2007 ….. Anthony Santino (Holy Cross) 176- 1
2008 ….. Dan Ennis (Cinnaminson) 165- 3
2009 …. Warren Oliver (Palmyra) 172- 8
2010 ….. Shaun Schaffer (Cinnaminson) 174- 1
2011 ….. Kyle McDevitt (Cinnaminson) 171- 11
2012 ….. Chris Mirabelli (Holy Cross) 196- 11
2013 ….. Chris Mirabelli (Holy Cross) 211- 10
2014 ….. Curtis Thompson (Florence) 222- 8
2015 ……Liam Onbashian (Shawnee) 173- 0
2016 ….. Robert Marks (Rancocas Valley) 191- 3
2017 ….. Nick Mirabelli (Rancocas Valley), 213-5

And finally, the all-time state list, with every 200-foot throwers in New Jersey scholastic history with the current javelin:

224-10 … Curtis Thompson [Florence], 2014
224- 1 … Kaleb Zuidema [Midland Park], 2010
217- 9 … Dean Sullivan [Delbarton], 2011
216- 6 … Chris Mirabelli [Holy Cross], 2014
213- 5 … Nick Mirabelli [Rancocas Valley], 2017
209-11 … Stephen Burk [Parsippany], 2012
209- 5 … Kevin Steimle [Mahwah], 2009
209- 0 … Josh Suttmeier [North Hunterdon], 2010
208-11 … Kevin Seery [Hanover Park], 2011
207- 7 … Seth Zuidema [Midland Park], 2014
206-10 … Cade Antonucci [Holy Spirit], 2016
206- 8 … Nick Mirabelli [Rancocas Valley], 2017
206- 1 … Mike Brazil [North Arlington], 2014
205-11 … Robert Scales [Middletown South], 2002
204- 3 … Marion Easley [Somerville], 2005
203- 7 … James Malizia [St. Joe’s-Montvale], 2002
203- 6 … Stephen Benigno [Cherry Hill East], 2014
202-10 … Chandler Balter [Livingston], 2014
202- 9 … Brian Florek [Old Bridge], 2007
202- 6 … Jim Tully [Christian Brothers Academy], 2010
202- 0 … Steven Pierce [Ridgewood], 2006
201- 5 … Zachary Torrell [Lacey Twp.], 2011
201- 4 … Will Gonzalez [Cedar Grove], 2010
201- 0 … Sean Biehn [Burlington City], 2006
200- 3 … Cody Unger [Jefferson Twp.], 2008

Finally, this:

The Mirabelli brothers still trail the Zuidema brothers of Midland Park in the sibling category, although they are getting close. Kaleb Zuidema threw 224-1 in 2010 and Seth Zuidema threw 207-7 in 2014 for a family total of 431-8.

Chris and Nick so far have combined to throw 429-11, so they are now less than two feet away from the record.

Nick has the rest of this season and all of next year to add 21 inches to his PR and seize the family record from the Zuidemas.

R.V. scored an insane 152 points and won the team title — it’s fourth in a row — by an equally insane 82 points. More on the team title coming up soon!

She beat a 12.20 sprinter in the 100. She beat a state indoor champion in the 200. She beat the state’s fastest freshman sprinter in the 400.

No matter who lined up next to her, Winslow Township’s Shakira Dancy was’t going to be denied Saturday.

Dancy edged Cherry Hill East’s Maya Drayton to win the 100-meter dash, she beat speedy teammate Flora Ahiarakwe to win the 200, and she out-raced precocious Eastern freshman Jewel Ash in the 400, leading three girls under 57 seconds.

Whew! What a day for Dancy, who ran 12.49, 24.77 and 56.24 Saturday afternoon at Haddon Heights.

Let’s take a look at her three races:

100-METER DASH: Dancy ran 12.49, edging Drayton by 2-100ths of a second to win her second straight Camden County 100 title. Her PR at 100 meters is 11.89 from the Olympic Conference championships earlier this week.

200-METER DASH: Dancy won by more than a second with her 24.77. Her PR is 23.96 from states last year on her way to winning the Meet of Champions.

400-METER DASH: Dancy ran 56.24 to lead Ash (56.76) and Ahiarakwe (56.97) under 57 seconds. It was her first major 400 this year. Ash’s previous PR was 59.57 earlier this year at Rowan. Ahiarakwe ran slightly faster (56.73) at the conference meet, but the three of them now rank No. 1, No. 3 and No. 4 in South Jersey this year.

Dancy is now ranked No. 1 in South Jersey in the 200 and 400 and No. 2 in the 100, behind only Bria Mack’s 11.86.

Rancocas Valley senior Julianne Foering joined the elite 140-foot club Saturday, bombing the javelin 140-8 to win her second career title at the Burlington County Open. Foering won the javelin at the 2015 meet with a 126-4.

Her throw Saturday at her own school broke the meet record with the new javelin implement, which has been in use since 2000.

The previous meet record was a 139-1 by Kaela Schrier of Cherokee last year, when Foering was second. Foering’s throw is second-best in meet history with either javelin, behind only Lynlee Phillips’ 144-2 with the old javelin in 1999.

Foering’s previous PR was a 136-9 at last year’s Group 4 sectionals. She was close to that with a 136-0 earlier this month at the Rowan Invite, and she’s been over 130 feet in five straight meets.

Foering and teammate Danielle Steff went 1-2 for R.V., with Steff taking second with a throw of 127-7. Her PR is 137-4 at last year’s sectionals.

Foering’s throw is No. 13 in South Jersey history but less than a foot outside the all-time top-10. She’s only nine inches shy of the Burlington County record with the new jav, set four years ago by Kelly Yanucil of Bordentown.

• 160-  8 … Maria Jimenez (Vineland), 2012
• 152-  9 … Katherine Johnston (Haddonfield), 2012
• 152-  4 … Jill Shaner (Egg Harbor Twp.), 2009
• 148-  8 … Caitlin Cielo (Eastern), 2002
• 146-  7 … Victoria Imbesi (Our Lady of Mercy), 2008
• 145-  0 … Brielle Smith (Oakcrest), 2017
• 143-11 … Ayana Culhane (Absegami), 2016
• 142-  6 … Kaela Schrier (Cherokee), 2016
• 141-  6 … Lindsay Minch (Pennsville), 2010
• 141-  5 … Kelly Yanucil (Bordentown), 2013
• 141-  1 … Tumelo Nwanma (Vineland), 2016
• 141-  0 … Jocelyn McRae (Millville), 2006
• 140-  8 … Julianne Foering (Rancocas Valley), 2016
• 140-  1 … Caitlin Ciello (Eastern), 2002
• 140-  0 … Melissa Lake (Cherokee), 2011

Here’s the all-time meet performance list (since 2000):
140-  8 … Julianne Foering (Rancocas Valley), 2017
139-  1 … Kaela Schrier (Cherokee), 2016
137- 6 … Mercedes Glover (Burlington Twp.), 2010
136-11 … Kelly Yanucil (Bordentown), 2013
135-  9 … Melissa Lake (Cherokee), 2011
132-  8 ……… Lake, 2010
131- 1 … Faith Blamon (Cinnaminson), 2012
130- 6 …….. Foering (Rancocas Valley), 2016
128-  0 … Allison Vetter (Cinnaminson), 2006
127-  7 … Danielle Steff (Rancocas Valley), 2016
126-  4 …….. Foering, 2015
124-  8 … Betsy Kennedy (Delran), 2000
124-  6 …….. Yanucil, 2012
123-  6 …….. Yanucil, 2011
122-  8 … Jess Donoghue (Seneca), 2009
121-  5 …….. Schrier 2014

And every winner in meet history:
1978….. Cheryl Dutton (Willingboro) 104- 7
1979….. Amy Gaines (Kennedy) 113- 5
1980 ….. Denise Thomas (Willingboro) 113- 5
1981 ….. Donna Pritchett (Lenape) 122-11
1982 ….. Liz Pellerin (Holy Cross) 128-11
1983 ….. Lillian Rivera (Pemberton) 136- 5
1984 ….. Lillian Rivera (Pemberton) 133- 2
1985 ….. Joanne Sienkiewicz (Delran) 121-10
1986 ….. Joanne Sienkiewicz (Delran) 121-11
1987 ….. Kathy Patterson (Lenape) 113- 9
1988 ….. Tracy Ritter (Lenape) 121- 1
1989 ….. Jen Thornton (Shawnee) 107- 0
1990 ….. Michelle Labosky (Holy Cross) 94- 6
1991 ….. Sharon Sfrisi (Holy Cross) 105- 8
1992 ….. Sharon Sfrisi (Holy Cross) 118-11
1993 ….. Tricia Anderson (Cinnaminson) 107- 5
1994 ….. Tricia Anderson (Cinnaminson) 107- 4
1995 ….. Helen Labosky (Shawnee) 115- 2
1996 ….. Helen Labosky (Shawnee) 114- 5
1997 ….. Helen Labosky (Shawnee) 118- 9
1998 ….. Lynlee Phillips (Shawnee) 124- 7
1999 ….. Lynlee Phillips (Shawnee) 144- 2
2000 ….. Betsy Kennedy (Delran) 124- 8 [first year new javelin]
2001 ….. Aleyna Schaefer (Northern Burlington) 116- 9
2002 ….. Aleyna Schaefer (Northern Burlington) 128- 7
2003 ….. Aleyna Schaefer (Northern Burlington) 115- 7
2004 ….. Veronica Myricks (Willingboro) 116- 2
2005 ….. Brianna Brennen (Holy Cross) 114- 9
2006 ….. Allison Vetter (Cinnaminson) 128- 0
2007 …..Brianna Connor (Maple Shade) 118- 7
2008 …..Jess Donoghue (Seneca) 118- 6
2009 …. Jess Donoghue (Seneca) 122- 8
2010 ….. Mercedes Glover (Burlington Twp.) 137- 6
2011….. Melissa Lake (Cherokee) 135- 9
2012….. Faith Blamon (Cinnaminson) 131- 1
2013….. Kelly Yanucil (Bordentown) 136-11
2014….. Kaela Schrier (Cherokee) 121- 5
2015…..Julianne Foering (Rancocas Valley) 126- 4
2016….. Kaela Schrier (Cherokee) 139- 1
2017 … Julianna Foering (Rancocas Valley) 140-8

Foering’s 140-8 is No. 4 in the state this year and No. 2 in South Jersey behind Oakcrest sophomore Brielle Smith, who has a 145-0 to her credit.

Pennsville sophomore Arianna Smith has run three major 400-meter dash races this spring, and she’s PR’d in each one.

Her last PR is the fastest time in South Jersey this year!

Smith ran 56.71 to win the Tri-County 400 Thursday after a 57.77 for third ta the Rowan Invitational and a 57.39 to win the Salem County meet.

Smith never broke 60 seconds as a freshman, when she focused mainly on the high hurdles (and placed fourth in the state Group 1 meet).

Smith did also win the 100-meter highs Thursday with a PR 15.04, but her 56.71 is the fastest in South Jersey this year and No. 6 in the state. It’s also just 15-100ths of a second off the meet record of 56.56 set in 2012 by Penns Grove’s Faleesha Dowe.

It’s also third-fastest in Salem County history behind Dowe (54.75) and Candyce DeLoatch of Schalick (55.84 in 1996).

Smith’s 15.04 in the high hurdles is No. 7 in South Jersey this year and No. 2 among South Jersey sophomores, behind only Atlantic City’s Claudine Smith, who ran 14.89 Thursday at the Cape Atlantic meet.

As of now, Smith is the No. 1 seed going into sectionals in both the 400 and the highs among all New Jersey Group 1 athletes and No. 6 in the 200 (25.82).

 

Led by Jonathan Taylor’s anchor leg, Salem ran the fastest 400-meter relay in New Jersey history by a Group 1 school, burning the Delsea track in 41.71 seconds Thursday at the Tri-County Conference championships in Franklinville.

The previous fastest time ever by a New Jersey Group 1 school was Salem’s 42.07 at last year’s Meet of Champions.

The time is No. 11 in South Jersey history and No. 16 in state history. Only eight New Jersey high schools — Camden (five times), Winslow (twice), Plainfield (twice) and Timber Creek, Trenton, Franklin Township, Willingboro and Weequahic — have ever run faster.

Here’s the updated all-time state 400-meter relay list:

40.92 .. Winslow, 2003
41.0h … Plainfield, 1980
41.09 … Camden, 2000
41.2h … Weequahic, 1972
41.25 … Camden, 2004
41.25 … Camden, 2001
41.45 … Timber Creek, 2014
41.46 … Franklin Twp., 2016
41.50 … Timber Creek, 2013
41.52 … Plainfield, 1998
41.54 … Camden, 2002
41.62 … Camden, 2003
41.64 … Winslow Twp., 2004
41.65 … Trenton, 1999
41.69 … Willingboro, 1991
41.71 … Edgewood, 2000
41.71 … Salem, 2017
41.71 … Teaneck, 2010
41.72 … Plainfield, 1998
41.74 … Rahway, 1985
41.5h … Westfield, 1978
41.80 … Oakcrest, 2012
41.82 … Neptune, 2009
41.83 … Camden, 1997
41.83 … Westfield, 1977
41.83 … Camden, 1997
41.83 … Oakcrest, 2011
41.85 … Pennsauken, 2016
41.6h … Montclair, 1984
41.6h … Montclair, 1972
41.89 … Deptford, 2017
41.91 … Irvington, 2005
41.7h … Camden, 1996
41.7h … Edgewood, 2001
41.98 … Plainfield, 2000

It’s not entirely clear who ran for Salem. The official results list Ramon Bentley, Jamere Furbush, Justin Harris and Zaire Jones. But obviously Taylor anchored, so one of those four didn’t run.

Whoever did, 41.71 is fast as heck. If Salem can run 2-100ths of a second faster, they’ll move into the all-time South Jersey top-10.

Salem’s Jonathan Taylor edged Mar-Quel Davis of Deptford in the 200-meter dash at Thursday’s Tri-County Conference meet, with Taylor and Davis running the two-fastest times in New Jersey this year!

Taylor ran 21.53 and Davis 21.57 in one of the fastest 200-meter dash races ever contested by South Jersey runners.

The only other races we could find involving two or more South Jersey runners going sub-21.60 fully automatic in the same race:

–> In the 2002 state Group 4 meet, Todd Dutch of Washington Township and Ron Hillian of Eastern went 1-2 in 21.33 and 21.56.

–> And in 2012, Fabian Santiago of Oakcrest and Jammed Muse of Timber Creek ran 1-2 in the South Jersey Group 3 race in 21.00 and 21.24, with Reginald Morton third in 21.38. But because none of those three ever came close to those times again, there are major questions about timing irregularities involving that particular race.

Curiously, neither Taylor nor Davis had broken 22 fully automatic before this race.

Taylor, the Meet of Champions winner at 100 meters last year, generally focuses on the shorter race. His previous 200 PR was a 22.00 to win Group 1 sectionals last year.

Davis’s previous 200 PR was 22.04 at the Gloucester County championships last weekend.

The two times are No. 17 and No. 22 on the all-time South Jersey performance list:

21.00 … Fabian Santiago (Oakcrest), 2012
21.06 … Dennis Mitchell (Edgewood), 1984
21.24 … Jamaad Muse (Timber Creek), 2012
21.14 … Reuben McCoy (Winslow Twp.), 2004
21.30 … T.J. Johnson (Egg Harbor Twp.), 2010
21.38 … Reginald Morton (Oakcrest), 2012
21.40 … Rob Gary (Lenape), 1998
21.40 … Todd Dutch (Washington Twp.), 2001
21.41 … Dorian Bryant (Kingsway), 2002
21.43 … Barry Cephas (Winslow Twp.), 2008
21.46 … Brondon Jenkins (Delran), 1994
21.46 … Sabli Gonnet (Eastern), 2007
21.47 … Curtis McIntyre (Bridgeton), 1992
21.51 … Reuben McCoy (Winslow Twp.), 2004
21.53 … Robert Hargrove (Vineland), 1996
21.53 … A.J. Bunton (West Deptford), 2006
21.53 … Jonathan Taylor (Salem), 2017
21.54 … Derek Ward (Kingsway), 1992
21.55 … Anthony Maturano (Hammonton), 2015
21.56 … Ron Hillian (Eastern), 2002
21.56 … Bruce Owens (Deptford), 2005
21.56 … Darrell Bush (Woodbury), 2011
21.57 … Mar-Quel Davis (Deptford), 2017
21.58 … Antray Miles (Winslow Twp.), 2003
21.59 … John Stone (Mainland Reg.), 1997
21.60 … Juwan Johnson (Glassboro), 2013

Interestingly, another very fast 200 was going on nearby. At the Cape-Atlantic meet, Bo Melton of Cedar Creek ran 21.71, followed by Revell Williams of Bridgeton (21.74) and Amir Brock of Egg Harbor Township (21.77).

Those two races now make up five of the six-fastest times in South Jersey this year.