Lauren Princz of Egg Harbor, who just finished eighth grade at Fernwood Avenue Middle School, ran 24.77 for 200 meters Saturday in the preliminaries of the AAU Region 2 National Qualifier at Stockton University in Galloway.

Princz, a national age-group champ this past winter in the 60-meter dash, won her heat by nearly 1 1/2 seconds. Moforeh Abinusawa of Ambler ran 25.01 in another heat.

Region 2 covers all of South Jersey and the eastern portion of Pennsylvania.

Princz’s time was faster than the fastest qualifying times in either the 15-16 age group or the 17-19 age group.

Only six girls in New Jersey ran as fast as 24.77 this past season, including four from South Jersey. The last New Jersey freshman to run that fast was Myasia Jacobs of Paramus Catholic in 2009.

The final is scheduled for Sunday afternoon.

Princz also won the 400 in 58.60 and placed second in the 100 with a 12.65, behind only Abinusawa’s 12.32.  Princz actually ran 12.49 in the trials.

So her triple before one day of high school was 12.49, 24.77 and 58.60.

The only New Jersey girls of any age to run that fast for all three sprints at any point this year were Shakira Dancy of Winslow, Cecelia Gerstenbacher of Delsea and Katie DeFrancesco of St. John Vianney.

 

Pleasantville High School graduate Nia Ali, a former Meet of Champions winner and the Olympic silver medalist last year, placed second in the 100-meter hurdles Saturday at the USATF National Championships in Sacramento.

World record holder Kendra Harrison won in 12.60 out of lane 5 and Ali was second in 12.68 in neighboring lane 6, 2-100ths of a second ahead of Kendra Manning, third in 12.70. The final was run into a strong 1.7-meters-per-second wind.

Ali actually ran 12.52 in the second of two semifinals, No. 2 in the world this year behind only Jasmin Stowers, who ran 12.47 in the first semifinal, and only 4-100ths off her PR of 12.48, which she ran in Des Moines in 2013, and faster actually than her silver-medal time at last year’s Olympics, which was 12.59.

Harrison, Ali and Manning will make up the U.S. team that will compete in the IAAF World Championships in London Aug. 4-13. The women’s 100-meter hurdles trials and semis are scheduled for Aug. 11, with the final on Aug. 12.

Ali is a two-time world indoor champion and Olympic silver medalist, but this is the first time she’s made a U.S. team headed to the World Championships outdoors.

 

Tim Van Liew, a graduate of Deptford High and an NCAA Division 3 champ for Rutgers-Camden, threw 252-4 on his final throw and placed fourth in the javelin at the USATF National Championships in Sacramento Saturday.

South Jersey finished with four of the top nine finishers, with former NCAA champion Curtis Thompson of Florence sixth at 238-8, U.S. No. 3 Chris Mirabelli of Holy Cross eighth at 230-6 and Tom Carr of Eastern High ninth in 230-3 and missing the finals by just three inches.

Van Liew, 27, just missed his PR of 253-4, which he set earlier this month at a low-key meet at Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pa. He was primarily a soccer player at Deptford and never threw the javelin until his senior year. After focusing on soccer his first two years at Rutgers-Camden, he finally resumed the javelin and won two NCAA Division 3 titles. He was a four-year starter in goal at Rutgers-Camden.

Thompson has a PR of 271-11 from last year’s nationals — which were the Olympic Trials. Mirabelli has a PR of 251-6 from this year’s Penn Relays and ranked No. 3 among American men going into nationals. Carr has a PR of 238-9 going back to 2015. Mirabelli and Carr are teammates at Rutgers.

Here’s a look at the event for the four South Jersey natives:

TOM CARR: Carr opened with a 207-8 and then moved into ninth place with a 230-3 on his second throw. He remained there the rest of the competition. Carr finished with a 210-8. Carr finished three feet shy of his season-best 233-3, also set at Ursinus.

CHRIS MIRABELLI: Mirabelli’s best throw was his first throw. He opened with a 230-6 and was in fifth place after the first throws. He dropped into eighth after the second round, in which he threw 227-9, and stayed there. Mirabelli threw 220-1 on his final throw of the prelims, then fouled on all three of his attempts in the finals.

CURTIS THOMPSON: Thompson had thrown a season-best 245-0 in a meet earlier this month in Germany, but his best Saturday was a 238-8, which came on his final throw. Thompson opened with a 228-8, a 232-3 and a foul in the prelims, then went 216-3, 225-8 and 238-8 in the finals.  His final throw moved him from seventh to sixth.

TIM VAN LIEW: Van Liew had a solid series, averaging 243-6 on his four legal throws and finishing with the second-best throw of his career. He opened with a foul and then threw 232-8 to move into fifth and 246-4 to move into fourth going into the finals. He didn’t improve his place, but after opening with a foul and a 243-0, he closed with that 252-4.

Nia Ali ran a season-best 12.74 despite a 1.2-meters-per-second headwind Friday to advance to the semifinals in the 100-meter hurdles at the USATF National Championships in Sacramento.

Ali, a graduate of Pleasantville High School and the Olympic silver medalist last year, won the second of four heats in the trials. Her time was third-fastest of the 16 hurdlers who advanced to Saturday’s semifinals.

Her time is No. 13 in the world this year.

Ali’s personal-best is a 12.48 in 2013. She ran 12.59 in winning the silver medal in Rio de Janeiro last summer.

The only women to race faster than Ali in Friday’s trials were world record holder Kendra Harrison (2017 world No. 1 12.54) and Oregon’s Alaysha Johnson (12.71), the Pac 12 champion.

“I can’t complain about anything,” Ali said. “It was a negative wind, but I am just happy to come out with the win. I have not won a race all year. It is perfect timing for me. I am happy I was able to execute in a comfortable fashion.”

The semifinals are scheduled for 4:05 p.m. Saturday, with the finals following at 5:54 p.m.

“I just want to approach with the same mentality and stay even-minded and at pace,” she said. “I need to focus on my own lane and focus on what my coaches tell me to do.”

English Gardner, in her first race since placing seventh in the Olympic 100 final last year, easily advanced in the 100 at the USATF championships in Sacramento.

Gardner, a graduate of Eastern Regional High and a gold medalist in the 400-meter relay, ran 11.04 and advanced to the semifinals on Friday evening.

Gardner has a PR of 10.74, which is seventh-fastest in world history. She ran that at last year’s Olympic Trials in Eugene, and it’s second-fastest in Trials history, fastest other than Florence Griffith-Joyner, whose 1988 performances were achieved under a cloud of suspicion.

Torie Bowie led all qualifiers with a 10.90, fifth-fastest in the world this year. Gardner had the eighth-fastest qualifying time, but the No. 2 through No. 12 times were all from 10.98 through 11.07.

The semifinals are scheduled for 8:16 p.m. EST Friday and the finals at 10:52 p.m. EST.

Brian Merriman’s 47.8 anchor leg led Rancocas Valley to sixth place and All-America honors in the super sprint medley championship Sunday at the 32nd annual National Scholastic Championships at Aggie Stadium in Greensboro, N.C.

The all-senior team of Robert Hawkins and Brandon Boggs on the 100 legs, Sam Keleekai on the 200 and Merriman on the 400 ran 1:31.48, the fourth-fastest time in South Jersey history and No. 9 in state history.

Eight of the top 19 teams in the race were New Jersey schools, but R.V. was fastest of the bunch, and the Red Devils’ time is fastest by any New Jersey school since Cherry Hill East ran 1:31.22 five years ago.

The same quartet ran 1:29.11 in the 800-meter relay, placing 16th overall.

Here’s the all-time state list in the super sprint medley:

1:30.09 … Willingboro, 2007
1:30.11 … Ewing, 2003
1:30.84 … Pope John XXIII, 2010
1:31.05 … Camden, 2005
1:31.10 … Teaneck, 2010
1:31.21 … Teaneck, 2007
1:31.22 … Cherry Hill East, 2012
1:31.25 … Trenton, 2003
1:31.48 … Rancocas Valley, 2017
1:31.66 … Willingboro, 2006
1:31.72 … Union Catholic, 2008
1:31.89 … Columbia, 2009
1:32.48 … Hudson Catholic, 2015
1:32.55 … East Orange, 2017
1:32.71 … Ridgewood, 2017
1:32.76 … Trenton, 2012
1:32.76 … Don Bosco, 2011
1:32.90 … Snyder, 2011
1:32.95 … Manalapan, 2012
1:32.98 … Egg Harbor, 2015

Mar-Quel Davis anchored Deptford to a sizzling 41.55 in the 400-meter relay and third place at the National Scholiastic Outdoor Championships Sunday in Greensboro, N.C.

Deptford, which set the Gloucester County record of 41.71 at the state Group 3 meet last month, lowered its own county record and recorded the No. 12 time in state history and No. 8 time in South Jersey history.

The team of sophomores Khi’on Smith and Tyriq Bundy and seniors Jaythan Vereen and Davis ran 41.80 in the trials, fourth-fastest in the preliminary rounds.

In the final, the Spartans finished behind only Parkview High of Lilburn, Ga. (41.09) and Western Branch of Chesapeake, Va. (41.47).

All-Time New Jersey 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
41.55 … Deptford, 2017
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
41.86 … Pennsauken, 2017
41.6h … Montclair, 1984
41.6h … Montclair, 1972
41.91 … Irvington, 2005
41.7h … Camden, 1996
41.7h … Edgewood, 2001
41.96 ,.. Perth Amboy, 2017
41.98 … Plainfield, 2000

All-Time South Jersey 400-Meter Relay List
40.92 … Winslow, 2003
41.09 … Camden, 2000
41.25 … Camden, 2004
41.25 … Camden, 2001
41.45 … Timber Creek, 2014
41.50 … Timber Creek, 2013
41.54 … Camden, 2002
41.55 … Deptford, 2017
41.62 … Camden, 2003
41.64 … Winslow Twp., 2004
41.69 … Willingboro, 1991
41.71 … Edgewood, 2000
41.71 … Salem, 2017
41.80 … Oakcrest, 2012
41.83 … Camden, 1997
41.83 … Camden, 1997
41.83 … Oakcrest, 2011
41.85 … Pennsauken, 2016
41.86 … Pennsauken, 2017
41.7h … Camden, 1996
41.7h … Edgewood, 2001

Moorestown senior Brandon Outlaw, whose 46.25 for 400 meters at the National Scholastic Outdoor Championships Sunday was No. 3 in state history, learned long after the race that he had been disqualified for stepping on the line inside his lane.

Moorestown coach Troy Pappas said he immediately appealed the decision but the appeal was denied. He said he’s exploring additional appeals.

In high school meets, a runner must take at least three steps outside his lane to be disqualified. But the National Scholastic Championships are operated by the USATF under IAAF rules, and under that rulebook, a runner can he DQ’d for one step outside his lane.

Pappas said Outlaw’s DQ came along the final straightaway, and any appeal would be on the grounds that a runner only gains a competitive advantage if he runs on the line along the turn or if he interferes with another runner, neither of which was the case.

Outlaw, whose previous PR was 46.68 at sectionals, ran the fastest time in South Jersey in 33 years and the third-fastest time in state history.

Generally, when a runner is DQ’d, he learns before he even leaves the track. Outlaw didn’t even learn about his DQ until well after the race, when he was about to step onto the podium to receive his second-place medal.

Outlaw plans to run for Virginia next year.

Moorestown senior Brandon Outlaw earned All-America honors for the second time this weekend Sunday when he placed second in the 400-meter dash with a time of 46.25 at the 32nd annual National Scholastic Outdoor Track Championships in Greensboro, N.C.

Outlaw, whose previous PR was 46.82 at sectionals, broke the Burlington County record of 46.62, set in the 1991 Meet of Champions by Olympian Lamont Smith of Willingboro. His time is No. 2 in South Jersey history behind Olympian Dennis Mitchell’s storied 46.02 for Edgewood at the 1984 state Group 4 meet and No. 3 in state history behind Clayton Parros of Seton Hall Prep, who ran 45.71 in 2009, and Mitchell.

So Outlaw’s time is fastest by a South Jersey runner in 33 years and fastest by a New Jersey quarter-miler in eight years.

Outlaw finished second to Tyrese Cooper of Norland High School in Miami, who ran 45.81 to win his second straight national title. He has a PR of 45.23 from winning last year’s AAU Junior Olympics. Cooper hasn’t lost a 400 in a high school race since nationals his sophomore year, when he was third.

On Saturday, Outlaw ran the 400 leg on Moorestown’s fourth-place team in the sprint medley.

All-Time South Jersey 400-Meter Dash List
46.02 … Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 1984
46.25 … Brandon Outlaw [Moorestown], 2017
46.62 … Lamont Smith [Willingboro], 1991
46.67 … Jamaad Muse [Timber Creek], 2014
46.77 … Reuben McCoy [Winslow Twp.], 2004
46.82 … Brandon Outlaw [Moorestown], 2017
46.90 … Antonio Abney [Willingboro], 2007
46.95 … Darrell Bush [Woodbury], 2012
47.03 … Royce Reed [Bridgeton], 1994
47.1h … Darron Outler [Lenape], 1984
47.2h … Levin Handy [Vineland], 1969
47.2h … Brian Bennett [Edgewood], 1985
47.48 … Ron Hillian [Eastern], 2002
47.3h … Curtis Mcintyre [Bridgeton], 1992
47.59 … Jade Smith [Camden], 2002
47.4h … Ken Moore [Overbrook], 1984
47.4h … Chuck Carter [Eastern], 1985
47.4h … Barry Douglas [Willingboro], 1993
47.64 … Keith Griffith [Florence], 2010
47.30 … Rob Gary [Lenape], 1998
47.76 … Carl Smith [Camden], 2005
47.88 … Shawney Kersey [Woodbury], 2009
47.88 … Damiere Byrd [Timber Creek], 2011

All-Time New Jersey Sub-47 400-Meter Dash List
45.71 … Clayton Parros [Seton Hall Prep], 2009
46.02 … Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 1984
46.25 … Brandon Outlaw [Moorestown], 2017
46.28 … Zyaire Clemes [Trenton], 2013
46.34 … Ray Williams [Scotch Plains-Fanwood], 2002
46.3h … Ron Freeman [Jefferson], 1965
46.43 … Najee Glass [St. Peter’s], 2011
46.62 … Gary Satterwhite [Rahway], 1985
46.62 … Lamont Smith [Willingboro], 1991
46.67 … Jamaad Muse [Timber Creek], 2014
46.68 … Lance Wigfall [East Orange], 2003
46.77 … Reuben McCoy [Winslow Twp.], 2004
46.81 … Andrew Valmon [Manchester Twp.], 1983
46.81 … Taylor McLaughlin [Union Catholic], 2014
46.82 … Brandon Outlaw [Moorestown], 2017
46.84 … Kevin Lyles [Franklin], 1991
46.84 … Mario Hezlop [Franklin], 2017
46.87 … Ty Adams [Monmouth Reg.], 1993
46.88 … Shaquan Brown [JFK Paterson], 2005
46.90 … Antonio Abney [Willingboro], 2007
46.94 … Bryant McCombs [Old Bridge], 2005
46.95 … Darrell Bush [Woodbury], 2012
46.95 … Adian Sanderson [Ewing], 2003
46.95 … Charles Cox [Monmouth Reg.], 2007
46.8h … Darrell Jeffress [Trenton], 1978

The Winslow girls ran the second-fastest 400-meter relay in South Jersey history Saturday at the National Scholastic Championships in Greensboro, N.C.

The likely team of  Iyianna Williams or Janeya Hammond, Tionna Tobias, Flora Ahiarakwe and Shakira Dancy ran 46.98 to place 10th overall. The official results inexplicably do not list relay participants this year.

The only faster time in South Jersey history belongs to Eastern, which ran 46.87 in 2003. Willingboro ran a hand-timed 46.9 in 1980, but Winslow’s time is intrinsically faster because it’s FAT timed.

Winslow’s time is No. 10 in state history. Winslow missed qualifying for the championship race by 23-100ths of a second.

Winslow’s previous best this year and previous school record was a 47.05 at the Penn Relays.

All-Time State 400-Meter Relay List
45.50 … Montclair, 1998
45.89 … Columbia, 2010
46.08 … Trenton, 1984
46.42 … Franklin Twp., 2003
46.84 … Piscataway, 2014
46.87 … Eastern, 2003
46.89 … Franklin Twp., 2001
46.90 … Paramus Catholic, 2010
46.96 … Columbia, 2009
46.98 … Winslow Twp., 2017
47.02 … Columbia, 2005
47.06 … Winslow Twp., 2014
47.07 … Summit, 2017
47.09 … Shabazz, 1986
47.12 … Columbia, 2012
46.9h … Willingboro, 1980
47.18 … Winslow Twp., 2013
47.22 … Trenton, 2002
47.22 … Columbia, 2014
47.27 … Trenton, 1983
47.27 … Delsea, 2017

All-Time S.J. 400-Meter Relay List
46.87 … Eastern, 2003
46.98 … Winslow Twp., 2017
46.9h … Willingboro, 1980
47.18 … Winslow Twp., 2013
47.3h … Willingboro, 1981
47.45 … Willingboro, 1994
47.54 … Winslow Twp., 2003
47.4h … Camden,, 1978
47.4y … Camden, 1979
47.75 … Eastern, 2002
47.76 … Winslow Twp., 2005
47.76 … Winslow Twp., 2012
47.78 … Delsea, 2017
47.8h … Willingboro, 2003
47.82 …Moorestown, 2000
47.83 … Rancocas Valley, 2017
47.85 … Deptford, 2015
47.87 … Winslow Twp., 2011
47.9h … Willingboro, 1995
47.94 … Camden, 2000
48.0h … Camden, 1995
48.0h … Wilson, 2008
48.03 … Penns Grove, 2014
48.07 … Camden, 2006
48.08 … Winslow Twp., 2004
48.08 … Willingboro, 2009
48.09 … Lakewood, 2000
48.1h … Willingboro, 1979
48.12 … Washington Twp., 2001
48.14 … Camden, 1997
48.23 … Wilson, 2006
48.23 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2015
48.24 … Camden, 2008