RV’s Mirabelli, Schalick’s Thomas lead large S.J. contingent to 123rd annual Penn Relays!!!!!

Rancocas Valley senior Nick Mirabelli and Schalick senior Zyra Thomas will lead a large South Jersey contingent to the 123rd annual Penn Relays later this month at Franklin Field on the University of Pennsylvania campus in West Philadelphia.

Mirabelli is the No. 2-ranked javelin thrower in the U.S at 220-10, and Thomas was the national shot put champion indoors with a 47-5 3/4.

High school acceptances in the 3,200-meter relay and distance medley won’t be announced until next week, but the Penn Relays announced the qualifiers for the individual high school events on Monday.

Athletes in the javelin, discus and 400-meter hurdles were able to use marks from last spring to qualify, since those events aren’t contested indoors. Athletes in all the other events could use marks from either the indoor season or the first few weeks of outdoors. The qualifying deadline was this past Sunday.

Here’s a look at the South Jersey athletes who will make the trip to Philadelphia for this year’s running of the oldest annual track meet in the world!

123rd Annual Penn Relays, Franklin Field
Thursday, April 26
Friday, April 27
Saturday, April 28

BOYS
400-meter hurdles, 9 a.m., Saturday
Kervens Mezilus, Cherry Hill East [53.28]
High Jump, 1:45 p.m., Friday
Kasso Peaks, Eastern [6-6]
Triple Jump, Noon, Saturday
Khaliel Burnett, Delsea [49-1]
Shot Put, 4:30 p.m., Friday
Kamron Kobolak, Cinnaminson [62-7 3/4]
Bill Goldsborough, Delsea [58-8 3/4]
Discus, 12:45 p.m., Friday
Tyler Anzisi, Egg Harbor Twp. [158-10]
Javelin, 2:45 p.m., Friday
Nick Mirabelli, Rancocas Valley [220-10]

GIRLS
400-meter hurdles, 10:20 a.m., Thursday

Jewel Ash, Eastern [1:02.11]
High jump, 2:30 p.m., Thursday
Tierra Hooker, Timber Creek [5-10]
Pole vault, 1:30 p.m., Thursday
Ashley Preston, Delsea [12-7]
Long jump, 1:45 p.m., Thursday
Tionna Tobias, Winslow Twp. [19-8 1/4]
Shot put, 3:30 p.m., Thursday
Zyra Thomas, Schalick [47-5 3/4]
Ciarra Johnson, Winslow Twp. [40-5]
Sydney Thomas, Haddon Heights [40-7 1/2]
Discus, 11:15 a.m., Thursday
Alexis Harrison, Millville [126-10]
Javelin, 4:45 p.m., Thursday
Brielle Smith, Oakcrest [145-0]
Alexa Gardner, Hammonton [142-1]

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Oakcrest graduate Olivier Paul records a fast win in first career collegiate 400IH race!!!!!

Olivier Paul’s first college intermediate hurdles race was a good one. Paul, an Oakcrest graduate, ran 54.97 to win the 400 hurdles on his home track at Stockton University in the Stockton Invitational. Paul won by about four meters.

Paul had a very good indoor season. He was second in the NJAC meet at 400 meters indoors and ran the 400 leg on Stockton’s 10:21.84 distance medley. He made his outdoor debut last weekend with the IH win.

Paul ranks 23rd in NCAA Division 3 and is the No. 3 freshman in the country, according to the Direct Athletics database.

At Oakcrest, Paul ran as fast as 53.65 to win the South Jersey Group 2 sectionals at Central Regional in Bayville.

Paul spent last year at Holy Family College in Northeast Philadelphia but according to archived results on the Holy Family web site he never competed for the Tigers.

Auburn’s Cade Antonucci of Holy Spirit obliterates his javelin PR, is now #1 U.S. freshman in NCAA Division 1!!!!!

Cade Antonucci continued his astounding freshman year at Auburn with a 13-foot javelin PR Saturday at the Jim Click Shootout at the Roy P. Drachman Stadium at the University of Arizona in Tucson.

The Holy Spirit graduate bombed a 231-5 to win the meet and lead a 1-2-3 Auburn sweep. The only better throw in Auburn history is Justin Carter’s 239-7 at the 2014 SEC championships in Lexington, Ky.

Antonucci opened at 206-1 and followed with a 198-10 before hitting his 231-5 on his third throw. He fouled, then passed and then finished with a 199-7.

Antonucci, a Mays Landing native, moved up to No. 12 among collegiate throwers, according to the DirectAthletics data base, and he’s also No. 12 among U.S. men, according to the IAAF database.

Before Saturday, Antonucci’s PR was his 220-11 from last year’s Meet of Champions at Northern Burlington. He approached that with a 218-8 two weeks ago at the Florida State Relays in Tallahassee.

Before the Meet of Champs last spring, Antonucci’s PR was a 206-10 from the state Parochial B meet his junior year. He has since thrown 220-11, 217-9, 218-8 and 231-5 in his last four meets.

At Holy Spirit, Antonucci threw 169-1 in the discus, 59-5 1/4 in the shot and 220-11 in the javelin.

Antonucci’s 231-5 is the No. 2 mark in college track this spring by a freshman. Anderson Peters of Mississippi State via Grenada opened with a 268-10 at the Bulldog Relays last month in Starkville, Miss.

His teammate, former NCAA champ Curtis Thompson of Florence, has not thrown this year.

Mainland’s Kobe Roberts heaves huge javelin PR at Jim Camburn Relays!!!!!

The New Jersey Milesplit database only shows a handful of career meets that Mainland Regional senior Kobe Roberts has thrown the javelin in.

There were three meets in 2016 and two last year, so the Jim Camburn Relays on Friday appears to be Roberts’ sixth career major meet in three years of high school track.

Talk about coming out of nowhere. The elusive Roberts, who is also Mainlands quarterback during football season, threw 197-1 in the large-school javelin competition at Buena, winning by more than 30 feet.

It’s the No. 2 throw in the state this year, behind only RV senior Nick Mirabelli’s 220-10 last weekend at the Rebel Relays in Howell, and it appears to be the No. 2 mark in Atlantic County history with the new implement, behind only Holy Spirit’s Cade Antonucci’s 220-11 at last year’s Meet of Champions.

Roberts’ previous career-best was a 184-4 at the same meet last year. His best throw ever outside Buena was a 172-5 at the 2016 South Jersey Group 3 sectionals at Northern Burlington.

Delsea’s Khaliel Burnett turns in a monster jumps double at West Chester Invite!!!!!

What a day for Delsea senior Khaliel Burnett at the West Chester University Golden Ram Invitational Friday!

Burnett jumped a lifetime-best 23-0 1/2 to win the long jump and nearly PR’d also in the triple jump, winning with a 48-2. His PR is 48-9 1/2, which won the Meet of Champions last year.

Burnett’s marks are both No. 1 in New Jersey this year. There was no wind information listed with the results of the field events.

In the long jump, Burnett won by nearly a foot over Miles Duncan of William Penn, who was second at 22-2. He won the triple by more than two feet over Naheem Moore of Coatesville, who jumped 46-0.

Teammate Tymir Kizee had a heck of a meet, too, jumping a personal-best 43-0 1/2 for third in the triple jump and winning the 110 highs in a near-PR 15.06 despite a 2.6-meters-per-second wind. Kizee ran 15.03 at sectionals last spring.

Back to Burnett.

His 23-0 1/2 is best by a Gloucester County jumper since Woodbury’s Anthony Averett jumped 25-2 1/2 at the 2012 Woodbury Relays [without a wind gauge]. He’s already No. 3 on the all-time South Jersey triple jump list.

How many 23-foot long jumpers have there been in South Jersey history? It’s quite a list!

All-Time South Jersey Long Jump List
26- 8 1/4 … Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 1979
25- 2 …….. Anthony Averett [Woodbury], 2012
25- 0 …….. William Spearman [Woodrow Wilson], 1996
24- 8 1/4 … Gerard Reynolds [Willingboro], 1989
24- 8 ….….. Isaac Samuels [Willingboro-Kennedy], 1983
24-11 1/4 … Anthony Miles [Winslow Twp.], 2002
24- 5 ….….. Mike Morrison [Willingboro], 2003
24- 3 3/4 … Mikhail Micheaux [Eastern], 2013
24- 0 1/2 … Kerry Vivett [Edgewood], 1984
23-11 1/2 … Syteek Farrington [Camden], 2009
23-11 ….….. Preston Beckley [Eastern], 1993
23-11 ….….. Nick Brown [Bridgeton], 1999
23-10 3/4 .. Bob Schuenemann [Collingswood], 1932
23-10 1/4 … Ben Liles [Kingsway], 1992
23-10 …….. Jerry Mathis [Willingboro], 1985
23-10 …….. Steve Harper [Atlantic City], 1993
23- 9 ……… Dave Klemic [Mainland Reg.], 1996
23- 9 ……… Robert Jordan [Millville], 1999
23- 8 1/2 … Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 1983
23- 8 1/2 … Lamar Sturdivant [Woodbury], 1996
23- 8 1/2 … Sean McPherson [Delsea], 2010
23- 8 ….….. Jamal Powell [Bridgeton], 1991
23- 7 3/4 … Clem Jones [Vineland], 1968
23- 7 1/2 … Matt Rose [Bordentown], 1984
23- 7 1/4 … Reginald Morton [Oakcrest], 2013
23- 6 1/2 … Ed Loges [Shawnee], 1992
23- 6 1/2 … Reggie Riggs [Pennsauken Tech], 1988
23- 6 …….. Tyler Clybourn [Oakcrest], 2016
23- 6 …….. Chris Gillis [Pennsauken], 2000
23- 5 1/2 … Damiere Byrd [Timber Creek], 2011
23- 5 1/2 … John Meekins [Cinnaminson], 1988
23- 5 1/4 … Chris Vasser [Cape May], 1978
23- 4 1/2 … Bo Melton [Cedar Creek], 2016
23- 4 1/2 … Sean Clifton [Edgewood], 1982
23- 3 1/2 … Tracy Hall [Moorestown], 1977
23- 3 1/4 … Stevenson Cajuste [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2008
23- 3 …….. Kimere Brown [Penns Grove], 2014
23- 3 …….. Jon Dickey [Penns Grove], 1985
23- 3 …….. Bill Conover [Collingswood], 1931
23- 3 …….. Lance Sherer [Vineland], 1978
23- 2 1/2 .. Jamar Byrd [Vineland], 2004
23- 2 1/4 .. Terrence Sorrell [Salem], 1988
23- 2 …….. Quasheem Taylor [Bridgeton], 2015
23- 2 …….. Dave Fairchild [Holy Cross], 1983
23 2 ……… Charles Armstead [Schalick], 1986
23- 2 …….. John Stone [Mainland Reg.], 1997
23- 2 …….. Louis Smith [Burlington Twp.], 1997
23- 1 3/4 … Curtis Wright [Edgewood], 1991
23- 1 3/4 … Marv Forchion [Willingboro], 1986
23- 1 3/4 … Andre Faulcon [Glassboro], 2002
23- 1 ……… Roosevelt Dunmore [Vineland], 1991
23- 1 ……… Jamil Sanders [Bridgeton], 1994
23- 1 ……… Daryll Williams [Deptford], 1996
23- 0 3/4 … Gary Melton [Cedar Creek], 2012
23- 0 1/2 … Iverson Clement [Rancocas Valley], 2017
23- 0 1/2 … Khalil Barge [Camden], 2000
23- 0 1/2 … Khaliel Burnett [Delsea], 2018
23- 0 1/2 … Gary Moore [Overbook], 1974
23- 0 1/4 … Brian Winchester [Vineland], 2010
23- 0 …….. Dave Still [Glassboro], 2016
23- 0 …….. Adam Kucinski [Highland], 2002
23- 0 …….. Keith Washington [Woodbury], 1978

West Deptford’s Nick Pulli PRs in hammer throw and moves into all-time Maryland top-10!!!!!

Maryland senior Nick Pulli, a West Deptford High graduate, has made huge strides in the hammer throw this spring, and he PR’d on Saturday in a quad meet in Charlottesville, Va.

Pulli threw 174-1, finishing second to U.S. #7 Hilmar Orn Jonsson of the host Cavaliers. It was Pulli’s third straight meet over 170 feet and broke his PR of 173-4, set three weeks ago at a meet on his home track in College Park, Md.

Before this year, Pulli’s hammer PR was 166-0 from the 2016 Maryland Invitational two years ago. He only threw it once last year.

Pulli was a shot and discus Meet of Champions winner at West Deptford, but he has only thrown the discus in one meet in college. He has thrown the 16-pound shot 53 feet but the hammer, an event he never contested in high school, has emerged as his strongest event.

Pulli’s 174-1 moved him into the No. 9 spot on the all-time Maryland hammer throw performance list.

RV grad Erika Kemp of N.C. State destroys her 1,500 PR at Raleigh Relays!!!!!

Rancocas Valley graduate Erika Kemp, now a senior at North Carolina State, ran a lifetime-best 4:17.93 for 1,500 meters this past weekend at the Raleigh Relays on the North Carolina State campus.

Kemp placed fifth behind two other Division 1 runners, a post-collegiate and record-setting Division 3 star Emily Richards of Ohio Northern.

Kemp’s time is seventh-fastest in NCAA Division 1 this year and No. 12 among all U.S. Women, according to the IAAF database.

Kemp’s previous PR at 1,500 meters was a 4:18.38 last April at the Charlotte Invitational. Her primary event is the 5,000, in which she has a PR of 15:41.23 from last April and which she’s raced at NCAAs three times.

At R.V., Kemp was the state Group 4 champ at 3,200 meters indoors and outdoors in 2013 and ran as fast as 10:40.95.

It was wind-aided, but Winslow’s Torie Robinson ran the fastest 100 of her life this weekend for Clemson!!!!!

Winslow Township grad Torie Robinson ran the fastest 100 of her life over the weekend, clocking a wind-aided 11.16 at the Texas Relays.

Robinson, a senior at Clemson, has a legal-wind PR of 11.31 from last year’s ACC championships at Georgia Tech. She matched that 11.31 in the trials at the Texas Relays.

Every 100 heat and final at this year’s Texas Relays was added by an illegal wind. Robinson’s 11.31 was aided by a 3.4 meters-per-second wind, and her 11.16 in the final was assisted by a 3.7 mps wind. Anything over 2.0 is considered wind-aided and is ineligible for all-time lists or record consideration.

Nonetheless, Robinson’s time equals the eighth-fastest under any conditions in NCAA Division 1 this year, according to the DirectAthletics data base, and is the fastest under any conditions in Clemson history. The official school record is 11.20, set in 2013 by Dezerea Bryant.

Including marks made in legal and wind-aided conditions, Robinson’s time is tied for 17th-fastest in the world this year and eighth-fastest among U.S. women.

Robinson was a Meet of Champions winner in the 55, 100 and intermediate hurdles during her brilliant career at Winslow.

Hammonton’s Lou Corgliano clocks big steeplechase PR and moves into all-time Maryland top-10!!!!!

Hammonton graduate Lou Corgliano, now a Maryland senior, PR’d in the steeplechase this weekend, running 9:05.48 at the Florida Relays.

Corgliano placed third behind a post-grad who ran 8:55 and a Florida A&M runner who finished about half a second ahead of him.

Corgliano’s previous steeple PR was a 9:10.55 from the same meet last year. This was his first steeple this spring.

His time is fastest by a Maryland runner since Greg Kelsey ran 8:55.80 at the 2010 NCAA East Regionals in Greensboro, N.C.

Corgliano moved into the all-time Maryland top-10, displacing Rob Bedell, who ran 9:07.93 in 1990.

At Hammonton, Corgliano ran 9:04.94 for 3,200 meters on the track and was a Foot Locker finalist and third in the XC Meet of Champions as as senior in the fall of 2013.

Rowan’s Mesiano and Salemo run hot in early intermediates test, then lead Profs to #1 D-III 1,600 relay time!!!!!

Rowan intermediate hurdlers Chris Mesiano and Anthony Salemo are in midyear form.

Mesiano, a junior from Schalick, ran 53.02 and Salemo, a senior from Ramsey, clocked 53.04 over the weekend at the Danny Curran Invitational at Widener’s track in Chester, Pa.

They were the only runners to break 56 seconds in the meet, and Mesiano’s margin of victory over his teammate and the defending NCAA Division 3 champion was about six inches.

Mesiano’s time was only 13-100ths off his PR of 52.89, set last May at a meet at Swarthmore. Salemo’s PR is 51.06 , set last May when he won the national title at Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio.

Mesiano and Salemo now rank fourth and fifth in NCAA Division 3.

Mesiano and Salemo also ran on the first-place 1,600-meter relay team along with senior Jamil Jackson of Highland and freshman Justin Bishop of Mainland Regional. Their 3:17.43 is the fastest in NCAA Division 3 this year.

Rowan, ranked No. 2 nationally by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, won the team title at the Danny Curran Invitational by a 194-128 score over Cortland State of New York.