Monmouth freshman Danielle Steff, a graduate of Rancocas Valley, bombed a massive javelin PR Saturday at the MAAC Championships at Rider University in Lawrenceville.

Steff threw 160-7 on her final attempt of the competition, moving her less than four feet from the school record and Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference meet record of 164-4 set in 2014 by Kelsey Reese.

Steff won by more than 30 feet over Quinnipiac’s Emily Dryzgula, who threw 131-9 for second.

Faith Blamon, a Cinnaminson graduate, is the only other 160-foot thrower in Monmouth history.

Steff opened action Saturday with a 137-10, a foul and a 139-3. In the finals she fouled, threw 124-1 and then finished with her bomb on the final throw of the competition.

Steff’s previous PR was 156-0 last weekend at the Penn Relays.

I would love to tell you where Steff’s throw ranks in meet history, but the MAAC “digital program” is pathetic and doesn’t list any previous winners.

Monmouth went 1-3-6-8 for 20 team points in the javelin.

 

Haddonfield junior Derek Gess ran 1:55.13 Thursday night winning the 800 and PR’ing at the 26th annual South Jersey Invitational at Delsea.

It’s his second straight SJI 800 win after a 1:56.79 last year. He’s only the second half-miler to repeat in the quarter century of the SJI, the first in 13 years, since Bordentown’s national 800 champ Rob Novak in 2004 and 2005.

His time is fastest at the South Jersey Invite since Kevin Canfarini of West Deptford’s 1:55.13 in 2014 and matches the fastest since 2013, when LaQuan James of Vineland ran 1:53.98.

Gess broke his overall PR of 1:55.93 that he set when he placed fourth at Easterns this winter at the Armory, and he dipped more than 1 1/2 seconds below his previous outdoor PR of 1:56.66 set his freshman year at South Jersey Group 2 sectionals at Central Regional in Bayville.

Gess time is No. 1 in South Jersey this winter and No. 2 in the state, behind Luke Peralto of Passaic, who ran 1:50.62 to win the Dominican Republic National Championships last month in Santo Domingo.

Here’s a look at every runner in meet history who’s gone 1:56 or faster:

<strong>ALL-TIME SJI 800 PERFORMANCE LIST</strong>

1:53.2 Fred Sharpe (Paulsboro), 1997 [1st]

1:53.2 Rob Novak (Bordentown), 2005 [1st]

1:53.95 Ben Potts (Haddonfield), 2011 [1st]

1:53.98 LeQuan James (Vineland), 2013 [1st]

1:54.14 William Dolan (Clearview), 2013 [2nd]

1:54.18 Isaac Clark (Pleasantville), 2012 [1st]

1:54.22 Murad Campbell (Overbrook), 1998 [1st]

1:54.54 Jacob Clark (Pleasantville), 2012 [2nd]

1:54.9 Rondell Braxton (Highland), 1992  [1st]

1:54.9 Mark Davis (Highland), 1996  [1st]

1:54.92 Rob Novak (Bordentown), 2004 [1st]

1:55.03 Tivo Rivera (Kingsway), 2011[2nd]

1:55.13 Kevin Cianfarini (West Deptford), 2014 [1st]

1:55.13 Derek Gess (Haddonfield), 2018 [1st]

1:55.15 Wayne Riley (Willingboro), 1997[2nd]

1:55.20 Joe Lewis (Pleasantville), 1998[2nd]

1:55.25 Ishmael Muhammad (Oakcrest), 2013 [3rd]

1:55.3 Jaja Fisher (Cherokee), 1993  [1st]

1:55.3 John Keevey (Cinnaminson), 1992 [2nd]

1:55.53 Aaron Johnson (Oakcrest), 2009 [1st]

1:55.55 Ryan Garvin (Lenape), 2008 [1st]

1:55.5 Marc Pelerin (Cherokee), 2001 [1st]

1:55.7 Nelson Cresson (Delsea), 1995  [1st]

1:55.81 Robert Edwards (Bridgeton), 2002  [1st]

1:55.97 Ford Palmer (Absegami), 2008 [2nd]

1:56.0 Zach McBride (Lenape), 2001 [2nd]

And here’s a list of every winner in meet history:

<strong>ALL-TIME SJI 800 WINNER</strong>

2018: Derek Gess (Haddonfield) 1:55.13

2017: Derek Gess (Haddonfield) 1:56.79

2016: Jacob Tyndale (Rancocas Valley) 1:56.61

2015: Eric Barnes (Egg Harbor Twp.) 1:55.86

2014: Kevin Cianfarini (West Deptford) 1:55.13

2013: LeQuan James (Vineland) 1:53.98

2012: Isaac Clark (Pleasantville) 1:54.18

2011: Ben Potts (Haddonfield), 1:53.95

2010: Daniel Galeano (Absegami) 1:57.94

2009: Aaron Johnson (Oakcrest) 1:55.53

2008: Ryan Garvin (Lenape) 1:55.55

2007: Ford Palmer (Absegami) 1:58.57

2006: Casey Pinckney (Camden) 1:58.47

2005: Rob Novak (Bordentown) 1:53.2

2004: Rob Novak (Bordentown) 1:54.92

2003: Jon Anderson (Cinnaminson) 1:57.4

2002: Robert Edwards (Bridgeton) 1:55.81

2001: Marc Pelerin (Cherokee) 1:55.5

2000: James Holden (Bridgeton) 1:56.14

1999: Marvin Sewell (Pennsauken) 1:58.72

1998: Murad Campbell (Overbrook) 1:54.22

1997: Fred Sharpe (Paulsboro) 1:53.2

1996: Mark Davis (Highland) 1:54.9

1995: Nelson Cresson (Delsea) 1:55.7

1994: Nick Cavalarro (Paul VI) 1:57.1

1993: Jaja Fisher (Cherokee) 1:55.3

1992: Rondell Braxton (Highland) 1:54.9

Haddon Township graduate Brenna Smith, a senior at Liberty University, shattered the 160-foot barrier in the javelin at the Duke Invitational in Durham, N.C.

Smith improved her PR from 159-3, which she threw at the Florida State Relays in March, to 161-7 to break her own Liberty school record as well as the meet record (159-4 by Lauren Lubarski of East Carolina in 2017) and facility record at Duke’s Morris Williams Stadium (160-4 by Christine Rickert of High Point in 2015).

Smith’s mark is No. 33 in NCAA Division 1 this year. She’s one of three South Jersey throwers who have thrown at least 155 feet this spring. Junior Megan SaxvanderWeyden of Baylor through Pennsville has a 158-7 from a meet at Texas Christian, and Monmouth freshman Danielle Steff of Rancocas Valley threw 156-0 at the Penn Relays.

Liberty is off this weekend but will compete in the Big South Conference Championships at High Point next weekend. Smith will shoot for her second straight conference title after placing third as a freshman and as a sophomore, and Liberty will be seeking its fourth straight team title.

The meet record of 164-7, set last year by Rickert, is only three from Smith’s new PR.

Egg Harbor senior Ajae Alvarez-Tyler, the Easterns indoor 400 champ, ran her first serious outdoor 400 on Friday night and came through with a 1 1/2-second outdoor PR and first place in the Rowan Open, held at Washington Township High School this year.

Alvarez-Tyler ran 56.60, breaking her PR of 56.78 set at Easterns and her outdoor PR of 58.07, set at the 2016 Cape-Atlantic Championships at Bridgeton, when she was second to Tia DuPont of Our Lady of Mercy, a soccer star who had a brief track career.

Alvarez-Tyler’s time is No. 1 in New Jersey this year and fastest at the Rowan Invite since Faleesha Dowe of Penns Grove won the 2013 race in 56.25.

It’s also No. 5 in Atlantic County history and fastest in five years.

She won by a a step over sophomore Nylah Perry of Winslow, who was second in 56.99, a huge PR of her own.

Perry didn’t run track last year and her fastest indoor time was 1:01.47 at an early Bennett Center meet.

ALL-TIME ATLANTIC COUNTY 400 LIST
54.35 … Nijgia Snapp [Oakcrest], 2008
54.51 … Katrina Sye [Buena] 1998
55.78 … Andrea Olsen [Buena], 2013
56.05 … Marcene Jack [Mainland Reg.], 2004
56.60 … Ajae Alvarez-Tyler [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2018
56.61 … Joshonda Johnson [Absegami], 2016
56.94 … Ariyana Wilkes [Holy Spirit], 2017
57.28 … Orinthia Jones [Absegami], 1997
57.28 … Shalarese Mills [Oakcrest], 2002
57.85 … Juanita Caldwell [St. Joe’s-Hammonton], 2010

Atlantic City junior Claudine Smith, one of New Jersey’s most accomplished hurdlers, unleashed the No. 2 triple jump mark in South Jersey history Friday night, soaring 40-1 1/2 at the Rowan Open, held this year at Washington Township.

The only jumper in South Jersey history to jump farther is Northern Burlington’s Ashley Edwards, who went 40-10 1/4 at the 2014 New Balance Nationals.

Smith, the state Group 4 and Easterns hurdles champ indoors, broke the meet record of 38-3 set in 2009 by Adaobi Unachukwu of Marlboro and broke the Atlantic County record of 39-2 1/4 set two years ago by Absegami’s Mariah Hubbard, who went 39-2 1/4 at the Meet of Champions.

Smith’s previous PR was 37-0 1/2 at the Woodbury Relays last month.

Smith opened with a foul, then went 35-8 1/2, a PR 38-6 and the winning 40-1 1/2 and finished with a foul.

She is an accomplished hurdler (8.05 in the 55 highs indoors, runner-up last spring at states), sprinter (fourth at indoor states in the 55) and long jumper (18-5 1/2 at Woodbury).

Now she has another event and she’s already one of the best in state history — the 16th jumper in New Jersey history to surpass 40 feet.

Smith is Atlantic City’s first winner at the Rowan Open in 12 years, since Kimberly Warren won her second straight discus title in 2006.

Here’s a look at every 38-foot jumper in South Jersey history:

ALL-TIME S.J. TRIPLE JUMP LIST
40-10 1/4 … Ashley Edwards [Northern Burlington], 2014
40-1 1/2 … Claudine Smith [Atlantic City], 2018
39-7 1/2 … Zenee Gadson [Glassboro], 2012
39-7 1/4 … Shaya Wilkerson [Lenape], 2012
39-6 … Jessica Mills [Deptford], 2005
39-5 1/2 … Elizabeth Montague [Cherokee], 2014
39-3 … Genevieve Okoro [Eastern Reg.], 2010
39-2 1/4 … Mariah Hubbard [Absegami Reg.], 2016
38-11 … Rachel Montague [Cherokee], 2008
38-8 … Shameka Marshall [Oakcrest], 2001
38-8 … Javona Ford [Millville], 2010
38-6 … Monet Gist [Atlantic City], 2013
38-1 … Cidae’a Woods [Winslow Twp.], 2014
38-0 1/4 … Janell Rowe [Sterling], 2017
38-0 1/4 … Caleah Allen [Williamstown], 2012

Lauren Prinz led six girls under 12.7 with a PR 12.28 to win the 100-meter dash Friday night at the Rowan Open, held this year at Washington Township High School.

Prinz, a freshman at Egg Harbor, lowered her PR from 12.31, which she ran in an AAU meet last summer. The Rowan 100 was her first open 100 in high school competition.

Woodrow Wilson junior Dennisha Page led all qualifiers with a 12.40 in the trials, with Prinz (12.46), Cherry Hill East junior Maya Drayton (12.54), Pau VI junior Aaliyah Vandergrift (12.64), Mainland Regional sophomore Claire Pedrick (12.68) and Eastern freshman Jailya Ash (12.69) all under 12.70.

In the final Princz ran 12.28 into a 0.3 wind, finishing just ahead of Page, who ran 12.36. Ash ran 12.58 for third and Winslow senior Shakira Dancy ran 12.59 for fourth, followed by Pedrick (12.60) and Vandergrift (12.63).

Princz’s 12.28 is No. 2 in New Jersey and No. 1 in South Jersey this year. The race produced the top six times in South Jersey this year.

 

 

You like PRs? Man, do we have a PR for you!

Millville junior Daniel Fenton, whose fastest 400 on record was a 51.01 last spring, ran 49.24 at the 26th annual South Jersey Invitational Thursday to win the 400-meter dash.

That’s a 1 3/4-second PR for Fenton, who ran 51.01 when he placed fourth at last year’s Cape Atlantic meet at Bridgeton.

Fenton is the first Millville runner to win the 400 at the SJI and only the sixth Millville winner in meet history.

Other Millville winners: Chris Church won the 100 and 200 in 2007, Raffael Craig and Robert Jordan won the high jump in 1998 and 1999, Nick Karisko won the pole vault in 1999, Nestor Galarza won the javelin in 2006.

Fenton is the fifth straight Cape-Atlantic Conference runner to win the South Jersey Invitational 400.

Fenton’s time is No. 1 in South Jersey this spring and No. 3 in the state, according to the Milesplit database.

It’s fastest by a Millville quarter-miler since Charles Harper ran 49.22 back in 2001 and fastest by any Cumberland County runner since Yadid Chaniz-Rico of Vineland ran 48.35 in 2007.

Fenton led four runners under 50 seconds. Camden’s Damon Rice was second in 49.51, Burlington Township’s Jalen Jones third in 49.76 and Atlantic City’s Isaiah Whaley fourth in 49.77.

Here’s a list of every 400 winner in meet history and another list with the top 20 400 times in meet history:

ALL-TIME SJI 400-METER DASH LIST
47.89 Darrell Bush (Woodbury), 2011
47.8 Ben Liles (Kingsway), 1992
47.9 Jade Smith (Camden), 2001
47.9 Curtis McIntyre (Bridgeton), 1992
48.1 Rob Gary (Lenape), 1998
48.44 Alex Dessoye (Egg Harbor Twp.), 2017
48.50 Nick Brown (Bridgeton), 1999
48.53 Phil Reid (Rancocas Valley), 2006
48.3 Steve Harper (Atlantic City), 1994
48.55 Mohamed Kanu (Lenape), 2000
48.57 Akmed Muhammad (Oakcrest), 2012
48.4 Royce Reed (Bridgeton), 1995
48.4 Mike Morrison (Willingboro), 2003
48.4 John Morris (Camden), 2001
48.5 Brondon Jenkins (Delran), 1994
48.5 Ian Moore (Lenape), 2001
48.76 Amir Brock (Egg Harbor Twp.), 2017
48.78 Martin Booker Jr. (Pennsauken), 2017
48.84 Geoff Valentine (Williamstown), 1997
48.6 Greg Arnett (Wilson), 1996

ALL-TIME SJI 400-METER DASH WINNERS
2018: Daniel Fenton (Millville) 49.24
2017: Alex Dessoye (Egg Harbor Twp.) 48.44
2016: Justin Bishop (Mainland Reg.) 49.33
2015: Alvin Abraham (Egg Harbor Twp.) 49.61
2014: Alvin Abraham (Egg Harbor Twp.) 48.98
2013: Jaymes Dennison (Penns Grove) 49.00
2012: Akmed Muhammad (Oakcrest) 48.57
2011: Darrell Bush (Woodbury) 47.89
2010: Alex Reber (Cherry Hill East) 49.12
2009: Santiago Galeano (Absegami) 50.16
2008: Geoff Navarro (Absegami) 48.96
2007: Antonio Abney (Willingboro) 48.92
2006: Phil Reid (Rancocas Valley) 48.53
2005: Not Held
2004: Carl Smith (Camden) 49.78
2003: Mike Morrison (Willingboro) 48.4
2002: Shareef Muhammad (W’boro) 50.07
2001: Jade Smith (Camden) 47.9
2000: Mohamed Kanu (Lenape) 48.55
1999: Nick Brown (Bridgeton) 48.50
1998: Rob Gary (Lenape) 48.1
1997: Geoff Valentine (Williamstown) 48.84
1996: Greg Arnett (Wilson) 48.6
1995: Kinshasa Morton (Cinnaminson) 49.5
1995: Royce Reed (Bridgeton) 48.4
1994: Steve Harper (Atlantic City) 48.3
1993: Ben Liles (Kingsway) 47.8

Cinnaminson senior Kamron Kobolak, who already owns the Burlington County shot put record, added the Burlco discus record to his resume Thursday night.

Kobolak, who set the shot put mark of 62-7 at indoor nationals this winter (and has thrown 58-1 outdoors), threw 177-6 on his second attempt of the night to win the discus Thursday night at the 26th annual South Jersey Invitational at Delsea.

Kobolak broke the Burlco discus mark of 174-4 set by Cherokee’s Dennis Norman at the same meet in 1997, when it was held at Eastern. Norman played football at Princeton and was the Seahawks’ seventh-round draft pick in 1997. He spent seven seasons in the NFL with the Seahawks, Jaguars and Chargers.

On the all-time South Jersey list, Kobolak moved into the No. 15 spot. His 177-6 is No. 6 on the all-time South Jersey Invitational performance list.

Kobolak’s improved his PR by more than 20 feet. His previous discus PR was a 155-8 at his last meet, the Bensalem Invitational two weeks ago. Coming into the spring season, Kobolak’s PR was a 153-8 from last year’s SJI meet.

Kobolak is the first thrower to simultaneously hold both Burlington County weight throw records in at least the late 1960s.

Kobolak is No. 3 in the state this year, behind Justin Gurth of Parsippany Hills, who threw 180-5 at the Dodgertown Relays in Madison earlier this month, and C.J. Licata of Gill St. Bernard’s, who threw 176-0 at the Skyland Conference Relays earlier this month in Basking Ridge.

Kobolak also broke the Cinnaminson school record of 165-4 set by Luke Adams earlier this year.

ALL-TIME S.J. DISCUS LIST
216-11 … Ron Dayne [Overbrook], 1996
199-  6 … Braheme Days Jr. [Bridgeton], 2013
197-  0 … James Plummer [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2013
192-  5 … Josh Awotunde [Delsea], 2013
189-  7 … Ray Wilks [Bridgeton], 1995
185-11 … John Mooers [Middle Twp.], 2015
185-10 … Russ Willett [Penns Grove], 1985
185-  7 … Matthew Huckabee [Timber Creek], 2010
185-  5 … Ken Manahan [Deptford], 1976
184-  4 … Adam Hunt [Collingswood], 2017
181-10 … Jason Winrow [Cumberland Reg.], 1989
180-  3 … Howard Clark [Pennsauken], 1998
179-11 … Nick Pulli [West Deptford], 2014
179-11 … Will Cioffi [Pitman], 2013
177-  6 … Kamron Kobolak [Cinnaminson], 2018

ALL-TIME S.J. INVITE DISCUS LIST
185- 7 … Matthew Huckabee (Timber Creek), 2010
185- 5 … Ron Dayne (Overbrook), 1996
182- 6 … Ray Wilks (Bridgeton), 1995
181- 0 … Josh Awotunde (Delsea), 2013
178-10 …….. Wilks, 1994
178-10 … Braheeme Days Jr. (Bridgeton), 2011
177-  6 … Kamron Kobolak [Cinnaminson], 2018
177- 5 … James Plummer (Egg Harbor Twp.) 2013
174- 4 … Dennis Norman (Cherokee), 1997
170- 7 …….. Awotunde, 2012
168- 0 …….. Plummer, 2012
166-11 … Nick Pulli (West Deptford), 2014
165-10 …….. Pulli, 2013
165-10 … Anthony Robertson (Penns Grove), 2014
164-10 … Ray Stinsman (Lenape), 2010
164- 7 …….. Huckabee, 2009
164- 4 … John Clark (Pennsville), 2007
164- 1 … Terrin Walker (Bridgeton), 1997
162- 8 …….. Wilks, 1993
162- 6 … Howard Clarke (Pennsauken), 1998
161- 0 … Alex Lewis (Delran), 2000
160- 0 …….. Dayne, 1995

ALL-TIME S.J. INVITE DISCUS LIST
185- 7 … Matthew Huckabee (Timber Creek), 2010
185- 5 … Ron Dayne (Overbrook), 1996
182- 6 … Ray Wilks (Bridgeton), 1995
181- 0 … Josh Awotunde (Delsea), 2013
178-10 …….. Wilks, 1994
178-10 … Braheeme Days Jr. (Bridgeton), 2011
177-  6 … Kamron Kobolak [Cinnaminson], 2018
177- 5 … James Plummer (Egg Harbor Twp.) 2013
174- 4 … Dennis Norman (Cherokee), 1997
170- 7 …….. Awotunde, 2012
168- 0 …….. Plummer, 2012
166-11 … Nick Pulli (West Deptford), 2014
165-10 …….. Pulli, 2013
165-10 … Anthony Robertson (Penns Grove), 2014
164-10 … Ray Stinsman (Lenape), 2010
164- 7 …….. Huckabee, 2009
164- 4 … John Clark (Pennsville), 2007
164- 1 … Terrin Walker (Bridgeton), 1997
162- 8 …….. Wilks, 1993
162- 6 … Howard Clarke (Pennsauken), 1998
161- 0 … Alex Lewis (Delran), 2000
160- 0 …….. Dayne, 1995

ALL-TIME BURLINGTON COUNTY DISCUS LIST
177-6 … Kamron Kobolak [Cinnaminson], 2018
174-4 … Dennis Norman (Cherokee), 1997
174-3 … Alex Lewis (Delran), 2000
171-10 … Steve Muse (Kennedy), 1984
171-6 … Rashaun Graves (Willingboro), 2013
170-10 … John McNeill (Kennedy), 1976
170-10 … Kurtis Johnson (Burlington Twp.), 1989
170- 4 … Ell Ash (Willingboro), 2004
169- 8 … Chuck Spinner (Willingboro), 1979
169- 7 … Greg Hardy (Kennedy), 1989

St. Augustine junior Sincere Rhea, the Meet of Champions high hurdles champ indoors, PR’d twice in the 110-meter high hurdles this weekend at the Springfield Invitational.

While most of the track world focused on the Penn Relays a few miles away at  Franklin Field, Rhea was in action at Springfield High School in Delaware County in the western suburbs.

Rhea began the weekend with a PR of 14.45 from a meet at Bensalem High School two weeks ago, but he ran 14.33 to lead all qualifiers in the trials Saturday and then lowered that to 14.28 in the finals.

Rhea’s only race under 15 seconds as a sophomore was a 14.99 in the finals of last year’s  state Parochial A race at Egg Harbor, where he placed fifth.

But he now is ranked No. 1 in New Jersey this year.

Rhea also won the 100 at Springfield with a 11.27 after a personal-best 11.26 in the trials. According to the Mile Split database it’s the first time he’s ever run a 100 in a major meet.