From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Derek Gess split 1:54.81 to anchor Haddonfield to the fourth-fastest 4-by-800 time in the country this year.

Greg Eisenhower ran 2:02.71 out of the hole, followed by Ethan Spellmeyer (1:59.64) and Martin Riddell (2:00.42), who set up Gess’s hot anchor leg.

The Bulldogs ran 7:57.56 to finish first at the Varsity Classic at the 168th Street Armory. That’s No. 4 on the 2019 U.S. list according to the MileSplit data base.

The official results don’t list who ran for Haddonfield, but Riddell, Eisenhower, Spellmeyer and Gess were the legs when the Bulldogs ran 8:06.47 to easily win the 4-by-8 at the Group 2 State relays in mid-January.

If anyone can provide us with the order – and the correct lineup if this isn’t it – please step forward because we want to credit someone for the 1:54.8 anchor!

Haddonfield’s time is only two seconds off the indoor school record of 7:55.44 set by the 2010 Haddonfield team.

It appears to be No. 14 on the all-time South Jersey list, although some times from the 1970s and 1980s could be missing.

It’s also No. 2 in New Jersey this year, behind only St. Benedict’s of Newark, which ran a U.S.-leading 7:47.60 at the N.J. Catholic Track Conference Relays at the Armory in December.

Haddonfield was third behind Rahway after the leadoff legs and a close second to Rahway on the second and third handoffs. Rahway wound up second in 8:01.18.

Surprising but it looks Haddonfield’s time is actually No. 4 in Camden County history indoors behind only two Washington Township performances and Haddonfield’s own race in 2010.

ALL-TIME S.J. 3,200-METER RELAY 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
7:57.28 … Rancocas Valley, 2018
7:57.29 … Oakrest, 2009
7;57.56 … Haddonfield, 2019
7:57.5h … Willingboro, 1983
7:58.08 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2016
7:59.05 … Pleasantville, 2015
7:59.51 … Pleasantville, 2012
7:59.84 … Kingsway, 2014
7:59.91 … Kingsway, 2013