The Rancocas Valley girls made the long trip from Mount Holly to Randolph to run a hot 800-meter relay at the 48th annual East Coast Relays and wound up winning the race by two seconds with the fastest outdoor time by a Burlington County school in 25 years.

Freshman Anabella Chin, seniors Darynn Minus-Vincent and Brianna Snowden and sophomore Sheriyah Nutt ran 1:41.34, beating second-place Ramapo by 15 meters.

It’s the fastest time anybody has run at the East Coast Relays since Mount Vernon (N.Y.) won the 2010 race in 1:39.77.

R.V.’s time is No. 4 in the state this year and No. 2 in South Jersey, behind only Eastern’s 1:40.46 back in early April at the Don Danser Relays.

It’s second-fastest in Burlington County history outdoors, behind only Willingboro’s 1:41.20 in 1994, although the overall county record is Moorestown’s winning 1:40.77 at Easterns in 2000 at the Armory. It’s also No. 13 in South Jersey history.

Rancocas Valley became the first South Jersey school to win the East Coast Relays 800-meter relay since Willingboro in 2000.

Here’s a list of all the S.J. 4-by-200 winners at the ECR:

1992: Highland, 1:43.0
1993: Camden, 1:43.79
1994: Willingboro, 1:41.51
1995: Camden, 1:41.20
1998: Highland, 1:41.56
1999: Washington Twp., 1:41.10
2000: Willingboro, 1:41.86
2019: Rancocas Valley, 1:41.34

The win was R.V.’s fourth at the East Coast Relays. The Red Devils won the javelin and long jump relays in 2014, and last year’s team won the sprint medley in 4:09.47.

ALL-TIME SOUTH JERSEY 800-METER RELAY
1:38.43 … Winslow Twp., 2018
1:39.21 … Eastern, 2003
1:39.59 … Winslow Twp., 2012
1:40.30 … Winslow Twp., 2017
1:40.46 … Eastern, 2019
1:40.62 … Winslow Twp., 2003
1:40.72 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2018
1:40.5h … Woodrow Wilson, 2006
1:40.91 … Winslow Twp., 2004
1:41.10 … Washington Twp., 1999
1:41.20 … Willingboro, 1994
1:41.33 … Camden, 2009
1:41.34 … Rancocas Valley, 2019
1:41.1h …. Camden, 1995
1:41.40 … Winslow Twp., 2005
1:41.44h ….. Camden, 2006
1:41.54 … Willingboro, 1999
1:41.56 … Highland, 1998
1:41.59 … Eastern, 2002
1:41.70 … Wilson, 2008
1:41.74h ….. Pleasantville, 1995
1:41.81 … Willingboro, 1995
1:41.85 … Deptford, 2015
1:41.86 … Willingboro, 2000
1:41.87 … Camden, 2001
1:41.88 … Winslow, 2013
1:41.91 … Winslow, 2018

Turns out he can run the 400, too!

St. Augustine senior Sincere Rhea, in his first serious 400 in three years, led five runners under 50 seconds with a massive PR of 48.80 Monday at the South Jersey Parochial A sectionals at Donovan Catholic in Toms River.

Rhea, the indoor high hurdles national champion, last ran a non dual-meet 400 in January of 2018, according to the MileSplit database, at a SJTCA indoor developmental meet at the Bennett Center, and he placed 32nd in 56.73. His last legit outdoor 400 was on May 27, 2016, when he placed 13th at the Parochial A sectionals at Egg Harbor in 53.18 as a freshman.

Rhea’s previous 400 PR was 52.78 a week earlier at the New Jersey Catholic Track Conference Frosh-Soph Championships at St. John Vianney in Holmdel.

Rhea’s time is No. 1 in South Jersey this year and No. 9 in the state. It’s fastest state-wide in Parochial A, just ahead of Elijah Brown of Union Catholic, who ran 48.86 at the Union County Championships last week at Hub Stein Field in Plainfield. Brown was second to Rhea Monday in 49.15. Paul VI freshman Michael Mazero took fourth in that race in 49.91.

Rhea is now No. 1 in South Jersey in the 400, No. 2 in the 200 at 21.56 and No. 3 in the U.S. in the 110-meter high hurdles.

Austin Gabay may no longer be a miler and two-miler who occasionally runs a fast 800.

He may be a half-miler.

Gabay, who ran a big PR of 1:56.64 at the BCSL Meet on Saturday at Willingboro, lowered his 800 PR nearly another two seconds Monday when he ran 1:54.73 at the Haddonfield Distance Night.

That’s No. 2 in Cinnaminson history, behind only Matt Poskus, who ran 1:52.37 at the 2007 Meet of Champions.

Gabay’s 800 PR before Saturday was 1:58.32 from last year’s BCSL meet, so it’s now come down nearly four seconds in three days.

Seniors Chad Howard and Gabe St. Elien also PR’d for Cinnaminson, Howard in 2:00.76 and St. Elien in 2:00.78. Howard’s previous PR was 2:04.87 and St. Elien’s was 2:02.76.

Here’s a look at the fastest 800 guys in Burlington County history:

• 1:49.84 … Rob Novak [Bordentown], 2005
• 1:50.8h … Vance Watson [Willingboro], 1983
• 1:52.1h … Greg Honsby [Rancocas Valley], 1974
• 1:52.37 … Matt Poskus [Cinnaminson], 2007
• 1:52.60 … Kevin Fox [Moorestown], 2016
• 1:52.65 … Ian Waterhouse [Rancocas Valley], 2004
• 1:52.94 … Keith Griffith [Florence], 2009
• 1:53.14 … Dave Sitzer [Cherokee], 2000
• 1:53.3h … Tavo Rivera [Pemberton], 1977
• 1:53.35 … Ahmad Rutherford [Willingboro], 2003
• 1:53.40 … Daveigh Brooks [Burlington City], 2016
• 1:53.4h … Clayton Baloche [Lenape], 1992
• 1:53.4h … Bryant Walker [Pemberton], 1983
• 1:53.57 … Isaiah Curbelo [Rancocas Valley], 2016
• 1:53.66 … Xavier Wright [Willingboro], 2011
• 1:53.78 … Marvin Lewis [Willingboro], 2001
• 1:53.84 … Ryan Garvin [Lenape], 2009
• 1:54.1h … Chris Tarello [Shawnee], 1992
• 1:54.2h … Bob Mann [Willingboro], 1979
• 1:54.33 … Jacob Tyndale [Rancocas Valley], 2018
• 1:54.53 … Drew Viscidy [Cherokee], 2012
• 1:54.73 … Austin Gabay [Cinnaminson], 2019
• 1:54.78 … Tyler Davidson [Willingboro], 2016
• 1:54.94 … Colin Merrigan [Cherokee], 2012

 

The team of junior Mikell Dolo, sophomore Balkis Lyiola, junior Tamia Welch Smith and sophomore Gloria Hughes ran 1:03.23 to win the shuttle hurdles at the Willingboro Relays Monday at Carl Lewis Stadium, Willingboro’s fastest time in the event in 22 years.

The only faster Willingboro shuttle hurdles team was the 1997 group, which ran a hand-timed 1:02.1.

Willingboro’s time is No. 7 in the state this year and No. 3 by a South Jersey school. And it’s No. 5 in Burlington County history and fastest since Lenape ran 1:02.53 in 2008.

Here’s the all-time South Jersey list:

ALL-TIME S.J. GIRLS SHUTTLE HURDLES 
59.00 … Edgewood, 1999
59.52 … Eastern, 2019
59.79 … Pennsauken, 1999
1:00.14 … Buena, 2012
1:00.18 … Winslow Twp., 2014
1:01.17 … Woodrow Wilson, 2012
1:01.58 … Millville, 2019
1:01.68 … Winslow Twp., 2002
1:01.6h … Woodrow Wilson, 2005
1:01.94 … Edgewood, 1998
1:02.0h … Moorestown, 1994
1:02.1h … Willingboro, 1997
1:02.16 … Wilson, 2003
1:02.51 … Mainland Regional, 2018
1:02.53 … Lenape, 2008
1:02.59 … Paul VI, 2018
1:02.68 … Mainland Reg., 2018
1:02.86 … Edgewood, 2001
1:03.23 … Willingboro, 2019
1:03.49 … Rancocas Valley, 2019
1:03.53 … Winslow Twp., 2019
1:03.62 … Absegami, 2017
1:03.73 … Highland, 1998
1:03.79 … Camden, 2015

ALL-TIME BURLINGTON COUNTY GIRLS SHUTTLE HURDLES 
1:02.0h … Moorestown, 1994
1:02.1h … Willingboro, 1997
1:02.53 … Lenape, 2008
1:03.23 … Willingboro, 2019
1:03.49 … Rancocas Valley, 2019
1:04.07 … Lenape, 2007
1:04.27 … Burlington Twp., 2007
1:04.6h … Willingboro, 1996
1:05.3 … Willingboro, 2002
1:05.53 … Holy Cross, 2007

Aliya Rae Garozzo ran the fastest 400-meter intermediate hurdles time in South Jersey this spring on Monday when she won her second straight sectional title.

The Paul VI junior ran 1:02.15 at the South Jersey Parochial A Championships at Donovan Catholic in Toms River. That’s No. 1 in South Jersey and No. 6 in the state.

Garozzo’s previous season-best time was a 1:02.42 at the Camden County Championships last week at Haddon Township. Her PR remains 1:01.41 from last year’s Meet of Champions, when she placed third. She won states in 1:01.46.

Garozzo is set up for a nice race at states against junior Mariah Fede of Paramus Catholic, who won the North A race Monday in 1:02.10 at Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, and Nicole Barbara of Academy of the Holy Angels, who ran 1:02.29 behind Fede.

Those three are more than a second ahead of anybody else in Parochial A, and they’re ranked No. 5, 6 and 8 in the state.

Micah Wood’s 1:53.9 anchor leg on Monday led Rancocas Valley to the fastest sprint medley performance by a South Jersey school this year.

R.V. placed second to Hopewell Valley at the 48th annual East Coast Relays in Randolph, the Red Devils clocking 3:30.69 to HoVal’s state-leading 3:28.40 with Meet of Champions 800 runner-up Sean Dolan splitting 1:51.7.

This is the third straight year R.V. has placed first or second in the ECR sprint med but the Red Devils ran faster Monday than they did winning the race in 2017 or 2018.

Sophomore Tre Boyd led off with a 51.4 split for R.V., and senior Tai Matlock and sophomore James McGhee ran the 200s.

The time is No. 10 in Burlington County history, and it’s the fastest second-place time at the East Coast Relays since 2012, when Linden ran 3:29.71 for second behind St. Benedict’s 3:28.10 (with Edward Cheserek anchoring).

It’s also the fastest any South Jersey school has run at the East Coast Relays since 2002, when Vineland won the race in 3:30.33 at Morristown.

ALL-TIME S.J. SPRINT MEDLEY LIST
3:22.71 … Vineland, 2002
3:22.75 … Vineland, 2003
3:22.85 … Camden, 2001
3:23.56 … Willingboro, 2003
3:23.79 … Willingboro, 2001
3:24.19 … Bordentown, 2005
3:25.06 … Moorestown, 2017
3:26.25 … Absegami, 2008
3:26.75 … Winslow Twp., 2003
3:27.10 … Washington Twp., 2010
3:27.32 … Oakcrest, 2014
3:27.1h … Bridgeton, 2001
3:27.32 … Oakcrest, 2014
3:27.3h … Willingboro, 1983
3:27.55 … Washington Twp., 2009
3:27.69 … Overbrook, 1999
3:28.55 … Winslow Twp., 2002
3:28.63 … Lenape, 2001
3:29.1h … Willingboro, 1979
3:29.44 … Rancocas Valley, 2017
3:29.72 … Rancocas Valley, 2005
3:30.61 … Delsea, 2011
3:30.69 … Rancocas Valley, 2019

Sophomore Shelby Sills and junior Meredith Updike won three events each to lead the Cinnaminson girls to their fourth straight BCSL Patriot Division title and seventh since 2009.

Cinnaminson edged Delran by just five points, winning the team title 167-162. There was no meet in 2017. Cinnaminson won titles in 2015, 2016 and 2018 and previously in 2002 and 2009 through 2011.

Sills won the 100 in 13.15, the 200 in 27.23 and the high jump at 5-2, and Updike won the high hurdles in 15.30, intermediate hurdles at 1:03.72 and long jump with a 16-0 1/4 jump. She won the 100 by 1-100th of a second over Reyanna Henderson of Pemberton.

That’s 60 points right there from Stills and Updike.

Updike broke the meet record in the high hurdles. The previous Patriot Division meet record was a 15.70 fully-automatic shared by Ayana Davis of Holy Cross in 2008 and Patrie Farquharson of Maple Shade in 2011. She just missed the record in the intermediates. Maddie Hummell ran a 1:03.44 in 2012.

The overall BCSL meet records are 14.7 in the highs — shared by Tonya Lee of Rancocas Valley in 1987, Stephanie Maugham of Shawnee (who became an All-America pole vaulter in college) in 1994 and Mandie Dulin of Shawnee in 1996 — and 1:01.4 in the intermediates, run by Lee in 1986.

Updike’s 15.30 is the second-fastest fully automatic high hurdles time ever recorded in any division at the BCSL meet. The fastest is a 15.26 by Ashley Edwards of Northern Burlington in the Liberty Division in 2014.

For Sills, the 100 time and the high jump clearance are PRs. The Cinnaminson high jump record is 5-5, set in 2003 by Kristen Tricocci.

Other double-digit point scorers for Cinnaminson included freshman Grace Ringer (2nd in 400, 2nd in 800), junior Brooke Adams (1st in 3,200), senior Brooke Painter (1st in PV) and senior Elena Keck (1st in SP with PR 36-3, 4th in discus).

Also, junior Emily Mulligan, Ringer, Updike and senior Maura Tumelty ran 4:14.54 to win the 1,600-meter relay.

Full results are here: https://tomahawktiming.com/5-18-burlington-county-divisional-championships-willingboro/

Matt Gross never won a conference, county, sectional or invitational in high school. He never placed at states. He didn’t throw the javelin 150 feet until three weeks into his senior year. His sophomore PR was 118-3.

This week, he heads to NCAA Division 3 nationals.

Guys like Matt Gross are why we love track and field.

It doesn’t matter where you came from. It doesn’t matter how humble your beginnings were. It doesn’t matter what you did in the past. If you keep working, you’re going to get better. And there are really very few limits to how much better you can get.

Gross, a 2016 Cherokee graduate, is now a junior at Rutgers-Camden, and this weekend he learned he’s one of 20 competitors nation-wide who qualified to throw the javelin at NCAA Division 3 nationals outside Cleveland.

Gross, who got up to 177-9 at sectionals his senior year at Cherokee (the only meet he was over 165 feet at Cherokee), improved to 191-6 1/2 last spring to place third at the NJAC meet and this year improved to 196-7 for second at conference and this past weekend he won the ECAC Division 3 championship — the first major title of his life — with a personal-best throw of 197-0 at Southern Connecticut State in New Haven.

The javelin is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. Thursday at SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio.

 

Senior Micah Wood won the intermediate hurdles and triple jump and was second in the 400 to help the Rancocas Valley boys pile up 191 points and win their fifth straight BCSL Liberty Division title at Carl Lewis Stadium.

RV’s 191 points are the second most in Liberty Division meet history. The Red Devils scored 223 in 2015.

The meet was cancelled because of bad weather in 2017, but R.V. won three straight from 2014 through 2016 and the last two.

In Rancocas’s final tuneup for the South Jersey Group 4 championships, the Red Devils only doubled a handful of athletes. Some 27 different boys scored but only six in more than one event.

Wood won the 400-meter intermediates in 56.77 and triple jump at 43-5 and ran 50.93 for second to Pennsauken’s Aaron Williams (50.56) in the 400.

The 400 was Wood’s first this year in a major meet, and he broke his PR of 51.89 set indoors at sectionals at the Bennett Center this past winter.

Wood also PR’d in the triple jump, breaking his personal-best of 42-11 1/2 that he set just last weekend at the Burlington County Open. He’s also set PRs this year of 56.63 in the intermediates, 15.55 in the high hurdles and 1:57.83 in the 800.

Talk about range!

The only other R.V. winners were seniors Tai Matlock in the long jump and McQuain Hood in the javelin.

Matlock won the long jump at 20-11 1/2, leading a 1-2-3 R.V. sweep. He also took third in the 100 (11.35 after posting the 7th-fastest qualifying time) and ran fifth in the 200 (23.35).

Hood, who set a PR of 171-8 when he won the County Open last weekend, threw 164-5 to win the javelin by more than 20 feet. He was also second in the discus with a 133-10.

The only other R.V. boys to score in two events were junior Jordan Floyd, who took second in the high jump and triple jump; senior Jabri Adams, who placed in both hurdles; and junior Jonah Wood, who scored in both weight throws.

In addition to the last five titles, Rancocas Valley won BCSL titles each year from 1958 through 1971 – the first 14 years the meet was held — and also in 1973 when it was still a one-division meet, then won in 1994 and 1995 in the Patriot Division and 1998 in the Liberty.

Full results are here!

The Burlington County Scholastic League Championships have been around for 62 years, and the Riverside boys had never won a team title.

Until now.

Led by senior Alex Stockton’s 34 points, Riverside won the first conference championship in school history, outscoring Burlington City 136-111 to win the BCSL Freedom Division title Saturday at Carl Lewis Stadium in Willingboro.

Stockton won the javelin with a personal-best 163-5 — a 12-foot PR — and recorded second-place finishes in both hurdles and the triple jump to lead the Rams.

Stockton is the first Riverside boy to win a BCSL javelin title in 19 years, since Randy Holak in 2000.

Other Riverside winners:

—> Senior Anthony Moyer was first in the discus with a personal-best of 116-5.

—> Sophomore Khy’Jaron Moore jumped a personal-best 42-4 to win in the triple jump and also placed fourth in both the 200 and high hurdles.

—> Sophomore Caleb Esposito won the pole vault and also medaled in both the 1,600 and 3,200

Sophomore Louis Vasquez also had a big day for the Rams, taking third in both hurdles and fourth in the triple jump and running a leg on the second-place 4-by-400 team. And senior Daniel Hamlin took third in the intermediates and sixth in the highs and ran on the relay team.

And a freshman, Kaique Viera Clovis, took third in the pole vault and ran on the 4-by-400 team.

Other Rams medalists were senior Judson Souza (2nd in the 800), sophomore Fabion Ruffin (3rd in LJ), senior Jacob Fink (5th in SP) and junior Johnny DeLima (6th in disc).

The BCSL meet began in 1958 with just one division. It expanded to Liberty and Freedom in 1975. From 1992 through 2000, the BCSL meet was not held but it was scored out of the County Open. It resumed as a separate meet in 2001.