Lucciano Pizarro’s remarkable breakthrough senior season got even more remarkable Saturday when Pizarro – who had a shot put PR of 52-10 just seven weeks ago – won the Meet of Champions with a bomb of 60-11.

Take a look at Pizarro’s progression:

Freshman year [2016]
Indoors: 35-6 1/2
Outdoors 36-2
Sophomore year [2017]
Indoors: 37-3
Outdoors: 38-3
Junior year [2018]
Indoors: 50-1
Outdoors: 52-10
Senior year [2019]
Indoors: 52-3
Outdoors: 60-11

THIS is why you stick with it even if you don’t experience immediate success in track and field! Pizarro didn’t throw 40 feet until 17 months ago.

Now he’s an all-time great!

Pizarro became the 14th 60-footer in South Jersey history and the second in Burlington County history (and the second in two years), following Cinnaminson’s Kamron Kobolak, who threw 61-11 3/4 last spring (and won the Meet of Champions discus).

Pizarro is Cherokee’s first Meet of Champions winner since Marc Pelerin won the 1,600 in 4:12.74. He’s only the seventh shot put champ from South Jersey in the Meet of Champions’ 51-year history (Ray Wilks won twice) and only the fourth in the last 23 years:

1990: Chris Robinson [Penns Grove], 64-4 1/2
1994: Ray Wilks [Bridgeton], 60-7
1995: Ray Wilks [Bridgeton], 64-5
1996: Ron Dayne [Overbrook], 63-10 1/4
2003: Chris Pressley [Woodbury], 59-7 3/4
2004: Ell Ash [Willingboro], 59-8 1/2
2013: Josh Awotunde [Delsea], 61-1
2019: Lucciano Pizarro [Cherokee], 60-11

SOUTH JERSEY ALL-TIME SHOT PUT LIST
68-8 1/2  … Braheme Days Jr. [Bridgeton] 2012
64-10 1/2 … Jon Kalnas [Paulsboro], 1997
64-6 1/4 … Ron Dayne [Overbook], 1996
64-5 … Ray Wilks [Bridgeton], 1995
64-4 1/4 … Chris Robinson [Penns Grove], 1990
62-10 1/4 … Nick Pulli [West Deptford], 2014
63-0 … Lou Gordon [Bridgeton], 1995
61-11 3/4 … Kamron Kobolak [Cinnaminson], 2018
61-10 1/2 … Harry Dilts [Pitman], 1971
61-6 … Josh Awotunde [Delsea],  2013
61-4 1/2 … Bubba Green [Millville], 1976
61-4 … Kofi Yamoah [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2013
61-2 1/4 … Matthew Huckabee, [Timber Creek], 2010
60-11 ……. Lucciano Pizarro [Cherokee], 2019
60-3 … Donate Rivera [Pleasantville], 2012
59-9 ………. Lucciano Pizarro [Cherokee], 2019
59-8 1/2  … Ell Ash [Willingboro], 2004
59-7 3/4 … Chris Pressley [Woodbury], 2003
59-5 1/4 … Cade Antonucci [Holy Spirit], 2017

What was Rancocas Valley up against in the 4-by-4 Saturday?

Just a Union Catholic team that has dominated the event in New Jersey and nationally the last few years.

The Scotch Plains track powerhouse, which produced Olympian Sydney McLaughlin, has run 3:47 or faster six straight years. They set the state record and all-time U.S. #5 3:35.90 winning the national title in 2015. They placed third at Penn in the Championship of America 4-by-4 in 2016 and 2017 and fourth this year. They won the Meet of Champions in 2015 and 2016. They were the No. 1 seed going into this year’s Meet of Champions at 3:45.39, No. 22 in the entire country.

That’s a lot to overcome, but the Red Devils did it!

Sophomore Sheriyah Nutt ran a brilliant 54.9 anchor leg for R.V., reeling in Union Catholic anchor Leena Morant, a 2:08 half-miler after trailing by 15 meters at the final handoff, and Rancocas won its first Meet of Champions 1,600-meter relay title Saturday.

Nutt out-leaned Morant at the finish line, Rancocas Valley in 3:49.31 and Union Catholic in 3:49.37 on the track at Northern Burlington, just 10 miles from R.V.

Sophomore Alyssa Leak, senior Brianna Snowden and freshman Anabella Chin ran the first three legs for R.V., whose only previous Meet of Champions girls titles came when Tonya Lee won the intermediate hurdles in 59.03 in 1988 and Demya Walker won the long jump at 19-3 3/4 in 1994.

Leak led off with a 57.9 split, Snowden ran 59.6 and Chin split 56.8 setting up Nutt’s incredible anchor leg.

Rancocas Valley ran slightly faster at states – but even their 3:48.87 made them a 3 1/2-second underdog to Union Catholic.

The Red Devils will be back in action in several relays at nationals, including the 4-by-4. R.V. is No. 17 in South Jersey history with that 3:48.87. Only 11 teams in S.J. history have run sub-3:48.

Burlington County has won six Meet of Champions 4-by-400 titles since 1993 — Willingboro in 1993, 1994 and 1998, Lenape in 2012 and R.V. this year.

ALL-TIME M-OF-C 1,600-METER RELAY LIST
3:42.54 Columbia, 2010 (1)
3:43.36 Columbia, 2014 (1)
3:44.20 Union Catholic, 2015 (1)
3:44.64 Willingboro, 2002 (1)
3:45.12 Trenton, 2001 (1)
3:46.68 Union Catholic, 2016 (1)
3:46.86 Columbia, 2013 (1)
3:47.41 Willingboro, 2001 (2)
3:47.41 Winslow Twp., 2017 (1)
3:47.55 Camden, 2006 (1)
3:47.83 Union Catholic, 2017 (2)
3:47.94 Columbia, 2009 (1)
3:48.00 Woodrow Wilson, 2001 (3)
3:48.17 Woodrow Wilson, 2006 (2)
3:48.30 Union Catholic, 2014 (2)
3:48.42 Piscataway, 2005 (1)
3:48.56 Piscataway, 2006 (3)
3:48.78 Lenape, 2014 (3)
3:48.91 Penns Grove, 2013 (2)
3:49.07 East Orange, 2007 (1)
3:49.25 Lenape, 2015 (2)
3:49.28 Pope John XXIII, 2007 (2)
3:49.28 Sparta, 2010 (2)
3:49.31 Rancocas Valley, 2019 (1)
3:49.37 Union Catholic, 2019 (2)
3:49.57 Southern Regional, 2008 (1)
3:49.70 Columbia, 1997 (1)
3:49.72 Willingboro, 1997 (2)
3:49.74 Southern Regional, 2010 (3)
3:49.93 Willingboro, 2009 (2)

Here’s an updated look at the all-time South Jersey 4-by-4 list!

ALL-TIME S.J. GIRLS SUB-3:50 4-by-400 LIST
3:43.94 … Willingboro, 2001
3:44.64 … Willingboro, 2002
3:45.41 … Camden, 1995
3:45.67 … Willingboro, 1999
3:46.13 … Willingboro, 2000
3:46.67 … Winslow Twp., 2018
3:47.16 … Eastern, 2003
3:47.30 … Willingboro, 2003
3:47.41 … Winslow Twp., 2017
3:47.4h … Camden, 1978
3:47.55 … Camden, 2006
3:48.00 … Wilson, 2001
3:48.17 … Wilson, 2006
3:48.6y … Camden,, 1978
3:48.78 … Lenape, 2014
3:48.7h … Washington Twp., 1999
3:48.87 … Rancocas Valley, 2019
3:48.91 … Penns Grove, 2013
3:49.25 … Lenape, 2015
3:49.2y … Camden, 1979
3:49.30 … Winslow Twp., 2004
3:49.43 … Willingboro, 1997
3:49.53 … Willingboro, 1998
3:49.63 … Winslow Twp., 2016
3:49.93 … Willingboro, 2009

Sincere Rhea is a Meet of Champions winner. Just not in the event you expected.

Rhea showed his remarkable range Saturday, winning the 400-meter dash at the 51st annual Meet of Champions in 47.89.

Rhea, the national indoor high hurdles champ and indoor M-of-C champ, cemented his status as one of New Jersey’s most versatile elite athletes winning a Meet of Champions title in an event he didn’t begin contesting seriously until a few weeks ago.

According to the New Jersey MileSplit database, the St. Augustine senior ran a few 400s as a freshman, and with a 52.78 he ranked No. 31 among New Jersey 9th-graders in the spring of 2016.

He ran a couple 400s indoors as a sophomore and junior, with a PR of 55.18 in a meet at Kutztown in January of 2018.

And that was it in terms of non-dual meet 400s until three weeks ago, when he jumped in the 400 at the Parochial A sectionals at Donovan Catholic and ran an eye-popping 48.80 — a four-second PR from that 52.78 as a freshman.

He dropped to 48.06 when he won the state Parochial A title at Central Regional last weekend and then out-raced the field Saturday at Northern Burlington, finishing a meter ahead of junior Bayyan Dallas of Union, who was second in 48.05.

Rhea is the first Meet of Champions winner from St. Augustine in 29 years, since Mark Riviera won the 1,600 in 1990 at South Plainfield in 4:15.1. Sivieri went on to a spectacular career at Georgetown and ran a sub-4-minute mile (3:59.85) in Boston in 1994.

Rhea’s time is No. 26 in South Jersey history and No. 2 in Atlantic County history, behind only Egg Harbor’s Amir Brock, who ran 47.44 in 2017.

Rhea did run in the hurdles trials Saturday and ran a 13.78, which is actually the third-fastest time he’s ever run. He started in the final but it was less than half an hour after the 400, and he dropped out after wrong-stepping the first hurdle.

It would have been a heck of a final if everyone was at full strength because Jaheem Hayles of Roselle, who never ran the hurdles until this year, won in 13.55, the second-fastest time in meet history (Todd Matthews of Notre Dame ran 13.52 in 1998) and the No. 5 mark in state history!

Atlantic County has always had tremendous success at the Meet of Champions and in fact has now had at last one M-of-C winner in the boys meet 21 of the last 33 years going back to 1987.

Here’s a look at all the Meet of Champions winners in Atlantic County history, followed by the all-time South Jersey 400-meter dash list!

1987
Dave Dixon [Mainland Reg.], discus [169-7]
1988
Don Brooks [Pleasantville], 100-meter dash [10.74]
1990
Mark Sivieri [St. Augustine], 1,600-meter run [4:15.1]
1993
Steve Harper [Atlantic City], 200-meter dash [21.77]
1994
Desmond Powell [Oakcrest], 110-meter hurdles [14.08]
Cornelius Cruz [Oakcrest], Javelin [211-5]
1996
Nate Harley [Pleasantville], 110-meter hurdles [13.76]
1997
John Stone [Mainland Reg.], 200-meter dash [21.59]
1998
Tim Athill [Pleasantville], 100-meter dash [10.68]
Joe Lewis [Pleasantville], 800-meter run [1:53.61]
1999
Devon Matthews [Pleasantville], 400-meter hurdles [53.02]
2000
Paul Klemic [Mainland Reg.]. high jump [7-2]
2001
Steve Cirino [Buena Reg.], long jump [22-6 1/2]
2004
Jimmy Wyner [Mainland Reg.], 1,600-meter run [4:11.49]
2008
Demetrius Rooks [Absegami], 400-meter hurdles [53.31]
Absegami, 1,600-meter relay [3:15.77]
Stevenson Cajuste [Egg Harbor Twp.], long jump [23-3 1/4]
2009
Tejay Johnson [Egg Harbor Twp.], 100-meter dash [10.67]
2011
Oakcrest, 400-Meter Relay [41.83]
2012
Fabian Santiago [Oakcrest], 100-meter dash [10.59]
Fabian Santiago [Oakcrest], 200-meter dash [21.52]
David Jefferson [Oakcrest], High Jump [6-6]
Oakcrest, 400-Meter Relay [42.09]
2013
Isaac Clark [Pleasantville], 800-meter run [1:50.12]
2014
Ishmael Muhammad [Oakcrest], 800-meter run [1:48.52]
2016
Cade Antonucci [Holy Spirit], javelin [205-8]
2017
Cade Antonucci [Holy Spirit], javelin [220-11]
2019
Sincere Rhea [St. Augustine], 400-meter dash [47.89]

ALL-TIME S.J. 400 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
47.30 … Rob Gary [Lenape], 1998
47.1h … Darron Outler [Lenape], 1984
47.2h … Levin Handy [Vineland], 1969
47.2h … Brian Bennett [Edgewood], 1985
47.44 … Amir Brock [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2017
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
47.68 … Nick Brown [Bridgeton], 1999
47.76 … Carl Smith [Camden], 2005
47.88 … Shawney Kersey [Woodbury], 2009
47.88 … Damiere Byrd [Timber Creek], 2011
47.89 … Sincere Rhea [St. Augustine], 2019
47.95 … John Morris [Camden], 2001
47.96 … Alex Reber [Cherry Hill East], 2013
47.99 … Elliott DeShields [Clayton], 2011

Atlantic City
St. Augustine

12

1987
Dave Dixon [Mainland Reg.], discus [169-7]
1988
Don Brooks [Pleasantville], 100-meter dash [10.74]
1990
Mark Sivieri [St. Augustine], 1,600-meter run [4:15.1]
1993
Steve Harper [Atlantic City], 200-meter dash [21.77]
1994
Desmond Powell [Oakcrest], 110-meter hurdles [14.08]
Cornelius Cruz [Oakcrest], Javelin [211-5]
1996
Nate Harley [Pleasantville], 110-meter hurdles [13.76]
1997
John Stone [Mainland Reg.], 200-meter dash [21.59]
1998
Tim Athill [Pleasantville], 100-meter dash [10.68]
Joe Lewis [Pleasantville], 800-meter run [1:53.61]
1999
Devon Matthews [Pleasantville], 400-meter hurdles [53.02]
2000
Paul Klemic [Mainland Reg.]. high jump [7-2]
2001
Steve Cirino [Buena Reg.], long jump [22-6 1/2]
2004
Jimmy Wyner [Mainland Reg.], 1,600-meter run [4:11.49]
2008
Demetrius Rooks [Absegami], 400-meter hurdles [53.31]
Absegami, 1,600-meter relay [3:15.77]
Stevenson Cajuste [Egg Harbor Twp.], long jump [23-3 1/4]
2009
Tejay Johnson [Egg Harbor Twp.], 100-meter dash [10.67]
2011
Oakcrest, 400-Meter Relay [41.83]
2012
Fabian Santiago [Oakcrest], 100-meter dash [10.59]
Fabian Santiago [Oakcrest], 200-meter dash [21.52]
David Jefferson [Oakcrest], High Jump [6-6]
Oakcrest, 400-Meter Relay [42.09]
2013
Isaac Clark [Pleasantville], 800-meter run [1:50.12]
2014
Ishmael Muhammad [Oakcrest], 800-meter run [1:48.52]
2016
Cade Antonucci [Holy Spirit], javelin [205-8]
2017
Cade Antonucci [Holy Spirit], javelin [220-11]
2019
Sincere Rhea [St. Augustine], 400-meter dash [47.89]

Woodrow Wilson senior Dennisha Page shattered one of the most hallowed records in the books Saturday, breaking the South Jersey 200-meter dash set 38 years ago by legendary Michelle Glover of Willingboro.

Page fashioned an insane Meet of Champions triple Saturday at Northern Burlington, winning the 200 in 23.66, winning the 100 in 11.86 after an 11.63 in the trials and placing third in the 400 in 55.41.

She was the top South Jersey runner in three events and would have single-handedly scored 28 team points in the toughest meet in the state if it had team scoring.

Page’s 23.66 is second-fastest in meet history and fastest in 36 years, since Wendy Vereen of Trenton ran a hand-timed 23.0 in 1983. It’s the fastest FAT time ever recorded at a Meet of Champions. It’s No. 4 in state history, behind three absolute legends – Olympian Sydney McLaughlin of Union Catholic (22.96 in 2017), Vereen (22.99 in 1983) and Montclair’s Aleah Williams (23.42 in 1999). Her previous 200 PR was a 23.72 just last weekend at states.

Some sites recognize Gardner as the South Jersey record holder in the 200 with a 23.60 she ran in July of 2007, but she did that at an AAU summer track meet, and marks achieved during summer track are never recognized as high school records unless the meet is a continuation of the high school season, such as New Balance Nationals, USATF junior nationals or the Olympic Trials.

Her 11.63 in the 100 trials makes her the seventh-fastest performer (and 10th-fastest time) in meet history, No. 6 in South Jersey history and No. 11 in state history. Her previous PR in the 100 was a 11.68 in the trials at sectionals.

Page finished behind only Piscataway’s Shauntae Nelson (54.77) and Kent Place’s Kaira Brown (55.09) in the 400. Her 400 PR is 54.41 from sectionals.

With PRs now of 11.63, 23.63 and 54.41, she’s now one of only two girls in New Jersey history to run sub-11.70, sub 23.70 and sub-55. Lakewood’s Shavon Greaves, who later became a multiple All-America at Penn State, ran 11.61, 23.69 and 54.73) in 2007.

But Page stands along with those sprint times AND an 18-foot long jump. She went 18-3 at states. Greaves did not long jump.

ALL-TIME N.J. 100-METER LIST
11.42 … Michele Glover (Willingboro), 1981
11.44 … Myasia Jacobs (Paramus Catholic), 2010
11.49 … English Gardner (Eastern), 2008
11.50 … Wendy Vereen (Trenton), 1984
11.57 … Patti Dunlap (Camden), 1979
11.57 … M’elisa Barber (Montclair), 1998
11.58 … Bria Mack (Williamstown), 2017
11.61 … Amandi Rhett (Moorestown), 2000
11.61 … Shavon Greaves (Lakewood), 2007
11.62 … Cathy Crawford (Perth Amboy), 1977
11.63 … Dennisha Page (Woodrow Wilson), 2019
11.64 … Olivia Baker (Columbia), 2013
11.65 … Aleah Williams (Montclair), 1999
11.65 … Ogechi Nwaneri (Columbia), 2008
11.66 … Dennisha Page (Woodrow Wilson), 2019
11.68 … Regina Trotter (Weequahic), 1991

N.J. ALL-TIME 200-METER DASH LIST
22.96 … Sydney McLaughlin [Union Catholic], 2017
22.99 … Wendy Vereen [Trenton], 1983
23.42 … Aleah Williams [Montclair], 1999
23.66 … Dennisha Page [Woodrow Wilson], 2018
23.69 … Michele Glover [Willingboro], 1981
23.69 … Shavon Greaves [Lakewood], 2007
23.73 … Myasia Jacobs [Paramus Catholic], 2010
23.85 … Shakira Dancy [Winslow Twp.], 2017
23.87 … Jenna Harris [Franklin Twp.], 2003
23.90 … Lauren Princz [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2018
23.90 … Denise Liles [Kingsway], 1984
23.91 … Sydney Hawkins [Phillipsburg], 2018
23.92 … Mikele Barber [Montclair], 1997
23.94 … Melisa Barber [Montclair], 1998
23.95 … Olivia Baker [Columbia], 2013
23.96 … Regina Trotter [Weequahic], 1991
23.96 … Ogechi Nwaneri [Columbia], 2006
24.01 … Amandi Rhett [Moorestown], 2000
24.02 … Georgina Nembhard [Ocean Twp,], 2007
24.04 … English Gardner [Eastern], 2008
24.05 … Bria Saunders [Parsippany], 2014
24.11 … Denise Mitchell [Edgewood], 1983
24.12 … Nicole Carmichael [JFK Paterson], 1995
24.12 … Nia Ali [Pleasantville], 2006
24.14 … Shauntae Nelson [Piscataway], 2018
24.17 … Dawn Bowles [Neptune], 1998
24.17 … Symone O’Connor [Franklin Twp.], 2006
24.17 … Michelle Brown [Seneca], 2008
24.18 … Kimberly Lyles [Franklin Twp.], 2001
24.19 … Patti Dunlap [Camden] 1978
24.19 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow Twp.]
24.19 … Bria Mack [Williamstown], 2017

Page is the first South Jersey girl to double the 100 and 200 since Annie Johnson of Shawnee in 2012.

Lori Lewis of Woodbury (1977), Patti Dunlap of Camden (1980), Glover (1980 and 1981), Denise Mitchell of Edgewood (1982), Denise Likes of Kingsway (1986), Amanda Rhett of Moorestown (2000), Olympian English Gardner of Eastern (2008)

Highland’s Floyd Whitaker not only won the Meet of Champions triple jump title Saturday, he shattered the meet record AND the New Jersey sophomore class record!

What a meet for Floyd Whitaker!

Whitaker entered the meet with a PR of 47-11 1/4, which made him the No. 3 seed coming in.

But he became New Jersey’s all-time ninth 50-footer with his winning jump of 50-2 1/2.

Whitaker:

—> Broke the meet record of 49-11 3/4 set in 2014 by Myles Hartsfield of Sayreville.

—> Broke the state sophomore class record of 48-4 set at the 2011 Meet of Champions by Dominique Irons of Haddon Heights.

—> Moved into the No. 6 spot in state history and No. 3 spot in South Jersey history.

—> Moved into the No. 5 spot nationally according to the MileSplit data base.

—> Is the top sophomore in the U.S., according to MileSplit and the top sophomore in the U.S. in five years, since Ja’Mari Ward of Cahokia High in Illinois jumped 50-6 1/2 at the Winston Brown Invitational in Edwardsville, Ill., in 2014. Ward is now at Missouri and is a two-time NCAA long jump All-America.

—> Became the first boy from Highland to win a Meet of Champions title.

Whitaker also avenged his only triple jump loss of the year. He was second to Hamilton West’s Richmond Shasha at Group 3 states last week. Shasha was second Saturday with a PR of his own at 48-9 1/4.

Egg Harbor senior Mubeen Momodu also surpassed the 48-foot barrier with his third-place finish at 48-1 1/2, which broke his own Atlantic County record of 47-9, which he jumped at Group 4 sectionals last month.

Momodu moved into the No. 6 spot in South Jersey history.

Collingswood junior Kevin Kevelier and Kingsway senior Orion Joyner placed fifth and sixth in the triple, giving South Jersey four of the top six spots.

Kevelier PR’d at 47-5 1/4 for sixth place. That’s No. 12 in South Jersey history. Joyner was sixth with a 47-2 1/2. He’s already No. 7 in South Jersey at 48-1 1/4.

So four of the top 12 triple jumpers in South Jersey history were in action Saturday at Northern Burlington.

ALL-TIME N.J TRIPLE JUMP LIST
50-9 1/4 … Khaliel Burnett [Delsea], 2018
50-6 3/4 … Dominique Irons [Haddon Heights], 2013
50-5 … Chris Phipps [Lodi], 2008
50-3 1/4 … Dodley Thermitus [Elizabeth], 2016
50-2 1/2 … Eric Bethea [Piscataway], 2015
50-2 1/2 … Floyd Whitaker [Highland], 2019
50-1 1/2 … Myles Hartsfield [Sayreville], 2014
50-0 1/4 … Devon Bond [Trenton], 2007
49-11 1/2 … Devin Jones [Boonton], 2010
49-5 … Jon Pitt [South Brunswick], 2013
49-4 3/4 … Tiquan Underwood [Notre Dame], 2005
49-1 1/4 … Rolston Braithwaite [Trenton], 2008
49-0 1/2 … Anthony DiCosmo [Paramus Catholic], 1995
49-0 … Nadale Buntin [J.P. Stevens], 2018
48-10 1/2 … Larry Russell [Timber Creek], 2015
48-10 … Adam Bergo [Westfield], 2008
48-9 1/4 … Richmond Sasha [Hamilton West], 2019
48-3 1/4 … Ryan Chance [Glassboro], 2009
48-3 … Barden Adams [West Orange], 2014
48-2 1/2 … Kyle Lindsey [Paterson], 2006
48-2 1/2 … Tyrell Judson [Piscataway], 2013
48-2 1/4 … Bernard Hoover [Hasbrouck Heights], 2004
48-2 … Craig Halyard [Ridgewood], 1989
48-2 … Emeke Eze [Sayreville], 2012
48-1 1/2 … Sean Wimbush [Teaneck], 2011
48-1 1/2 … Malik Snead [Hamilton West], 2015
48-1 1/2 … Mubeen Momodu [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2019
48-1 1/4 … Aaron King [Morris Hills], 2007
48-0 1/4 … Gerald Spears [Teaneck], 1989
48-0 1/4 … Darius Pemberton [Hackensack], 1992
48-0 … Josh Butler [Delsea], 2006
48-0 … Kevin Bostick [Bergen Catholic], 2008
48-0 … Dean Uduh [Columbia], 2015

ALL-TIME SOUTH JERSEY TRIPLE JUMP LIST
50-  9 1/4 … Khaliel Burnett [Delsea], 2018
50-  6 3/4 …. Dominique Irons [Haddon Heights], 2013
50-  2 1/2 … Floyd Whitaker [Highland], 2019
48-10 1/2 … Larry Russell [Timber Creek], 2015
48-  3 1/4 … Ryan Chance [Glassboro], 2009
48-  1 1/2 … Mubeen Momodu [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2019
48-  1 1/4 ……Orion Joyner [Kingsway], 2019
48-  0 ………. Josh Butler [Delsea], 2006
47-  9 1/4 … Marcus Edghilll [Pemberton], 1981
47-  7 1/2 … Mikhail Micheaux [Eastern], 2014
47-  6 1/2 … Chris Roundtree [Haddon Hts.], 2009
47-  5 1/2 … Khaliel Burnett [Delsea], 2017
47-  5 1/4 … Kevin Kevelier [Collingswood], 2019
47-  5 ……… Steven Brown [Penns Grove], 2009
47-  4 3/4 … Cheo King [Woodbury], 2017
47-  4 1/2 … Zakiyy Williams [Rancocas Valley], 2017
47-  4 ……… Tristan Wilson [Delsea], 2014
47-  3 1/4 … Antwan Dickerson [Pennsauken], 2013
47-  3 ……… Mike Baker [Cherry Hill West], 1976
47-  0 1/4 … Earnest Daniel [Kingsway], 2017

Pennsville senior Arianna Smith — the No. 7 seed — won the 400-meter intermediates Saturday at the Meet of Champions, and South Jersey girls took four of the first five spots.

Smith ran 1:00.13, a huge personal-best, a Salem County record and the fifth-fastest time in South Jersey history and fastest in six years!

Smith, whose previous PR was 1:02.11 at Group 1 states last week, broke the Salem County record of 1:00.79, set in 2014 by Penns Grove’s Courtney Smith.

Smith is the second Pennsville winner in Meet of Champions history. Megan Sax Vanderwyden won the javelin in 2015 with a throw of 138-3.

She’s the first girl from a Group 1 school ever to win the Meet of Champions intermediate hurdles.

—> Cinnaminson junior Meredith Updike, seeded sixth, placed third in 1:00.67, lowering her PR nearly a second from her 1:01.48 from Group 2 states last weekend, No. 12 in South Jersey history and No. 4 in Burlington County history, fastest by a Burlington County runner since Danielle Myricks of Willingboro ran 1:00.1 hand-timed in 2001. Her time is fastest by a South Jersey junior since Torie Robinson of Winslow ran 59.56 to win the 2013 Meet of Champions. It’s fastest by a Burlington County junior since Shawnee’s Mandie Dulin ran 59.75 as a junior in 1996.

—> Paul VI junior Aliya Rae Garozzo took fourth in 1:01.37, not far off her PR of 1:00.95 set at the state Parochial A meet last weekend.

—> Eastern junior Jewel Ash — the No. 25 seed!!! – placed fifth in 1:01.46 out of an unseeded section, lowering her PR from 1:01.71 from last year’s state Group 4 meet.

ALL-TIME S.J. 400 HURDLES LIST
56.83 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow Twp.], 2005
59.03 … Tonya Lee [Rancocas Valley], 1988
59.56 … Torie Robinson (Winslow Twp.], 2013
59.66 … Mandie Dulin [Shawnee], 1997
1:00.13 … Arianna Smith [Pennsville], 2019
1:00.1h … Danielle Myricks [Willingboro], 2001
1:00.26 … Helena Leyrer [Buena], 2012
1:00.47 … Shaquanda Meylor [Wilson], 2006
1:00.48 … Ste’yce McNeil [Winslow Twp.], 2012
1:00.55 … Katrina Sye [Buena], 1997
1:00.58 … Andrea Olsen [Buena], 2013
1:00.67 … Meredith Updike [Cinnaminson], 2019
1:00.69 … Kristina Keegan [Haddonfield], 2003
1:00.73 … Pam Richardson [Edgewood]., 2001
1:00.79 … Courtney Smith [Penns Grove], 2014
1:00.8h … Brittany Caserta [Highland], 2003
1:00.9h … Medea Ashton [Washington Twp.], 1980
1:01.0h … Eusheka Bartley [Highland], 1992
1:01.04 … Tynisha Revels [Camden], 1999
1:01.1h … Zonya Cross [Edgewood], 1983
1:01.14 … Brooke Kott [Millville], 2009
1:01.14 … Okechi Ogbuokiri [Willingboro], 1995
1:01.23 … Brianna Snowden [Rancocas Valley], 2019
1:01.25 … Carly Pettipaw [Lenape], 2015
1:01.29 … Morgan Gantt [Winslow Twp.], 2002
1:01.3h … Vernick Smith [Wilson], 1998
1:01.32 … Brittany Preston [Winslow Twp.], 2016
1:01.35 … Thaila Cooper [Kingsway], 2015
1:01.41 … Aliya Rae Garozzo [Paul VI], 2018
1:01.42 … Natalie Edwards [Pleasantville], 1995
1:01.46 … Jewel Ash [Eastern], 2019
1:01.49 … Mary Bohi [Seneca], 2009

The 51st annual Meet of Champions is underway at Northern Burlington Regional High School in Mansfield, and our good friends at N.J. Milesplit are providing real-time results!

Click here to follow along! http://bit.ly/2MKQLWi

The biggest meet of the track season is two days away, and we have everything that you need to prepare in one place!

Dive in!

Complete entry list! HERE

Event previews from the great Jim Lambert! HERE

All-time boys Meet of Champions top-20 performance list! HERE

All-time girls Meet of Champions top-20 performance list! HERE

2019 Meet of Champions Program! HERE

Meet of Champions records! HERE

All-time Meet of Champions winners! HERE

Complete previous results index going back to 1996! HERE

Mastoris, the best diner in the world, is only 10 minutes away from Northern Burlington! HERE

 

 

In his final collegiate meet, Florence graduate Curtis Thompson placed second in the javelin at the NCAA Championships, finishing behind only teammate Anderson Peters, the Grenadan national champion.

It made him 4-for-4 in first-team All-America (top-8) finishes in his brilliant collegiate career.

Competing at the NCAA Division 1 championships at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas, Thompson threw 257-3, less than a foot off his season-best 258-2, which he threw at the National Relay Championships in Fayetteville, Ark., in April.

Peters won with a 284-2 throw, a personal-best and meet record, and freshman Tyriq Horsford threw 248-0 to give Mississippi State a 1-2-3 sweep.

It was the first javelin sweep in NCAA Division 1 in 55 years, since Oregon swept the 1964 meet at its home track at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., with Les Tipton (249-10), Gary Reddaway (246-1) and Ron Gomez (232-8) taking the top three spots in what was then called the NCAA university division.

Thompson opened with the 257-3 and threw 238-8, 235-7 and 236-6 on his three other legal throws.

Peters had the three-best throws of the competition, broke his own meet record set last year and improved his own No. 3 mark in college track history.

Thompson was third in NCAAs as a freshman in the spring of 2015. He won NCAAs and was second in the Olympic Trials with his PR 271-11 in 2016 and placed seventh at 2017 NCAAs.

Rutgers senior Chris Mirabelli, a Holy Cross graduate, earned second-team All-America status with a ninth-place finish. His best throw was a 228-8 on his second throw. He’s been a first- or second-team All-America four times.

Mirabelli, who also sat out the 2018 season, has a PR of 251-6 from the 2017 Penn Relays and a season best of 235-8 this year when he won his third Big Ten title. His best NCAA finish was an eighth place in 2017 at 235-2.

Holy Spirit graduate Cade Antonucci, a sophomore at Auburn, placed 21st with a throw of 209-7. He had a best throw of 237-5 this year.

Thompson, Antonucci (237-5), R.V. grad Chris Mirabelli (236-6) and Nick Mirabelli are ranked No. 2, 16, 17 and 18 among all U.S. men this spring.

https://www.iaaf.org/records/toplists/throws/javelin-throw/outdoor/men/senior/2019?regionType=countries&region=usa&page=1&bestResultsOnly=true

The top shot putter in New Jersey had never thrown beyond 53-8 until three weeks ago.

Think about that for a moment.

Cherokee senior Lucciano Pizarro is one of those crazy stories you see sometimes in track and field where a solid performer entering the final weeks of his prep career suddenly becomes an exceptional one.

Sometimes it takes a few weeks for everything to click. Sometimes it takes years.

Pizarro threw 38-3 and placed 37th at sectionals as a sophomore. He surpassed 50 feet just once as a junior, going 52-10 for sixth at sectionals.

He was ranked No. 649 in New Jersey as a sophomore and No. 28 last year.

Heck, he wasn’t even one of the top 100 sophomores in the state two years ago.

Now he goes into the Meet of Champions as the No. 1 seed.

Pizarro had a breakthrough in his first meet this spring, PR’ing by 3 1/2 feet with a 55-2 at the Moorestown Invitational. He extended that to 56-3 1/2 when he won the Olympic Conference meet and then to 56-9 1/2 when he won sectionals.

This past weekend, he added three more feet to his PR with a 59-9 to win the state Group 4 title.

That made him the first Cherokee shot putter to win a state title since Gary Roskoski in 1999.

His 59-9 is No. 2 in Burlington County history or No. 3 if you include indoor marks. He’s now No. 15 in South Jersey history.

Only three boys threw at least 57 feet at the various state meets. Pizarro is the top seed, Red Bank senior Anthony Zamarro threw 59-2 to win the Parochial A title, and Kyle Lipscomb of Linden threw 58-8 for second in Group 4.

The only Cherokee boy to win a Meet of Champions title is Marc Pelerin in the 1,600 with 4:12.74 in 2002 at South Brunswick.

SOUTH JERSEY ALL-TIME SHOT PUT LIST
68-8 1/2  … Braheme Days Jr. [Bridgeton] 2012
64-10 1/2 … Jon Kalnas [Paulsboro], 1997
64-6 1/4 … Ron Dayne [Overbook], 1996
64-5 … Ray Wilks [Bridgeton], 1995
64-4 1/4 … Chris Robinson [Penns Grove], 1990
62-10 1/4 … Nick Pulli [West Deptford], 2014
63-0 … Lou Gordon [Bridgeton], 1995
61-11 3/4 … Kamron Kobolak [Cinnaminson], 2018
61-10 1/2 … Harry Dilts [Pitman], 1971
61-6 … Josh Awotunde [Delsea],  2013
61-4 1/2 … Bubba Green [Millville], 1976
61-4 … Kofi Yamoah [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2013
61-2 1/4 … Matthew Huckabee, [Timber Creek], 2010
60-3 … Donate Rivera [Pleasantville], 2012
59-9 ………. Lucciano Pizarro [Cherokee], 2019
59-8 1/2  … Ell Ash [Willingboro], 2004
59-7 3/4 … Chris Pressley [Woodbury], 2003
59-5 1/4 … Cade Antonucci [Holy Spirit], 2017