Going into the state Group 4 girls meet, you felt like it was a shame that either Rancocas Valley or Millville had to lose.

Two incredible programs, two tremendous coaching staffs, two fantastic track traditions.

Turned out neither did lose.

After an incredible two days going head to head, Millville and Rancocas Valley, the two best public school teams in the state, finished in a first-place tie with 54 points.

Both are state champions. Just how it should be.

Randolph finished with 41 points in what was really a two-way battle for state Group 4 supremacy.

It’s the first Group 4 tie since Washington Township and Trenton shared the 2000 title.

It’s only the seventh tie in any group in state girls track history going back to 1973 and the first ever featuring two South Jersey teams.

Congrats to both teams and both programs. The performances were off the charts. And the respect both programs have for each other is off the charts as well, which makes this deadlock even more special. These are two truly remarkable groups of runners, hurdlers, jumpers and throwers and both deserve to be called state champions.

Key battleground events were the 400 and long jump, the only individual events both schools scored in. They also both scored in the 400- and 1,600-meter relays.

The only events neither scored in — and this speaks volumes for the depth and talent of both programs — were the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 plus the 3,200-meter relay.

Let’s take a detailed look at how Millville and R.V. battled each other for two days over 18 events at Franklin Township High.

100-METER DASH: Millville senior Malea Broome ran 12.29 for sixth place.
Millville 1 point, Rancocas Valley 0 points

200-METER DASH: R.V. sophomore Sheriyah Nutt was only the sixth seed but placed third in 24.87, a big personal-best. Her previous PR was a 25.29 last week at sectionals. Her time is third-fastest by any South Jersey sophomore this spring, behonly only Lauren Princz of Egg Harbor (24.53) and Eastern’s Jailya Ash (24.80). Another RV sprinter, senior Darynn Minus-Vincent, missed medaling by only 5-100ths of a second.
Rancocas Valley 6 points, Millville 0 points

400-METER DASH: Millville freshman Bryanna Craig and R.V.’s Nutt went head-to-head, with both running PRs. Craig was third in 56.30 and Nutt fourth in 56.30. Craig’s previous PR was a 56.52 at the Rowan Open. That 56.30 is fastest this year among all New Jersey freshmen and actually ties the Millville school record of 56.30 set in 2008 by Britney Kott at the Cape Atlantic meet in Atlantic City. Nutt’s previous 400 PR was 57.78, also at the Rowan Open. Nutt’s time is No. 2 among South Jersey sophomores behind Pennsauken’s Jade Pope (56.08 at BCSL meet).
Millville 6 points, Rancocas Valley 4 points

100-METER HURDLES: Broome ran 14.46 for fourth place.
Millville 4 points, Rancocas Valley 0 points

400-METER HURDLES: R.V. senior Brianna Snowden placed second with a huge PR of 1:01.23, No. 17 in South Jersey history and No. 5 in Burlington County history. And fastest by a Burlington County girl in 18 years, since Danielle Myricks ran a hand-timed 1:00.1 for Willingboro in 2001.
Rancocas Valley 8 points, Millville 0 points

400-METER RELAY: Millville and R.V. went 1-3, both under 48! Wow!!! For Millville, senior Brionah Patterson, Broome, junior Ciera Bowman and junior Zaniah Bowman ran 47.53, just missing the meet record of 47.45 set last year by Egg Harbor. That’s a Cumberland County record and No. 12 in South Jersey history. For R.V., Minus-Vincent and Snowden, Nutt and junior Breacain McClenahan ran 47.97, just off their 47.91 from the Penn Relays.
Millville 10 points, Rancocas Valley 6 points

1,600-METER RELAY: Rancocas Valley ran the No. 2 time in New Jersey this year and the fastest of any school in the six state championship 4-by-4s on Saturday. The team of sophomore Alyssa Leak, Snowden, freshman Anabella Chin and Nutt won the race in 3:48.87, which is a school record, No. 17 in South Jersey history and No. 7 in Burlington County history. Millville of course wasn’t far back, taking fourth in 3:52.56. The team of Patterson, Craig, senior Raelynne Miller and senior Malea Broome ran the fastest time by a Cumberland County school since Millville set the county record of 3:50.10 to win states in 2008.
Rancocas Valley 10 points, Millville 4 points

HIGH JUMP: Craig cleared 5-6, an inch over her previous PR, to win on fewer misses over Mahogany Jenkins of Watchung Hills.
Millville 10 points, Rancocas Valley 0 points

LONG JUMP: Huge event for both schools. Rancocas Valley junior Kristina Tossas, only the No. 11 seed, was an upset winner with a massive PR of 18-7 1/2, nearly a foot over her previous PR of 17-8 3/4 from sectionals. That actually moved her past Tonya Lee (18-4 3/4) and into the No. 2 spot in school history, behind only Meet of Champions winner Demya Walker (18-10 1/4 in 1994) and is No. 6 in Burlington County history. (Walker, by the way, was an All-America basketball player at Virginia and played six years in the WNBA. The Meet of Champions was the last track meet of her life). Millville freshman Leah Ellis, who was only the No. 23 seed after a 16-10 1/4 at sectionals, took third in that hot long jump competition at 17-11 1/2, an outdoor PR by more than four inches. And R.V. freshman Anaya Young, who was the No. 17 seed, jumped a PR 17-8 for fifth. What an event for both schools!
Rancocas Valley 12 points, Millville 6 points

TRIPLE JUMP: Tossas added a fifth place with a 36-11, another personal best. She was only the No. 10 seed in the triple, so she scored 12 points despite being seeded No. 10 and 11 in her two events.
Rancocas Valley 2 points, Millville 0 points

SHOT PUT: Junior Tereana Parker threw 39-3 for fourth place, less than a foot off her PR from the Cumberland County meet, and junior Fatimah Owens added a point with a sixth-place finish at 38-8.
Millville 5 points, Rancocas Valley 0 points

DISCUS: Rancocas Valley freshman Ravin Hood PR’d at 117-4 for third place behind two seniors. Hood is the top freshman in the state, and her throw is best by a South Jersey freshman since Jessica Woodard of Cherokee, who went on to become a multiple collegiate All-America, threw 125-4 back in 2010.
Rancocas Valley 6 points, Millville 0 points

JAVELIN: Millville junior Kira Parsons came up huge with a 134-0 throw for second place. That’s No. 4 in Cumberland County history.
Millville 8, Ranocas Valley 0

What a weekend of track!

The 111th annual New Jersey state championships are over, and we’ve got links to all the results:

For complete results from the Group 2, Group 3 and Parochial A meet at Central Regional in Bayville, click HERE.

For complete results from the Group 1, Group 4 and Parochial B meet at Franklin Township High, click HERE.

Deptford’s first state championship was truly a team effort. Naseem Smith won the high hurdles and James Lynch won the pole vault, but the real stars for the Spartans were the relay teams.

The 4-by-4 finished first, the 4-by-1 took second and the 4-by-8 placed sixth for 19 big points.

The Spartans were the only school in Group 3 to medal in all three relays. And they used 10 different runners. Only Khion Smith and Amadu Jalloh ran on more than one of the three scoring relay teams.

Deptford outscored second-place Hopewell Valley 47-40 to win the state Group 3 championship at Central Regional.

Let’s take a look!

1,600-METER RELAY: Seniors Tyrece Brown and Amadu Jalloh, sophomore Steven Rios and senior Khion Smith ran a season-best 3:21.13 to win the 4-by-4.

400-METER RELAY: Juniors Richard Fawkes and Donovan Clement along with Khion Smith and senior Donnie Scott won the 4-by-1 in 42.83.

3,200-METER RELAY: Junior Philip Sedalis, sophomores Julian Rodriguez and Kevin Eli and senior Amadu Jalloh ran 8:12.44 for sixth in the 4-by-8.

We already wrote about Naseem Smith [https://sjtrackblog.com/2019/06/01/sincere-rhea-naseem-smith-sam-aviles-put-on-a-show-in-110-high-hurdles-at-states/], who broke 14 seconds in the highs for the first time.

Lynch matched his personal-best of 15 feet, which he cleared at the South Jersey Invitational. The state title is his first.

Deptford also got points from senior Marcel Washington, how cleared 6-2 for third in the high jump; Khion Smith, who placed sixth in the 100 in 11.14; and sophomore Julian Rodriguez, who cleared a personal-best 13-6 for sixth in the pole vault. His previous PR was 13-0 from the Willingboro relay meet.

This is back-to-back state Group 3 titles for Gloucester County schools. Delsea won Group 3 last year before moving down to Group 1, where it won this year’s title.

This is the first time ever that Gloucester County schools have won two state titles the same year.

Lenape senior Shelby Whetstone moved into the all-time South Jersey top-10 in the 800 with an incredible breakthrough race in the state Group 4 meet at Franklin.

Whetstone, the No. 6 seed after a 2:15.90 at sectionals, ran 2:10.55 to win the race over a loaded field.

She broke the Burlington County record of 2:11.07 set in 2007 by Lenape’s Miya Johnson, who was a teammate of Caitlin Orr, who is now Whetstone’s distance coach.

Whetstone’s previous PR was a 2:14.09 at the Rowan Invitational, so that’s a 3 1/2-second personal-best! She’s undefeated this year at 800 meters.

It looks like Whetstone will be the No. 2 seed in the 800 at the Meet of Champions next weekend at Northern Burlington behind defending champion Victoria Vanriele of Governor Livingston, who was third at nationals last spring in 2:05.99.

Whetstone edged Edison junior Cynthia Boryeskne to the finish line. Boryeskne, the top seed, was second in 2:11.24.

Here time is fastest by any South Jersey half-miler since 2014, when Ocean City’s Rachel Stremme ran 2:09.84.

2:07.33 … Marielle Hall (Haddonfield), 2009
2:08.87 … Erin Donohue (Haddonfield), 2001
2:09.2h … Katrina Sye (Buena), 1999
2:09.50 … Renee Tomlin (Ocean City), 2005
2:09.84 … Rachel Stremme (Ocean City), 2014
2:10.1h … Michelle Rowen (Washington Twp.), 1982
2:10.55 … Shelby Whetstone (Lenape), 2019
2:10.57 … Nijgia Snapp (Oakcrest), 2009
2:10.79 … Krista Ferrara (Vineland), 1991
2:10.9h … Ruth Lockbaum (Glassboro), 1985
2:11.07 … Miya Johnson (Lenape), 2007
2:11.45 … Sydney Coppolino (Sterling), 2017
2:11.56 … Mary Bohi (Seneca), 2009
2:11.80 … Briana Gess (Haddonfield), 2016
2:11.88 … Kayla Martin (Seneca), 2015
2:11.94 … Bridget Flynn (Ocean City), 2014
2:12.04 … Kami Jo Hickson (Washington Twp.), 2017
2:12.0h … Monica Olkowski (Cherokee), 1990
2:12.28 … Rachel Vick (Kingsway), 2017
2:12.61 … Felicia O’Donnell (Delsea), 2009
2:12.63 … Liz Locke (Kingsway), 2010
2:12.77 … Lauren McHale (Ocean City), 1998
2:12.78 … Megan Quimby (Lenape), 2015
2:12.83 … Brooke Kott (Millville), 2008
2:12.85 … Greta Feldman (Haddonfield), 2008
2:12.93 … Carly Pettipaw (Lenape), 2015

Lenape senior Shelby Whetstone moved into the all-time South Jersey top-10 in the 800 with an incredible breakthrough race in the state Group 4 meet at Franklin.

Whetstone, the No. 6 seed after a 2:15.90 at sectionals, ran 2:10.55 to win the race over a loaded field.

She broke the Burlington County record of 2:11.07 set in 2007 by Lenape’s Miya Johnson, who was a teammate of Caitlin Orr, who is now Whetstone’s distance coach.

Whetstone’s previous PR was a 2:14.09 at the Rowan Invitational. She’s undefeated this year at 800 meters.

It looks like Whetstone will be the No. 2 seed in the 800 at the Meet of Champions next weekend at Northern Burlington behind defending champion Victoria Vanriele of Governor Livingston, who was third at nationals last spring in 2:05.99.

Whetstone edged Edison junior Cynthia Boryeskne to the finish line. Boryeskne, the top seed, was second in 2:11.24.

2:07.33 … Marielle Hall (Haddonfield), 2009
2:08.87 … Erin Donohue (Haddonfield), 2001
2:09.2h … Katrina Sye (Buena), 1999
2:09.50 … Renee Tomlin (Ocean City), 2005
2:09.84 … Rachel Stremme (Ocean City), 2014
2:10.1h … Michelle Rowen (Washington Twp.), 1982
2:10.55 … Shelby Whetstone (Lenape), 2019
2:10.57 … Nijgia Snapp (Oakcrest), 2009
2:10.79 … Krista Ferrara (Vineland), 1991
2:10.9h … Ruth Lockbaum (Glassboro), 1985
2:11.07 … Miya Johnson (Lenape), 2007
2:11.45 … Sydney Coppolino (Sterling), 2017
2:11.56 … Mary Bohi (Seneca), 2009
2:11.80 … Briana Gess (Haddonfield), 2016
2:11.88 … Kayla Martin (Seneca), 2015
2:11.94 … Bridget Flynn (Ocean City), 2014
2:12.04 … Kami Jo Hickson (Washington Twp.), 2017
2:12.0h … Monica Olkowski (Cherokee), 1990
2:12.28 … Rachel Vick (Kingsway), 2017
2:12.61 … Felicia O’Donnell (Delsea), 2009
2:12.63 … Liz Locke (Kingsway), 2010
2:12.77 … Lauren McHale (Ocean City), 1998
2:12.78 … Megan Quimby (Lenape), 2015
2:12.83 … Brooke Kott (Millville), 2008
2:12.85 … Greta Feldman (Haddonfield), 2008
2:12.93 … Carly Pettipaw (Lenape), 2015

South Jersey hurdlers put on quite a show at the two state meets Saturday, with Palmyra’s Sam Aviles running a huge PR and near meet-record 14.12 to win Group 1 at Franklin, Naseem Smith of Deptford running a personal-best 13.98 to win Group 3 at Central Regional and St. Augustine’s Sincere Rhea – the indoor national champ – winning Parochial A in 13.93.

Let’s take a look at South Jersey’s three high hurdles state champions:

SAM AVILES: Aviles came into the weekend with a PR of 14.45 but ran 14.36 to lead all qualifiers and then blasted a huge PR of 14.12, which left him just 7-100ths of a second off the meet record of 14.05 set in 2016 by Ihmir Marsette of Weequahic and within range of the school record of 13.97 set in 2006 by national scholastic champion Will Brown. Aviles needed every fraction of that PR to hold off second-place Christian Martin of Whippany Park, who was second in 14.13. Aviles also won the state group 1 title indoors and was second in the Meet of Champions in the 55 highs. His time is No. 5 in Burlington County history.

ALL-TIME BURLINGTON COUNTY 110HH LIST
13.59 … Gerard Reynolds (Willingboro), 1990
13.76 … Isaac Williams (Willingboro), 2012
13.97 … Will Brown (Palmyra), 2006
13.99 … Herb Reid (Lenape), 2000
14.12 … Sam Aviles (Palmyra), 2019
14.18 … Jalen Walker (Burlington Twp.), 2010
14.18 … Darren McCluskey (Cherokee), 2011
14.20 … Jusson Boyd (Willingboro), 2007
14.24 … Cezaire Rohn (Willingboro), 2000
14.26 … Aaron Biddle (Bordentown), 1998
14.26 … Napolean Suarez (Pemberton), 2000
14.26 … Kevin Gantt (Seneca), 2006

NASEEM SMITH: Smith lowered his PR from 14.05 , which he ran in the trials of the South Jersey Invitational last month, in winning his second straight outdoor Group 3 state title. Smith’s time is now No. 20 in South Jersey history and No. 3 in Gloucester County history, behind only Sultan Tucker of Delsea, who ran 13.66 in 1997, and Devon Carter of Washington Township, who ran 13.96 in 2010. Smith is the No. 3 seed in the Meet of Champions, behind only Rhea and Rosell’s Jaheem Hayles, who won Group 2 in 13.95.

ALL-TIME S.J. 110 HURDLES LIST
13.43 … Danye Brown [Camden], 1999
13.52 … Sincere Rhea [St. Augustine], 2019
13.59 … Gerard Reynolds [Willingboro], 1990
13.66 … Sultan Tucker [Delsea], 1997
13.73 … Kevin Hagamin [Timber Creek], 2014
13.74 … Dwight Ruff [Camden], 2001
13.75 … Rashad Baker [Wilson], 2000
13.76 … Nate Harley [Pleasantville], 1996
13.76 … Isaac Williams [Willingboro], 2012
13.77 … Anthony Acklin [Triton], 2001
13.81 … Scot McCray [Camden], 1997
13.81 … Jeff Young [Wilson], 1999
13.90 … Edwin Alston [Winslow Twp.], 2015
13.92 … Enrique Llanos [Wilson], 1999
13.94 … Hal Lathan [Egg Harbor Twp,], 2009
13.95 … Kevin White [Haddon Heights], 1992
13.96 … Devon Carter [Washington Twp.], 2010
13.97 … Will Brown [Palmyra], 2006
13.97 … Syteek Farrington [Camden], 2010
13.98 … Naseem Smith [Deptford], 2019
13.99 … Herb Reid [Lenape], 2000

SINCERE RHEA: Rhea continues to perform at a dazzling level in whatever event he enters. On Friday, he won the Parochial A 400 in 48.06, lowering his PR from 48.80. If he chooses to race the 400 at Meet of Champions, he’ll be the No. 2 seed, behind only Mario Heslop of Franklin Township, who easily won Group 4 in 47.12. Rhea is now No. 3 in Atlantic County history in the 400. Here’s the all-time South Jersey list, which I took down to 48.10:

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
47.1h … 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
47.30 … Rob Gary [Lenape], 1998
47.76 … Carl Smith [Camden], 2005
47.88 … Shawney Kersey [Woodbury], 2009
47.88 … Damiere Byrd [Timber Creek], 2011
47.95 … John Morris [Camden], 2001
47.96 … Alex Reber [Cherry Hill East], 2012
47.99 … Elliot DeShields [Clayton], 2011
48.01 … Greg Arnett [Woodrow Wilson], 1996
48.02 … Nigel Sanchez [Woodrow Wilson], 2014
48.03 … Tyler Davidson [Willingboro], 2014
48.05 … Mike Patterson [Pleasantville], 1997
48.05 … Mohamed Kanu [Lenape], 1999
48.06 … Sincere Rhea [St. Augustine], 2019
48.07 … Isaac Clark [Pleasantville], 2013

It was business as usual for Rhea in the high hurdles, where he won his seventh career state title in 13.93 and goes into the Meet of Champions as the top seed.

Timber Creek junior Tierra Hooker continued her masterful junior season Saturday when she completed an incredible jumps double at the state Group 3 meet at Central Regional.

Hooker won the state Group 3 high jump at 5-10, matching her PR, a day after she won the long jump at 19-0, just shy of her PR of 19-2.

Hooker is the first girl in state meet history to long jump 19 feet and high jump 5-10.

The only other New Jersey who’s reached both those marks at any point in her career is current Paramus Catholic senior Tiffany Bautista, who jumped 5-10 at Parochial A states last year and also in winning the Meet of Champions. She jumped 19-2 1/2 last year when she was third in the Meet of Champions. Her best marks this year are 5-4 and 18-5.

Hooker will go into the Meet of Champions next weekend as the top seed in both jumps. She won the high jump at this year’s indoor M-of-C but hasn’t yet won an outdoor Meet of Champions title.

 

When Sarah Naticchia PRs, she really PRs. Wowowow!!!

Naticchia, the remarkable Haddonfield sophomore who ran the first race of her life five months ago, placed second in the Group 2 3,200 at states Saturday in 10:48.87.

That’s the No. 24 time in South Jersey history and a personal-best by 23 seconds over her 11:11.53 back in April in the Cherokee Night of 3200’s. It was only the fourth competitive 3,200 of her life.

Samantha Ragenklint of Monmouth won the race in a 12-second PR of 10:44.97.

One day earlier, Naticchia placed third in the 1,600 in 4:55.90, a seven-second PR and the No. 15 time in South Jersey history.

She’s now one of only 11 girls in South Jersey history to run sub 4:56 and sub-10:50:

Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2000, 2001
4:41.16 … 10:28.6h

Michelle Rowen [Washington Twp.], 1982, 1983
4:41.5y … 10:12.8y

Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 2014
4:45.97 … 10:45.12

Rachel Vick [Kingsway], 2017
4:49.26 … 10:29.28

Alyssa Aldridge [Mainland Reg.], 2017
4:51.43 … 10:27.44

Brittany Sedberry [Ocean City], 2004
4:55.41 … 10:44.23

Julianna Catania [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2016
4:55.45 … 10:45.40

Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2012
4:55.66 … 10:22.02

Dina Iacone [Washington Twp.], 2012
4:55.70 … 10:30.57

Sarah Naticchia [Haddonfield], 2019
4:55.90 … 10:48.87

Bishop Eustace senior Connor Melko completed a remarkable distance triple crown Saturday when he won the Parochial A 3,200 in 9:07.23.

Melko finished 10 meters ahead of Luke Reid of CBA, who was second in 9:08.48.

Melko was the state Parochial B XC champ with a 16:50.0 at Holmdel and he won the 1,600 and 3,200 at indoor states at the Bennett in February.

This is his first outdoor state title.

Melko finished less than two seconds off the meet record of 9:05.57 set by legendary Jason DiJoseph of Paul VI in 1988. DiJoseph was a Foot Locker national XC runner-up in the fall of 1988.

Melko’s time is the fifth-fastest in state Parochial A history, fastest in eight years and fastest by a South Jersey runner since DiJoseph 31 years ago.

9:05.57 … Jason DiJoseph [Paul VI], 1988 [1st]
9:05.67 … Morgan Pearson [CBA], 2011 [1st]
9:05.78 … Mike Mazzaccaro [CBA], 2010 [1st]
9:06.79 … Morgan Pearson [Delbarton], 2010  [2nd]
9:07.23 … Conor Melko [Bishop Eustace], 2019 [1st]

His time was second-fastest of all the two-milers in the six various sections Saturday, so he’ll be the No. 2 seed in the Meet of Champions, behind only defending champion Devin Hart, who ran 9:04.57 to win the Group 2 title. Hart was the XC Meet of Champions winner and a Foot Locker finalist this past fall

Going into the Meet of Champions, there are eight two-milers under 9:10, including Melko and Mainland Regional’s Kevin Antczak, who ran a huge PR of 9:09.38 in the Group 3 meet at Central Regional.

Here’s what that group looks like:

Devin Hart 9:04.57 [1st, Group 2]
Connor Melko 9:07.23 [1st, Parochial A]
Luke Reid CBA 9”08.48 [2nd, Parochial A]
Jack Stanley 9:08.18 [1st, Group 3]
Conor Murphy 9:08.55 [2nd, Group 3]
Jack Jennings 908.62 [3rd, Group 3]
Kevin Antczak 9:09.38 [4th, Group 3]
John McGovern 9:09.82 [5th, Group 3]

Melko has a PR of 9:06.52 from Holmdel earlier this month. That’s No. 18 in South Jersey history.

For fourth time in 13 years, a Riverside triple jumper is a state champion.

Senior Alex Stockton continued Riverside’s remarkable triple jump tradition Friday when he won the Group 1 state title with a personal-best 44-5 1/2 jump at Franklin High.

Stockton’s previous PR was a 42-10 1/4 from states last year, so that’s an improvement of a foot and a half.

Four different Riverside triple jumpers have won the state Group 1 title as seniors since 2007. All four PR’d in that victory.

And they are the only Riverside state champions during that span. Riverside’s last state champ who wasn’t a triple jumper was Ron Brock, who won the Group 1 1,600 in 1990.

Let’s take a look at Riverside’s triple jumpers over the years:

2007: Phil Lindmueller jumped 45-3 1/2 to win on a second-best-jump tiebreaker over Dan DePalma of Verona, who also jumped 45-3 1/2.

2008: Sean Jimoh jumped 45-5 1/4, then a meet record, to win by three inches over Chris Pisano of Metuchen.

2018: Emmanuel Harris popped big PR of 45-8 1/2 to win by six inches over Javon Spann of Schalick.

2019: Stockton — the No. 14 seed in a field of 24 — popped a 44-5 1/2, edging Spann by three inches.

Stockton’s previous-best jump this year was a 42-8 1/2 at the Burlington County Open, where he was third. He placed 16th at the South Jersey Invitational, second at the BCSL Freedom Division meet and fourth at sectionals and had never previously won a conference, county, sectional or state title, so this is his first major triple jump title ever.

Stockton will race in the 110-meter high hurdles and run on the Rams’ 1,600-meter relay team on Saturday. He also qualified for states in the javelin.