The middle-distance cupboard is rarely bare at Pleasantville, and it looks like the Greyhounds have another one in the pipeline.

Sophomore Irvin Marable won the sophomore 800 at the 20th annual Marine Corps Holiday Classic Saturday with a huge meet record of 2:00.61. The previous meet record was 2:05.48, although the official meet site doesn’t say who held it.

Marable’s previous indoor PR was 2:05.88 at this meet last year, and his overall PR was 2:04.31 from last year’s Atlantic County Championships.

That makes Marable second-fastest in South Jersey in the early goings this season, behind only teammate Gabriel Moronta, who ran a near-PR 1:54.59 to win the varsity section of the 800 at the Marine Corps meet at the 168th Street Armory.

Marable becomes the fastest Atlantic County sophomore since Jacob Clark of Pleasantville ran 2:00.49 as a sophomore at the 2011 Meet of Champions and the fastest by a South Jersey runner since Derek Gess ran 1:55.93.

He’s also now the 3rd-fastest sophomore half-miler in the country, according to the MileSplit national database, behind Korede Otusajo of Millford Mill Academy in Gwynn Oak, Md., who ran 1:59.30 in the varsity race at Marine Corps, and Myles Plummer of Union Catholic, who ran 2:00.17 at the Essex County Season Opener at Ocean Breeze.

Marable was out in 28.7 and came through the 400 in 59.1. He hit 600 meters in 1:30.8 before closing in 29.9.

Jack Welch of Concord High was second in 2:02.81. He was half a step back of Marable when he came through the 600 in 1:31.1 before Marable gapped him on the final lap.

Winslow senior John Purvis joined the 60-foot club this weekend, demolishing the Camden County record with a 60-0 throw at the SJTCA winter meet No. 2 at the Bennett Center.

I haven’t been able to track down Purvis’s series, but his winning throw of 60-0 makes him only the 8th South Jersey thrower to surpass 60 feet indoors and the 18th to do it either indoors or out.

Purvis surpassed his previous indoor (and overall) PR of 57-8 1/2, which he just set last weekend at the same venue in Toms River.

He broke the Camden County record of 57-10 1/2, set in 2010 by Matt Huckabee of Timber Creek at the state Group 3 meet.

Purvis’s mark is No. 1 in the state this year and No. 1 on the U.S. MileSplit list here in the early part of the season.

S.J. INDOOR SHOT PUT ALL-TIME TOP 10
70-8 … Braheme Days Jr. [Bridgeton], 2012
63-11 … Ray Wilks [Bridgeton], 1995
63-1 3/4 … Nick Pulli [West Deptford], 2014
61-9 … Lou Gordon [Bridgeton], 1995
62-7 3/4 … Kamron Kobolak [Cinnaminson], 2018
60-3 … Harry Dilts [Pitman], 1971
60-0 1/2 … Ell Ash [Willingboro], 2004
60-0 … John Purvis [Winslow Twp.], 2020
59-9 … Kofi Yamoah [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2013
58-10 … James Plummer [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2013

S.J. COMBINED SHOT PUT LIST
70-8 … Braheme Days Jr. [Bridgeton] 2012 [I]
64-10 1/2 … Jon Kalnas [Paulsboro], 1997 [o]
64-6 1/4 … Ron Dayne [Overbook], 1996 [o]
64-5 … Ray Wilks [Bridgeton], 1995 [o]
64-4 1/4 … Chris Robinson [Penns Grove], 1990 [o]
63-1 3/4 … Nick Pulli [West Deptford], 2014 [i]
63-0 … Lou Gordon [Bridgeton], 1995 [o]
62-7 3/4 … Kamron Kobolak [Cinnaminson], 2018 [I]
61-10 1/2 … Harry Dilts [Pitman], 1971 [o]
61-6 … Josh Awotunde [Delsea],  2013 [o]
61-4 1/2 … Bubba Green [Millville], 1976 [o]
61-4 … Kofi Yamoah [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2013 [o]
61-3 … Kamron Kobolak [Cinnaminson], 2018] [i]
61-2 1/4 … Matthew Huckabee [Timber Creek], 2010] [o]
60-11 … Luciano Pizarro [Cherokee], 2019] [o]
60-3 … Dontaye Rivera [Pleasantville], 2012] [o]
60-0 1/2 … Ell Ash [Willingboro], 2004] [i]
60-0 … John Purvis [Winslow Twp.], 2020 [i]

Kingsway ran the fastest indoor distance medley by a Gloucester County school in 45 years Saturday, winning the event at the 20th Marine Corps Holiday Classic at the 168th Street Armory.

The Dragons ran 10:28.30, fastest by a Gloucester County DMR since Williamstown ran 10:21.8 over 2 1/2 miles in 1974. 

Kyle Rakitis led off with a 3:16 for 1,200 meters, followed by Finn Campbell’s 53.5 in the 400. Jeffrey Heineman split 1:59.9 on the 800 leg, and Stone Caraccio brought the Dragons home with a 4:18.8 anchor.

River Dell placed second in 10:33.54, with anchor Anish Nanjappa splitting 4:18.9 himself trying to chase down Caraccio.

Kingsway’s previous school record was a 10:31.88 for fourth place at the 2013 Marine Corps Holiday Classic on the same track.

There are certainly some times missing from this list, but this should be most of the sub-10:20 indoor DMRs in South Jersey history! Please send additions to me in the comments section!

10:09.78 … Haddonfield, 2010
10:12.42 … Haddonfield, 2016
10:16.32 … Cherokee, 2002
10:16.60 … Haddonfield, 2002
10:17.97 … Ocean City, 2011
10:19.29 … Haddonfield, 2009
10:21.11 … Haddonfield, 2011
10:21.38 … Haddon Township, 2015
10:21.8y … Williamstown, 1974
10:22.85 … Eastern, 2016
10:23.52 … Haddonfield, 2015
10:28.30 … Kingsway, 2020
10:29.39 … Bishop Eustace, 2013

Millville sophomore Bryanna Craig, the national scholastic heptathlon champion last spring and freshman national record holder, contested her first lifetime high school indoor multi-event on Saturday and shattered a 31-year-old South Jersey record.

Craig scored 3,584 points in five events to win the pentathlon at the 20th annual Marine Corps Holiday Classic at the 168th Street Armory in New York.

The previous South Jersey record was 3,570, set in 1988 by Rancocas Valley’s Tonya Lee, who went to become an All-America intermediate hurdler at Tennessee and reached the finals of the 400IH at the 1996 Olympic Trials.

The previous Cumberland County record of 3,514 was set in 1994 by Bridgeton’s Helen Wilks.

Craig’s score is No. 2 in state history behind only a score of 3,674 set by Tia Livingston of Union Catholic, when she placed second to Canada’s Dallyssa Huggins at the 2016 New Balance Nationals, also at the Armory. Livingston is now at Penn and Huggins is at Maryland.

To make the all-time U.S. top 10, Craig would need to score 3,714 points, so she is 130 points away — or just 26 points per event.

She won’t contest another multi until February, when she competes in the Music City Invitational at Vanderbilt University in Nashville.

Craig had some familiar faces competing with her on Saturday.

Millville went 1-2-6 in the pentathlon, with sophomore Leah Ellis 2nd with 2,950 points and freshman Autumn Craig taking 6th 2,497 points.

For Bryanna Craig, here’s an event-by-event look at her day:

55-METER HURDLES: Craig ran a near-PR of 8.50 to lead the field. Her previous PR of 8.46 came last week at the Demarest Invitational at the Bennett Center in Toms River. Her best time last year was an 8.79. 909 points.

LONG JUMP: Craig jumped an indoor PR 18-1 1/2. It’s an indoor PR because she had never jumped in an official meet indoors. Outdoors Craig has a PR of 18-5 1/4 from last year’s Rowan Open. When she broke the national freshman record last June she jumped 16-11 1/4. 7.6 points.

800-METER RUN: Craig ran an indoor 2:27.25, finishing nearly eight seconds ahead of the next-fastest runner. Craig ran 2:31.04 in her only previous indoor 800, which was in a SJTCA event at the Bennett Center last January. She PR’d at 2:21.44 at New Balance Nationals last June. 728 points.

HIGH JUMP: Craig cleared 5-0 1/4, 5-2 and 5-4 on her first attempt before missing three tries at 5-6. The 5-4 ties her indoor PR. She cleared 5-8 last spring  at the Under-20 Championships in Miramar, Fla. 771 points.

SHOT PUT: Craig threw 29-9 3/4, not far off her indoor PR of 30-8 1/4, which she set last week at the Demarest Invite. 470 points.

Ellis ran a PR 8.56 in the 55 hurdles, high jumped 4-10 1/4, threw the shot 28-3 3/4, long jumped 16-7 1/4 and ran the 800 in 2:52.33. She scored her most points in the hurdles (895).

Autumn Craig ran 9.69, cleared 5-0 1/4, threw the shot 23 feet, long jumped 14-8 3/4 and ran 2:52.92.

As for Lee, who previously held the South Jersey record, she set her mark of 3,570 when she won the 1988 National Scholastic Championships at Coxe Cage at Yale University in New Haven, Conn.

Lee’s marks that day: 8.47 in the hurdles, 27-1 3/4 in the shot, 5-7 1/4 in the high jump, 17-8 in the long jump and 2:25.97 in the 800.

An auspicious high school debut for Williamstown freshman Ciara Demarest, who opened her indoor season by winning the shot put at the SJTCA Winter Meet No. 1 Monday with a 36-1 1/2, the best throw in at least 15 years by a Gloucester County freshman.

Demarest, who won several youth track national age-group titles, won the event at the Bennett Center in Toms River by 3 1/2 inches over junior teammate Zuri Richardson, who threw 35-10, an indoor PR of her own. Richardson has a 37-6 1/2 to her credit outdoors.

Demarest’s throw is best overall early this indoor season by a South Jersey thrower, and Richardson is No. 2. She’s also No. 1 after two weekends among New Jersey freshmen.

Williamstown has always had good throwers, and Karen Johnson set the school indoor mark of 39-8 1/4 in 2006. Jayla Washington was close to that at 38-10 in 2014. Damiola Akinmade threw 36-9 in 2015.

For the second year in a row, Pleasantville’s Gabriel Moronta has opened the season with a fast 600 at the Bishop Loughlin Games.

This year was even faster.

Last year, Moronta opened with a 1:23.83 for second place behind Charlie Serrano of Matawan at the annual Loughlin Games at Ocean Breeze. This year he won the race in 1:22.01, finishing nearly a second ahead of second-place Jason Marchese of St. Joseph by the Sea in Staten Island.

Moronta’s time is No. 6 in South Jersey history and No. 3 in both Atlantic County and Pleasantville High School history.

All-Time South Jersey 600-Meter List
1:19.6h … Rob Novak [Bordentown], 2005
1:20.71 … Keith Griffith [Florence], 2010
1:21.13 … Shannon Sherrer [Vineland], 2003
1:21.20 … Isaac Clark [Pleasantville], 2012
1:21.76 … Alan Laws [Pleasantville], 2007
1:22.01 … Gabriel Moronta [Pleasantville], 2019
1:23.34 … Marcus Phillips [Cherry Hill East], 2011
1:23.56 … Tyler Davidson [Willingboro], 2016

All-Time New Jersey 600-Meter List
1:17.9 … Shaquon Brown [JFK Paterson], 2005
1:18.90 … Clayton Parros [Seton Hall Prep], 2009
1:19.14 … Luis Peralta [Passaic], 2019
1:19.6h … Rob Novak [Bordentown], 2005
1:19.61 … Alfred Chawonza [St. Benedict’s Prep], 2019
1:20.0 … Ken Sinkovitz [Bergen Catholic], 2003
1:20.04 … Elijah Brown [Union Catholic], 2019
1:20.10 … Michael Thurston [Ridgewood], 2016
1:20.1 … Marcel VanEeden [Mendham], 2005
1:20.32 … Ernesto Perez [West Side], 1990
1:20.47 … Najee Glass [St. Peter’s Prep], 2012
1:20.50 … Christian Kildal-Brandt [Mendham], 2014
1:20.53 … Lewis Ngwenya [St. Benedict’s Prep], 2018
1:20.56 … Greg Stickle [Randolph], 2015
1:20.7 … Andrew Giannotti [Westwood], 1998
1:20.71 … Keith Griffith [Florence], 2010
1:20.73 … Ian McNally [Morris Hills], 2016
1:20.84 … Bryan Scotland [St. Benedict’s], 2005
1:21.00 … Jack Kerin [Indian Hills], 2016
1:21.13 … Shannon Sherrer [Vineland], 2003
1:21.3 … Joe Velazquez [Paramus], 1999
1:21.20 … Isaac Clark [Pleasantville], 2012
1:21.38 … Patrick Blackie [Seton Hall Prep], 2007
1:21.4 … Josh Kauke [Ridgewood], 2000
1:21.5 … Mike Pachella [Walkill Valley], 2005
1:20.60 … Kyle Davidson [Old Tappan], 2012
1:21.7 … Sharif Webb [Don Bosco], 2007
1:21.70 … Kishaun Richardson [East Orange], 2018
1:21.76 … Alan Laws [Pleasantville], 2007
1:21.90 … Jason Apwah [Roxbury], 2007
1:21.90 … Ben Malone [Pascack Valley], 2012
1:22.0 … Hayrol Cruz [Pasaic], 2005
1:22.01 … Gabriel Moronta [Pleasantville], 2019
1:22.02 … Trae’ Robinson [Union Catholic], 2016
1:22.10 … Calvin Knox [Indian Hills], 2012
1:22.16 … Jackson Burnett [St. Benedict’s Prep], 2019
1:22.21 … Allen Eke [Union Catholic], 2012
1:22.23 … Ryan Orr [Ridge], 2017
1:22.29 … Byron Simmons [St. Benedict’s Prep], 2017
1:22.3 … Niall Buckley [Ridgewood], 2007
1:22.33 … Charles Dasilva [Pope John XXIII], 2018

Marco Morales on Saturday tied the South Jersey indoor pole vault record, the Gloucester County record, the Delsea school record and the Morales family record.

Morales, a Delsea senior, cleared 15-6 to win the vault at the Coach Saint Invitational at the 168th Street Armory in New York.

Morales won on misses over Nick Mireki of Washingtonville (N.Y.). Morales had a miss at 14-6 but was clean at 14-0, 15-0 and 15-6. Mirecki had two misses at 14-6.

Morales tied the South Jersey mark of 15-6 set by his twin brother Nico last winter. Nico cleared 15-6 three times – twice at the Bennett Center in Toms River and once in a meet at Ursinus University in Collegeville, Pa.

They now share the Gloucester County and South Jersey indoor records with Dan Batdorf, who cleared 15-6 for West Deptford in 2008.

On the overall South Jersey list, Nico Morales is No. 3 with an outdoor 15-7 and Marco is tied for No. 4 at 15-6.

Nico Morales did not compete Saturday. Marco missed three tries at 16-0.

Here’s Marco clearing 15-0 on his first attempt:

Marco Morales over 15-0 pic.twitter.com/O9bNvL8PEt

— Delsea Track & Field (@DelseaTrack) December 21, 2019

ALL-TIME N.J. INDOOR POLE VAULT LIST
17-0 … Bill Lange [Bridgewater East], 1980
16-3 1/4 … Adam Sarafian [Ocean Twp.], 2004
16-2 1/4 … Don Heyburn [Cranford], 1980
16-1 1/4 … Craig Hunter [Robbinsville], 2013
15-10 … Bill Hartley [Southern Reg.], 1976
15-9 … Liam Landau [Pascack Hills], 2019
15-7 1/4 … Bradley Jelmert [Watchung Hills], 2019
15-6 … Casey DiCesare [Irvington], 2006
15-6 … Dan Batdorf [West Deptford], 2008
15-6 … Luke Annichiarico [Northern Valley], 2014
15-6 … Nico Morales [Delsea], 2019
15-6 … Marco Morales [Delsea], 2020
15-6 … Vince Reilly [St. Joe’s-Metuchen], 1977
15-6 … Eric Richard [Bridgewater East], 1981
15-6 … Simon Schenk [Princeton], 2019
15-4 … Nick Eckett [Jackson Liberty], 2013
15-3 1/2 … Tyler Hrbek [Northern Valley], 2018
15-3 1/2 … David Bausmith [Hunterdon Central], 2018
15-3 … Eric Geider [Northern Valley], 2013
15-3 … Bruce Wodder [Northern Hunterdon], 1975
15-3 … Dan Bertolami [Woodbridge], 1984

ALL-TIME S.J. OVERALL POLE VAULT LIST
16-0 … Bob Green [Haddon Heights], 1992 [o]
15-7 … Brandon Kurtz [Absegami], 1991 [o]
15-7 … Nico Morales [Delsea], 2019
15-6 … Dan Batdorf [West Deptford], 2008 [i]
15-6 … Marco Morales [Delsea], 2020 [i]
15-6 … Dylan Altland [Kingsway], 2014 [o]
15-5 … Devon Purves [Haddonfield], 2006 [o]
15-5 … Mike Davis [Haddonfield], 2004 [o]
15-4 … Jason King [Lenape], 1993 [o]
15-0 1/2 … Danny Lamp [Willingboro], 1977 [o]
15-0 … Mark Murphy [Haddonfield], 1985 [o]
15-0 … Ricky Clemons [Willingboro], 1989 [o]
15-0 … Dave Murname [West Deptford], 2000 [o]
15-0 … Josh Moline [Gateway], 2000 [o]
15-0 … Mike Hulme [Eastern], 2003 [o]
15-0 … Mike Maira [Seneca], 2010 [o]
15-0 … Mike Rivard [Haddonfield], 2010 [o]
15-0 … James Lynch [Deptford], 2019 [o]

Egg Harbor’s Gabrielle German had a nice season debut Saturday with a 17-3 3/4 in the long jump.

German, an EHT senior, placed second at the 66th annual Bishop Loughlin Games at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island, N.Y.

German jumped 17-6 outdoors last spring at the Cape Atlantic Meet, but this appears to be a big indoor PR for her. According to the MileSplit data base, she didn’t jump indoors last year, although she did run 1:01.21 in the 400.

As far as we can tell, German is only the third Atlantic County girl over 17 feet indoors in the last 10 years. Asia Young of Holy Spirit had a best of 18-6 1/2 in 2016, and Claudine Smith of Atlantic City jumped 18-5 last year.

Does anybody know any other Atlantic County girls over 17 feet indoors? Does anybody know what the EHT indoor long jump record is?

The EHT athletics web site lists boys school records but not girls records. Either way, 17-3 is a heck of a nice way to start!

Nick Neville, who already holds the Rowan indoor 800 record, destroyed the school record at 600 meters Saturday.

https://www.tfrrs.org/results/63013/m/2019_Seahawk_Shootout/

Neville, a junior from South Brunswick, placed third in the 600 at the Seahawk Shootout in 1:20.90, breaking Jamil Jackson’s school record of 1:23.19 by more than two seconds. Jackson, a Highland graduate, ran that 1:23.19 when he placed 6th at the Princeton New Year’s Invitational at Jadwin Gym on Dec. 7, 2014.

Neville finished behind Long Island University’s Kasique Oliver [1:19.65] and Wagner’s Thomas Corel [1:20.35]. 

This was Neville’s first try at the indoor 600-meter distance. He’s run 1:51.10 outdoors and 1:52.63 outdoors.

Neville also anchored Rowan’s second-place 1,600-meter relay team, which ran a season-best 3:20.72, No. 2 so far in NCAA Division 3. Mainland’s Justin Bishop, Williamstown’s Vincent Delle and West Windsor-Plainsboro North’s John Owens ran the first three legs. 

HOLY COW!!!!!!

KEVIN ANTCZAK CRUSHED IT TODAY AT FOOT LOCKER!!!!!

The Mainland Regional senior earned All-America status Saturday, placing 8th at Foot Locker Nationals in San Diego!

That’s one of the most remarkable performances ever by a South Jersey cross country runner!

Antczak covered the 5,000-meter course at Balboa Park in 15:25.

His 8th—place finish is third-best ever by a South Jersey boy at Foot Locker Nationals and best in 31 years!

His 15:25 is fastest by any New Jersey runner at Balboa Park since legendary Edward Cheserek of St. Benedict’s Academy won the 2012 race in 14:59.

It’s fastest by a South Jersey runner since Jason DiJoseph of Paul VI ran 15:10 at Balboa to place second in the 1988 race when it was known as the Kinney Championships.

That was 31 years ago!

Antczak finished one place ahead of Mendham’s Jack Jennings, who ran 15:29 for 9th. Allentown’s Liam Murphy, an All-America at Nike Cross Nationals in Oregon last weekend, was 25th in 15:53.

It’s the first time Antczak has beaten both Jennings and Murphy in the same race.

Antczak was last at the half-mile mark and still as far back as 35th in the 40-runner field a mile into the race before finishing very strong over the last two miles.

Antczak finished only 16.2 seconds behind winner Josh Methner, a senior at John Hersey High in Arlington Heights, Ill., who ran 15:08.8. The next seven runners finished in an eight-second span.

WHAT A PERFORMANCE!!!

The only South Jersey boys to record a superior finish to Antczak in the 41-year history of the meet are Haddonfield’s Jim Smith, who was 5th in 1979, and DiJoseph in 1988. The only other South Jersey top-10 finisher in history is Overbrook’s Murad Campbell, who was 9th in 1997.

Here’s a look at all the New Jersey runners who’ve placed in the top-10 in Foot Locker Nationals history
1979
Jim Smith [Haddonfield], 5th [15:27]
1983
Brad Hudson [North Hunterdon], 7th [15:13]
1984
Bill Babcock [North Hunterdon], 5th [15:19]
1986
Carlos Martins [Newark East Side], 10th [15:18]
1988
Jason DiJoseph [Paul VI], 2nd [15:10]
Mike Mykytok [Bound Brook], 3rd [15:12]
John Coyle [CBA], 5th [15:15]
1991
Brendan Heffernan [North Hunterdon], 10th [15:36]
1992
Brendan Heffernan [North Hunterdon], 1st [15:14]
Bob Keino [Ridgewood], 4th [15:26]
1993
Bob Keino [Ridgewood], 5th [15:10]
1996
Steve Slattery [Mount Olive], 9th [15:50]
1997
Steve Slattery [Mount Olive], 4th [15:46]
Murad Campbell [Overbrook], 9th [15:52]
1998
Jon Fasulo [Hunterdon Central], 10th [15:47]
2006
Craig Forys [Colts Neck], 2nd [15:24]
2007
Brandon Jarrett [St. Benedict’s], 6th [15:16]
2011
Edward Cheserek [St. Benedict’s], 1st [14:52]
2012
Edward Cheserek [St. Benedict’s Academy], 1st [14:59]
2017
Devin Hart [Point Pleasant], 10th [15:45]
2018
Jack Stanley [Mendham], 7th [15:30]
2019
Kevin Antczak [Mainland Regional], 8th [15:25]

Here’s the fastest New Jersey times ever at Balboa Park:

All-Time Balboa Park New Jersey Sub-15:30 List
14:51.5 … Edward Cheserek [St. Benedict’s], 2011
14:59 ……….. Cheserek, 2012
15:09.6 … Bob Keino [Ridgewood], 1994
15:10.1 … Jason DiJoseph [Paul VI], 1987
15:12.2 … Brad Hudson [North Hunterdon], 1983
15:12.7 … Mike Mykytok [Bound Brook], 1989
15:13.4 … Brendan Heffernan [North Hunterdon], 1992
15:15.7 … John Coyle [Christian Brothers Academy], 1989
15:16.0 … Brandon Jarrett [St. Benedict’s], 2007
15:17.7 … Carlos Martins [Newark East-Side], 1986
15:18.5 … Bill Babcock [North Hunterdon], 1985
15:22.6 … Ron Faith [Paul VI], 1985
15:22.8 … Kevin Pumphrey [Highland], 1985
15:24.0 … Craig Forys [Colts Neck], 2006
15:25.0 … Kevin Antczak [Mainland Reg.], 2019
15:26 ……….. Keino, 1994
15:29 ……….. DiJoseph, 1986
15:29 ………. Coyle [Christian Brothers Academy], 1987
15:29.4 … Jack Jennings [Mendham], 2019

Here’s the link to my post from yesterday showing the results of every New Jersey boy and girl that’s ever raced at Kinney / Foot Locker!