Holy Spirit’s sprinters enjoyed a huge day at the Parochial B state relays Thursday, with a win in the 1,600-meter relay and close second in the 800-meter relay.

Seniors Ahmad Brown, Terrell Moore and De-Quawn Johnson Jr. and junior Devin Lee ran 3:33.91 to win the 4-by-400 by a whopping 75 meters over second-place Hudson Catholic, which ran 3:43.94.

The same quartet ran 1:33.93 for second to Hudson Catholic in the 4-by-2. Hudson Catholic ran 1:33.79.

Holy Spirit’s 4-by-2 time is No. 5 in South Jersey this year and an indoor school record. The 4-by-4 time is also No. 5 in South Jersey this year. Both are fastest in 2020 by Atlantic County schools.

The Spartans also placed in both the 4-by-8 and the distance medley. Nicholas Bannan, Alex Dejean, Jack Negley and Brady Snyder ran on the 4-by-8 and Bannan, Snyder, Avierre Crawley and Dejean on the DMR.

With those 22 points, Holy Spirit scored 22 points and placed fifth in team scoring at the Bennett Center in Toms River.

Bishop Eustace also had a strong meet, placing fourth with 32 points without a senior scoring a point. Eustace took second in the shuttle hurdles, 3,200-meter relay and DMR, third in the sprint medley and a fifth in the shot put relay.

Eustace ran 11:22.04 in the DMR (senior Shane Vostenak, sophomore John Barrera, sophomore Ryan Carney, sophomore Anthony Faust), 39.92 in the shuttles (junior Gaven Polk, Bobby sophomore Braciszewski, sophomore Danny O’Rourke, junior Drake Taylor), 8:57.50 in the 4-by-8 (sophomore Sean Anderson, Carney, Faust, Vostenak) and 4:01.71 in the SMR (Barrera, Carney, Polk, O’Rourke). Sophomore Aidan Higgins and junior Drake Taylor threw the shot for Eustace.

Now that the National Scholastic Indoors has gotten rid of the shuttle hurdles event, the state relays is likely the last chance for New Jersey schools to compete in the event.

If this was Egg Harbor’s final try at the 4-by-55 hurdles this winter, it was one heck of a performance.

Senior Anthony Vazquez, South Jersey’s top hurdler, anchored EHT to a win at the state Group 4 relays at the Bennett Center in Toms River.

Seniors Marcus Wood and William Spence and sophomore Malachi Wesley set up Vazquez, and EHT ran 30.42, finishing a half second ahead of Elizabeth, which ran 30.85.

That’s No. 2 in the state this year, behind Irvington’s 30.17 at the Essex County Relays at Ocean Breeze last weekend. That’s No. 14 in South Jersey history and No. 3 in Atlantic County history, behind EHT’s 29.74 in 2009 and Oakcrest’s 30.07 in 2012.

Here’s a look at the all-time South Jersey shuttle hurdles list, with all known sub-31-second times:

ALL-TIME S.J. SHUTTLE HURDLE LIST
29.45 … Deptford, 2019
29.72 … Winslow Twp., 2004
29.74 … Egg Harbor, 2009
29.5h … Woodrow Wilson, 1999
29.6h … Camden, 1978
20.7h … Paul VI, 1972
29.8h … Willingboro, 1982
29.9h … Moorestown, 1975
30.0h … Willingboro, 1978
30.07 … Oakcrest, 2012
30.22 … Camden, 2009
30.26 … Winslow Twp., 2003
30.41 … Camden, 1996
30.42 … Egg Harbor, 2020
30.47 … Willingboro, 2012
30.52 … Washington Twp., 2012
30.3h … Camden, 1999
30.64 … Seneca, 2012
30.4h … Camden, 1979
30.4h … Camden, 1997
30.81 … Willingboro, 2016
30.90 … Winslow Twp. 2015
30.92 … Winslow Twp., 2020
30.94 … Deptford, 2018

Nice indoor PR for Villanova’s Ashley Preston Sunday!

The Delsea graduate, now a Villanova sophomore, cleared 13-1 1/2 in the pole vault at the Wesley A. Brown Invitational at Navy’s fieldhouse in Annapolis, and 13-1 1/2 is significant in PV circles because it’s 4.00 meters, and that’s a big plateau for vaulters.

Preston’s previous indoor PR was 12-7 1/2, which she hit twice last winter – at a meet last January at Ocean Breeze and again when she won Big East indoors at SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio.

Preston has an outdoor PR of 13-2 1/4 from last May, when she won outdoor Big Easts at Icahn Stadium at Randall’s Island in Manhattan.

On Sunday, Preston and Charlene Morke of Navy both cleared 13-1 1/2, with Morke winning on fewer misses. They both tied the facility record set two years ago by Hailey Sweatman of South Carolina.

Preston’s clearance moves her up to No. 5 performance in school history indoors, and she’s the No. 3 performer, behind Alexandra Wasik (13-10 1/4 in 2015) and Ashlyn Llerandi (13-5 3/4 in 2010). She’s No. 6 in Wildcat history outdoors.

Preston leads the Big East so far this season. Julie Clayton of Marquette is second at 12-10 3/4 and nobody else has cleared 12 feet.

On Sunday, Preston passed the first four heights, then cleared 12-1 1/2 on her first try, 12-5 1/2 on her second and 12-9 1/2 and 13-1 1/2 on her third. She took two tries at 13-5 1/4 — that’s 11 total jumps – before passing her final attempt and calling it a day.

Morke entered the competition at 11-9 3/4 and didn’t have a miss until 13-5 1/4.

Stone Caraccio and Jeffrey Heineman both ran on three winning relay teams and Kingsway raced its way to the state Group 4 relays title at the Bennett Center on Sunday.

Kingsway outscored second-place South Brunswick 38-29 to win the Group 4 state relays title. The Dragons also won in Group 3 in 2014 and 2015.

The Dragons scored all 38 of their points in four track events with three wins and a second place.

Caraccio and Heineman both ran on the winning 1,600-meter relay team, 3,200-meter relay team and distance medley. Michael Williams and Finn Campbell were on the 4-by-4, Ethan Bentley and Kyle Rakitis on the 4-by-8 and Campbell and Rakitis on the DMR.

According to MileSplit, Caraccio split 51 seconds on the 4-by-4, 1:58 on the 4-by-8 anchor, 1:56 on the sprint med anchor and 4:23 bringing home the DMR.

Kingsway won the 4-by-4 in 3:31.77, the 4-by-8 in 8:01.98 and the DMR in 10:30.41. Caraccio, Eric Williams, Campbell and Michael Williams ran 3:39.50 for second in the sprint medley, No. 6 in the state this year and No. 2 in South Jersey.

Kingsway’s 10:30.41 is just off their state-leading 10:28.30 from last month at the Armory. Kingsway has also run faster this year in the 4-by-4 (3:29.12) and 4-by-8 (N.J. #1 7:55.30), both in the Millrose Trials.

The Kingsway girls are state relays champions for the fourth time and for the third time they shared the top of the podium.

Kingsway and Ridge both scored 30 points to share the state Group 4 relays title at the Bennett Center in Toms River Sunday. 

Kingsway also shared the 2007 title with Ridge and shared the 2013 title with Winslow Township. The Dragons won the 2014 championship outright.

It was a huge day for South Jersey schools overall with Millville a point back in third place, Rancocas Valley fourth with 26 and Egg Harbor, Eastern and Williamstown all recording wins in one event.

South Jersey schools won seven of the nine events.

Kingsway won the distance medley in 12:34.81, No. 5 in the state this year and No. 2 in South Jersey. Freshman Aubrey Pierontoni, seniors Allie Pierontoni and Emily Pierontoni and junior Skye Robinson ran for Kingsway, who beat Ridge by 35 meters.

The same quartet placed second in the 4-by-800 in 9:41.41. Kingsway is already No. 1 in South Jersey with its 9:35.90 at the Millrose Trials. Westfield won the race in 9:35.44.

In the sprint medley, junior Elise Daniel, Robinson, Allie Pierontoni and senior Allison Bobst took third in 4:19.00, just a couple steps behind Egg Harbor’s winning 4:17.52. Junior Anne Rutledge, senior Gabrielle German, junior Lauren Princz and senior Isabella Leak ran for EHT.

Kingsway also got third in the pole vault relay with Bobst clearing 10-0 and senior Erin Kennedy 7-0.

Millville won the 800-meter relay in 1:44.17 with the team of senior Zaniah Bowman, sophomore Bryanna Craig, senior Ciera Bowman and sophomore Leah Ellis and was second in the shuttles in 32.26 with Ciara Bowman, Autumn Craig, Bryanna Craig and Ellis. And the Craig sisters won the high jump relay, Bryanna clearing 5-4 and Autumn 4-0. 

Eastern won the shuttle hurdles in 32.19 with the team of junior Jailya Ash, senior Jewel Ash, senior Noelle Scott and junior Ariana Tait.

RV scored its win in the pole vault relay, with junior Abigail Boggs clearing 10-6 to match her PR and sophomore Mia Pauline a personal-best 8-0. 

The Red Devils also took second in both the 800- and 1,600-meter relays with the team of Sheriyah Nutt, Alyssa Leak, Anabella Chin and Maya Primas running 1:46.03 and 4:05.47. 

Williamstown freshman Ciara Demarest threw 38-0 and junior Zuri Richardson 35-2 1/2 and the Braves won the shot put relay. 

Navy freshman Derek Gess from Haddonfield and Monmouth freshman Micah Wood from Rancocas Valley both ran indoor PRs in the 800 at the Wesley A. Brown Invitational Sunday in Annapolis, Md.

Gess placed second in 1:54.94, and Wood was fourth in 1:56.55. It was the first career collegiate 800 for both middle-distance runners.

Gess broke his indoor PR of 1:55.93 set when he placed fourth at the 2017 Easterns at the Armory. Wood’s previous indoor PR was 1:59.49 last year — in December of 2018 — at the Marine Corps Holiday Classic, also at the Armory.

Gess’s overall PR is 1:53.88 from Haddonfield Distance Night last spring, and Wood’s is 1:56.15 from Group 4 states last spring. 

Ashwin Briggs led a 1-2-3 Navy sweep, winning in 1:52.53. 

The Delsea boys scored 24 points on the track and 18 in the field on the way to their third state relays title and first since 2011.

The Crusaders outscored defending champion Deptford 44-26 in a 1-2 Gloucester County finish in the state Group 2 competition. Haddonfield was fourth with 22.

Delsea recorded its only win in the pole vault relay and added a second place in the shot put relay.  On the track, the Crusaders placed second in the sprint med, third in the 4-by-8 and DMR and fourth in the 800-meter relay.

POLE VAULT: Delsea’s one win came in the pole vault relay, where senior Marco Morales cleared 15-0 and junior Dylan Caceci 12-0. Their 27-foot combined clearance broke the Group 2 meet record of 26–6 set in 2008 by Matawan.

SHOT PUT: Delsea was second in the shot put, where junior Joe Metzger threw 48-2 3/4 and senior Rick Kurceski 43-10.

SPRINT MEDLEY: Seniors Shaikyi Hannah, Noah Deckert and Damir Lomax and junior Jaedyn Stewart ran 3:42.93 for second to Haddonfield’s 3:42.00. Their times are No. 3 and No. 4 in South Jersey this year. Seniors Thomas Mollis, Arthur Keegan, Aidan Kamp and Martin Riddell ran for Haddonfield. 

3,200-METER RELAY: Dawson Baptiste, Raja Brooks, Zachary Worley and Deckert took third in 8:37.48 behind Rahway (8:33.97) and Madison (8:36.71).

800-METER RELAY: Hannah, senior Damir Lomax, Stewart and senior Nigel Berry ran 1:35.02 for fourth. Deptford won the race in 1:32.99 with the team of junior John Adams, senior Donovan Clement, senior Richard Fawkes and junior Steven Rios.

DISTANCE MEDLEY: Baptiste, Berry, Worley and Deckert ran 10:50.14, No. 4 in South Jersey this year and No. 9 in the state so far pending results from Group 4 on Sunday.

Collingswood senior Keven Kevelier moved up to No. 8 in South Jersey indoor triple jump history Saturday with a 45-9 3/4 jump.

Kevelier won the event at the New Balance Games at the Armory in a terrific battle with Kasey Savage of Hatboro-Horsham High in Montgomery County, Pa. Savage was second at 45-8, an overall indoor-outdoor PR.

Kevelier had jumped 44-11 last weekend in his first lifetime indoor triple jump competition.

On Saturday, he had a remarkable series, with six jumps over 45 feet and those six jumps averaging 45-5 1/2:

1st jump: 45-2 1/2
2nd jump: 45-8
3rd jump: 45-5 1/4
4th jump: 45-2 1/2
5th jump: 45-6 1/2
6th jump:  45-9 3/4

Kevelier led the entire competition, but Savage nearly pulled it out with that 45-8 on his final jump.

Kevelier’s 45-9 3/4 is No. in the state so far this year, behind only Sebasteon Allen of East Orange, who jumped 45-11.

Kevelier’s outdoor PR is 47-5 1/4 from his fifth-place finish at last year’s Meet of Champions. 

Here’s a look at the all-time South Jersey indoor triple jump top-10 performance list:

49-  1 …..… Khaliel Burnett [Delsea], 2018
48-  9 …..… Dominique Irons [Haddon Heights], 2013
48-  8 1/2 … Tristan Wilson [Delsea], 2014
48-  1 1/4 … Wayne Walls [Camden], 2009
47-  3 …..… Rhodeni Spence [Woodrow Wilson], 2007
46-  5 …….. Orion Joyner [Kingsway], 2018
46-  3 1/2 … Keon Grady [Delsea], 2018
45-  9 3/4 … Kevin Kevelier [Collingswood], 2020
45-  3 1/2 … Zakiyy Williams [Rancocas Valley], 2015
45-  0 …….. Earnest Daniel [Kingsway], 2017 

Pleasantville senior Gabriel Moronta continued his phenomenal season Saturday when he shattered the South Jersey record in the 500-meter dash.

Moronta won the 500 at the New Balance Games at the Armory with a time of 1:04.89. That’s No. 3 in state history and breaks the South Jersey record of 1:05.3 hand-timed set in 1989 by Willingboro’s Sean Scott.

That’s No. 5 in the U.S. this year, according to the MileSplit national database.

Moronta by won by five meters over Jakob Kunzer of Lawrenceville School, who was second in 1:05.46 – No. 6 in state history.

Moronta has already run 1:20.90 for 600 meters and 1:54.59 for 800 meters. He ranks No. 1 in New Jersey in all three middle-distance races.

Running 500 meters in 1:04.89 is the equivalent of running a 400 at 51.9 pace and then running another 100 meters without slowing down.

The was Moronta’s first lifetime competitive 500.

Moronta fell just short of the meet record of 1:04.71, set last year by Barrington Harris Brown of Dewitt Clinton in the Bronx.

The previous Atlantic County record was 1:07.23 by Quentin Bundy, also of Pleasantville, also at the Armory, early in the 2017-18 season.

Here’s a look at the all-time state list in the 500:

1:02.20 … Najee Glass [St. Peter’s Prep], 2012
1:04.75 … Cory Poole [East Orange], 2016
1:04.89 … Gabriel Moronta [Pleasantville], 2020
1:05.14 … Kishaun Richardson [East Orange], 2017
1:05.44 … Markus Bagley [St. Peter’s Prep], 2018
1:05.46 … Jakob Kunzer [Lawrenceville], 2020
1:05.3h … John Bailey [Monmouth Reg.], 1979
1:05.3h … Fred Brenner [Morris Hills], 1985
1:05.3h … Sean Scott [Willingboro.], 1989
1:05.3h … Matt Kalwinsky [Toms River North], 1995
1:05.6h … Dean Olawski [Kearny], 1979
1:06.14 … Sean Brown [Camden], 1998
1:06.22 … Bob Arvidsen [Don Bosco], 1985
1:06.1h … John Morris [Camden], 1998
1:06.24 … Neil Jasey [Columbia], 1994
1:06.32 … Nakia Fenner [Newark Science], 1994
1:06.40 … Adian Sanderson [Ewing], 2004
1:06.92 … Fran Davis [Columbia], 1984
1:06.7h … Jameel Spencer [Seton Hall Prep], 1985
1:06.7h … Andrew Giannotti [Westwood], 1998
1:06.9h … Marquel Thomas [Newark East Side], 1991

Amazing breakthrough race Friday for Rider’s Kristin Siegle, who won the 800 at the NYC Gotham Cup at Ocean Breeze in 2:15.28 — nearly a 6-second indoor PR!

Siegle, a Buena graduate, lowered her indoor PR from a 2:20.89 back in 2017 in a meet at the Lawrenceville School. Her previous overall PR was a 2:17.90 from the trials at the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championships at West Long Branch last May.

Siegle’s time is No. 1 in the MAAC so far this year, just ahead of Marist’s Gianna Mastromatteo,  who was 3rd in the same race.

Siegle, a native of Estell Manor, finished first in a field of 53 half-milers. She edged second-place Faten Laribi of Monroe College by a step.

Paris Boucher of Rider led the field through 200 meters, and Siegle was still in fourth when they came through 400 meters. She moved into second behind Mastromatteo with a lap to go before taking the lead on the final lap.

She was out in 32.1, 65.7 and 1:40.6 before closing in 34.6.

Siegle’s time is also No. 4 in Rider history indoors, and three of the top five times on that list come from South Jersey runners:

2:12.71 … Tori Brewer, 2018 [Bensalem, Pa.]
2:14.44 … Emily Ritter, 2015 [Sussex County Tech, Georgetown, Del.]
2:14.64 … Madeline Hummel, 2013 [Holy Cross]
2:15.28 … Kristin Siegle, 2020 [Buena]
2:16.49 … Nicole Berry, 2019 [Cherokee]

Two other notes from Rider’s performance at Ocean Breeze: 

1) Senior Nicole Berry of Winslow and senior Quinn Bithell of Lower Cape May Regional ran on Rider’s winning 1,600-meter relay team, which ran 3:58.86. 

2) And senior Ronetta Hunter from Burlington Township grad threw 42-3 3/4 for fourth place in the shot.