Rowan’s 1,600-meter relay team turned in the No. 2 time in the country earlier this month with a 3:19.14 at a meet at Ithaca.
And they did it with three legs from South Jersey (and two from Sterling!).
Freshman Jah’mere Beasley from Sterling High School, junior Justin Bishop from Mainland Regional, junior Nick Neville of South Brunswick and junior Francis Terry of Sterling won the race by 35 meters over Cortland (N.Y.) State, which was second in 3:23.52.
Beasley got Rowan the lead for good with his 50.4 leadoff leg, Bishop split 48.7, Neville ran 50.5 and Terry anchored in 49.6.
Bishop’s 48.7 was the fastest leg of all the runners from the 13 teams in the race.
Only Mount Union of Alliance, Ohio, has run faster in NCAA Division 3. The Purple Raiders ran a 3:17.96 at the Division 3 Invitational at the Armory one day earlier.
With only Bishop in the lineup, Rowan ran 3:19.94 earlier this year in a meet at Ocean Breeze. Junior Vincent Delle of Old Bridge, freshman Joe DeVito of Jackson and freshman Charlie Serrano-Juarez from Matawan ran the other legs that day.
Rowan ran 3:14.28 last spring with Delle and Bishop in the lineup. The 3:19.14 is their fastest since a 3:15.00 with Chris Mesiano joining Bishop, Eville and Terry in 2018 for third place at NCAA Division 3 nationals in Birmingham, Ala.
Rowan is the only NJAC school to run under 3:25 so far this year. Their time is also No. 1 in the NCAA Division 3 Atlantic Region. Rochester is next at 3:20.79
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 