From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Eastern senior Jewel Ash ran a New Jersey #1 and personal-best 8.15 in the 55-meter hurdles Monday night at the SJTCA meet at Ocean Breeze.

Ash took over the state lead from her sister Jailya, an Eastern junior, who ran 8.20 at the Bubble last month.

Jewel Ash lowered her PR from 8.31, which she ran in the same race her sister ran 8.20.

Jailya’s PR is 8.10, which she set at sectionals last year at the Bennett Center.

Jailya Ash is No. 12 in South Jersey history with her 8.10, and Jewel is now No. 15.

The Ash sisters are No. 1 and No. 2 in New Jersey this year.

Cinnaminson’s Meredith Updike ran 8.46 for second, Timber Creek’s Tierra Hooker was third in 8.51, and Millville soph Leah Ellis ran 8.55 for fourth.

Jewel Ash also PR’d in the 55-meter dash with a 7.26, which is No. 9 in the state this year and No. 3 in South Jersey, and she won the 200 in 25.25, No. 3 in the state and No. 1 in South Jersey this year.

Jailya Ash, the Meet of Champions winner last winter, ranks No. 11 in South Jersey with her 7.06 in that race.

ALL-TIME S.J. 55-METER HURDLES LIST
7.89 … Ste’yce McNeil [Winslow Twp.], 2012
7.89 … Nia Ali [Pleasantville], 2006
7.92 … Carol Lewis [Willingboro], 1981
7.94 … Lenaami Morton [Camden], 2017
7.98 … Nichole Belcher [Woodrow Wilson], 1992
8.01 … Samantha Sharper [Woodrow Wilson], 2008
8.03 … Alethia Jenkins [Pennsauken], 2000
8.03 … Claudine Smith [Atlantic City], 2018
8.04 … Zonya Cross [Edgewood], 1983
8.05 … Sherese Price [Pleasantville], 1998
8.06 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow Twp.], 2006
8.10 … Nichole Hill [Oakcrest], 1997
8.10 … Jailya Ash [Eastern], 2019
8.11 … Cidae’a Woods [Winslow Twp.], 2014
8.15 … Jewel Ash [Eastern], 2020
8.17 … Torie Robinson [Winslow Twp.], 2014
8.18 … Gabrielle Bennett [Winslow Twp.], 2015
8.18 … Te’seanna Harris [Camden], 2019
8.19 … Brittany Preston [Winslow Twp,], 2016
8.22 … Jamillah Nock [Wilson], 2004
8.23 … Tierra Hooker [Timber Creek], 2019