It’s been 39 years since Michelle Glover set the South Jersey and state 100-meter dash record of 11.42 racing at the TAC women’s junior nationals at UCLA in 1981. At the time that was the No. 4 time in U.S. history.

Wendy Vereen of Trenton broke Glover’s state record when she ran 11.17 at the National Sports Festival in Colorado Springs in 1983 in the same race that Evelyn Ashford set the world record of 10.79.

But Glover’s mark has stood as a South Jersey record for nearly four decades. Not even Olympic gold medalist English Gardner could it down, although she got close with an 11.49 at the 2008 state Group 4 meet at South Plainfield.

We start out the girls all-time outdoor top-50 list with the 100-meter dash. My girls records aren’t quite as reliable as the boys stuff, so it’s quite possible there’s a few names missing, especially in that 12.00 to 12.13 range. Please drop any corrections or additions in the comment section. I’ll get them posted ASAP!

[Note – Doing additional research I learned that Assante Jonson, Fametta Lewis and Jamie Walker times that were listed in 100ths were actually all hand times from the 2007 Camden County Championships, so I moved them off the FAT list and onto the hand-timed supplement below and added the next three-fastest times I could find to round out a new top 50. Thanks!] 

ALL-TIME S.J. 100-METER DASH LIST

11.42 … Michele Glover [Willingboro], 1981
11.49 … English Gardner [Eastern], 2008
11.57 … Patti Dunlap [Camden], 1979
11.58 … Bria Mack [Williamstown], 2017
11.61 … Amandi Rhett [Moorestown], 2000
11.63 … Dennisha Page [Woodrow Wilson], 2019
11.71 … Shakira Dancy [Winslow Twp.], 2017
11.73 … Torie Robinson [Winslow Twp.], 2014
11.77 … Aisha Morgan [Schalick], 1998
11.78 … Shameka Speed [Bridgeton], 2003
11.81 … Denise Liles [Kingsway], 1984
11.81 … Lauren Princz [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2018
11.81 … Audrey Wilson [Deptford], 2008
11.82 … Annie Johnson [Shawnee], 2012
11.84 … Robin Taylor [Deptford], 1980
11.85 … Dana Burnett [Willamstown], 1996
11.88 … Denis Mitchell [Edgewood], 1983
11.89 … Cecelia Gerstenbacher [Delsea], 2017
11.91 … Aliya Harrison [Sterling], 2017
11.94 … Emily Carson [Haddonfield], 2013
11.95 … Aliyah Taylor [Rancocas Valley], 2017
11.96 … Jamillah Nock [Woodrow Wilson], 2004
11.96 … Jailya Ash [Eastern], 2019
11.98 … Jennifer Jackson [Eastern], 2003
11.98 … Ciera Ismail [Schalick], 2013
11.98 … Kiara Lester [Deptford], 2014
12.00 … Andrea Conway [Bordentown], 1986
12.00 … Aisha Morgan [Schalick], 1998
12.01 … Kylene Bines [Highland], 1998
12.01 … Nadia Davy [Bridgeton], 1999
12.04 … Latoya Carmichael [Woodrow Wilson], 2991
12.05 … Anu Ward [Moorestown], 2000
12.06 … Cidae’a Woods [Winslow Twp.], 2014
12.06 … Bryanna Williams [Timber Creek], 2011
12.07 … Jewel Ash [Eastern], 2017
12.08 … Angie Clybourn [Egg Harbor Twp.], 1991
12.08 … Kim Hargrove [Willingboro], 1996
12.08 … Jaye Pollard [Penns Grove], 2013
12.09 … Gabrielle Farquharson [Williamstown], 2011
12.10 … Teneacia Smith [CherryHill East], 1991
12.10 … Jackie Dim [Washington Twp.], 2008
12.10 … Nijgia Snapp [Oakcrest], 2008
12.10 … Iyanla Kollock [Our Lady of Mercy], 2017
12.11 … Michelle Brown [Seneca], 2009
12.11 … Nia Lawrence [Pemberton], 2012
12.12 … Maya Drayton [Cherry Hill East], 2019
12.13 … Dominique Merchant [Winslow Twp.], 2003
12.15 … Rageana Marigna [Palmyra], 2008
12.17 … Shardae Anderson [Paulsboro], 2004
12.17 … Aaliyah Vandergrift [Paul VI], 2019
12.17 … Sade Jones [Millville], 2002

Hand Times
11.5h … Patti Dunlap [Camden], 1979
11.5h … Michelle Glover [Willingbor], 1980
11.5h … Denise Liles [Kingsway], 1986
11.7h … Denise Mitchell [Edgewood], 1983
11.7h … Mieaha Camper [Florence], 1994
11.7h … Assante Johnson [Camden], 2007
11.8h … Robin Taylor [Deptford], 1980
11.8h … Shelly Bailey [Woodbury], 1981
11.8h … Andrea Conaway [Bordentown], 1985
11.8h … Artrelia Turner [Wilson], 1986
11.8h … Ariel Brockman [Cherokee],
11.8h … Fametta Lewis [Woodrow Wilson], 2007
11.9h … Timi Crawford [Eastern], 1986
11.9h … Karen Corsey [Deptford], 1989
11.9h … Jamie Walker [Haddon Heights], 2007

We’re finished with the first part of the all-time South Jersey Top-50 Project: The outdoor boys records!

Links to top-50 all-time performance lists 25 events are below.

When this project is done, we’ll have a handy index of South Jersey all-time performance lists for every major boys and girls indoor and outdoor event.

And once track meets resume it will be easy to update the lists as we go! Hopefully, this remains a valuable resource for coaches, athletes, track statisticians and fans.

Mistakes and omissions are inevitable when undertaking a project like this, so your help is welcome. If you notice a performance that’s incorrect or missing, an incorrect year, a name mis-spelled … any errors at all, please let me know in the comment section.

We’ll start the outdoor girls lists tomorrow!

Let’s recap the first 12 installments of the South Jersey all-time top-50 performance list project!

BOYS OUTDOOR TOP-50 LISTS

100-meter dash
200-meter dash
400-meter dash
800-meter run
1,600-meter run
3,200-meter run
110-meter hurdles
400-meter hurdles
Long jump
Triple jump 
Pole vault
High jump
Shot put 
Discus 
Old javelin
New javelin
400-meter relay
800-meter relay 
1,600-meter relay
3,200-meter relay
Super sprint medley
Sprint medley
Distance medley
6,400-meter relay
Shuttle hurdles

Twenty-one years later, Woodrow Wilson still is the 5th-fastest shuttle hurdles team in U.S. high school track history.

Back in 1999, the team of Jeff Young, Rashad Baker, Jose Llanos and Enrique Llanos ran 56.88 to win the shuttles at the East Coast Relays in Kearny and shatter the state (and meet) record of 57.3 set by Neptune in 1979.

Wilson broke its own South Jersey record, which it initially set earlier that spring with a 58.3 at Bridgeton and a 58.1 at Woodbury. The previous record was 58.25 by Camden in 1997.

At the time, Wilson’s 56.88 was No. 2 in U.S. history.

Wilson missed the national record of 56.51 – set in 1996 by Wolfson High of Jacksonville at the Jacksonville Track Club Wolfpack Classic – by only 37-100ths of a second.

Wilson’s time stood as a state record of 18 years and remains the South Jersey record.

In the 20 years since, the only faster shuttle hurdles teams nation-wide have been Westside of Anderson, S.C. (56.32 in 2004), East Orange (current state record 56.58 in 2017) and Union Catholic (56.63 in 2013).

Westside actually set the national record 16 years ago at the Eastern Regional Relay Classic at Willingboro.

The closest anybody in South Jersey has gotten to Wilson over the last two decades is 57.70 — nearly a second off. That was Winslow Township in 2003 with Robert Penn, Brandon Bates, Kenny Scott and Reuben McCoy.

All-Time S.J. Shuttle Hurdles Top-50 List

56.88 … Woodrow Wilson, 1999
57.70 … Winslow Twp., 2003
57.9h … Willingboro, 1982
58.25 … Camden, 1997
58.2h … Moorestown, 1975
58.4h … Penns Grove, 1977
58.4h … Camden, 1996
58.54 … Oakcrest, 2012
58.7h … Overbrook, 1977
58.7h … Willingboro, 1978
58.8h … Edgewood, 1984
58.93 … Lindenwold, 2010
58.9h … Camden, 1977
58.9h … Willingboro, 1984
58.9h … Pleasantville, 1994
59.12 … Camden, 2000
59.0h … Camden, 1980
59.1h … Kennedy, 1982
59.1h … Wilson, 1998
59.1h … Willingboro, 2007
59.2h … Edgewood, 1983
59.3h … Overbrook, 1976
59.54 … Lenape, 1997
59.62 … Willingboro, 1991
59.5h … Moorestown, 1974
59.5h … Winslow Twp., 2004
59.5h … Bridgeton, 2006
59.69 … Overbrook, 1986
59.7h … Camden, 1978
59.7h … Willingboro, 1979
59.7h … Willingboro, 1983
59.7h … Camden, 1983
59.7h … Egg Harbor Twp., 2008
59.7h … Camden., 2008
58.8h … Edgewood, 1984
59.8h … Willingboro, 1981
59.8h … Willingboro, 1990
58.9h … Willingboro, 1984
59.54 … Lenape, 1997
59.69 … Overbrook, 1986
59.9h … Overbrook, 1975
59.9h … Lenape, 1996
1:00.0 … Camden, 1975
1:00.1h … Winslow Twp., 2008
1:00.14 … Oakcrest, 2011
1:00.2h … Edgewood, 1990
1:00.2h … Bridgeton, 1990
1:00.24 … Camden, 2001
1:00.28 … Willingboro, 1986
1:00.3h … Pennsauken, 1998
1:00.48 … Washington Twp., 2012
1:00.4h … Penns Grove, 1986

The oldest South Jersey record belongs to Haddon Township, which ran 17:20.1 in the four-mile relay 47 years ago!

It was May 22, 1973, and Al Tanner’s bunch went to the New Jersey Relays at Elizabeth to take on Tim Coheeney and the mighty Paramus Catholic distance team.

Haddon Township had set the existing South Jersey record earlier that spring with a 17:57.3 at the Temple Relays at Franklin Field.

But at the state relays, Township locked up with Paramus Catholic and made history.

Senior Mark Yellin led off with a 4:18.7 – remember, these are full miles, not 1,600s – and senior Dan Matousch followed with a 4:19.8 split. Senior Steve Cummings, moving up from the 880, split 4:26.7, and junior Mike Elder anchored in 4:14.9.

All four splits were PRs.

Paramus Catholic won the race in 17:12.6, just missing the national record of 17:12.2 set by Fred Lane, Jim McLoughlin, Art Martin and Marty Liquori and Essex Catholic at Highland Park in 1966.

Here’s the story from the Courier Post:

Haddon Township’s time was No. 5 in U.S. history at the time. To this day, nearly half a century later, it remains the No. 21 mark in U.S. history. Seven of those top 21 are from the 1970s, which is crazy considering they didn’t have a postseason national meet to peak for.

(The full all-time U.S. list is below the top-50 list)

Haddonfield in 2010 virtually tied Haddon Township’s with a fully automatic 17:20.21 when it won the New Balance Nationals race in Greensboro, N.C. Although Haddonfield’s time is slightly intrinsically faster because it was FAT timed, you can’t convert into a record, so they are listed as co-records.

ALL-TIME S.J. 6,400-METER RELAY LIST

17:14.0y ..… Haddon Twp., 1973
17:14.18y … Haddonfield, 2010
17:22.17y … Mainland Reg., 2004
17:33.50y … Mainland Reg., 2003
17:35.2y … Williamstown, 1973
17:45.37y … Cherokee, 2016
17:46.09y … Kingsway, 2018
17:52.49y … Cherokee, 2001
17:52.60y … Haddonfield, 2001
17:52.95 … Cherokee, 1999
17:54.14y … Paul VI, 1989
17:54.4h … Paul VI, 1989
17:54.92 … Triton, 2005
17:55.3h … Highland, 1990
17:56.1y … Cherry Hill West, 1975
17:59.1y … Kingsway, 2019
18:00.41 … Ocean City, 2008
18:01.50 … Kingsway, 2015
18:01.73 … Cherokee, 1998
18:04.61 … Cherokee, 2000
18:05.35 … Kingsway, 2019
18:07.89 … Haddonfield, 2008
18:10.3y … Paul VI, 1977
18:13.20 … Washington Twp., 2008
18:13.76 … Washington Twp., 2000
18:14.15 … Rancocas Valley, 2016
18:14.9h … Paul VI, 1991
18:16.57 … Rancocas Valley, 2002
18:10.69y … Kingsway, 2017
18:17.05 … Haddonfield, 2000
18:17.05 … Kingsway, 2017
18:17.4h … Cherokee, 1989
18:17.87 … Shawnee, 2008
18:18.53 … Cherokee, 2003
18:19.4h … Paul VI, 1985
18:19.61 … Cherry Hill East, 2009
18:20.56 … Kingsway, 2013
18:21.21 … West Deptford, 2014
18:22.0h … Highland, 1991
18:24.0h … Highland, 2012
18:24.85 … Highland, 2018
18:26.9h … Cherokee, 2005
18:29.60 … Cherokee, 2008
18:29.76 … Cherokee, 2009
18:30.45 … Cherokee, 2011
18:23.6y … Collingswood, 1978
18:31.50 … Shawnee, 1991
18:34.1h … Haddonfield, 2003
18:33.4h … Shawnee, 1993
18:34.4h … Cherokee, 1990

All-Time U.S. 4-Mile Relay List

17:04.55 … Ogden (Utah), 2016
17:04.61 … Great Oak (Calif.), 2016
17:06.6 … South Eugene (Ore.), 1976
17:06.92 … Northport (N.Y.), 2014
17:10.7 … McCullough (Texas), 1986
17:11.7 … South Eugene (Ore.), 1975
17:12.2 … Essex Catholic (N.J.), 1966
17:12.6 … Paramus Catholic (N.J.), 1973
17:13.2 … Lompoc (Calif.), 1973
17:15.0 … Claremont (Calif.), 1971
17:16.12 … Highland Milford (Mich.), 2013
17:17.45 … Stillwater (Minn.), 2013
17:18.3 … Fayetteville-Manlius (N.Y.), 2006
17:18.81 … Nathan Hale (Wash.), 2014
17:19.03 … Gig Harbor (Wash.), 2014
17:19.3 … Royal (Calif.), 2006
17:19.42 … Collegiate (N.Y.), 2007
17:19.6 … Power Memorial (N.Y.), 1974
17:19.69 … West Windsor-Plainsboro North (N.J.), 2018
17:20.14 … Christian Brothers Academy (N.J.), 2019
17:20.1 … Haddon Township (N.J.), 1973
17:20.21 … Haddonfield (N.J.), 2010

The 1970s were definitely the heyday of the distance medley in South Jersey.

Here’s a look at the all-time top-20 marks in South Jersey by decade:

1970s – 8
1980s – 2
1990s – 2
2000s – 4
2010s – 4

Using the standard .9942 conversion from the 2 1/2-mile race to the 4,000-meter version, eight of the top 20 marks came between 1972 and 1979, with eight schools running 10:19.5 or faster.

Over the next 20 years, only four schools ran that fast. And during the last 40 years only 12 have.

There was definitely some distance magic going on nationally, state-wide and locally during the 1970s. It seems like there was almost as much of an emphasis on relays as individual events, and since there weren’t nearly as many big meets runners were fresh more often going into big DMRs.

Plus there was just some incredible talent in South Jersey during the 1970s, guys like Mike Mantini of Gateway, Dick Caton of Woodbury, Tony Uzdavines of Williamstown, Mike Elder at Haddon Township, Marty Ludwikowski at Cherry Hill West, Mike Glavin at Paul VI, and most of those teams popped great DMRs during that era.

Willingboro still holds the South Jersey DMR record with its then-national record from the 1983 Penn Relays – 37 years ago this week. I’ll have more on that race soon!

Here’s our best attempt at an all-time South Jersey DMR top-50!

All-Time S.J. Distance Medley Top-50

10:00.9h … Willingboro, 1983
10:10.62 … Haddonfield, 2016
10:10.74 … Washington Twp., 2000
10:10.8y … Haddon Township, 1973
10:12.65 … Mainland Reg., 2004
10:15.4y … Paul VI, 1976
10:15.5y … Highland, 1980
10:15.9y … Williamstown, 1973
10:16.11 … Cherokee, 2001
10:16.14 … Haddonfield, 2010
10:16.29 … Highland, 1991
10:17.2y … Williamstown, 1974
10:17.3y … Haddonfield, 1979
10:18.74 … Shawnee, 1991
10:19.11 … Washington Twp., 2009
10:19.47 … Cherokee, 2012
10:19.4y … Haddon Twp., 1972
10:19.4y … Paul VI., 1974
10:19.5y … Holy Cross, 1971
10:19.67 … Haddon Twp., 2015
10:19.90 … Cherry Hill East, 2016
10:20.11 … Haddonfield, 2002
10:20.92 … Rancocas Valley, 2015
10:20.98 … Northern Burlington, 2014
10:21.78 … Cherokee, 2000
10:22.3y … Highland, 1979
10:22.81 … Ocean City, 2003
10:22.9h … Paul VI, 1988
10:23.1y … Holy Cross, 1972
10:23.98 … Cherry Hill East, 2015
10:24.40 … Pleasantville, 2013
10:24.4h … Eastern, 1985
10:25.44 … Kingsway, 2019
10:25.6y … Gateway, 1979
10:25.6y … Woodbury, 1979
10:26.3y … Highland, 1979
10:26.3h … Cherokee, 1998
10.26.74 … Kingsway, 2018
10:26.90 … Camden Catholic, 2019
10:27.23 … Haddonfield, 2015
10:27.81 … Washington Twp., 2002
10:27.9y … Haddon Twp., 1969
10:28.46 … Haddonfield, 2011
10:28.65 … Delsea, 2012
10:29.0h … Paul VI, 1990
10:29.1y … Gateway, 1978
10:29.41 … Cherokee, 2002
10:29.56 … Eastern, 2015
10:30.1h … Paul VI, 1989
10:30.4h … Shawnee, 1989
10:30.64 … Northern Burlington, 2013

Yesterday, we ran down the long and wild progression of the South Jersey sprint medley record, and today it’s time for the all-time South Jersey top-50 sprint medley list!

All the times up through 1978 were run at the full one-mile distance and all the times from 1980 on were run at 1,600 meters. Meets were split in 1979, and on this list Willingboro’s 1979 time was run in meters and Woodbury’s in yards. I converted all the yard sprint meds down using the standard .9942 conversion ratio.

Incredibly, 9 of the top 15 times were run during that three-year span from 2001 through 2003, a stretch when Vineland, Camden, Willingboro, Winslow, Bridgeton and Lenape were all putting down incredible sprint medley times.

Only four of the top 25 times come from this past decade, but the list includes a remarkable 11 performances from the 1970s (compared to just three from the 1990s!).

As always, I appreciate the corrections and additions you guys are sending in through the comment section. I’m making the changes as soon as I can!

All-Time South Jersey Sprint Medley Top-50 List

3:22.71 … Vineland, 2002
3:22.75 … Vineland, 2003
3:22.85 … Camden, 2001
3:23.56 … Willingboro, 2003
3:23.79 … Willingboro, 2001
3:24.19 … Bordentown, 2005
3:25.06 … Moorestown, 2017
3:26.25 … Absegami, 2008
3:26.75 … Winslow Twp., 2003
3:27.10 … Washington Twp., 2010
3:27.32 … Oakcrest, 2014
3:27.1h … Bridgeton, 2001
3:27.3h … Willingboro, 1983
3:27.55 … Washington Twp., 2009
3:27.69 … Overbrook, 1999
3:28.55 … Winslow Twp., 2002
3:28.63 … Lenape, 2001
3:29.1h … Willingboro, 1979
3:29.44 … Rancocas Valley, 2017
3:29.5y … Woodbury, 1978
3:29.72 … Rancocas Valley, 2005
3:30.38 … Washington Twp., 2000
3:30.1y … Pemberton, 1977
3:30.3h … Camden, 1983
3:30.3h … Edgewood, 1983
3:30.4h … Willingboro, 1977
3:30.45 … Lenape, 2001
3:30.61 … Delsea, 2011
3:30.68 … Rancocas Valley, 2014
3:30.69 … Rancocas Valley, 2019
3:30.70 … Rancocas Valley, 2016
3:30.83 … Moorestown, 2016
3:30.92 … Willingboro, 2015
3:30.8h … Overbrook, 1998
3:30.9y … Williamstown, 1977
3:30.9h … Cherokee, 2001
3:31.1y … Pemberton, 1976
3:31.1h … Willingboro, 1981
3:31.41 … Washington Twp., 1999
3:31.4y … Willingboro, 1977
3:31.5y … Woodbury, 1979
3:31.68 … Ocean City, 2003
3:31.69 … Rancocas Valley, 2005
3:31.6y … Rancocas Valley, 1974
3:31.6h … Highland, 1989
3:31.8h … Bridgeton, 2003
3:31.97 … Cinnaminson, 2007
3:32.02 … Rancocas Valley, 2013
3:32.2y … Woodbury, 1972
3:32.2y … Camden, 1978

I thought it would be fun to trace the progression of the South Jersey sprint medley record as well as I could.

I didn’t realize at the time the record has changed hands 12 times … including twice in the span of five minutes!

The earliest South Jersey sprint medley record I could find was Overbrook’s 3:37.8 in 1970 for the full 2 1/2-mile distance. Whatever the mark was before that was over 3:40.

Woodbury broke the record in 1972 with a 3:33.4 and then Rancocas Valley broke that mark two years later with a 3:32.8. That mark stood two more years until Pemberton ran 3:32.3 in 1976.

Then, at the 1977 South Jersey Relays at Pennsauken, Williamstown and Pemberton both broke the record in consecutive races! Williamstown literally held the South Jersey SMR record for five minutes!

Here’s the Courier-Post’s story on that from 43 years ago:

In 1978, Woodbury lowered the record to 3:30.7.

All the times mentioned so far were done in yards. So the sprint medley was exactly a mile. In the list below, all those times have been converted using the standard .9942 conversion rate.

By 1980 all the sprint medleys were 1,600 meters. But in 1979, some meets were held in yards and some in meters.

In 1979, Willingboro lowered the record to 3:29.1 in a metric race and another Willingboro team lowered the mark to 3:27.3 in 1983, which meant the South Jersey sprint med record had been broken six times in 12 years.

But Willingboro’s mark stood for 18 years.

Finally, in 2001, both Camden (3:22.85) and Willingboro (3:23.79) ran faster. The next year Vineland turned in its remarkable 3:22.71, and that has also stood for 18 years.

So a record that once was broken twice in five minutes has now been broken twice in 36 years!

I spent way too many hours on this, but here is a complete progression of the South Jersey sprint medley record. I listed where I could find them.

I’ll post the full all-time South Jersey sprint medley top-50 this afternoon. But first … the complete all-time record progression!

3:37.8: Overbrook, May 3, 1970, South Jersey Relays, at Pennsauken [Gene Hortz, Brian Morris, Terry Wescott, Frank Hass]

3:33.4: Woodbury, May 7, 1972, South Jersey Relays, at Pennsauken [John Stratton 50.8, Howard Savage 22.4, Jeff Thornton 22.3, Jack Turnock 1:57.9]

3:32.8: Rancocas Valley, April 21, 1974, Woodbury Relays [Bill Robinson, Roger Schneider, Jerry Felton, Greg Honsby]

3:32.3: Pemberton, May 17, 1976, New Jersey Relays, at Metuchen [Jim Sherrer, 50.5, Bob McKeever, Brian Tademay,Tavo Rivera 1:54.6]

3:32.1: Williamstown, May 8, 1977, South Jersey Relays [Group 1-2 race] at Pennsauken [John Marino 51.5, Mike Bull 24.3, Warren Williams 21.5, Tony Uzdavines 1:54.8]

3:31.4: Pemberton, May 8, 1977, South Jersey Relays [Group 3-4 race], at Pennsauken [George Thompson 51.1, Charlie Brown 23.6, Stanley Whittaker 23.2, Tavo Rivera 1;53.4]

3:30.7: Woodbury, May 16, 1978, New Jersey Relays at Toms River [Keith Washington 47.8, Bruce Washington, Blane Martin, Dick Caton 1:54.3]

3:30.3: Willingboro, April 22, 1979, Krulik Relays, at Kearny [Marc Dickerson 22.2, Carl Lewis 21.0, Quincy Vaughn 50.0, Bob Mann 1:57.1]

3:27.3: Willingboro, April 23, 1983, Woodbury Relays [Greg Gaiters, Darryl Coleman, Jeff Bradford, Vance Watson]

3:27.0: Willingboro, April 21, 2001, Woodbury Relays [Michael Bolling, Mike Levinson, Darrin Scott, Marvin Lewis]

3:22.85: Camden, June 14, 2001, adidas Outdoor Championships, Raleigh, N.C., [probably Dwight Ruff, Jade Smith, Jamar Ervin, John Morris]

3:22.71: Vineland, adidas Outdoor Championships, Raleigh, N.C. [Marcus Lee 21.08, Dale Coleman 22.4, Schaefer Sherrer 48.02, Shannon Sherrer 1:50.05]

The super sprint medley was still in its relative infancy when Willingboro ran 1:30.09 at the 2007 adidas Outdoor Nationals in Greensboro.

These days, the super sprint medley – legs of 100, 100, 200 and 400 meters, or exactly half the conventional sprint medley – is held in most major meets.

But Boro’s 1:30.09 remains a state record 13 years after the Chimeras ran it.

The team of Anthony Coleman and Marco Biersinger on the 100s, Antonio Abney on the 200 and Jusson Boyd on the 400 broke the state record of 1:30.11. DeMatha Catholic of Hyattsville, Md., was second in 1:30.42.

Today, 13 years later, Willingboro’s time is No. 11 in meet history and No. 17 in U.S. history.

Willingboro that day broke the state record of 1:30.11 set in 2003 by Ewing at the same meet and broke its own South Jersey mark of 1:30.87 set earlier in the year at the Eastern Regional Relay Classic at Carl Lewis Stadium. That had broken the South Jersey record of 1:31.05 set in 2005 by Camden at NON.

Even though the super sprint med is more prevalent than ever these days, nobody in South Jersey has come within a second of Willingboro’s 1:30.09 since. The fastest anybody has run since is Cherry Hill East’s 1:31.22 at nationals in 2012.

The closest any team state-wide has come to challenging Boro’s record is Pope John XXIII of Sparta, which ran 1:30.84 at nationals in 2010.

What’s amazing is that Boro coach Gerald Richardson used Abney – the Meet of Champions 400 winner – on the 200 instead of the 400 because he was running two other 400s at nationals, and three would have been too much. Boyd still ran 47-low and got the win, but with those splits reversed the Chimeras might have gone under 1:30.

All-Time S.J. Super Sprint Medley Top-50 List

1:30.09 … Willingboro, 2007
1:31.05 … Camden, 2005
1:31.22 … Cherry Hill East, 2012
1:31.48 … Rancocas Valley, 2017
1:31.66 … Willingboro, 2006
1:31.90 … Delsea, 2007
1:32.26 … Deptford, 2018
1:32.98 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2015
1:33.06 … Washington Twp., 2010
1:33.09 … St. Augustine, 2019
1:32.23 … Winslow Twp., 2004
1:33.24 … Deptford, 2019
1:33.29 … Cherokee, 2008
1:33.35 … Moorestown, 2016
1:33.43 … Timber Creek, 2013
1:33.44 … Winslow Twp., 2008
1:33.54 … Oakcrest, 2012
1:33.66 … Timber Creek, 2009
1:33.67 … Camden, 2009
1:33.68 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2010
1:33.68 … Rancocas Valley, 2018
1:33.79 … Moorestown, 2015
1:33.81 … Camden, 2007
1:33.89 … Delsea, 2014
1:33.92 … Camden, 20014
1:33.95 … Camden, 2019
1:33.97 … Winslow Twp., 2003
1:34.05 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2016
1:34.11 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2009
1:34.13 … St. Augustine, 2018
1:34.14 … Willingboro, 2019
1:34.32 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2014
1:34.36 … Paul VI, 2017
1:34.39 … Burlington Twp., 2010
1:34.43 … Vineland, 2008
1:34.44 … Bordentown, 2007
1:34:51 … Rancocas Valley, 2016
1:34.89 … Burlington Twp., 2011
1:34.78 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2019
1:34.79 … Rancocas Valley, 2014
1:34.83 … St. Augutine, 2018
1:34.83 … Deptford, 2019
1:34.88 … Haddon Heights, 2011
1:34.89 … Wilson, 2007
1:34.94 … Cherokee, 2018
1:34.98 … Absegami, 2012
1:35.00 … Northern Burlington, 2016
1:35.05 … Cumberland Reg., 2010
1:35.08 … West Deptford, 2011
1:35.16 … Burlington Twp., 2019
1:35.25 … Rancocas Valley, 2009

It was one of the most remarkable performances in South Jersey track history.

And it happened 53 years ago.

It was June 1, 1967, and Deptford was entered in the two-mile relay at the old Delaware Valley Meet of Champions at Franklin Field.

Coach Jim Hawkins’ Deptford middle-distance squad was on a roll that year. The Spartans – in only he school’s seventh year of existence – had won the two-mile relay at the Kiwanis Relays at William Tenant in a meet-record 8:10.6 and then gone to the Long Branch Relays and set a meet record of 8:01.3.

Then they went to the Northeastern Meet of Champions at Highland Park and set another meet record and South Jersey record of 7:54.0, breaking the meet record of 7:58.4 set a year earlier by Essex Catholic.

At the Penn Relays, the same quarter – Wayne Jenkins, Tom Williams, Jerry Clark and Irv Jenkins – won the South Jersey mile relay in 3:22.8, breaking the meet record of 3:24.3 set in 1963 by Haddon Heights.

Same four guys won S.J. mile relay at Penn in 3:22.8, broke record of 3:24.3 set in 1963 by Haddon Heights.

So Deptford was undefeated going into the Delaware Valley M-of-C and chasing not only their own South Jersey record of 7:54.0 – that converts to a 7:51.2 for a 3,200-meter relay – but the meet record of 7:52.1, set a year earlier by Malvern.

Wayne Jenkins led off with a huge 1:56.9 split, Williams ran 1:57.4, Clark came through in 1:58.8 and Irv Jenkins anchored in 1:56.1

Deptford had run 7:49.0, won the race, broke the meet record and shattered the South Jersey record.

At the time, that was the only South Jersey performance in the all-time New Jersey two-mile relay top-50 (according to my 1968 New Jersey Track Annual).

Here’s the story from the June 2, 1967, Courier-Post:

Deptford’s performance stood as the South Jersey record for 16 years until Willingboro won the 1983 Penn Relays in 7:40.99 on the same track as part of their Penn Relays 4-by-800-DMR double.

It was another 20 years until another South Jersey school ran faster.

To this day, more than half a century after Deptford turned in that miraculous performance, it remains No.7 in South Jersey history!

That’s truly incredible!

Here’s the full all-time South Jersey boys outdoor 3,200-meter relay top-50 performance list!

All-Time S.J. 3,200-Meter Relay Top 50

7:40.43 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2017
7:40.71 … Pleasantville, 2013
7:40.99 … Willingboro, 1983
7:43.57 … Haddonfield, 2015
7:44.25 … Willingboro, 2003
7:46.28 … Delsea, 2018
7:46.2h … Deptford, 1967
7:47.27 … Egg Harbor, 2016
7:47.66 … Kingsway, 2011
7:47.96 … Haddonfield, 2016
7:47.9h … Willingboro, 1982
7:48.16 … Kingsway, 2013
7:48.25 … Vineland, 2012
7:48.3h … Woodbury, 1977
7:48.70 … Rancocas Valley, 2016
7:48.92 … Highland, 2018
7:49.34 … Cherokee, 2000
7:49.67 … Washington Twp., 2009
7:49.72 … Haddonfield, 2019
7:49.85 … Cherokee, 2012
7:49.95 … Delsea, 2018
7:49.9h … Willingboro, 1978
7:50.1h … Camden, 1977
7:50.26 … Ocean City, 2003
7:50.3h … Willingboro,
7:50.87 … Haddonfield, 2014
7:51.07 … Washington Twp., 2008
7:51.09 … Mainland Reg., 2004
7:51.52 … Vineland, 2010
7:52.53 … Willingboro, 2002
7:52.60 … Cherokee, 2011
7:52.66 … Cherokee, 1998
7:52.75 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2018
7:52.7h … Willingboro, 1978
7:52.90 … Rancocas Valley, 2017
7:53.03 … Bishop Eustace, 1997
7:53.44 … Shawnee, 1991
7:53.99 … Highland, 1991
7:54.16 … Woodrow Wilson, 2011
7:54.5h … Paul VI, 1991
7:54.74 … Paul VI, 1990
7:54.78 … Highland, 2017
7:54.94 … Kingsway, 2014
7:55.0h … Edgewood, 1984
7:55.19 … Pleasantville, 2012
7:55.53 … Delsea, 2017
7:55.63 … Rancocas Valley, 2018
7:55.67 … Rancocas Valley, 2014
7:56.30 … Rancocas Valley, 2019
7:56.36 … Ocean City, 2017
7:56.5h … Vineland, 1966

The New Balance Nationals have tentatively rescheduled the postponed 2020 meet for mid-July, meet officials announced Sunday.

The meet, originally scheduled for June 18-21, is now scheduled for July 16-19. The meet is held annually at Belk Stadium at North Carolina AT&T in Greensboro, N.C.

Meet officials acknowledged it may be impossible to hold the meet on the new dates but said they are “cautiously optimistic.”

“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have moved the 2020 New Balance Nationals Outdoor to the new dates of Thursday-Sunday, July 16-19,” meet officials said on the meet web site.” These are tentative dates and depend totally on the guidance of national, state and local governments.  We will continue to post updates as further definitive information is available (hopefully next 2-4 weeks).  We continue to be cautiously optimistic we can host the meet on the new scheduled dates and wish everyone good health and safety in the meantime.”

The outdoor high school nationals go back to 1993, when the meet was first held in Raleigh, N.C. It moved  to Greensboro in 2006.