The five-year stretch from 1999 through 2003 was certainly the heyday of South Jersey high jumping.
During that span, seven high school high jumpers from across the United States cleared 7-3 1/4 or better, and three of them were from South Jersey!
In 1999, Millville’s Robert Jordan was U.S. No. 1 with his 7-4 1/4 at USATF Junior National Championships.
In 2000, Mainland’s Paul Klemic was U.S. No. 1 with his 7-4 1/2 at Foot Locker Nationals in Raleigh.
And in 2003, Willingboro’s Mike Morrison – who had cleared 7-4 1/2 indoors – shared the U.S. No. 1 ranking with Scott Sellers of Cinco Ranch, Texas. Both cleared 7-3 1/4 at adidas Outdoor Nationals in Raleigh, with Sellers winning on fewer misses.
Only four other jumpers nationally hit 7-3 1/4 or better during that same span: Mark Bradley of Arkansas Pine Bluff cleared 7-4 at the Doc Walker Relays in Texarkana, Texas, in 2000, Andra Manson of Brenham, Texas, cleared a national high school and U.S. Junior National record 7-7 at IAAF World Juniors in Kingston, Jamaica, in 2002, Teak Wilburn of Chino, Calif., cleared 7-4 1/4 – not sure where – and Sellers cleared 7-3 1/4 (and a year later cleared 7-5 at the Texas Relays).
No other South Jersey high jumpers have come within two inches of that trio. Drew Kanz of Seneca has come the closest, with his 7-1 at the 2009 Burlington County Open at Maple Shade.
Today – 17 years since their five-year run ended – Klemic, Jordan and Morrison still rank No. 1, 2 and 3 not just in South Jersey history but in state history. The only other New Jersey high jumper to clear 7-3 or better was Eric Taylor-Perry of Montclair, who went 7-3 in 1990.
Klemic still ranks 9th in U.S. history, Jordan is tied for 12th and Morrison is tied for 29th, although if you includes indoor marks he goes up to 12th.
So three of the top 12 high jumpers in U.S. history come from South Jersey and they all jumped in the span of five years!
The last decade has been a light one for South Jersey high jumpers. If you look at the all-time South Jersey top-50 below, only two of the 41 jumpers to clear 6-8 1/4 or better come from the last 10 years, both on their home track – Bridgeton’s Markquese Bell hit 7-0 at the 2016 Cape-Atlantic League meet and Delsea’s Ameer Banks cleared 6-10 at the 2015 South Jersey Invitational.
Willingboro leads the way with five jumpers over the bar at 6-8, Bridgeton and Pennsauken have four each, and Schalick, Bordentown and Edgewood/Winslow have three apiece.
The list is long, since there are 41 spots at 6-8 1/4 or better and over 30 jumpers have PR’d at 6-8. If you notice any errors or missing names, please let me know in the comment’s section! We start on the throws tomorrow!
South Jersey All-Time Boys Outdoor High Jump List
7-4 1/2 ..… Paul Klemic [Mainland Reg.], 2000
7-4 1/4 ..… Robert Jordan [Millville], 1999
7-3 1/4 ..… Mike Morrison [Willingboro], 2003
7-1 ………. Drew Kanz [Seneca], 2009
7-0 1/2 ..… Dwayne Robinson [Bridgeton], 1992
7-0 ………. Marc Holland [Willingboro], 1978
7-0 ………. Reggie Williams [Highland], 1997
7-0 ………. Raffael Craig [Millville], 1999
7-0 ………. Daryl Gause [Schalick], 2000
7-0 …..….. Todd Lowber [Delran], 2001
7-0 …..….. Montez Blair [Timber Creek], 2008
7-0 ………. Markquese Bell [Bridgeton], 2016
6-11 …….. Kerry Vivett [Edgewood], 1985
6-10 1/2 … Terry Ferguson [Cherry Hill West], 1987
6-10 1/2 … Mike Starks [Haddon Heights], 1993
6-10 1/4 … Ed Malone [Gloucester], 1985
6-10 …….. Scott Knecht [Haddonfield], 1979
6-10 …….. Scott Landers [Northern Burlington], 1980
6-10 …….. Paul Tyson [Camden], 1983
6-10 …….. Troy Saunders [Bordentown], 1983
6-10 …….. Pat Collier [Willingboro], 1983
6-10 …….. Damon Julian [Edgewood], 1984
6-10 …….. Spencer Irvin [Paulsboro], 1993
6-10 …….. Jarrett Carr [Pennsauken], 1994
6-10 …….. Jamil Sanders [Bridgeton], 1994
6-10 …….. Willie Hill [Vineland], 1994
6-10 …….. Anthony Butler [Schalick], 1999
6-10 …….. Marshall Akins [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2005
6-10 …….. Justin Oliver [Pennsauken], 2006
6-10 …….. Josh Butler [Delsea], 2006
6-10 …….. Devin Bradham [Williamstown], 2005
6-10 …….. Ameer Banks [Delsea], 2015
6-9 ¼ …… Keith Brown [Salem], 1979
6-9 ¼ ………. Blake Bartlett [Penns Grove], 1999
6-9 ………. Bob Reid [Oakcrest], 1977
6-9 ………. Marvin Bass [Palmyra], 1994
6-8 ½ … Mark Anderson [Audubon], 1976
6-8 ½ … Rocky Harrison [Woodbury], 1975
6-8 ½ … Walt Young [Wilson], 1976
6-8 ½ … Ben Kendall [Bordentown], 1980
6-8 ½ … Mike Pascuzzo [Lenape], 1980
6-8 ½ … Kelly Robinson [Edgewood], 1987
6-8 ¼ … Ed Kramer [Cherokee], 2010
6-8 ……… Bernie Mitchell [Wilson], 1965
6-8 ……… Mark Kelly [Audubon], 1974
6-8 .…….. Barry Anderson [Rancocas Valley], 1977
6-8 ……… Greg Collins [Deptford], 1980
6-8 ……… Darren Burton [Delran], 1981
6-8 ………. Scott Harrison [Willingboro], 1983
6-8 ………. Ken Dorsett [Pennsauken], 1985
6-8 ………. Jim Bowles [Rancocas Valley], 1986
6-8 ………. Jerome Robinson [Bordentown], 1986
6-8 ………. Linwood Healey [Cumberland Reg.], 1990
6-8 ………. Roscoe Arthur [Haddon Heights], 1990
6-8 ………. Will McAllister [Highland], 1990
6-8 ………. Eric Dorsett [Pennsauken], 1991
6-8 ………. Dave Covington [Atlantic City], 1993
6-8 ………. Ryan O’Connell [Mainland Reg.], 1994
6-8 ….…… Ty Coughlin [Lenape], 1997
6-8 ….…… Craig Howard [Washington Twp.], 1998
6-8 ………. Larry DeMark [Sterling], 1994
6-8 ………. Christiana Johnson [St. Augustine], 2001
6-8 ………. Nana Hensah-Bonsu [St. Augustine], 2000
6-8 ………. Mike Lee [Pennsville], 2002
6-8 ………. Matt Klemic [Mainland Reg.], 2002
6-8 ….…… Dijon Thomas [Willingboro], 2002
6-8 ………. Carlo Bryant [Winslow Twp.], 2003
6-8 ………. Tim Cook [Glassboro], 2005
6-8 ….…… Joe Bunton [Bridgeton], 2006
6-8 .……… Anthony Gregory [Salem], 2007
6-8. ……… Ken Wise [Haddon Twp.], 2007
6-8 …….… Matt Kates [Schalick], 2008
6-8 …….… Uchenna Njoku [Cherry Hill East], 2009
6-8 ….…… Justin Turner [Cherokee], 2009
6-8 ….…… Max DiLeo [Cinnaminson], 2011
6-8 ….…… A.J. Vance [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2012
6-8 ….…… Ben Mitchell [St. Joe’s-Hammonton], 2015
6-8 ….…… Dustin Singleton [Camden], 2015
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 