A strange story about the South Jersey sprint medley record.

No South Jersey school had broken four minutes for a sprint medley, but Willingboro was loaded in 2003 and at the inaugural Eastern Regional Relay Classic on its home track, the Chimeras took a shot at the South Jersey record of 4:00.71, which they had set a year earlier at adidas Outdoor Nationals.

There was no question pretty early that Boro would win. But would they go under 4?

The team of Chanel Hamilton, Rasheda Spratley, Rhea Mann and Okechi Ogbuokiri wound up running 3:59.6.

I know that’s what they ran because I was standing at the finish line with a stopwatch. My watch and all the officials’ watches agreed. So did Boro coach Tosca Bynoe, who was standing next to me and whose watch had a similar time.

The time was No. 4 in state history, behind only Columbia’s then-national record 3:55.8 (converted from 3:57.0 full mile) at the 1980 New York Relays at Downing Stadium on Randall’s Island and 3:58.56 at the 1995 East Coast Relays at Morristown and Shabazz’s 3:58.59 at the 1986 Jersey Relays at Plainfield. 

There’s only one problem.

The clerk who was recording times on a card and bringing them to the timing tent scribbled 3:59.6 in such a way that the “6” looked like a “0.”

I explained to the timing people that Boro’s time was actually 3:59.6 and not 3:59.0. They went to the timer at the finish line and asked her what she had on her watch, but by then she had cleared it and said she didn’t remember.

This is a South Jersey record we’re talking about here. And the time was No. 15 in U.S. history!

And she didn’t remember.

The timing people had no choice but to go with what they saw on the card, which really did look like 3:59.0.

To this day that mark is listed in all the record books as 3:59.0, but we know better! So the correct time is listed here!

And 17 years later, it remains a South Jersey record, and it’s still No. 13 in state history.

It’s fast! Just not quite as fast as everyone thinks!

All-Time S.J. Girls Outdoor Sprint Medley Top-50

3:59.6h … Willingboro, 2003
4:00.34 … Willingboro, 2006
4:00.71 … Willingboro, 2002
4:01.07 … Lenape, 2015
4:02.60 … Sterling, 2017
4:02.69 … Willingboro, 2004
4:02.89 … Woodrow Wilson, 2002
4:03.04 … Camden, 1995
4:03.42 … Millville, 2008
4:03.54 … Lenape, 2006
4:04.44 … Millville, 2013
4:04.86 … Woodrow Wilson, 2009
4:05.2h … Winslow Twp., 2003
4:05.36 … Willingboro, 2010
4:05.38 … Millville, 2019
4:05.70 … Ocean City, 2004
4:06.06 … Ocean City, 2005
4:06.36 … Millville, 2011
4:06.56 … Rancocas Valley, 2007
4:07.16 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2015
4:08.08 … Kingsway, 2017
4:08.16 … Lenape, 2017
4:08.23 … Timber Creek, 2011
4:08.27 … Washington Twp., 2007
4:08.64 … Woodrow  Wilson, 2003
4:08.76 … Willingboro, 1998
4:08.81 … Cherokee, 2011
4:09.23 … Pennsauken, 2014
4:09.42 … Ocean City, 2014
4:09.47 … Rancocas Valley, 2018
4:10.12 … Lenape, 2007
4:10.0h … Williamstown, 1979
4:10.0h … Camden, 2003
4:10.30 … Holy Spirit, 2011
4:10.39 … Holy Spirit, 2012
4:10.44 … Highland, 1998
4:10.5h … Woodrow Wilson, 2005
4:10.69 … Cherokee, 2016
4:10.74 … Highland, 2003
4:10.74 … Pennauken, 2015
4:10.8h … Haddon Heights, 1980
4:10.9h … Willingboro, 2005
4:11.15 … Buena, 1998
4:11.31 … Seneca, 2008
4:11.2h … Haddonfield, 2009
4:11.5h … Camden, 1994
4:11.5h … Buena, 2000
4:11.73 … Shawnee, 2017
4:11.76 … Washington Twp., 1999
4:11.91 … Timber Creek, 2010
4:11.8h … Overbrook, 2000

I’m going to need your help on this one.

In 2001, the Willingboro girls ran 3:43.94 for third place in the 1,600-meter relay at the adidas Outdoor Nationals in Greensboro.

That broke the South Jersey record of 3:45.41 set six years earlier by Camden in the South Jersey race at Penn and was 3rd-fastest in state history, behind only Montclair’s 3:41.03 at Penn in 1998 and Plainfield’s 3:43.3 at the 1981 Meet of Champions. It remains No. 5 in state history.

I can’t find the official results anywhere, but the Chimeras’ lineup was probably Halimah Bashir, Rhea Mann, Danielle Myricks and Okechi Ogbuokiri. (The lineup was actually Halimah, Chanel Hamilton, Danielle and Okechi … and Myricks split a 53!).  I should know because I was there, but … I don’t. And my old newspaper tragically deleted its entire on-line archive so I can’t even look up my old story. And the Newspaper.com archive doesn’t show any other local papers acknowledging the performance.

So, sadly, this incredible performance has been lost to time.

So if that lineup is incorrect … please let me know!

But it was a remarkable race. That 3:43.94 means Willingboro’s four legs averaged sub-56 in the same race. And that performance has stood as the South Jersey record for 19 years!

The next year, the Chimeras ran 3:44.64 at the Meet of Champions in South Brunswick – I believe with the team of Rhea Mann, Channel Hamilton, Bashir and Ogbuokiri (please correct me if I’m wrong). And nobody has come within 2 1/2 seconds of the Chimeras’ 4×4 record since.

Anyway, this is the all-time South Jersey girls outdoor 1,600-meter relay top-50.

Incredibly, only 14 high schools are represented on here, with Willingboro [14] and Camden [9] accounting for 23 times – nearly half the top 50!

Lenape [4], Eastern [3], Rancocas Valley [2] and Millville [2] each have multiple teams on the list as well, leaving just four other spots.

Please send any additions and corrections to me in the comment’s section!

All-Time S.J. Girls Outdoor 1,600-Meter Relay Top-50

3:43.94 … Willingboro, 2001
3:44.64 … Willingboro, 2002
3:45.41 … Camden, 1995
3:45.67 … Willingboro, 1999
3:46.13 … Willingboro, 2000
3:46.67 … Winslow Twp., 2018
3:47.16 … Eastern, 2003
3:47.30 … Willingboro, 2003
3:47.41 … Winslow Twp., 2017
3:47.4h … Camden, 1978
3:47.55 … Camden, 2006
3:48.00 … Wilson, 2001
3:48.17 … Wilson, 2006
3:48.6y … Camden,, 1978
3:48.78 … Lenape, 2014
3:48.7h … Washington Twp., 1999
3:48.87 … Rancocas Valley, 2019
3:48.91 … Penns Grove, 2013
3:49.25 … Lenape, 2015
3:49.2y … Camden, 1979
3:49.30 … Winslow Twp., 2004
3:49.43 … Willingboro, 1997
3:49.53 … Willingboro, 1998
3:49.63 … Winslow Twp., 2016
3:49.93 … Willingboro, 2009
3:50.10 … Millville, 2008
3:50.21 … Winslow Twp., 2003
3:50.24 … Willingboro, 2009
3:50.27 … Lenape, 2017
3:50.31 … Eastern, 2002
3:50.36 … Rancocas Valley, 2018
3:50.46 … Woodrow Wilson, 2005
3:50.49 … Willingboro, 2010
3:50.56 … Winslow Twp., 2019
3:51.0h … Willingboro, 1982
3:51.18 … Eastern, 2003
3:51.22 … Camden, 2008
3:51.32 … Willingboro, 2000
3:51.43 … Lenape, 2012
3:51.44 … Willingboro, 1994
3:51.51 … Woodrow Wilson, 2007
3:51.68 … Millville, 2007
3:51.70 … Camden, 2010
3:51.6h … Highland, 1992
3:51.85 … Woodrow Wilson, 2000
3:51.91 … Camden, 2005
3:51.8h … Camden, 1979
3:51.9h … Willingboro, 1993
3:52.15 … Pennsauken, 2014
3:52.49 … Paul VI, 2018

For the second year in a row, Kingsway’s Samuel Allen is the recipient of the Bruce MacDonald Athlete of the Year award given annually to the nation’s top high school race walker.

Although there was no outdoor track season, Allen won the award based on his indoor season, when he was the top-ranked high school racewalker in three events – the 1,500, mile and 3,000. According to a story on hsrw.net – a site devoted to high school race walking – Allen ranks No. 4, No. 10 and No. 12 in U.S. history in those three events.

Allen, also an honors student at Kingsway, also competes for Kingsway’s XC team and this past fall was sixth man on the team that placed third at the South Jersey Group 4 sectionals with a time of 16:51 at Delsea.

Last spring, Allen placed second at the USATF Under-20 Championships in Miramar, Fla., in the 10,000-meter race walk with a time of 54:08.19. He also won the 3,000 at the New Balance Nationals in Greensboro in 13:31.53.

The NJSIAA has cancelled the 2020 state relays so it can afford to hold a full slate of indoor sectional meets, according to a story on MileSplit.

There is nothing on the NJSIAA’s web site about this major change in the indoor track schedule, but apparently a revised copy of the minutes of an on-line meeting of the NJSIAA Track and Cross Country Committee reveals a plan to skip the state relays this year and resume them in the winter of 2022.

According to MileSplit, the NJSIAA plans to break sectionals down into more sessions than originally scheduled to comply with safety measure regarding social distancing and because of the expense of using the Bennett Center over more days there isn’t money in the budget to hold the indoor relays.

The state relays are generally held over six days at the Bubble, one day per section. Sectionals were broken down into eight sessions over six days last year.

There is no indoor schedule on the NJSIAA’s web site. The indoor track page only shows last year’s schedule.

The indoor state relays have been held every year since 1966 for boys and 1981 for girls.

The meet was held at the Jersey City Armory from 1966 through 1974, Jadwin Gym from 1975 through 2006, back at Jersey City Armory for two more years, and at the Bubble in Toms River sine 2009.

When the Willingboro girls broke the state record in the 800-meter relay, they really broke it.

Until 1994, the South Jersey 4-by-200 record was 1:43.0, in 1992 by the Highland team of Eusheka Bartley, Melanie Bell, Tonya May and Nichole Bartley at the 1992 East Coast Relays at Morristown. That’s fast, but as you can it’s barely in the all-time South Jersey top-50 at this point.

(By the way, Highland also won the 4-by-400 at the East Coast Relays that day in 3:51.6 with Jaimi Kinsler, May and the Bartleys and also took second in the 400-meter relay in 48.7 probably with the same lineup as the 4-by-200. Pretty good day!)

Then 1994 rolled around and Willingboro shaved a whopping 1 1/2 seconds off Highland’s South Jersey record.

Willingboro first broke the South Jersey record with a 1:41.5 at the East Coast Relays with the team of Tiffany Butler, Corey Thomas, Kim Hargrove and Kia Van Wright. (They also won the 4-by-100 in 47.8 that day and Boro ran 3:56.4 for second in the 4-by-4).

A few weeks later, the Chimeras, with the same lineup, broke their own South Jersey record by running 1:41.2 at the Eastern States Championships at St. John’s, where they also won the 4-by-100 in 47.4.

The record only stood for a year. Camden ran 1:41.1 with Summer Springs, Tiffany Jones, Tunisia Revels and Medina Salaam at the 1995 Cam-Go Relays at Camden and the record has changed hands three times since:

1:41.10 … Washington Township [Latoya Benson) Anita Brooks, Erin McIntyre, Medea Ashton], 1999
1:39.21 … Eastern [Brittany Wright, Jennifer Jackson, Kaliyma Barkley, Jenelle Wilson], 2003
1:38.43 … Winslow Township [Janeya Hammond, Nylah Perry Flora Ahiarakwe, Shakira Dancy], 2018

How long will Winslow’s record stand? That’s going to be a tough one to break!

All-Time S.J. Outdoor Girls 800-Meter Relay Top-50

1:38.43 … Winslow Twp., 2018
1:39.21 … Eastern, 2003
1:39.59 … Winslow Twp., 2012
1:39.67 … Winslow Twp., 2019
1:40.25 … Rancocas Valley, 2019
1:40.30 … Winslow Twp., 2017
1:40.46 … Eastern, 2019
1:40.62 … Winslow Twp., 2003
1:40.72 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2018
1:40.5h … Woodrow Wilson, 2006
1:40.91 … Winslow Twp., 2004
1:41.10 … Washington Twp., 1999
1:41.1h …. Camden, 1995
1:41.33 … Camden, 2009
1:41.2h … Willingboro, 1994
1:41.40 … Winslow Twp., 2005
1:41.2h … Camden, 2006
1:41.54 … Willingboro, 1999
1:41.56 … Highland, 1998
1:41.59 … Eastern, 2002
1:41.70 … Paul VI, 2019
1:41.5h … Pleasantville, 1995
1:41.5h … Woodrow Wilson, 2005
1:41.81 … Willingboro, 1995
1:41.7 … Wilson, 2008
1:41.85 … Deptford, 2015
1:41.86 … Willingboro, 2000
1:41.87 … Camden, 2001
1:41.88 … Winslow, 2013
1:41.91 … Winslow, 2018
1:41.97 … Moorestown, 1999
1:41.9h … Willingboro, 2003
1:42.11 … Winslow Twp., 2016
1:42.21 … Willingboro, 1996
1:42.31 … Penns Grove, 2013
1:42.32 … Washington Twp., 2001
1:42.36 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2015
1:42.38 … Lenape, 2012
1:42.40 … Winslow Twp., 2011
1:42.40 … Rancocas Valley, 2017
1:42.59 … Woodrow Wilson, 2002
1:42.63 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2014
1:42.8h … Moorestown, 2000
1:42.98 … Timber Creek, 2015
1:43.01 … Camden, 2002
1:43.03 … Camden, 2000
1:43.04 … Winslow Twp., 2014
1:43.04 … Pennsauken, 2018
1:43.0h … Highland, 1992
1:43.19 … Kingsway, 2015

When you look back at Eastern’s long-standing South Jersey record in the 400-meter relay, it’s easy to assume the team was anchored by future Olympic gold medalist English Gardner.

It wasn’t.

Eastern set the South Jersey 4-by-100 mark in 2003, four years before Gardner’s freshman year.

Which makes Eastern’s 46.87 more impressive. It wasn’t just three anonymous girls and a future Olympian. It was four really fast girls.

Eastern set the South Jersey 400-meter relay standard of 46.87 in the trials of the 2003 adidas Outdoor Nationals in Raleigh, N.C., with the team of seniors Brittany Wright, Jennifer Jackson, Kaliyma Barkley and Jenelle Wilson.

Eastern ran a little slower in the finals, but that 46.87 has held up for 17 years now as the South Jersey record.

The Vikings that day broke the mark of 46.9 that Willingboro ran at the state Group 4 met in Piscataway in 1980 that stood for 23 years. The closest anybody has gotten since is Winslow in 2017 with a 46.98 at nationals in Greensboro – also in the prelims.

Eastern’s time to this day is No. 6 in state history, behind Montclair [45.50 in 1998], Columbia [45.89 in 2010], Trenton [46.08 in 1984], Franklin [46.42 in 2003] and Piscataway [46.84 in 2014].

As always, please forward corrections and additions to me in the comment’s section!

All-Time South Jersey Girls 400-Meter Relay Top-50

46.87 … Eastern, 2003
46.98 … Winslow Twp., 2017
46.9h … Willingboro, 1980
47.06 … Winslow Twp., 2014
47.18 … Winslow Twp., 2013
47.19 … Winslow Twp., 2018
47.25 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2018
47.27 … Delsea, 2017
47.36 … Eastern, 2019
47.40 … Winslow Twp., 2016
47.3h … Willingboro, 1981
47.45 … Willingboro, 1994
47.49 … Rancocas Valley, 2017
47.53 … Millville, 2019
47.53 … Rancocas Valley, 2019
47.54 … Winslow Twp., 2003
47.54 … Rancocas Valley, 2018
47.4h … Camden,, 1978
47.4y … Camden, 1979
47.75 … Eastern, 2002
47.76 … Winslow Twp., 2005
47.76 … Winslow Twp., 2012
47.82 … Moorestown, 2000
47.85 … Deptford, 2015
47.87 … Winslow Twp., 2011
47.9h … Willingboro, 1995
47.8h … Willingboro, 2003
47.94 … Camden, 2000
47.98 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2019
48.0h … Camden, 1995
48.0h … Wilson, 2008
48.03 … Penns Grove, 2014
48.07 … Camden, 2006
48.07 … Winslow Twp., 2019
48.08 … Winslow Twp., 2004
48.08 … Willingboro, 2009
48.1h … Willingboro, 1979
48.12 … Washington Twp., 2001
48.14 … Camden, 1997
48.18 … Millville, 2018
48.23 … Wilson, 2006
48.23 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2015
48.24 … Camden, 2008
48.24 … Woodrow Wilson, 2007
48.25 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2014
48.27 … Camden, 2015
48.28 … Cherry Hill East, 2017
48.29 … Moorestown, 1999
48.32 … Woodrow Wilson, 2002
48.33 … Woodrow Wilson, 2005
48.33 … Paul VI, 2018

The javelin change in 2002 was supposed to limit the distance the javelin flew.

For Caitlin Cielo, it only helped.

Cielo, then a junior at Eastern, only threw 120-1 in 2001, the final year the old implement was used in high school competition.

Not bad. She won SJ-4 sectionals and placed third at states.

She took to the new javelin quickly.

Cielo threw 133-8 at the Camden county Championship and then 137-10 at the Olympic Conference meet and 148-8 at the state Group 4 meet at Egg Harbor Township, each mark a South Jersey record for what was technically a new event.

Her 148-8 stood as the South Jersey record with the new javlein for seven years, until it was broken in 2009 by Maria Jimenez of Vineland and also surpassed by Haddonfield’s Kate Johnston. Brielle Smith broke it with her monster 168-6 last spring.

All-time S.J. girls new javelin top-50

(since 2002)

168- 6 … Brielle Smith [Oakcrest], 2019
160- 8 … Maria Jimenez [Vineland], 2012
152- 9 … Kate Johnston [Haddonfield], 2012
152- 4 … Jill Shaner [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2009
148- 8 … Caitlin Cielo [Eastern], 2002
146- 7 … Victoria Imbesi [Our Lady of Mercy], 2008
143-11 … Ayana Culhane [Absegami], 2016
142- 6 … Kaela Schrier [Cherokee], 2016
142- 1 … Alexa Gardner [Hammonton], 2018
141- 6 … Lindsay Minch [Pennsville], 2009
141- 5 … Kelly Yanucil [Bordentown], 2013
141- 1 … Tumelo Nwanma [Vineland], 2016
141- 0 … Jocelyn McRae [Millville], 2006
140- 8 … Julianne Foering [Rancocas Valley], 2017
140- 0 … Melissa Lake [Cherokee], 2011
139- 9 … Heather Juhring [Kingsway], 2011
139-0 … Danielle Steff [Rancocas Valley], 2016
138- 4 … Megan Saxvanderweyden [Pennsville], 2015
137- 6 … Mercedes Glover [Burlington Twp.], 2010
137- 6 … Alyssa Whipkey [Pennsville], 2015
137- 1 … Ayana Culhane [Absegami], 2016
136- 6 … Danielle Still [Bishop Eustace], 2002
136- 0 … Shamire Rothmiller [Glassboro], 2008
135-10 … Mary Wilks [Bridgeton], 2007
135-6 … Faith Blamon [Cinnaminson], 2012
135- 2 … Nicolette Burns [Kingsway], 2013
134- 0 … Niyah Cosme [Vineland], 2016
134- 0 … Kira Parson [Millville], 2019
133- 4 … Leah Braidi [Sacred Heart], 2010
133- 3 … Javona Ford [Millville], 2010
132-10 … Nicole Bayer [Delran], 2014
132- 4 … Kelsey Reese [Paul VI], 2011
131-11 … Mya Pomatto [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2019
131- 9 … Jeanne Berry [Delsea], 2012
131- 7 … Emily Higbee [Holy Spirit], 2013
130- 9 … Lynn Brown [Buena], 2015
130- 0 … Angela Garofalo [Mainland Reg.], 2006
129- 2 … Kristy Costa [Absegami], 2002
129-2 … Caitlin Lupo [Pitman], 2006
128-7 … Aleyna Schaefer [Northern Burlington], 2002
128-6 … Abigail Freitag [Cumberland], 2009
128-5 … Valerie Orth [Schalick], 2011
128-5 … Saraly Gonzalez [Sterling], 2018
128-2 … Sara Dores [Holy Cross], 2010
128-1 … Chelsea Salisbury [Buena], 2002
128-0 … Allison Vetter [Cinnaminson], 2006
127-11 … Pam Watson [Haddon Heights], 2016
127-3 … Mercedes Glover [Burlington Twp.], 2010
127-1 … Ashley Weems [Millville], 2012
127-0 … Jeanne DePasquale [Hammonton], 2005

The 1979 Pennsauken Open was quite a meet, with no less than three South Jersey records set in the span of a few hours.

First, Overbrook’s Darlene Grant set a state record of 13.5 in winning the 100-meter hurdles. Then Willingboro’s Carol Lewis, second to Grant in the hurdles, broke her own South Jersey long jump mark with a 19-6 3/4. And finally Tracie Pickard broke the South Jersey javelin record with a throw of 127-3, which broke the South Jersey record of 124-6, set a year earlier by Woodburys’ Donalee Budd.

Pickard and Budd are two of the earliest names on an old javelin list loaded with them.

The old javelin implement was used up through 2001. Our next top-50 list will be the new javelin.

Some of the girls records from the late 1970s and early 1981s are incomplete so there could be names missing here. Please let me know in the comment’s section!

154-8 … Lynlee Phillips [Shawnee], 1999
152-7 … Emma Painter [Clayton], 1980
149-5 … Carla Brown [Overbrook], 1986
147-7 … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2000
147-1 … Janet Morris [Kingsway], 1991
146-6 … Liz Pellerin [Holy Cross], 1982
145-0 … Lillian Rivera [Pemberton], 1983
144-1 … Helen Labosky [Shawnee], 1997
139-6 … Chelsea Salisbury [Buena], 2001
139-2 … Liz Griesback [Cherry Hill East], 2001
139-0 … Danielle Brown [Clearview], 2001
138-9 …Donna Pritchett [Lenape], 1981
138-8 … Evelyn Susec [Clearview], 1985
137-1 … Cyndy Wilks [Bridgeton], 2000
136-5 … Katie White [West Deptford], 1993
136-1 … Vicki McCardle [Absegami], 1998
135-4 … Marcie Biano [Pennsville], 1997
135-4 … Danielle Brown [Clearview], 2001
135-2 … Anna Leach [Delsea], 1990
134-10 … Sera Painter [Gateway], 1985
134-2 … Tracey Yurgin [Pitman], 1984
133-6 … Betsy Kennedy [Delran], 2000
133-1 … Juliette Stack [Atlantic City], 1982
132-11 … Sherri Redd [Camden], 1982
132-10 … Karen Vance [Holy Spirit], 1985
132-2 … Missy Wildman [Ocean City], 1987
133-3 … Brooke Derham [Haddonfield], 1998
131-8 … Caroline Lisiewski [Holy Cross], 1984
129-8 … Nadine Baldasare [Mainland Reg.], 1990
129-3 … Melissa Christopher [Salem], 1998
129-2 … Kelly DeLong [Washington Twp.], 1981
128-2 … Mary Klinewski [Gloucester Catholic], 1980
127-3 … Tracie Pickard [Highland], 1979
126-9 … Connie Labouff [Haddon Twp.], 2000
126-3 … Kim Warlick [Mainland Reg.], 1980
126-3 … Danielle Brown [Clearview], 2000
125-11 … Vicki McArdle [Absegami], 1999
125-8 … Sherreta Butler [Camden], 1996
124-10 … Geri Rilley [Millville], 1987
124-6 … Donalee Budd [Woodbury], 1978
124-0 … Mindy Cwietniewicz [Clearview], 1996
124-0 … Melissa Mentionne [Absegami], 1996
123-10 … Darcy Vilord [Washington Twp.], 1984
123-7 … Joanne Sienkiewicz [Delran], 1987
123-4 … Kate Schaefer [Northern Burlington], 2001
122-11 … Coralisa Coursey [Millville], 1979
122-10 … Pam Brown [West Deptford], 1979
122-5 … Becky Piloto [Kingsway], 1987
122-4 … Aly Smith [Atlantic City], 1998
122-3 … Lisa Warner [Kingsway], 1984

 

In some events, these top-50 lists are packed with performances from the 1970s. In the girls discus, there’s nobody from before 1980 in the top-50 or even close.

The earliest mark in the top-50 is a 134-0 by Pemberton’s Lillian Rivera in 1984.

Which is relatively recently in track and field terms.

It got us wondering what the South Jersey record was before Lillian, who was a rare Meet of Champions winner in all three throws!

The answer?

Lynn Kowal of Highland.

Kowal threw 126-5 at the 1980 Camden County Championships at Haddon Township, breaking the South Jersey record of 124-8 set a year earlier by Amy Gaines of Kennedy. Kowal also won the shot that day with a 39-4 1/4, which was a pretty big throw back then as well.

Kowal took second at the state Group 4 meet at 125-5 (and won the shot) and then added a few inches to her South Jersey record at the Meet of Champions when she threw 126-11 and placed third at the Meet of Champions.

That stood as the South Jersey record for four years, until Rivera threw 132-8 at the 1984 Burlington County Open at Willingboro. Rivera extended her own mark to 134-0 at the South Jersey Group 4 sectionals at Toms River East.

The record then became the property of Millville’s Geri Riley [140-0 in 1987], Eastern’s Tisha Kerrin [153-6 in 1989 and she broke the S.J. shot record the same day], Jamine Moton of Delsea [161-1 in 1997] and for the last 16 years Jocelyn White of Delsea, who threw 172-2 at the state Group 3 meet at Egg Harbor in 2004.
172-2 … Jocelyn White [Delsea], 2004
168-10 … Jessica Woodard [Cherokee], 2013
161- 1 … Jamine Moton [Delsea], 1997
153- 6 … Tisha Kerrin [Eastern], 1989
153- 2 … Sylvia Galarza [Millville], 2004
149- 3 … Tara Daniels [Kingsway], 2013
146- 5 … Kim Warren [Atlantic City], 2006
143- 3 … Mercedes Hicks [Atlantic City], 2006
143- 2 … Najeaya Singleton [Vineland], 2017
140- 6 … Typhanie Bates [Williamstown], 1995
140- 1 … Melinda Boykin[Bridgeton], 1997
140- 0 … Geri Riley [Millville], 1987
139- 8 … Tomara Carmichael [Palmyra], 2016
139-7 … Victoria Imbesi [Our Lady of Mercy], 2009
139- 5 … Taylor Johnson [Kingsway], 2011
139- 1 … Erica Davis [Northern Burlington], 2003
138¬-11 … Jen Frank (Delsea], 2006
137- 1 … Melinda Boykin [Bridgeton], 1996
136¬-11 … Betsy Kennedy [Delran], 2000
136¬- 7 … Gabriel Harris-Davis [Timber Creek], 2016
136-3 … Ashleigh Weems [Millville], 2012
136-3 … Cydney Thomas [Haddon Heights], 2019
136¬-0 … Cindy Wilks [Bridgeton], 2000
135¬-4 … Veronica Myricks [Willingboro], 2005
134-11 … Nacole Moore [Bridgeton], 1998
134-10 … Stacy Hinson [Lenape], 1987
134-3 … Katherine Johnson [Haddonfield], 2012
134-0 … Lillian Rivera [Pemberton], 1984
133-4 … Cheyenne Lutek [Schalick], 2012
132-3 … Sylvia Galarza [Millville], 2004
132-2 … Sherreta Butler [Camden], 1996
132-1 … Superia Ryan [Schalick], 2015
131-5 … Chelsea Cioffi [Pitman], 2010
131-4 … Jordan Wallace [Sterling], 2016
130-6 … Ravin Hood [Rancocas Valley], 2019
130-3 … Prisca Blamon [Cinnaminson], 2017
130-1 …Veronica Myricks [Willingboro], 2005
129-9 … Maddie Bradway [Ocean City], 2016
129-8 … Ronetta Hunter [Burlington Twp.], 2015
129-7 … Emily Hilt [Kingsway], 2015
129-4 … Michaela Pomatto [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2019
129-3 … Alexis Kennedy [Millville], 2012
129-3 … Stacie Belzer [Glassboro], 2002
129-3 … Shaniyla Johnson [Sterling], 2016
129-2 … Brinae Thompson [Delsea], 2019
129-2 … Rose Perry [Riverside], 2003
128-11 .. Lynlee Phillips [Shawnee], 1999
128-3 … Monique Spruill [Burlington Twp.], 2002 [sp.?]
128-0 … Stephanie Scaramella [Bishop Eustace], 2007
127-8 … Annika Hantho [Woodstown], 2019 

In some events, these top-50 lists are packed with performances from the 1970s. In the girls discus, there’s nobody from before 1980 in the top-50 or even close.

The earliest mark in the top-50 is a 134-0 by Pemberton’s Lillian Rivera in 1984. 

Which is relatively recently in track and field terms.

It got us wondering what the South Jersey record was before Lillian, who was a rare Meet of Champions winner in all three throws! 

The answer? 

Lynn Kowal of Highland.

Kowal threw 126-5 at the 1980 Camden County Championships at Haddon Township, breaking the South Jersey record of 124-8 set a year earlier by Amy Gaines of Kennedy. Kowal also won the shot that day with a 39-4 1/4, which was a pretty big throw back then as well.

Kowal took second at the state Group 4 meet at 125-5 (and won the shot) and then added a few inches to her South Jersey record at the Meet of Champions when she threw 126-11 and placed third at the Meet of Champions.

That stood as the South Jersey record for four years, until Rivera threw 132-8 at the 1984 Burlington County Open at Willingboro. Rivera extended her own mark to 134-0 at the South Jersey Group 4 sectionals at Toms River East.

The record then became the property of Millville’s Geri Riley [140-0 in 1987], Eastern’s Tisha Kerrin [153-6 in 1989 and she broke the S.J. shot record the same day], Jamine Moton of Delsea [161-1 in 1997] and finally Jessica Woodard of Cherokee [168-10 in 2013].

Putting together the girls outdoor shot put top-50 and realizing that there have been more than 50 South Jersey girls who’ve thrown at least 40 feet got us wondering who the very first 40-foot thrower was.

The answer is an interesting one. Because in the late 1970s there were a bunch of 40-foot throwers. But none of them are on the list.

It turns out that up through 1979, the official high school shot put weighed eight pounds. South Jersey had two 40-foot throwers with the old lighter shot, including Merritt James of Woodbury, who set a South Jersey old-shot record of 43-8, and Clayton’s Emma Painter, who threw 42-10 1/2, both in 1979. Two others, Amy Gaines of Kennedy and Griselda Thomas of Willingboro, just missed at 39-11 1/4 and 39-10 3/4.

In 1980, the shot changed to 4 kilograms, which is about 8.2 pounds, and a new set of records went into effect.

The first South Jersey girl to reach 40 feet with the new shot was Denise Thomas, who first hit 40 feet at the 1980 Woodbury Relays, when she threw 41-10. (Because Denise Thomas isn’t listed in Ed Grant’s 1979 Girls Fall New Jersey at all with the 8-lb shot and then shows up a year later throwing close to 42 feet with the heavier shot I wonder if Griselda Thomas and Denise Thomas are the same person).

Thomas held the South Jersey record for nine years, until Tisha Kerrin of Eastern broke her record with a 41-10 1/2 at the state Group 4 meet and then Angela Solomon of Overbrook in turn broke her record with a 43-6 3/4 four days later at the Meet of Champions.

The South Jersey record then changed hands times seven times in the next 23 years: Janet Morris of Kingsway [43-8 3/4 in 1991], Typhanie Bates of Williamstown [44-2 1/2 in 1995], Jamine Moton of Delsea [44-5 in 1997], Melinda Boykin of Bridgeton [44-5 1/4 in 1998], Nacole Moore of Bridgeton [46-1 1/2 in 2000], Janiece Rose of Delsea [46-4 in 2011] and Jessica Woodard of Cherokee [47-1 1/4 in 2013].

Woodard’s seven-year run as S.J. record holder is longest since Denise Thomas held it from 1980 through 1989.

S.J. Girls Outdoor Shot Put All-Time Top-50

47-1 ¼ … Jessica Woodard [Cherokee], 2013
46-4 ……… Janiece Rose [Delsea], 2011
46-1 ½ … Nacole Moore [Bridgeton], 2000
46-0 ¼ … Zyra Thomas [Schalick], 2018
45-7 ½ … Ronetta Hunter [Burlington Twp.], 2015
45-5 ……… Sylvia Galarza [Millville], 2004
44-9 ¾ … Najeaya Singleton [Vineland], 2016
44-9 ……… Kim Warren [Atlantic City], 2006
44-9 ……… Lola Agabalogun [Egg Harbor], 2013
44-5 ¼ …. Melinda Boykin [Bridgeton], 1998
44-5 ……… Jamine Moton [Delsea], 1997
44-4 ¼ …. Dana White [Camden], 2000
44-3 …. Jocelyn White [Delsea], 2004
44-2 ½ …. Typhanie Bates [Williamstown], 1995
44-0 ¾ …. Mercedes Hicks [Atlantic City], 2006
43-11 … Donovan Bennett [Vineland], 2015
43-11 … Cydney Thomas [Haddon Heights], 2019
43-8 ¾…. Janet Morris [Kingsway], 1991
43-7 …..… Shamire Rothmiller [Glassboro], 2008
43-6 ¾ … Angela Solomon [Overbook], 1989
43-6 ¾ … Talita Silva [Bridgeton], 2003
43-4 ½ … Rose Perry [Riveride], 2003
43-2 ½ … Lacole Fields [Camden], 1996
42-7 ¼ … Tara Daniels [Kingsway], 2013
42-6 … Dana Hall [Absegami], 1998
42-3 …… Tessie Allen [Kingsway], 2007
42-1 ¼ … Shanna Campbell [Pemberton], 2007
42-0 ¼ … Alexis Kennedy [Millville], 2012
42-11 …… Kyanna Deravin [Pemberton], 2014
41-10 ½ … Tisha Kerrin [Eastern], 1989
41-10 …… Denise Thomas [Willingboro], 1980
41-9 ¼ … Stephanie Scaramella [Bishop Eustace], 2006
41-7 ¾ … Genevieve Rybicki [Our Lady of Mercy], 2007
41-7 ¼ … Erica Davis [Northern Burlington], 2001
41-7 ¼ … Katrina Guerrier [Absegami], 2010
41-6 ½ … Lillian Rivera [Pemberton], 1984
41-5 ½ … Victoria Imbesi [Our Lady of Mercy], 2009
41-5 …… Nyla Noble [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2014
41-5 ½ … Amaya Reed-Clark [Paulsboro], 2019
41-4 …… Ciarra Johnson [Winslow Twp.], 2016
41-2 …… Bernadette McGowan [Paul VI], 2015
41-2 …… Alijah Caul [Sterling], 2019
41-1 ¾ … Danea Wint [Vineland], 2015
41-0 ¾ … Emma Painter [Clayton], 1980
40-11 …… Paula Glass [Atlantic City], 1986
40-11 …… Lavon Childress [Paulsboro], 2011
40-10 …… Betsy Kennedy [Delran], 2000
40-9 ½ … Marla Burden [Bridgeton], 2005
40-9 …… Dana Keister [Absegami], 2008
40-9 …… Katie Johnston [Haddonfield], 2012