Quick double to open the season for Cherokee senior Brett Shea, who ran PRs of 2:00.77 and 4:32.37 in a tri-meet Saturday with Timber Creek and Highland at the Bennett Center.
Shea hadn’t raced since Group 4 XC sectionals, when he placed 6th and helped Cherokee win the team title. His last track race was at indoor sectionals more than a year ago.
And he hadn’t run a competitive 800 since the 2019 indoor season and had never broken 2:10 before. His 1,600 PR was 4:33.05 from last winter at a SJTCA meet at the Bennett Center.
Shea’s 800 time is 3rd-fastest by a South Jersey half-miler in the early going this winter, behind Jalen Ridgeway of Cumberland Regional [1:59.11] and Brian Eaton of Timber Creek [2:00.20]. Eaton ran the 400 and 1,600 on Saturday, winning the 400 in 53.67.
His 1,600 is No. 2 so far among South Jersey runners, behind a 4:31.23 by Kingsway junior Kyle Rakitis last week, also at the Bubble.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 