Williamstown sophomore Ciara Demarest threw a new South Jersey No. 1 Thursday night, hitting a PR 39-2 at the Delsea Field Event meet.

Demarest threw 39-2 on her third attempt, the No. 7 throw in the state this year and a few inches farther than Tey’ana James of Atlantic County Tech in Mays Landing threw in a dual meet earlier this month for top S.J. honors so far.

Demarest is the No. 1 sophomore in the state and just 10 inches from becoming the first South Jersey sophomore to reach 40 feet since 2016, when Najeaya Singleton of Vineland [43-10 1/2], Zyra Thomas of Schalick [43-7] and Ciarra Johnson of Winslow Township [41-4] all did it.

The last Gloucester County sophomore to hit 40 feet was Paulsboro’s Lavon Childress, who threw 40-9 3/4 for 4th place at the 2009 Meet of Champions at South Plainfield.

Demarest’s throw Thursday evening is best by a Williamstown girl since Damiola Akinmade threw a half of an inch farther – 39-2 1/2 – at the 2013 Gloucester County Championships at Delsea. The school record is 44-2 1/2 by Typhanie Bates at the 1995 state Group 3 meet at South Plainfield. That was the South Jersey record from 1995 through 1997, when Jamine Moton of Delsea threw 44-5 at the South Jersey Group 3 meet  at West Deptford.

The Burlington County Open was first held in 1929, so it’s approaching its 100th anniversary. Like just about every other meet, it wasn’t held last year because of the pandemic, but it’s on for Saturday morning at Rancocas Valley in Mount Holly with field events starting at 8:45 a.m. and track events at 9 a.m.

The official County Open program contains meet records, all-time winners (at least going back to the 1960s) and an all-time 25-deep Burlington County Open all-time performance list, which has some incredible names on it. I also have shorter all-time performance lists for events that are no longer contested.

Hopefully the program helps enhance your enjoyment of a terrific track meet! If you have any ideas of anything else I can add for next year’s program, feel free to let me know!

Click HERE for County Open program.

Click HERE for County Open entry lists.

What a performance tonight from Jessica Woodard!

The Marlton native and Cherokee graduate threw a massive shot put PR of 62-3 3/4 Thursday night in Tucson, the No. 8 throw in the world this year and No. 4 by an American woman.

Woodard’s previous PR was 61-3 1/4 and her previous season best was 60-9 1/2 in Walnut, Calif., two weeks ago. 

She moved up from No. 27 to No. 17 in U.S. history going into next month’s U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore. 

Woodard’s throw is only four inches of the 42-year-old New Jersey alumni record of 62-7 3/4, set at the AAU (U.S.) Championships on June 11, 1979, at Mount San Antonio College in Walnut, Calif., by 11-time U.S. champion Maren Seidler, a two-time Olympian and a graduate of Governor Livingston High School in Berkeley Heights. That was the U.S. record for six years 

Woodard was competing at the USATF’ Throws Festival at the University of Arizona’s Drachman Stadium.

Woodard opened with throws of 58-4 1/2 and 58-10 before a foul on her third throw. Then she hit back-to-back 60-footers, a 60-5 3/4 and the 62-3 3/4 before closing with another foul.

Haddonfield senior Sarah Naticchia shaved 10 seconds off her 3,200 PR Thursday night at the Haddonfield Invitational with the No. 11 time in South Jersey history.

Naticchia, running solo, negative-split 10:33.85, No. 3 in New Jersey this year. She came through 1,600 meters in 5:19.26, then ran her second mile in 5:14.59, closing in 2:34.52 for her final 800 meters.

Her previous PR was 10:43.48 at the Cherokee Night of 3200s in April. Naticchia lapped the field, winning by over a minute and a half.

The only New Jersey girls who’ve run faster this spring are U.S. No. 4 Lawrenceville School junior Charlotte Bednar [9:59.34 at Underhill Field in Maplewood] and Colts Neck junior Lilly Shapiro [10:18.36 at the Cherokee Night of 3200s].

Naticchia’s time is No. 5 in Camden County history and fastest since Holly Bischof of Bishop Eustace ran 10:33.22 in 2011, when she placed second in the Meet of Champions at Old Bridge to Dana Giordano of Bernards, who ran 10:29.40.

The only girl in the storied history of Haddonfield track to run faster is Olympian Erin Donohue, who ran 10:28.6 at the 2001 South Jersey Group 2 sectionals at Buena.

Click here for the all-time South Jersey top-50.

Here’s all the sub-10:40 times in South Jersey history:

10:12.8h ….. Michelle Rowen [Washington Twp.], 1983
10:19.31 … Chelsea Ley [Kingsway], 2009
10:22.02 … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2012
10:27.44 … Alyssa Aldridge [Mainland Reg.], 2017
10:28.6h….. Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2001
10:29.28 … Rachel Vick [Kingsway], 2017
10:30.57 … Dina Iacone [Washington Twp.], 2012
10:32.4h….. Mindy Rowand [Sterling], 1985
10:33.22 … Holly Bischof [Bishop Eustace], 2012
10:33.25 … Megan Venables [Highland], 2011
10:33.85 … Sarah Naticchia [Haddonfield], 2021
10:34.79 … Theresa Cattuna [Cherry Hill East], 2007
10:35.59 … Amanda Goetschius [Delsea], 2007
10:37.47 … Meghan McGlinchey [West Depford], 2009
10:37.53 … Vanessa Wright [Haddonfield], 2005
10:39.15 … Devon Grisbaum [Ocean City], 2015

West Deptford graduate Annette Wanjiku, a junior at The College of New Jersey, ran a personal-best in the 100-meter hurdles Thursday in Rochester.

Wanjiku ran 14.88 in the trials of the All-Atlantic Region Championships at St. John Fisher College with a legal 0.5 wind. She didn’t race in the final.

Her time is No. 37 in the country in NCAA Division 3.

Wanjiku had a previous PR of 14.89 from the TCNJ Last Chance Meet earlier this month, but that was aided by a 2.2 meters-per-second wind. Her previous wind-legal PR was 15.02 from the NJAC Championships at Ramapo, also earlier this month. She placed second in the final to Rowan’s Nicole Notaranni, who ran 14.66.

At West Deptford, Wanjiku was a medalist at the 2017 Group 2 states at Northern Burlington.

Cinnaminson senior Luke Walton threw a big PR of 155-9 in the discus Thursday night at the Delsea Field Event meet in Franklinville.

Walton had just PR’d last week at 144-8, also at Delsea. His PR coming into this season was a 126-11 at 2019 Group 2 sectionals, also at Delsea.

Walton didn’t hit 140 feet on his first two attempts, but threw 149-0 on his third before the 155-9 on his first throw of the finals.

With his 155-9, Walton edges past Lenape senior Ian Camerato for the South Jersey discus lead. Camerato threw 154-1 in a dual meet against Cherokee earlier this month. Haddonfield senior Jake Amons (151-1 in a dual meet vs. Sterling) is the only other South Jersey thrower over 150 feet this year.

Southern Regional sophomore Fabian Gonzalez bombed a PR 179-8 on his third throw, the best throw in New Jersey this year. He also had a 177-5 on his second throw after opening with a 166-8. He didn’t take any throws in the finals. Gonzalez’s previous PR was 172-8 from last month. His throw is the best in the U.S. this spring by a sophomore.

As for Walton, he’s now the fourth Cinnaminson discus thrower over 150 feet just since 2017 – and the 2020 season was wiped out.

Kamron Kobolak set a Burlington County record of 185-6 when he won the 2018 Meet of Champions at Northern Burlington, Luke Adams threw 160-6 at the 2018 BCSL Championships, also at Northern, and Frank Stepnowski threw 151-3 at the 2017 Woodbury Relays.

Heck of a high jump competition Thursday night , with Delsea freshman Alanna Woolfolk and Timber Creek senior Tatina Carr both matching New Jersey No. 1 mark at 5-6.

Woolfolk had already cleared 5-6 at the Cherokee field event meet last month, but it’s a PR for Carr, who set her previous PR of 5-4 at the same meet at Cherokee.

Sterling sophomore Jenovia Logan cleared 5-6 for the first time this past weekend at the Camden County Championships at Haddon Township, so there are now three South Jersey girls at 5-6 this spring.

According to the MileSplit database, Logan never competed in track before this year and never high jumped before a dual meet against Haddonfield a couple weeks ago.

The only other girl in New Jersey to clear 5-6 is Samantha Strydesky of Howell, who did it at the St. Dominic Academy Spring Invitational at Lincoln Park in Jersey City last month.

Carr is the fourth Timber Creek girl to clear at least 5-6. Alicia Terrell did it in 2012 and Kai Starnes in 2017 and Tierra Hooker cleared 5-10 several times, No. 2 in South Jersey history.

Woolfolk and Brianna Hunt (5-8 in 2010) are the only Delsea girls to clear 5-6 or better. Logan is the first Sterling girl over the bar at 5-6.

At Delsea Thursday night, Woolfolk and Carr both entered the competition at 4-10, Woolfolk clearing on her first attempt and Carr on her second. They were both clean at 5-0, 5-2 and 5-4. Woolfolk sailed over the bar at 5-6 on her first attempt and Carr on her third. Both missed three attempts at 5-8.

Cinnaminson senior Shelby Sills, coming off a quad win at the BCSL meet, cleared 5-0 for third place. She was the 2020 indoor Central Jersey Group 2 champ at 5-2.

Here’s a look at the all-time South Jersey top-50.

Wait … what???  

Kingsway sophomore Nicole Lipieta, who had a 1,600 PR of 5:20, ran 4:57.63 in the 1,600 at the Holmdel Twilight Series Royal Rumble 2021 Wednesday evening.

Lipieta placed second to Colts Neck senior Lilly Shapiro, who won the race in a U.S. No. 1 4:40.15, No. 2 in New Jersey history behind Danielle Tauro of Southern Regional, who ran a 4:39.25 full mile to win the 2006 Nike Outdoor Nationals in Greensboro (converting to 4:37.45 for 1,600).

As for Lipieta, her previous-best was a 5:20.33 at Cherokee in an outdoor meet held in March during the indoor season. She did run a fast 3,200 at Cherokee last month, taking sixth in a field of 74 girls with an 11:06.14 at the Night of 3200s.

But 4:57?

Lipieta’s time is No. 6 in the state this year and No. 3 in South Jersey, behind Haddonfield seniors Sarah Naticchia [4:57.12] and Allison Colflesh [4:57.41], who both ran slightly faster this past weekend at the Camden County Championships at Haddon Township.

Her time is No. 29 in South Jersey history and No. 8 in Gloucester County history, fastest since Delsea’s Celine Mazzi ran 4:56.23 at the 2014 state Group 3 meet at South Plainfield. (Mazzi ran 4:54.58 at the 2014 indoor Meet of Champions at the Bubble).

There’s no Gloucester County Championships or Tri-County Conference Championships listed on the 2021 MileSplit outdoor schedule so it’s possible she won’t race again in a major event until the South Jersey Group 3 sectionals at Delsea the weekend of June 4-5.

Here’s a look at the fastest times in Gloucester County history, with Kingsway girls taking up five of the top 12 spots!

4:41.5y … Michelle Rowen [Washington Twp.], 1982

4:49.26 … Rachel Vick [Kingsway], 2017

4:55.70 … Dina Iacone [Washington Twp.], 2012

4:56.43 … Liz Locke [Kingsway], 2010

4:56.55 … Maria Ruiz [Williamstown], 2009

4:56.23 … Celine Mazzi [Delsea], 2014

4:57.48 … Felicia O’Donnell [Delsea], 2011

4:57.63 … Nicole Lipieta [Kingsway], 2021

4:59.38 … Chelsea Ley [Kingsway], 2009

4:59.54 … Amanda Goetschius [Delsea], 2007

4:59.6h … Ruth Lockbaum [Glassboro], 1985

4:59.89 … Destiny Stanford [Kingsway], 2017

5:00.61 … Lindsay Kane [Washington Twp.], 2012

5:00.7h … Patti Addis [Williamstown], 1984

5:02.08 … Vickie Ajimoko [Williamstown], 2013

What a race by Kyle Rakitis!!!

The Kingsway junior shattered the 42-year-old Gloucester County 1,600 record Wednesday night at the Holmdel Twilight Series Royal Rumble 2021.

Rakitis won the 1,600 in 4:10.15, breaking the county mark of 4:10.29 (converted from a full mile) set by Gateway’s Mike Mantini in 1979. 

Mantini ran 4:11.75 for a full mile at the New Jersey Olympic Classic at Rutgers Stadium in Piscataway on June 24, 1979, edging second-place Greg Herzog of White Plains, N.Y. (my teammate at White Plains and Mike Pascuzzo’s teammate at Maryland). 

For track purists who subscribe to the belief that you can’t break a mile record running a 1,600 (because it’s shorter), the Gloucester County 1,600 record was 4:11.07, set by Washington Township’s Xavier Fraction at the 2009 Meet of Champions in South Plainfield.

Either way, Rakitis is the fastest four-lapper in county history!

Rakitis’s time is No. 2 in the state this year behind Jackson Braddock of Southern Regional, who ran 4:06.25 last weekend at the Ocean County Championships at Jackson Liberty. It’s No. 23 nationally on the MileSpliit U.S. database and No. 7 among juniors.

His time is also No. 5 in South Jersey history and fastest in 12 years, since Brett Johnson of Ocean City ran 4:07.07 and Colin Baker of Haddonfield ran 4:09.30, both as juniors.

Rakitis was out in 62.5, came through 800 in 2:05.7, hit 1,200 meters in 3:09.3 and then closed in 60.8. (The timing company didn’t provide splits, so Jim Lambert clocked the MileSplit video! Thanks Lambo!)

He raced unpressed. He won by 80 meters over Ethan Hood of Holmdel, who placed second in 4:23.72. 

Rakitis’s previous PR was 4:17.39 indoors at Ocean Breeze in March. Thanks to the lost 2020 season he had never really run a hot outdoor 1,600. His outdoor 1,600 PR before Wednesday night was a 4:28.66 his freshman year at Cherokee.

The previous Kingsway outdoor record was 4:11.84, set by Tom Cooke at the 2012 Meet of Champions at Old Bridge. Stone Caraccio ran 4:13.46 at the 2019 state Group 3 meet at Franklin, which means Kingsway is now the third South Jersey school with three milers under 4:14. Haddon Township had Mike Elder (4:08.7 in 1973), Luke Petela (4:11.78 in 2015) and Ed Blakeley (4:12.3 in 1975) and Ocean City had Johnson in 2009, John Richardson (4:09.19 in 2003) and Schoedler (4:11.46 in 2010).

Timber Creek senior Joshua Thaler, coming off a PR 1:57.32 at the Camden County Championships, PR’d in fourth place in 4:24.97. His previous 1,600 PR was 4:38.97 at the Bubble in February of 2020.

Here’s a look at every South Jersey runner who’s gone sub-4:14 for the 1,600 or converted mile. The full all-time top-50 can be found here.

ALL-TIME SOUTH JERSEY 1,600 SUB-4:13 LIST
4:07.07y … Brett Johnson [Ocean City], 2009
4:08.7y ….. Mike Elder [Haddon Twp.], 1973
4:09.19 … John Richardson [Ocean City], 2003
4:09.30 … Colin Baker [Haddonfield], 2009
4:10.15 … Kyle Rakitis [Kingsway], 2021
4:10.24y ….. Mike Mantini [Gateway], 1979
4:11.07 … Xavier Fraction [Washington Twp.], 2009
4:11.15 … Ryan Garvin [Lenape], 2009
4:11.46 … Miles Schoedler [Ocean City], 2010
4:11.49 … Jim Wyner [Mainland Reg.], 2004
4:11.69 … Shawn Wilson [Cherokee], 2013
4:11.78 … Luke Petela [Haddon Twp.], 2015
4:11.84 … Tom Cooke [Kingsway], 2012
4:11.86y … Marc Pelerin [Cherokee], 2002
4:12.05y … Murad Campbell [Overbrook], 1999
4:12.08 … Bill Dolan [Clearview], 2014
4:12.1y ….. Al Harden [Millville], 1978
4:12.3y ….. Ed Blakeley [Haddon Twp.], 1975
4:12.5y ….. Dick Caton [Woodbury], 1978
4:13.23 … Justin Branco [Delsea], 2015
4:13.1y … Ricky Jacques [Burlington Twp.], 1968
4:13.26y … Greg Pelose [Haddonfield], 2015
4:13.46 … Stone Caraccio [Kingsway], 2019
4:13.4y … Greg Stremmel [Gateway[, 1973
4:13.64h … Jason DiJoseph [Paul VI], 1988
4:13.71 … Dominick Munson [Timber Creek], 2015
4:13.83 … Carmen Cavella [Washington Twp.], 2003
4:13.85 … Jacob Clark [Pleasantville], 2013

And here’s the all-time Gloucester County top-10!
4:10.15 … Kyle Rakitis [Kingsway], 
4:10.29y ….. Mike Mantini [Gateway], 1979
4:11.07 … Xavier Fraction [Washington Twp.], 2009
4:11.84 … Tom Cooke [Kingsway], 2012
4:12.5y ….. Dick Caton [Woodbury], 1978
4:13.23 … Justin Branco [Delsea], 2015
4:13.46 … Stone Caraccio [Kingsway], 2019
4:13.4y … Greg Stremmel [Gateway[, 1973
4:13.83 … Carmen Cavella [Washington Twp.], 2003
4:15.0y … Bob Marino [Williamstown], 1975
4:15.14h … Fred Sharpe [Paulsboro], 1997

Winslow Township graduate Tionna Tobias surpassed 5,000 points in her first collegiate heptathlon, scoring 5,083 points and placing ninth overall and second among freshmen.

Competing at the Big Ten Championships at Demirjian Park in Champaign, Ill., Tobias scored 1,037 points in the 100-meter hurdles with a lifetime-best 13.59 and 924 points in the 200 with a lifetime-best 24.60 and also surpassed 700 points in the high jump (5-2 1/2), long jump (18-11 3/4) and 800 (PR 2:23.98).,.

The only freshman to finish ahead of Tobias was Jessica Franklin of Illinois, who scored just 77 more points.

Tobias is the fifth Iowa woman to surpass 5,000 points in the heptathlon. Senior Jenny Kimbro (third with 5,477) and junior Dallyssa Huggins (5,437) placed 3rd and 4th. Kimbro holds the school record with 5,679 points.

Tobias also moved into the No. 6 spot in Iowa history in the 100-meter hurdles with her 13.59.

Tobias’s previous high score in a heptathlon was 4,672 points at the 2019 AAU National Club Championships in Kissimmee, Fla., which she won.