It was no contest Friday in Willingboro freshman Malachi James’s first state championship race .
James was only the No. 6 seed in the 100 after winning Central Jersey Group 1 in 10.95 seconds. But he ran away with the state Group 1 race at Pennsauken, winning in 10.98 into a 0.8 wind with nobody else in the field going under 11.16.
James finished second to Rancocas Valley’s Herb Quarterman in the BCSL Liberty Division 100 and hasn’t lost a 100 since. Quarterman ran a lifetime-best 10.95 to place second to Egg Harbor’s Ahmad Brock (10.92) in the state Group 4 meet.
He’s the first Willingboro sprinter to win the 100 at states since Carl Lewis won the 100-yard dash at the 1979 state Group 4 meet in 9.9.
Clayton’s TerMeir Hill, the South Jersey Group 1 champ at 10.88, placed second in 11.16.
James is the first Burlington County freshman to win a state title in an individual event since Brondon Jenkins of Burlington City won the Group 1 200 in 22.26 in 1993. Jenkins won the Meet of Champions 200 a year later for Delran in 21.46.
James will be the No. 1 seed in the 200 on Saturday.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 