From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Delsea senior Jason Nwosu bombed the shot put 61 feet, 11 inches Tuesday evening at the Cherokee Throw Down #2 in Marlton, the No. 5 throw in South Jersey history.

Nwosu surpassed his indoor PR of 57-10 from a meet at the Bubble last month. His outdoor PR is 54-2 from Group 2 states last spring at Franklin.

The only superior throws in South Jersey history indoors belong to Braheme Days Jr. of Bridgeton, who threw 70-8 at 2012 Eastern’s at the Armory, Bridgeton’s Ray Wilks, who threw 63-11 in 1995, and West Deptford’s Nick Pulli, who set the Gloucester County record of 63-1 3/4 in 2014, also at Cherokee.

Along the way, Nwosu broke the Delsea indoor school record of 58-8 3/4, set in 2018 by Bill Goldsborough at a SJTCA meet in Toms River.

He also shattered Delsea’s overall school record of 61-1 set in 2013 by Olympic Trials finalist Josh Awotunde at the Tri-County Conference meet at Delsea.

Nwosu’s mark is No. 1 in New Jersey this winter and 7 nationally according to the MileSplit U.S. performance list. He’s the second New Jersey 60-footer this year. Fabian Gonzalez of Southern Regional threw 60-4 1/2 in a meet at the Bubble earlier this month.

Willingboro senior C.J. Johnson threw 55-11 1/4 for a PR of his own. That’s No. 2 in South Jersey this year and the best throw by a Willingboro athlete since Ell Ash set the former county recor of 60-0 1/2 at 2004 Eastern’s. It’s also No. 7 in Burlington County history indoors. Full list below.

Delsea senior Josh Caudill also had a big 52-3 throw, snapping his indoor PR of 51-7 from the Bubble in December. He’s thrown 52-11 1/4 outdoors, last spring at states.

Here’s a look at every 60-foot thrower in New Jersey indoor track history:
71-9 1/2 … Nick Vena [Morristown], 2011
70-8 … Braheme Days Jr. [Bridgeton], 2012
67-3 … Kevin DiGiorgio [Bayonne], 1998
67-1 3/4 … James Gilligan [Toms River East], 2008
66-6 … Glen DiGiorgio [Bayonne], 2002
65-10 … Steve Adams [St. Joe’s Montvale], 1970
65-6 … Jordan West [Rahway], 2017
65-4 … Cole Tucker [Colts Neck], 2021
65-2 1/2 … Greg Cortina [Hun], 1971
64-5 3/4 … Luke Grodeska [St. Rose], 2016
64-5 1/4 … Bruce Heide [Springfield], 1975
64-5 1/2 … C.J. Licata [Gill St. Bernard’s], 2018
63-11 … Ray Wilks [Bridgeton], 1995
63-8 1/2 … Mike Alleman [Scotch Plains-Fanwood], 2008
63-8 1/4 … Rudy Guevara [Essex Catholic], 1971
63-6 … Ron Klotzer [Union], 1974
63-5 1/2 … Aaron Echternacht [Hopewell Valley], 1991
63-2 1/2 … Uzoma Orji [Matawan], 2002
63-1 3/4 … Nick Pulli [West Deptford], 2014
62-11 1/2 … Stephen Mozia [Hackensack], 2011
62-11 … Keith Rzewuski [St. Joe’s Metuchen], 1998
62-9 1/2 … Christopher Staton [Franklin Twp.], 2012
62-7 3/4 … Kamron Kobolak [Cinnaminson], 2018
62-4 … Tyrone Garland [Matawan], 1993
62-2 1/4 … Brian Cortina [Hun], 2005
62-1 1/2 … Bob Vorhies [Our Lady of the Valley], 1977
61-11 1/2 … Vaughn Skidmore [Ocean Twp.], 1976
61-11 … Jason Nwosu [Delea], 2022
61-9 … Randy Sokolik [New Milford], 1969
61-9 … Lou Gordon [Bridgeton], 1995
61-8 … Ed Markowski [Roselle Catholic], 1968
61-8 … Andrew Trumbetti [Northern Valley-Demarest], 2013
61-7 3/4 … Patrick Passalacqua [Northern Valley-Old Tappan], 2020
61-7 … Ray Bradley [Trenton], 1976
61-6 1/2 … Bob Ringwall [Carteret], 1973
61-6 1/4 … Adam Kuehl [Matawan], 2002
61-6 … Tyler Konopka [Toms River South], 2021
61-5 … Manny Silverio [North Bergen], 1976
61-4 1/2 … Mark Saner [St. Joe’s-Montvale], 1970
61-4 … Bob Mattia [Union], 1975
61-2 1/2 … Bob Brady [St. Joe’s-Montvale], 1970
61-2 … Ray Sahadi [Tenafly], 1974
61-0 3/4 … Reynaldo Hubbard [Long Branch], 1995
60-11 … Bruce Hedenal [Paramus], 1965
60-11 …Sal Delhierro [Toms River East], 2005
60-10 3/4 … John Purvis [Winslow Twp.], 2020
60- 10 1/2 … Corey Abernathy [West Windsor-Plainsboro North], 2010
60-10 … Keith Jarvis [Essex Catholic], 1969
60-9 3/4 … John Wojciechowski [Madison Central], 1990
60-9 … Steve DiGiorgio [Bayonne], 2005
60-8 … Felix Lee [Highland Park], 1977
60-7 1/4 … Dorian Scott [Seton Hall], 2000
60-6 3/4 … Jason Bryan [Rumson-Fair Haven], 2014
60-6 1/2 … Bob Lutkewitte [CBA], 1982
60-6 … Vincent Elardo [Lacey Twp.], 2007
60-5 3/4 … Christopher Tavarone [Morris Knolls], 2020
60-5 … Spencer Ross [Mahwah], 2014
60-4 1/2 … Fabian Gonzalez [Southern Regional], 2022
60-4 1/4 … Shaun McGregor [Bergen Catholic], 1996
60-4 … Dom Mazza [Long Branch], 1967
60-3 … Harry Dilts [Pitman], 1971
60-3 … Giovanni Gutierrez [Saddle Brook], 2017
60-2 1/4 … Jeff Schwerdtmann [Jackson], 2001
60-2 … Mark Wilkinson [Union], 1973
60-1 1/2 … Al Wujciak [Essex Catholic], 1972
60-1 … Todd Stubbier [Toms River South], 2017
60-0 1/2 … Ell Ash [WIllingboro], 2004
60-0 … Russ Frame [Union], 1969
60-0 … Joshua Lezin [Lakewood], 2018

Here’s the all-time South Jersey top-10:
70-8 … Braheme Days Jr. [Bridgeton], 2012
63-11 … Ray Wilks [Bridgeton], 1995
63-1 ¾ … Nick Pulli [West Deptford], 2014
62-7 ¾ … Kamron Kobolak [Cinnaminson], 2018
61-9 … Lou Gordon [Bridgeton], 1995
60-3 … Harry Dilks [Pitman], 1971
60-10 ¾ … John Purvis [Winslow Twp.], 2020
60-0 ½ … Ell Ash [Willingboro], 2004
59-9 … Kofi Yamoah [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2013
59-8 … Chris Robinson [Penns Grove], 1990

And here’s the all-time Burlington County indoor top-10:
62-7 ¾ … Kamron Kobolak [Cinnaminson], 2018
60-0 ½ … Ell Ash [Willingboro], 2004
58-5 … Kareem McKenzie [Willingboro], 1997
57-10 ½ … Gerald Williams [Rancocas Valley], 2000
57-2 ¾ … Tati White [Willingboro], 1994
57-2 ½ … Gil Winters [Willingboro], 1990
55-11 ¼ … C.J. Johnson [Willingboro], 2022
55-1 … Nigel Walker [Willingboro], 1996
54-11 ½ … Dzigbodi Ababio [Willingboro], 2001
54-7 ½ … Joel Bewley [Moorestown], 1987