From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Haddonfield teammates Seth Clevenger and George Andrus both moved into the top-5 two-milers in the state this year in their first open races of the winter. 

With South Jersey runners finally getting the opportunity to race on a fast, banked track instead of the sludge-footed Bubble in Toms River, Clevenger and Andrus led four runners under 9:33 at a SJTCA meet at Ocean Breeze in Staten Island, N.Y.

Clevenger, a senior, won the race in 9:22.47, and Andrus, a junior, was a step behind in 9:22.96. Kingsway senior Kyle Rakitis was third in 9:26.93. After Adam Angelone of Madison ran 9:33.68, Washington Township’s Chris Colavita made it four South Jersey runners under 9:45 with a 9:41.21 for 5th place.

Clevenger’s 9:22.47 is No. 2 in New Jersey this year , behind only Triton’s Dennis Fortuna, who ran 9:21.36 last month at the Armory. Andrus moves into the No. 4 spot behind Fortuna, Clevenger and Ridge’s Jackson Barna [9:22.78 last month at Ocean Breeze]. Rakitis moves to No. 6 in the state.

For both Clevenger and Andrus, this was their first open race since the Eastbay (formerly Foot Locker) Northeast Regional XC Championships at Van Cortland Park in November.

Clevenger has run 15:36 at Holmdel, but his indoor (and overall) 3,200 PR was 9:52.09 in February of 2020 at South Jersey Group 2 sectionals at the Bubble.

Andrus had never run a track 3,200, although he did run 15:58 at Holmdel, so a time like this isn’t a total shock.  

Here’s a look at Haddonfield’s indoor sub-9:30 club:

8:58.81 … Jonathan Vitez, 2010
9:14.70 … Martin Riddell, 2020
9:16.7y … Jim Smith, 1980
9:22.47 … Seth Clevenger, 2022
9:22.60 … Brian Goldberg, 2004
9:22.96 … George Andrus, 2022
9:26.43 … Dan Gough, 1987
9:28.99 … Chris Platt, 2002

Rakitis had an indoor PR of 9:43.46 from a meet at the Bubble two years ago. He’s run 9:14.93 outdoors – at Cherokee’s Night of 3200s last April. His 9:26.93 is just off the Kingsway indoor 3,200 school record of 9:26.02 set in 2020 by Stone Caraccio, who’s now running for Monmouth.

His time is No. 8 in Gloucester County indoor history.

Here’s what the all-time Camden County indoor 3,200 list looks like:

8:58.81 ….. Jonathan Vitez [Haddonfield], 2010
9:08.42 … Oliver Adler [Cherry Hill East], 2020
9:10.4y ….. Ken Medlin [Haddon Township], 1970
9:11.1y ..… Mike Butynes [Sterling], 1970
9:11.2y ..… Mike Elder [Haddon Twp.], 1974
9:13.33 ….. Michael Rankin [Paul VI], 2010
9:14.31 ….. Jimmy Daniels [Sterling], 2013
9:14.70 … Martin Riddell [Haddonfield], 2020
9:15.76 … Kevin Pumphrey [Highland], 1986
9:16.09 ….. Aaron Groff [Cherry Hill East], 2016
9:16.7y … Jim Smith [Haddonfield], 1980
9:20.33 … Robert Rawls [Triton], 2011
9:21.36 … Dennis Fortuna [Triton], 2022
9:22.1y … Marty Ludwikowski [Cherry Hill East], 1975
9:22.47 … Seth Clevenger [Haddonfield], 2022
9:22.60 … Brian Goldberg [Haddonfield], 2004
9:22.96 … George Andrus [Haddonfield], 2022
9:23.34 … Steve Maine [Highland Reg.], 2013

And here’s the all-time Gloucester County top-10:

9:13.93 ….. Paul Szulewski [Williamstown], 2011
9:15.8y ….. Mike Mantini [Gateway], 1978
9:22.0y … Willie Marino [Williamstown], 1976
9:23.34 … Anthony Dentino [Washington Twp.], 2011
9:23.0y … Joe Siedlecki [Williamstown], 1973
9:24.71 … Nick Costello [Delsea], 2012
9:26.02 … Stone Caraccio [Kingsway], 2020
9:26.93 … Kyle Rakitis [Kingsway], 2022
9:27.16 … Sebastien Reed [Pitman], 2020
9:28.66 … Andrew Littlehales [Delsea], 2022