Northern Burlington freshman Liliah Gordon broke the 11-minute barrier for the first time, ran the 4th-fastest 3,200 in Burlington County history and finished 7th in the Meet of Champions Saturday at the Bubble.
Gordon ran 10:56.77 and was South Jersey’s top finisher in the 3,200 at the 43rd annual girls Meet of Champions in Toms River.
Her time is fastest ever by a South Jersey freshman at an indoor Meet of Champions (and is most likely the South Jersey freshman record (I’m still working on confirming that). The fastest previous South Jersey freshman at an indoor M-of-C was Chelsea Ley of Kingsway, who ran 11:00.79 for 2nd place in the 2007 meet.
Gordon ran four 3,200s this year and PR’d in each one – 11:20.06 at the Bubble in January, 11:09.91 to win S.J. Group 3 sectionals, 11:06.89 to win Group 3 states last weekend and her 10:56.77 Saturday.
On Saturday, Gordon broke Colleen Sunderland’s 27-year-old school record of 11:06.43. Sunderland actually ran 11:10.32 for two miles at the 1997 National Scholastic Indoor Championships at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, which converts to 11:06.43 for 3,200 meters.
Gordon placed 8th in the XC Meet of Champions at Holmdel in November, so she’s raced in two Meet of Champions and finished in the top 10 in both races. Angelina Perez of Lakeland won both races and set a state 3,200 record of 10:00.90 on Saturday.
Here’s a look at the all-time Burlington County list:
10:31.06 … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2012
10:46.63 … Erika Kemp [Rancocas Valley], 2013
10:55.58 … Nicole Clifford [Cherokee], 2022
10:56.77 … Lialah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2022
11:00.7y … Deanna Germano (Shawnee), 1986
11:06.32y … Colleen Sunderland (Northern Burlington), 1995
11:06.89 … Lialah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2022
11:08.85 … Nina Bendixen, [Shawnee], 2015
11:09.91 … Liliah Gordon [Northrn Burlington], 2022
11:10.88 … Caitlin Orr (Lenape), 2009
All-Time S.J. Girls Indoor 3,200 Top-50
10:15.71 … Brittany Sedberry [Ocean City], 2006
10:23.49 … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2011
10:29.90 … Chelsea Ley [Kingsway], 2009
10:33.95 … Alyssa Aldridge [Mainland Reg.], 2016
10:38.11 … Megan Venables [Highland], 2011
10:38.90 … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2001
10:40.03 … Dina Iacone [Washington Twp.], 2012
10:40.80 … Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 2017
10:42.06 … Holly Bischof [Bishop Eustace], 2012
10:42.22 … Theresa Cattuna [Cherry Hill East], 2007
10:43.2y … Michelle Rowen [Washington Twp.], 1983
10:45.20 … Devon Grisbaum [Ocean City], 2015
10:45.40 … Julianna Catania [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2016
10:46.63 … Erika Kemp [Rancocas Valley], 2013
10:48.78 … Shelby Cain [Haddonfield], 2014
10:49.12 … Madison Coppolino [Sterling], 2017 [3]
10:49.46 … Alyssa Condell [Timber Creek], 2016
10:52.05 … Amanda Goetschius [Delsea], 2007
10:52.53 … Allie Pierontoni [Kingsway], 2020
10:53.4h … Christin Bettis [Hammonton], 2012
10:53.89y … Sarah Naticchia [Haddonfield], 2020
10:55.29y … Ann Klocke [Bishop Eustace], 1996
10:55.58 … Nicole Clifford [Cherokee], 2022
10:56.77 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2022
10:57.95 … Katy Storti [Bishop Eustace], 2019
10:59.02 … Catherine Van Horn [Triton], 2005
10:59.04 … Maria Ruiz [Williamstown], 2009
10:59.13 … Vickie Ajimoko [Williamstown], 2013
10:59.90 … Aubrey Pierontoni [Kingsway], 2022
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 