Kyle Rakitis ran a 1:54.17 anchor to lead Kingsway to first place in the Ocean Breeze National Championships Friday.
Rakitis got the baton 12 meters behind Seton Hall Prep anchor Nicholas Devita, but edged him at the line by 15-100ths of a second, delivering the national title to Woolwich Township.
Damon Dukes and Evan Corcoran led off with the 200 legs for the Dragons, and Jeffrey Heineman split 51.2 to set up Rakitis’s anchor leg.
Kingsway’s time is No. 4 in South Jersey history and fastest in 13 years, since Washington Township ran 3:29.07 – the Gloucester County record – to win the 2009 National Scholastic Indoor at the Armory.
The time is also No. 15 in state history. One of the 14 faster times was also recorded Friday in New York. Westfield won the Armory Nationals in 3:28.49.
All-time South Jersey sprint medley list
3:27.60 … Vineland, 2003
3:29.07 … Washington Twp., 2009
3:30.01 … Cherokee, 2002
3:30.35 … Kingsway, 2022
3:30.45 … Lenape, 2001
3:31.73 … Vineland, 2004
3:32.36 … Rancocas Valley, 2016
3:32.90 … Washington Twp., 2010
3:33.22 … Pleasantville, 2012
3:33.99 … Pleasantville, 2007
3:34.12 … Absegami, 2010
3:34.52 … Pleasantville, 2002 [3:34.64?]
3:34.86 … Rancocas Valley, 2017
3:34.88 … Vineland, 2002
3:34.96 … Bordentown, 2005
3:35.0 ….. Edgewood, 1986
All-time New Jersey sprint medley list
3:25.88 … St. Benedict’s, 2012
3:26.16 … Union Catholic, 2014
3:27.11 … Pascack Valley, 2012
3:27.60 … Vineland, 2003
3:28.49 … Westfield, 2022
3:28.59 … Notre Dame, 2007
3:28.99 … East Orange, 2018
3:29.01 … Pope John XXIII, 2013
3:29.03 … Christian Brothers, 2013
3:29.07 … West Orange, 2012
3:29.07 … Washington Twp., 2009
3:29.31 … St. Benedict’s, 2005
3:29.6y … St. Benedict’s, 1971
3:30.01 … Cherokee, 2002
3:30.35 … Kingsway, 2022
3:30.45 … Lenape, 2001
3:30.6y … Seton Hall Prep, 1971
3:30.91 … Union, 2022
3:31.10 … Ridgewood, 2000
3:31.5y … St. Joe’s-Metuchen, 1972
3:31.68 … Christian Brothers, 2002
3:31.73 … Vineland, 2004
3:31.79 … Trenton, 1997
3:31.80 … Franklin Twp., 2004
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 