From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Bryce Tucker placed 4th in the open 400-meter dash and anchored Pennsauken’s 1,600-meter relay team to 2nd place on Day 2 of Ocean Breeze Nationals.

Earlier Saturday, Pennsauken placed 3rd in the 800-meter relay, so that’s three All-America performances in one day for the Indians. What a weekend for Pennsauken!

Joining Tucker on the 4-by-4 were Kahlil Ali, Premier Wynn and Joel Oquendo.

Pennsauken’s 4-by-2 was Tucker to Ali to Nadir Paige to Wynn.

So Tucker is a triple All-America, Wynn and Ali are double All-Americas and Oquendo and Paige have one apiece.

Paige is a senior and the others are all juniors.

Tucker began his day Saturday with a PR 48.23 for 4th place in the 400. That’s the No. 2 time in South Jersey history and only 33-100ths of a second off the South Jersey record of 47.90 set Moorestown’s Brandon Outlaw at 2017 Armory Nationals.

Tucker broke the Camden County record of 48.27 set by Camden’s Jade Smith at the 2002 Midwest Indoor Invitational at the University of Nebraska’s Devaney Sports Complex in Lincoln, Neb.

Before this weekend, Tucker’s indoor 400 PR was 49.59, although he did run 48.33 outdoors in a summer meet at Franklin Field this past July. He lowered that to 48,34 Friday in the prelims and then to 48.23 Saturday in the final.

In the 1,600-meter relay, Kahlil Ali opened up, followed by Premier Wynn, Joel Oquendo and Tucker. Pennsauken ran 3:21.58, finishing behind only Cathedral High of Los Angeles, which won the race in 3:18.28.

Pennsauken’s time is fastest by a South Jersey school since Egg Harbor Township ran 3:18.45 at Armory Nationals in 2017 and No. 20 in South Jersey history.

Here’s the all-time South Jersey indoor 400-meter list
47.90 … Brandon Outlaw [Moorestown], 2018
48.23 … Bryce Tucker [Pennsauken], 2022
48.27 … Jade Smith [Camden], 2002
48.36 … Mohammad Kanu [Lenape], 2000
48.45 … Xander Roberts-Bogin [Pleasantville], 2022
48.48 … Amir Brock [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2017
48.50 … Alex Reber [Cherry Hill East], 2013
48.55 … Royce Reed [Bridgeton], 1995
48.64 … Keith Griffith [Florence], 2010
48.68 … Lamont Smith [Willingboro], 1991
48.74 … John Morris [Camden], 2001
48.75 … Luke Colehower [Haddonfield], 2017
48.79 … Gabriel Moronta [Pleasantville], 2020
48.7h … Curt Mcintyre [Bridgeton], 1992
48.91 … Marlin Gross [Bridgeton], 2001
48.91 … Rob Gary [Lenape], 1998

And the all-time South Jersey 4-by-4 list
3:16.40 … Lenape, 2000
3:17:15 … Vineland, 2003
3:17.26 … Camden, 2000
3:18.46 … Winslow Twp, 2003
3:18.45 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2017
3:18.90 … Pleasantville, 2007
3:19.34 … Camden, 2004
3:19.42 … Camden, 2002
3:20.11 … Camden, 1997
3:20.3h … Camden, 1999
3:20.53 … Oakcrest, 2012
3:20.82 … Lenape, 1999
3:20.99 … Paul VI, 2016
3:21.01 … Camden, 2007
3:21.03 … Vineland, 2004
3:21.11 … Buena, 2001
3:21.35 … Camden, 2005
3:21.49 … Pleasantville, 2008
3:21.54 … Camden, 2004
3:21.58 … Pennsauken, 2022
3:21.6y … Edgewood, 1985
3:21.87y … Lenape, 1998
3:21.8h … Vineland, 2002

And if you missed it Friday, here’s the all-time South Jersey 4-by-2 list!
1:26.90 … Camden, 2004
1:27.60 … Vineland, 2004
1:28.0h … Edgewood, 2001
1:28.45 … Camden, 2002
1:28.46 … Lenape, 2000
1:28.48 … Camden, 2007
1:28.91 … Camden, 2000
1:29.06 … Oakcrest, 2012
1:29.17 … Camden, 2001
1:29.29 … Rancocas Valley, 2017
1:29.52 … Vineland, 2003
1:29.57 … Camden, 1997
1:29.61 … Camden, 1999
1:29.72 … Timber Creek, 2013
1:29.74 … Pennsauken, 2016
1:29.81 … Pennsauken, 2022
1:29.87 … Timber Creek, 2016
1:29.92 … Deptford, 2017
1:29.92 … Deptford, 2018
1:29.97 … Pleasantville, 2008