From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Washington Township ran a hot early shuttle hurdles race Saturday at the Husky Relays in Matawan.

Junior Kanye Mills led off, followed byfreshman Nico DiGiacomo,sophmore Yashahya Brown and Senior Tracy Marshall.

The Minutemen ran 1:02.17 and won by 3 ½ seconds over host Matawan, which placed 2nd in 1:05.63.

Township’s time is No. 1 in the state so far through two weeks of the outdoor season.

The time is Washington Township’s fastest in 10 years. The 2012 team set the school record of 1:00.48 at New Balance Outdoors in Greensboro, N.C., and also ran 1:00.74 at the East Coast Relays at Randolph. It’s fastest by a Gloucester County relay since Deptford ran 1:01.18 at the 2018 Willingboro Relays. And according to the MileSplit database, it’s No. 6 nationally.

Also Saturday, Washington Township won the 6,400-meter relay in 18:49.50 and medaled in the 800-meter relay [1:34.76], 4-by-4 [3:35.47], sprint medley [3:42.97], 4-by-8 [8:35.50], distance medley [11.41.90].

Also, junior Kanye Mills won the 400 hurdles [57.52] and senior Alex Diaz won the discus [140-9] and senior Nahmere Graves placed 2nd in the high jump [5-10].

For the Township girls team, sophomore Dahlia Beasley won the high jump at 5-6 and senior Gabby Vetere won the pole vault with a 10-0 clearance.

(Thanks to Kanye Mills for providing the correct Washington Township lineup!)