From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

The Sharpe sisters combined to score 80 points in their individual events and lead Clayton to its second straight sectional title.

They also got some help. More on that below.

The Sharpes combined for 34 points for Paulsboro at the 2018 meet, 53 points for Paulsboro in 2019 and 82 for Clayton last year. Paulsboro was 3rd in Group 1 in 2018 and first in 2019 and Clayton won its first two sectional titles last year and this year. There was no meet held in 2020.

This past weekend, Clayton outscored 2nd-place Haddon Township 129-93 in the South Jersey Group 1 meet.

The 129 points are 3rd-most ever scored in South Jersey Group 1.

Clayton this weekend goes for its 2nd straight state Group 1 title at Pennsauken.  The last school to repeat a state Group 1 title was Penns Grove in 2013 and 2014.

Arianna Sharpe won the 100 in 12.03, the 200 in 24.35 and the 400 in 53.49.

The 200 came down to a photo finish with Amirah Sharpe, who was also timed in 24.35. When the timers broke the performances down to 100ths of a second, Arianna had won in 24.341 with Amirah in 24.347, the difference of 6-1,000ths of a second.

Amirah won the intermediates in 1:01.66 and was also 2nd in the 400 in 53.60 in addition ot her 24.35 in the 200.

Ariel Sharpe ran 1:06.21 for 2nd in the intermediates, 57.27 for 3rd in the 400 and 25.84 for 3rd in the 200.

For Arianna, the 12.03 after a 12.23 in the trials broke a PR of 12.35 from South Jersey Elite at Delsea, the 24.35 broke a PR of 24.47 from last year’s Tri-County meet at Kinsgway, and the 53.49 broke a PR of 53.95 from Fast Times at Cherokee in April.

Amirah PR’d in the 200 and 400. Her previous bests were 24.51 and 54.19.

For Ariel, the 800 was a PR and it was the first time she had ever run it in a major meet.

Clayton also won the 400-meter relay in 50.22 and the 1,600-meter relay in 3:56.72.

Thomas, freshman Miyana Johnson, junior Erica Thomas and freshman Leila Ortiz ran on the 4-by-1 and Amirah and Arianna Sharpe were joined by juniors Kelsey and Erica Thomas on the 4-by-4.

Sophomore Alanna Woolfolk also had a big meet for Clayton, winning the high jump for a second straight year – she won SJ-2 for Delsea last year – and tying PR at 5-6. She also placed 4th in the long jump at 15-6 in what appears to be her first lifetime long jump competition.

Sophomore Maylisa Bluford recorded a 3 ½-foot discus PR and placed 2nd at 103-6, Johnson took 4th in the 100 in 12.86 [with a PR 12.71 in the trials] and was 5th in the high jump at 4-10; and Kelsey Thomas ran a PR 12.87 for 6th in the 100.

Clayton is heavily favored to win another state Group 1 title this weekend at Pennsauken, with North Section 1 runner-up Hasbrouck Heights, North Section 1 winner Hawthorne and Central Jersey Group 1 champion Shore Regional also capable of scoring big points.

Here are the highest point totals in South Jersey Group 1 history. Remember, the meet was scored 6-4-3-2-1 until 1990, so all the high scores are always going to be since that change:

148 … Penns Grove, 2013
132 ½ … Woodbury, 2007
129 … Clayton, 2022
128 ½ … Penns Grove, 2014
119 … Paulsboro, 1992
117 … Paulsboro, 2004
115 ½ … Haddonfield, 1998
113 … Haddonfield, 1999
113 … Clayton, 2021
109 … Palmyra, 2006
108 … Schalick, 1996
108 … Paulsboro, 2019
107 … Schalick, 2011
107 … Schalick, 2015
101 … Schalick, 2018