From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Smoking hot 800 from Cherokee teammates Nicole Clifford and Kelsey Niglio at the state Group 4 meet.

Clifford, a senior, won the race in a personal-best 2:11.12 and Niglio, a junior, finished right behind her in 2nd place with a PR 2:11.80.

They are the two-fastest times from among the four public school 800 races.

Their times are No. 12 and No. 15 in South Jersey history and No. 3 and 5 in Burlington County history. Full lists below.

All six medalists at Franklin High ran sub-2:14.

Clifford’s previous PR was 2:11.52 at the Olympic Conference Championships last month, and Niglio’s was 2:13.31 last weekend at sectionals.

Here are the top 10 times from the four public school races [parochials haven’t raced yet]:
2:11.12 … Nicole Clifford [Cherokee], Group 4 [1st]
2:11.80 … Kelsey Niglio [Cherokee], Group 4 [2nd]
2:12.19 … Christina Allen [River Dell], Group 2 [1st]
2:12.43 … Lucia Rabolli [Ridgewood], Group 4 [3rd]
2:13.43 … Jenai Berry [Scotch Plains-Fanwood], Group 4 [4th]
2:13.53 … Emma Zawatski [Freehold Twp.], Group 4 [5th]
2:13.91 … Olivia Takla [Toms River North], Group 4 [6th]
2:14.20 … Caroline Schleif [Metuchen], Group 2 [2nd]
2:14.89 … Lily Oliver [Toms River South], Group 3 [1st]
2:16.26 … Alexa LaSasso [North Hunterdon], Group 3 [2nd]

All-Time Burlington County Top-10
2:07.33 … Marielle Hall (Haddonfield), 2009
2:08.87 … Erin Donohue (Haddonfield), 2001
2:09.2h … Katrina Sye (Buena), 1999
2:09.50 … Renee Tomlin (Ocean City), 2005
2:09.84 … Rachel Stremme (Ocean City), 2014
2:10.1h … Michelle Rowen (Washington Twp.), 1982
2:10.55 … Shelby Whetstone (Lenape), 2019
2:10.57 … Nijgia Snapp (Oakcrest), 2009
2:10.79 … Krista Ferrara (Vineland), 1991
2:10.9h … Ruth Lockbaum (Glassboro), 1985
2:11.07 … Miya Johnson (Lenape), 2007
2:11.12 … Nicole Clifford [Cherokee], 2022
2:11.45 … Sydney Coppolino (Sterling), 2017
2:11.56 … Mary Bohi (Seneca), 2009
2:11.80 … Briana Gess (Haddonfield), 2016
2:11.80 … Kelsey Niglio [Cherokee], 2022
2:11.88 … Kayla Martin (Seneca), 2015
2:11.94 … Bridget Flynn (Ocean City), 2014

All-Time Burlington County Top-10
2:10.55 … Shelby Whetstone (Lenape), 2019
2:11.07 … Miya Johnson (Lenape), 2007
2:11.12 … Nicole Clifford [Cherokee], 2022
2:11.56 … Mary Bohi (Seneca), 2009
2:11.80 … Kelsey Niglio [Cherokee], 2022
2:11.88 … Kayla Martin (Seneca), 2015
2:11.95 … Miya Johnson [Lenape], 2007
2:12.0h … Monica Olkowski (Cherokee), 1990
2:12.78 … Megan Quimby (Lenape), 2015
2:12.93 … Carly Pettipaw (Lenape), 2015