Cherokee ran its fastest 3,200-meter relay in 10 years Saturday and the 3rd-fastest in school history.

The all under-class team of junior Conor Jacob, junior Thomas Bromley, sophomore Nick Kuenkel and sophomore Robert Poplau ran 7:50.73 to place 3rd at the state Group 4 meet at Franklin Township.

The only faster times in school history are a 7:49.34 for 5th place at the Foot Locker Nationals in Raleigh in 2000 and a 7:49.85 for 9th place at the 2012 Penn Relays.

Jacob led off with a 1:56.68, Bromley split 2:00.12, Kuenkel ran 1:57.15 and Poplau anchored in 1:56.78.

At the Meet of Champions, Cherokee will be No. 3 seed behind Westfield [7:44.79] and Ridge [7:50.12] from the Group 4 race. Cherokee could get back junior Patrick Ditmars for the M-of-C. Ditmars ran 1:55.01 last month.

Cherokee’s time is No. 8 on the all-time Burlington County list:
7:40.99 … Willingboro, 1983
7:44.25 … Willingboro, 2003
7:47.9h … Willingboro, 1982
7:48.70 … Rancocas Valley, 2016
7:49.34 … Cherokee, 2000
7:49.85 … Cherokee, 2012
7:49.9h … Willingboro, 1978
7:50.73 … Cherokee, 2022
7:52.53 … Willingboro, 2002
7:52.60 … Cherokee, 2011
7:52.66 … Cherokee, 1998
7:52.7h … Willingboro, 1978
7:52.90 … Rancocas Valley, 2017
7:53.44 … Shawnee, 1991

Pennsauken junior Premier Wynn has run five 400s this year, and he’s gotten faster each time.

Wynn won the state Group 3 400 title Saturday morning with an eye-popping 47.86, finishing five meters ahead of Morris Hills senior Joshua Babe, who ran 48.32.

Wynn’s win increased Pennsauken’s point total to 39 as Day 2 of the state championships began on the Indians’ home track. One event into Saturday’s action, Pennsauken leads Delsea 39-38 in what looks to be shaping up as a two-team race.

Wynn opened this spring with a 51.74 in a dual meet at Moorestown, then ran 49.32 at the South Jersey Elite at Delsea, 48.96 at the Camden County Championships at Haddon Township and 48.24 at sectionals to set up his hot 400 Saturday.

He hasn’t lost a 400 since the indoor Meet of Champions, when he placed 3rd.

Wynn’s time is No. 12 in Camden County history and fastest since Jamaad Muse of Timber Creek ran 46.67 at the 2013 Meet of Champions at South Plainfield. It’s the fastest time by a South Jersey underclassman since Moorestown’s Brandon Outlaw ran 47.60 at the 2016 BCSL meet at Northern Burlington and the fastest South Jersey time since 2017, when Outlaw ran 46.82 and Amir Brock of Egg Harbor Township ran 47.44.

Here’s a quick look at the five quarter-milers who ran sub-48 at the various state meets Saturday. Wynn will be the No. 3 seed at the Meet of Champions next weekend. 
47.78 … Nick Givan [Union Catholic], Parochial A [1st]
47.80 … Xavier Donaldson [Seton Hall Prep], Parochial A [2nd]
47.86 … Premier Wynn [Pennsauken], Group 3 [1st]
47.93 … Cashieve Blair [Irvington], Group 4 [1st]
47.99 … Greg McQueen [Elizabeth], Group 4 [2nd]

Here’s the all-time Camden County sub-48 club:
46.02 … Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 1984
46.67 … Jamaad Muse [Timber Creek], 2014
46.77 … Reuben McCoy [Winslow Twp.], 2004
47.24h … Ron Hillian [Eastern], 2002
47.34h … Brian Bennett [Edgewood], 1985
47.54h … Ken Moore [Overbrook], 1984
47.54h … Chuck Carter [Eastern], 1985
47.59 … Jade Smith [Camden], 2002
47.76 … Carl Smith [Camden], 2005
47.79 … Duan Freeman [Winslow Twp.], 2003
47.83 … Antraye Miles [Winslow Twp.], 2003
47.86 … Premier Wynn [Pennsauken], 2022
47.88 … Damiere Byrd [Timber Creek], 2011
47.95 … John Morris [Camden], 2001
47.96 … Alex Reber [Cherry Hill East], 2012

 

Timber Creek’s Jaden Johnson leaped his way into the all-time South Jersey triple jump top-10 Friday with his win at the state Group 3 meet at Pennsauken.

Johnson jumped 47-7 ½, some 9 ½ inches beyond his previous outdoor personal best of 46-10, which he hit at the South Jersey Elite at Delsea. He jumped 46-11 ¾ when he placed 4th at Ocean Breeze Nationals in March.

Johnson’s mark is tied for No. 10 in South Jersey history and tied for No. 5 in Camden County history. He’s closing in on the school record of 47-10 ½, set by Larry Russell Jr. at 2015 South Jersey Group 3 sectionals at Central Regional.

Through four jumps Friday, South Plainfield’s Joe Oduro led the event with a 46-0 ½ on his 3rd attempt, with Johnson in second two inches behind with a 45-10 ½ on his 3rd attempt.

But Johnson took the lead with a 46-11 ¼ on his 5th jump and then popped the 47-7 ½ on his final attempt while Oduru fouled on his last two tries.

ALL-TIME SOUTH JERSEY TRIPLE JUMP LIST
50- 9 ¼ … Khaliel Burnett [Delsea], 2018
50- 6 ¾ …. Dominique Irons [Haddon Heights], 2013
49-11 ½ … Floyd Whitaker [Highland], 2022
48-10 ½ … Larry Russell [Timber Creek], 2015
48- 3 ¼ … Ryan Chance [Glassboro], 2009
48- 1 ½ … Orion Joyner [Kingsway], 2019
48- 1 ½ … Mubeen Momodu [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2019
48- 0 ………. Josh Butler [Delsea], 2006
47- 9 ¼ … Marcus Edghilll [Pemberton], 1981
47- 7 ½ … Mikhail Micheaux [Eastern], 2014
47- 7 ½ … Jaden Johnson [Timber Creek], 2022
47- 6 ½ … Chris Roundtree [Haddon Hts.], 2009
47- 5 ½ … Khaliel Burnett [Delsea], 2017
47- 5 ¼ … Kevin Kevelier [Collingswood., 2019
47- 5 ……… Steven Brown [Penns Grove], 2009
47- 4 ¾ … Cheo King [Woodbury], 2017
47- 4 ½ … Zakiyy Williams [Rancocas Valley], 2017
47- 4 ……… Tristan Wilson [Delsea], 2014
47- 3 ¼ … Antwan Dickerson [Pennsauken], 2013
47- 3 ……… Mike Baker [Cherry Hill West], 1976
47- 0 ¼ … Earnest Daniel [Kingsway], 2017

Paul VI sophomore Shaelan McNally ran a monster 17-second 3,200 PR yesterday at the Parochial A state championships.

McNally, who entered the day with a PR of 11:10.80 from the Olympic Conference Championships, ran 10:53.46, which was 2nd-fastest among all South Jersey runners at the six  state races. Nicole Clifford of Cherokee ran 10:45.24 to win the state Group 4 race.

McNally broke a Paul VI school record that had stood for 44 years.

In 1978, Doreen Startare ran 11:02.2 for a hand-timed full two-mile, which converts to 10:58.5 for 3,200 meters.

McNally’s time makes her the top sophomore in South Jersey this year and the No. 5 sophomore in the state. The only faster Camden County sophomores over the last 15 years are Haddonfield’s Sarah Naticchia [10:48.87 in 2019] and Alyssa Condell of Timber Creek [10:52.00 in 2015].

McNally placed 5th in a very fast Parochial B race. Red Bank Catholic’s Cate DeSousa won in 10:30.97, leading four runners under 10:40.

McNally will be the No. 13 seed in a ridiculously loaded 3,200 at Meet of Champions, although several of the top seeds aren’t expected to compete.

McNally races in the 1,600 on Saturday back at Middletown North. She has a 5:02.10 PR from the South Jersey Elite meet last month at Delsea. That makes her the No. 5 seed in Parochial A.

McNally’s time is No. 15 on the all-time Camden County list. Here’s a look at every Camden County girl who’s run sub-11.

10:28.6h….. Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2001
10:32.4h….. Mindy Rowand [Sterling], 1985
10:33.22 … Holly Bischof [Bishop Eustace], 2012
10:33.25 … Megan Venables [Highland], 2011
10:33.85 … Sarah Naticchia [Haddonfield], 2021
10:34.79 … Theresa Cattuna [Cherry Hill East], 2007
10:37.53 … Vanessa Wright [Haddonfield], 2005
10:40.24 … Katie Van Horn [Triton], 2005
10:42.22 … Jenn Rawls [Highland], 2009
10:43.50 … Alyssa Condell [Timber Creek], 2017
10:45.12 … Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 2014
10:46.38 … Madison Coppolino [Sterling], 2018
10:52.32 … Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], 2009
10:52.75 … Meghan Malloy [Haddonfield], 2013
10:53.46 … Shaelan McNally [Paul VI], 2022
10:54.0y … Lori Watson [Cherry Hill East], 1983
10:55.34 … Sophie Steidle [Collingswood], 2021
10:56.54 … Arianna McKinney [Highland], 2004
10:58.46 … Doreen Startare [Paul VI], 1978
10:59.56 … Amanda Bakley [Pennsauken], 2015

Paulsboro’s remarkable Jamile Gantt won the state Group 1 high jump title Friday with the best mark in New Jersey this year.

Gantt cleared 6-8 ¼ to win the state Group 1 title at Pennsauken and go into the Meet of Champions as the No. 1 seed. That’s No. 5 in Gloucester County history.

Gantt, a junior, had a PR of 6-2 until just six weeks ago. He cleared 6-6 at the Woodbury Relays and then 6-8 at the Delsea Crusader Field #1 meet last month.

His 6-8 ¼ clearance is best by a South Jersey Group 1 jumper in 21 years, since Schalick’s Darryl Gause hit 6-10 at the 2001 Meet of Champions in South Plainfield. It’s the best by any South Jersey jumper since current Dallas Cowboy Markquese Bell cleared 7-0 in 2016.

It’s the best jump by a Paulsboro athlete since Spencer Irvin cleared 6-10 at the 1993 Haddonfield Invitational.

Fortunately, Tomahawk Timing – which provides results for the Group 1 and 3 meets – does include field event details in its results, unlike the company that did Group 2 and 4.

So we can tell you that Gantt cleared 5-8, 5-10, 6-0, 6-2 and 6-4 on his first attempt. He had the meet won at 6-4, then cleared 6-6 on his second try and 6-8 ¼ on his third. It appears that he didn’t take any jumps beyond 6-8 ¼.

Unfortunately, the timing of the high jump prevented Gantt from racing the 800, where he was the 800 No. 4 seed at 1:59.85.

How many athletes in New Jersey history have cleared 6-8 in the high jump and broken 2:00 in the 800?

I can only think of one.

And he’s back next year.

Here’s a look at the all-time Gloucester County high jump top-10:

6-10 …….. Spencer Irvin [Paulsboro], 1993
6-10 ……… Josh Butler [Delsea], 2006
6-10 …….. Devin Bradham [Williamstown], 2005
6-10 …….. Ameer Banks [Delsea], 2015
6-8 ½ …… Rocky Harrison [Woodbury], 1975
6-8 ½ …… Jamile Gantt [Paulsboro], 2022
6-8 …….… Greg Collins [Deptford], 1980
6-8 ….…..… Craig Howard [Washington Twp.], 1998
6-8 ………. Tim Cook [Glassboro], 2005
6-6 ………. [Numerous]

Three South Jersey track teams lead their state meet after one day of action at Pennsauken and Franklin Township.

Here’s a look at every team battle heading into Saturday. Click the subhead for complete results!

Girls Group 1
Clayton goes into Day 2 trailing Hasbrouck Heights 40 ½-32, with Haddon Township in 4th with 27 points. Audubon [10 ½] and Gateway [10] are also in double digits, and Schalick is right there [9 ½].

Boys Group 1
Emerson leads the way with 22 points, but Glassboro [20] and Audubon [19] are within striking distance, and Salem [12], Paulsboro [10] and Penns Grove [10] are also already in double figures.

Boys Group 2
The move up from Group 1 to Group 2 hasn’t affected Willingboro, which piled up 40 points on Day and leads 2nd-place Haddonfield, who has 24. Deptford is sitting in 4th with 19 points.

Girls Group 2
Haddonfield and Sterling are both in double figures, Haddonfield sitting in 5th place with 13 points and Sterling in 6th with 12 points. Metuchen leads NJ-2 with 22 points after Day 1.

Boys Group 3
The anticipated battle between Delsea and Pennsauken is off and running, with Delsea leading 38-29 through Friday’s action. Moorestown [12] and Timber Creek [10] both reached double figures also.

Girls Group 3
Mainland scored 22 Day 1 points and trails Colts Neck by four going into Saturday. Timber Creek and Winslow are tied for 6th with 14 points.

Girls Group 4
Cherokee scored 18 in the 800 and 10 in the 3,200 for 28 points on Day 1 and a six-point overnight lead on Montclair [22] and Montgomery [20]. Millville [18] and Rancocas Valley [17] are in 5th and 7th in NJ-4.

Boys Group 4
Washington Township is South Jersey’s top school in NJ-4 so far with 14 points. Cherry Hill East and Kingsway are tied for 8th with 10 and Egg Harbor is only half a point back with 9 ½.

Parochial A Boys
Camden Catholic is the only South Jersey school that scored on Day 1, and they’re in 7th place with four points going into Saturday.

Parochial B Boys
Holy Spirit has 21 points and trails only St. Rose of Belmar, which leads with 46 points. Bishop Eustace is in 4th with 17 points.

Parochial A Girls
Camden Catholic and Paul VI each have two points going into Day 2.

Parochial B Girls
Holy Spirit and Holy Cross are tied for 7th with 12 points and Bishop Eustace is just behind with 10 points.

Millville junior Leah Howard popped the No. 6 javelin throw in South Jersey history Friday and won the state Group 4 title at Franklin High.

Howard threw 148-2 and won by more than 15 feet over Hailey Romero of Fair Lawn, who was second at 132-7.

Her throw is No. 14 in the U.S., according to the MileSplit database and just over two feet off the meet record for the new javelin of 150-5 set in 2019 by Alianna Eucker of Bergen Tech.

Howard came into the season with a PR of 123-3 from last year’s sectionals. He improevd to 132-10 at the Woodbury Relays, 134-10 at the South Jersey Elite and 138-6 at sectionals before bombing a 13-foot PR Friday.

Unfortunately, the timing company did not see fit to include full series info, so we can’t tell you what her five other throws looked like.

But Howard came up less than two feet from becoming the 16th 150-foot thrower in state history with the new implement, which went into use in 2002.

The only South Jersey underclassman to ever throw farther than Howard is state record holder Brielle Smith of Oakcrest, who threw 163-8 at the 2018 Meet of Champions at Northern Burlington.

Her mark is just over a foot shy of the qualifying standard for the USATF Under 20 Championships in Eugene later this month.

168- 6 … Brielle Smith [Oakcrest], 2019
160- 8 … Maria Jimenez [Vineland], 2012
152- 9 … Kate Johnston [Haddonfield], 2012
152- 4 … Jill Shaner [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2009
148- 8 … Caitlin Cielo [Eastern], 2002
148- 2 … Leah Howard [Millville], 2022
146- 7 … Victoria Imbesi [Our Lady of Mercy], 2008
143-11 … Ayana Culhane [Absegami], 2016
142- 6 … Kaela Schrier [Cherokee], 2016
142- 1 … Alexa Gardner [Hammonton], 2018
141- 6 … Lindsay Minch [Pennsville], 2009
141- 5 … Kelly Yanucil [Bordentown], 2013
141- 1 … Tumelo Nwanma [Vineland], 2016
141- 0 … Jocelyn McRae [Millville], 2006
140- 8 … Julianne Foering [Rancocas Valley], 2017
140- 0 … Melissa Lake [Cherokee], 2011

Racing on their home track, Pennsauken juniors Bryce Tucker and Premier Wynn ran 1-2 in the intermediate hurdles at the state Group 3 meet Friday.

Tucker ran 53.82, repeating his win from last year on his way to winning the Meet of Champions in 52.17. Wynn ran a personal-best 54.28, lowering his PR from 54.69 from sectionals last weekend.

Along with a win in the 400-meter relay – with Elijah Jennings, Kahlil Ali, Bronze Whitmore and Wynn – Pennsauken already has 28 points as it seeks its second straight state team championship.

This is the first 1-2 sweep in the Group 3 intermediate hurdles in 23 years, since Camden teammates Danyne Brown and Dwight Ruff ran 53.57 and 53.93 at the 1999 meet in South Plainfield.

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

Great start to state meet weekend from Audubon senior Scott Hubbard, who won the 800 at the state Group 1 meet at Pennsauken in 1:56.15.

Hubbard led a 1-3-4 South Jersey finish, with Maple Shade senior Lincoln Ormsby 3rd in a PR 1:58.86 and another Audubon half-miler, senior Makaio Kelii 4th in 2:00.70.

Hubbard entered the spring season with a PR of 1:59.30 from the indoor Meet of Champions at the Bubble and then lowered it in each major 800 he ran this spring – 1:58.93 at the Camden County Championships, 1:57.47 to win sectionals and then his 1:56.15 win Friday.

Audubon won the 4-by-4 at last year’s state Group 1 meet, but Hubbard is Audubon’s first individual state champion in at least 30 years.

Hubbard won by nearly a second over Evan Morrow of Hasbrouck Heights, who ran 1:57.04. Ormsby’s previous PR was 1:59.72 at sectionals last weekend, and Kelii’s was 2:00.39 at the Haddonfield Invitational.