Two of the state’s fastest hurdlers met up in the South Jersey Group 4 sectionals Saturday.

And Malachi Wesley beat them both.

Wesley, a senior at Egg Harbor, ran a scorching 13.93 to win the 110-meter hurdles at the SJ-4 meet at Buena and beating a field that included Washington Township sophomore Yashahya Brown, ranked No. 2 in New Jersey at 14.08, and Eastern senior A.J. Brooks, the defending champion, ranked No. 3 in the state at 14.27.

There is no wind information listed in the results, but Wesley’s time is No. 15 in South Jersey history and

Wesley’s time is No. 3 in Atlantic County history, behind national champ Sincere Rhea of Augustine [13.51 at 2019 New Balance Nationals in Greensboro] and Pleasantville’s Nate Harley [13.76 at the 1996 Meet of Champions in South Plainfield]. He broke the school record of 13.94 – set in 2009 by Hal Lathan – by 1-100th of a second.

Wesley began the day with a PR of 14.59 from the South Jersey Elite at Delsea last month. In the prelims, Brooks led all qualifiers with a 14.60 and Brown ran 14.64. Wesley was next at 14.77.

But in the final, it was all Wesley. Brooks was 2nd in 14.44, and Washington Township’s Kanye Mills 3rd with a PR 14.67.

Wesley’s 13.93 is the fastest FAT time in South Jersey sectional history. The previous FAT meet record was 14.01 by Washington Township’s Arthur Ashton in Group 4 at the 2012 meet.

The fastest hand-timed performances in SJ-4 history are a couple 13.7s – by Tony Riello of Brick Township in 1986 and Camden’s Scot McCray in 1997. Wesley’s 13.93 should be listed as a meet record, but the NJSIAA for reasons that are inexplicable does not differentiate between FAT and hand-timed performances in their ridiculous meet records listed in their horrible error-filled program.

Wesley on Friday placed 3rd in the 400-meter hurdles in a personal-best 56.05.

With 12 of 20 events scored, Egg Harbor led Washington Township 78-55 in team scoring.

13.43 … Danyne Brown [Camden], 1999
13.51 … Sincere Rhea [St. Augustine], 2019
13.59 … Gerard Reynolds [Willingboro], 1990
13.66 … Sultan Tucker [Delsea], 1997
13.73 … Kevin Hagamin [Timber Creek], 2014
13.74 … Dwight Ruff [Camden], 2001
13.75 … Rashad Baker [Wilson], 2000
13.76 … Nate Harley [Pleasantville], 1996
13.76 … Isaac Williams [Willingboro], 2012
13.77 … Anthony Acklin [Triton], 2001
13.81 … Scot McCray [Camden], 1997
13.81 … Jeff Young [Wilson], 1999
13.90 … Edwin Alston [Winslow Twp.], 2015
13.92 … Enrique Llanos [Wilson], 1999
13.93 … Malachi Wesley [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2022
13.94 … Hal Lathan [Egg Harbor Twp,], 2009
13.95 … Kevin White [Haddon Heights], 1992
13.95 … Naseem Smith [Deptford], 2019
13.96 … Devon Carter [Washington Twp.], 2010
13.97 … Will Brown [Palmyra], 2006
13.97 … Syteek Farrington [Camden], 2010
13.99 … Herb Reid [Lenape], 2000

Millville junior Leah Howard uncorked the No. 3 javelin throw in Cumberland County history Friday, winning the South Jersey Group 4 title with a 138-6 at Buena.

Howard and Eastern sophomore Zoe Goldberg, two of the state’s top-five javelin throwers, locked up in a terrific competition, with both surpassing 130 feet. Goldberg was second at 131-9.

Howard’s mark trails only Vineland’s Maria Jimenez [160-8 in 2012] and Millville’s Jocelyn McRae [141-0 in 2006] on the all-time Cumberland County list and is No. 18 all-time South Jersey. Goldberg is already the No. 3 sophomore in South Jersey history with her 136-7 at the Weat Deptford Relays.

Howard won last year with a 123-3, and she’s Millville’s first repeat sectional winner in any event since Sylvia Galarza won the shot and disc in both 2003 and 2004.

Unfortunately, the Buena timing system does not provide field event series information in the results.

Here is the all-time South Jersey 135-foot list:
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
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
139- 9 … Heather Juhring [Kingsway], 2011
139- 0 … Danielle Steff [Rancocas Valley], 2016
138- 6 … Leah Howard [Millville], 2022
138- 4 … Megan Saxvanderweyden [Pennsville], 2015
137- 6 … Mercedes Glover [Burlington Twp.], 2010
137- 6 … Alyssa Whipkey [Pennsville], 2015
137- 1 … Ayana Culhane [Absegami], 2016
136- 7 … Zoe Goldberg [Eastern], 2022
136- 6 … Danielle Still [Bishop Eustace], 2002
136- 0 … Shamire Rothmiller [Glassboro], 2008
135-10 … Mary Wilks [Bridgeton], 2007
135- 6 … Faith Blamon [Cinnaminson], 2012
135- 2 … Nicolette Burns [Kingsway], 2013

Andrew Littlehales ran a monster 3,200 Friday at Group 3 sectionals, winning by 120 meters and breaking a 36-year-old meet record.

His time is fastest by a Gloucester County two-miler in 43 years.

Littlehales, a Delsea senior, ran 9:10.39 at his home track at Delsea, beating 2nd-place Dennis Fortuna by 21 seconds. Fortuna and Littlehales came through the 1,600 together, Littlehales with a slight lead at at 4:38.39 to Fortuna’s 4:38.63.

Littlehales led by only three seconds with three laps to go but finished strong, with final laps of 69.42, 69.35 and 66.74 to break the meet record of 9:14.7 (hand-timed) set by Highland’s Kevin Pumphrey at the 1986 meet.

The only faster 3,200 in any group in sectional history is Jackson Braddock’s 8:55.46 last year to win Group 4. Overbrook’s Murad Campbell won Group 4 in 9:10.6 in 1999.

Littlehales’ previous PR was 9:12.05 in March at the indoor Meet of Champions at the Bubble. His outdoor PR was 9:25.70 when he won the Gloucester County Championships earlier this month at Gloucester County College in Deptford, his only previous 3,200 this spring.

The only superior times by Gloucester County runners came from Gateway Regional runners in the 1970s. Mike Mantini ran 9:05.0 full two-mile when he won the 1979 Colonial Classic at Haddon Township, which converts to a 9:01.9 for 3,200, and Greg Stremmel ran a 9:09.3 full two-mile when he placed 2nd to Bernards’ Chris Hallinan at the 1974 Meet of Champions at Rutgers, which converts to 9:06.2 for 3,200 meters.

Littlehales’ time broke the school record of 9:19.19 set by Nick Costello at the 2012 Meet of Champions at Old Bridge.

His time is No. 30 on the all-time South Jersey list.

All-Time Gloucester County Top-10
9:01.9y … Mike Mantini [Gateway], 1979
9:06.2y … Greg Stremmel [Gateway], 1974
9:10.39 … Andrew Littlehales [Delsea], 2022
9:11.88 … Paul Szulewski [Williamstown], 2011
9:14.31 … Anthony Dentino [Washington Twp.], 2011
9:14.93 … Kyle Rakitis [Kingsway], 2021
9:15.76 … Peyton Shute [Woodbury], 2022
9:16.39 … Stone Caraccio [Kingsway], 2019
9:19.19 … Nick Costello [Delsea], 2012
9:19.89 … Jacob Cobb [West Deptford], 2021

Overall, Delsea led Pennsauken 56-42 going into Day 2.

Burlington County rivals Cherokee and Rancocas Valley find themselves locked up in a titanic battle for the South Jersey Group 4 sectional title.

With 10 events down and 10 more to go Saturday, Cherokee held a four-point lead over R.V. at Buena.

Cherokee, with 37 points in the 800 and 3,200, had 50 ½ points after Day 1, and R.V., led by a win in the 400-meter relay and a 1-2 finish in the intermediates, was sitting in second with 46 ½.

Southern Regional [27], Toms River East [26], Eastern [26] and Washington Township [23] were separated by four points.

You can find full Day 1 results here, but R.V. won the 400-meter relay in 48.99 with senior Anabella Chin, senior Jya Marshall, senior Sanai Jenkins and junior Kasey White.

Jenkins and Chin also went 1-2 in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles, with Jenkins running a huge PR of 1:02.40 – more than two seconds faster than her previous PR – and Chin 1:04.65. Jenkins is the first R.V. girl to win a sectional title in the intermediates since Tonya Lee won her 4th straight in Group 3 in 1988.

Marshall and senior Joyce Adegoke each picked up a 3rd-place medal, Marshall with a 12.48 in the 100 and Adegoke with a 16-6 ½ long jump.

For Cherokee, Nicole Clifford cruised to wins in the 800 in 2:12.86 and the 3,200 in 10:54.92. Her 2:12.86 is fastest in SJ-4 since Southern’s Jill Smith won the 2009 race in 2:11.49, and she’s the first Cherokee girl to win a SJ-4 title in the 800 since Monica Olkowski won her second straight in 1990. Junior Kelsey Niglio was second with a full-second PR of 2:13.31, and freshman Megan Niglio added a 5th-place finish in 2:18.28.

Clifford doubled back to win the 3,200, with Kerry O’Day PR’ing for 3rd in 11:09.48 and Megan Niglio taking 6th in 11:17.47. With 1,600 to go, O’Day was 5th and Niglio 7th, but both moved up steadily, helping Cherokee deliver 37 points in the day’s two long track races.

Also for Cherokee, senior Alison Cooke placed 3rd in the intermediate hurdles in 1:05.74

Rancocas Valley won S.J. Group 4 in 2018 and 2021. Cherokee won its only title in 2013.

The Haddonfield girls scored 46 of a possible 48 points in the 800 and 3,200 and piled up a whopping 68 points on Day 1 of the South Jersey Group 2 meet at Delsea Friday.

With 10 of 20 events in the books, Haddonfield had a 31-point lead over 2nd-place Sterling as the lady Bulldogs sought their 4th consecutive team title, 12th since 2003 and 21st overall.

In the 800, sophomore Riley Slootsky, junior Thea Spellmeyer and sophomore Sarah Fetter swept the top three spots, Slootsky in 2:21.18, Spellmeyer 2:21.68 and Fetter in 2:22.89.

Haddonfield was almost perfect in the 3,200, with sophomore Audrey Naticchia winning in11:06.91, junior Helene Usher 2nd in 11:13.53 and sophomroe Ava Thomas 4th in 11:22.28. Only Cinnaminson junior Stephanie Renouf, 3rd in 11:17.38, broke up another Haddonfield sweep.

Senior Livsey Kegler, sophomore Chloe Kamp and freshmen Molly Minor and Nicolette Pinkerton ran 50.28 to place second to Lindenwold in the 400-meter relay.

Haddonfield added eight points in the 400-meter intermediates, with freshman Audrey Adams running a 3 ½-second PR of 1:09.24 for 3rd, and junior Grace Malcarney taking 5th in 1:12.34.

Sophomore Mia Bompensa [4th in pole vault at 8-0] and Camp [5th in long jump PR 16-6 on first attempt] also scored for Haddonfield.

Kingsway senior Evan Corcoran shattered the sectional meet record and moved into the all-time South Jersey top-10 Friday in the 100-meter dash.

Corcoran, who began the day with a PR of 10.99, won the 100-meter dash final at the South Jersey Group 4 sectional championships at Buena in 10.55, tied for 9th-fastest in South Jersey history.

In the semis, Corcoran ran 10.72 and junior D.J. Germann of Egg Harbor Township 10.76, with Washington Township senior Jo’Nathan Silver making it three under 11 seconds with a personal-best 10.96.

In the final, Corcoran raced away from the field, breaking the FAT South Jersey Group 4 record of 10.66 set in 2005 by Lindsay Shannon of Atlantic City. That’s No. 2 in Gloucester County history and fastest in 13 years.

Germann ran 10.73 for 2nd and Silver 10.80 for 3rd. Washington Township John Williams ran 10.95 for 4th and Williamstown sophomore Nicholas Greene made it five under 11 – four from Gloucester County – in 5th in 10.99.

Corcoran’s previous PR was 10.99 at the Gloucester County Championships at Gloucester County College in Deptford Township earlier this month. Silver’s previous PR was 10.87 at the Olympic Conference Meet at Washington Township last week, Williams’ was 11.43 from Fast Times at Cherokee last month, and Green’s was 11.28 from the South Jersey Elite at Delsea.

Corcoran broke the school record of 10.64 set by Robert Page when he won the 2008 state Group 3 meet at South Plainfield,

The only faster time in Gloucester County history was run by Glassboro’s James Brown, who ran 10.47 at the 2009 South Jersey Group 1 sectional in Egg Harbor. Washington Township’s Todd Dutch 10.53 in 2001.

All-Time South Jersey 100-Meter Dash List
10.35 … Jamar Ervin [Camden], 2000
10.36 … Damiere Byrd [Timber Creek], 2010
10.45 … James Townsend [Holy Cross], 2003
10.47 … Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 1983
10.47 … James Brown [Glassboro], 2009
10.49 … Jonathan Taylor [Salem], 2017
10.54 … Fabian Santiago [Oakrest], 2010
10.55 … Todd Dutch [Washington Twp.], 2002
10.55 … Evan Corcoran [Kingsway], 2022
10.57 … Jamil Benjamin [Cumberland Regional], 2006
10.57 … Geoff Navaro [Absegami], 2008
10.58 … Anthony Miles [Winslow Twp.], 2003
10.60 … Marquis Bonds [Millville], 2007
10.60 … Shawney Kersey [Woodbury], 2009
10.60 … Thomas Hampton [Clayton], 2019

The 55th annual sectional meets are scheduled for Friday and Saturday at eight sites throughout New Jersey. Most South Jersey schools will compete at Buena or Delsea, with a few headed up to Howell and Middletown North.

This is the second year back for sectionals after the 2020 meets were cancelled. The meet was held every year from 1967 through 2019 before resuming last year.

Last year’s South Jersey team champions from Group 1 to 4 are Clayton, Delsea, Deptford and Southern Regional in the boys meets and Clayton, Haddonfield, Winslow Township and Rancocas Valley in the girls meets.

Deptford and Delsea won’t be around to defend their sectional titles because Deptford is now in Group 2 and Delsea is back up to Group 3.

The Winslow girls are shooting for their eighth straight South Jersey Group 3 title and Haddonfield goes for four in a row in Group 2.

Here’s a collection of useful links that hopefully enhance your enjoyment of the meet, whether you’re at the track or following along at home.

SECTIONAL RECORDS: Click here
ALL-TIME TEAM WINNERS: Click here
ORDER OF EVENTS: Click here
OFFICIAL 2022 SECTIONAL PROGRAM (it’s pathetic): Click here
2022 NJSIAA TRACK TOURNAMENT REGS: Click here
2022 SECTIONAL LOCATIONS AND START TIMES: Click here
2022 GROUP CLASSIFICATIONS: Click here
WHO ADVANCES TO STATES: Click here
BUY TICKETS: Click here
WHY I’M NOT ANNOUNCING: Click here

LIVE RESULTS [links will be live Friday]
S.J. GROUP 1 BOYS
S.J. GROUP 2 BOYS
S.J. GROUP 3 BOYS
S.J. GROUP 4 BOYS
S.J. GROUP 1 GIRLS
S.J. GROUP 2 GIRLS
S.J. GROUP 3 GIRLS
S.J. GROUP 4 GIRLS
C.J. GROUP 1 BOYS
C.J. GROUP 2 BOYS
C.J. GROUP 3 BOYS
C.J. GROUP 4 BOYS
C.J. GROUP 1 GIRLS
C.J. GROUP 2 GIRLS
C.J. GROUP 3 GIRLS
C.J. GROUP 4 GIRLS

2021 S.J. RESULTS:
GROUP 1 BOYS: Click here
GROUP 2 BOYS: Click here
GROUP 3 BOYS: Click here
GROUP 4 BOYS: Click here
GROUP 1 GIRLS: Click here
GROUP 2 GIRLS: Click here
GROUP 3 GIRLS: Click here
GROUP 4 GIRLS: Click here

2021 C.J. RESULTS:
GROUP 1 BOYS: Click here
GROUP 2 BOYS: Click here
GROUP 3 BOYS: Click here
GROUP 4 BOYS: Click here
GROUP 1 GIRLS: Click here
GROUP 2 GIRLS: Click here
GROUP 3 GIRLS: Click here
GROUP 4 GIRLS: Click here

We haven’t even gotten to sectionals yet, and my unofficial count is already 15 South Jersey athletes who’ve qualified for USATF Under-20 Championships this summer in Eugene.

The Under-20 Championships – formerly known as USATF Junior Nationals – is scheduled for June 23-25 at Hayward Field in Eugene concurrently with USATF Senior Nationals.

The qualifying standards are listed here, and the qualifying window opened back on June 9 last year and continues through June 12, so marks made at states count but not marks made at the Meet of Champions or nationals.

But last year’s states were June 11 and 12, and Meet of Champions was June 19, so any marks from those meets on through the summer and indoors are eligible for qualification.

I could be missing some athletes because birthdays for most college freshmen aren’t available. The ones who are available and are under 20 are generally listed on the IAAF web site in the Under-20 U.S. rankings (which you can find here). I’m guessing there are several college freshman from South Jersey whose eligibility will become evident after their birthdays are submitted to USATF.

Of the 15 athletes listed below, Bryce Tucker, Ryan Allen, Floyd Whitaker, Greg Foster and Bryanna Craig are all officially entered and accepted.

The entry lists should be here, although in the last 24 hours it looks like they’ve inexplicably disappeared.

To be eligible for the Under-20 Championships, athletes must be 19 or younger during all of 2022.

The top two placers in each event are invited to represent the U.S. at the World Under-20 Championships 2022 World Athletics U20 Championships in Cali, Colombia, Aug.  1-6.

Ryan Allen, Kingsway
10,000-Meter Walk
Allen’s 51:39.97 in the 10,000 at the World Under-20 Team Championships Trials at Cuyamaca College El Cajon in February easily surpassed the standard of 55:15.

George Andrus, Haddonfield
3,000-meter run
Andrus, a sophomore, qualified for the 3,000 with his indoor Meet of Champions time of 9:08.89 at the Bubble this past March. The standard is 9:11.00.

Yashaya Brown, Washington Twp.
110-Meter Hurdles
The Washington Township sophomore huge PR of 14.08 with a legal wind of 1.6 at the Olympic Conference Championships gave Brown a qualifier. Although the race is run using the international 42-inch hurdles, you can qualify over the 39-inch high school hurdles with a 14.20 [or over the 42s with a 14.35].

Seth Clevenger, Haddonfield
1,500-meter run, 3000-meter run
Clevenger, a senior, has qualified in both the 1,500 and 3,000, thanks to his 1,600 and 3,200 times – 4:09.34 at the Haddonfield Invitational and 9:03.65 at the Camden County Championships. The A standards are 4:10.64 and 9:11.00.

Nicole Clifford, Cherokee
1,500-Meter Run
Clifford’s 4:50.50 full mile at Track Night NYC at Randall’s Island is well under the standard of 4:54.15.

Briana Craig, formerly Millville
Heptathlon, High Jump
Craig, who’s now a senior at Ruston (La.) High, placed 4th at the 2019 Under-20 Championships in the heptathlon with 5,094 points, a national freshman record. She won the pentathlon at Ocean Breeze nationals this past winter but hasn’t contested a heptathlon since Outdoor Nationals last July, when she placed 2nd with a 5,138 PR. She also won Outdoor Nationals in 2019. The standard is 4,950. Craig’s 5-10 in a meet in West Monroe, La., last month also puts her over the high jump standard of 5-9.

Greg Foster, Lawrenceville School [Lumberton]
Long Jump, Triple Jump
Foster is well beyond the standards in both the long jump and triple jump with his PRs of 49-9 ¼ and 25-4 ½, both from Ocean Breeze Nationals indoors in March. The standards are 23-11 ½ and 47-3.

Austin Hudak, Hammonton
Javelin
The Hammonton senior has improved his PR from 151-2 to 193-10 in the past year and is a few feet beyond the qualifying standard of 191 feet.

Diamond McLaughlin, Egg Harbor Twp. / St. Peter’s
400-Meter Hurdles
McLaughlin qualified with her 1:00.40 at last year’s Meet of Champions, where she placed second. She also met the qualifying standard of 1:01.00 this spring as a St. Peter’s freshman, when she ran exactly 1:01.00 at the ECAC/IC4A Championships in Williamsburg, Va.

Lauren Princz, Egg Harbor / Penn State
100-Meter Dash, 200-Meter Dash
Princz knocked out qualifiers in both sprints at last year’s Meet of Champions, soon after the 2022 window opened. She ran 11.66 and 24.22, eclipsing the women’s sprint standards of 11.90 and 24.40.

Kyle Rakitis, Kingsway
1,500-Meter Run
Rakitis knocked out a qualifier last spring when he ran a 4:10.09 full mile at Outdoor Nationals at Hayward Field. The standard is 4:12.14 – and he’s also run faster than that this spring with his 4:11.14 at Track Night NYC.

Amirah Sharpe, Clayton
400-Meter Dash
With her 1:01.07 at South Jersey Elite at Delsea, Sharpe is only 7-100ths off the 400-meter intermediates qualifier, but her 54.19 at a meet in Greensboro, N.C., last month is well under the 400 standard of 55.20.

Ariana Sharpe, Clayton
400-Meter Dash
Sharpe’s 53.95 at Fast Times at Cherokee is more than a second under the 400 standard of 55.20.

Bryce Tucker, Pennsauken
400-Meter Hurdles
Although Tucker has run below the 53.54 standard this year – at Fast Times at Cherokee – his 52.17 from last year’s Meet of Champions gives him a better seed. The Pennsauken junior is currently No. 8 among U.S. Under 20 (and No. 72 in the world).

Floyd Whitaker, Highland / Minnesota

Triple Jump
Whitaker, the National Scholastic champ last spring, hit a PR of 51-5 ½ indoors this past winter in his first college meet for Minnesota, well beyond the qualifying standard of 47-3.

 

Cherokee junior Conor Jacob and sophomore Robert Poplau both PR’d in the 800 Tuesday night at Haddonfield Distance Night as the Chiefs continue to pile up sub-2 half-milers this spring.

Jacob won the race in 1:55.93, and Poplau was 5th overall and the top sophomore with a 1:57.10.

Deptford junior Lathan Brown took 2nd with a PR of 1:56.19 and Camden Catholic senior Billy Clewell was 3rd in 1:56.36.

Some 15 half-milers broke two minutes, including Haddonfield junior George Andrus [PR 1:57.52], Woodbury sophomore Peyton Shute [PR 1:57.93], Timber Creek sophomore Robert Wakefield [1:58.30], Cinnaminson junior Derek Coceano [PR 1:59.30], Haddon Heights junior Jack Bolling [PR 1:59.50], Haddon Heights junior Matthew Iuvara [1:59.51] and Cherokee junior Thomas Bromley [1:59.85].

Jacob lowered his PR from 1:56.26 from the South Jersey Elite at Delsea earlier this month, and Poplau dropped his PR from 1:57.74 at the same meet.

Cherokee now has six runners under 2:00 this year, including three juniors and two sophomores. Ditmar and Jacobs are the top two juniors in South Jersey, and Bromley is 6th. Poplau and Kuenkel are No. 1 and 4 among sophomores. Overall, Cherokee has five of the top 18 underclassmen in South Jersey so far this spring.

1:55.01 … *Patrick Ditmars
1:55.93 … *Conor Jacob
1:57.10 … **Robert Poplau
1:58.72 … **Nick Kuenkel
1:59.23 … *Thomas Bromley
1:59.86 … Lucas Hatch

Jacob was in ninth place after a 58.04 first lap but closed in 57.89 to pass the entire field and edge Brown across the line by a step.

Brown’s race was notable because it was an outdoor PR by nearly 2 ½ seconds from his 1:58.59 at the South Jersey Open at Delsea. It looks like his time is fastest by a Deptford runner in 54 years – since Wayne Jenkins ran 1:53.54 (converted from yards). Brown ran 1:56.71 indoors at Easterns.

Delsea senior Jason Nwosu continues to move up the all-time South Jersey discus list.

Nwosu PR’d for the second meet in a row with a 183-9 at the Delsea Crusader Field #1 meet Wednesday. He had PR’d at 182-7 a week earlier at the Tri-County meet at Kingsway.

Nwosu ranks 12th in South Jersey history and No. 3 in Gloucester County history, behind only indoor World Championships shot put finalist Josh Awotunde [192-5 in 2013] and Deptford’s Ken Manahan [185-5 in 1976].

He’s No. 3 in New Jersey behind national freshman record holder Ben Shue of Bergen Catholic [193-0] and Southern Regional’s Fabian Gonzalez [189-9].

When the outdoor season began last month, Nwosu had a PR of 141-8 from last year’s state Group 2 meet at Franklin. He improved to 142-6 in his 2022 opener at the Deptford Spartan Relays, then 145-1 a week later at the Eagle Relays in Bayville.

His big breakthrough followed a week later at the Red & Black Invitational at East Stroudsburg, where he bombed a 177-10 to announce his ascension to one of the state’s best in the discus after establishing that indoors in the shot, where he threw 62-0 ½ feet to win states.

And now he’s added to that 177-10 two weeks in a row going into championship season.

Nwosu has the top throws in both the shot (61-7) and discus in Group 3 this year. He’ll compete at sectionals this weekend at his home facility at Delsea looking for his first outdoor sectional titles.

All-Time South Jersey Discus list
216-11 … Ron Dayne [Overbrook], 1996
199- 6 … Braheme Days Jr. [Bridgeton], 2013
197- 0 … James Plummer [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2013
192- 5 … Josh Awotunde [Delsea], 2013
189- 7 … Ray Wilks [Bridgeton], 1995
185-11 … John Mooers [Middle Twp.], 2015
185-10 … Russ Willett [Penns Grove], 1985
185- 7 … Matt Huckabee [Timber Creek], 2010
185- 6 … Kamron Kobolak [Cinnaminson], 2018
185- 5 … Ken Manahan [Deptford], 1976
184- 4 … Adam Hunt [Collingswood], 2017
183-9 … Jason Nwosu [Delsea], 2022
181-10 … Jason Winrow [Cumberland Reg.], 1989