A few days ago we posted 10 performances you might have missed from Ocean Breeze Nationals – you can find that by clicking here, and today it’s time for 10 performances you might have missed from Armory Nationals.

 Hopefully in future years there’s only one national meet in New York City, and we can just post 20 performances you might have missed from Nationals. Makes sense, right? We don’t have the Armory Super Bowl and the Ocean Breeze Super Bowl 25 miles away. If you’re going to call your meet “national championships,” then make it one.

In any case, South Jersey turned in some tremendous performances in both meets. Here are 10 you may have missed from the Armory!

(p.s. – If we missed any good performances let us know in the comment’s section! It’s not always easy to identify where various relay teams are from when they’re competing under a club name!)

RANCOCAS VALLEY: Seniors Sinai Jenkins, Annabella Chin and Jya Marshall and junior Kasey White ran 3:59.81 to place 7^th in the 4-by-4 Sunday, with White anchoring in 56.91. The Red Devils finished No. 2 in the state this year in the 4-by-4 with their 3:58.75 at the Millrose Trials.

ARIANNA SHARPE, UNKNOWN: I can’t tell you what high school Sharpe attends these days, but I can tell you she ran a really fast 400. Her 56.09 was good for 9^th in the prelims of the Championship 400 and she missed the final by just 22-100ths of a second. Her time is No. 9 in South Jersey history and fastest in five years, since Aliyah Taylor of R.V. ran 55.21 at Easterns in 2017. The Sharpe sisters were at Paulsboro in 2020 and Clayton in 2021 and have raced unattatched this season, which means they did not compete in any of the NJSIAA meets. They were listed in the Armory Nationals entries with “Williamstown” as their affiliation, so it’s possible they are attending Williamstown High School this year but competing unattatched. Sharpe also ran 25.02 in the 200, which is No. 16 in South Jersey history indoors.

All-time South Jersey sub-57 list
54.24 … Okechi Ogbuokiri [Willingboro], 2003
54.91 … Nijgia Snapp [Oakcrest], 2008
55.16 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow Twp.], 2006
55.19 … Michelle Brown [Seneca], 2008
55.21 … Aliyah Taylor [Rancocas Valley], 2017
55.4h … English Gardner [Eastern], 2008
55.6h … Denise Mitchell [Edgewood], 1984
55.83 … Kiara Lester [Deptford], 2016
56.09 … Arianna Sharpe [Unknown], 2022
56.19 … Nylah Perry [Winslow], 2020
56.21 … Dana Burnett [Williamstown], 1997
56.34 … Katrina Sye [Buena], 1997
56.44 … Avionne Sloan [Camden], 2006
56.62 … Ste’yce McNeil [Winslow Twp.], 2012
56.65 … Britney Kott [Millville], 2009
56.76 … Simone Thomas [Willingboro], 2003
56.78 … Ajae Alvarez-Tyler [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2018
56.85 … Emily Duffey [Lenape], 2012
56.85 … Nylah Perry [Winslow], 2020
56.88 … Marcene Jack [Mainland Reg.], 2004
56.90 … Nadia Davy [Bridgeton], 1999
56.98 … Jade Pope [Pennsauken], 2020

GRACE WASSELL, HIGHLAND: Wassell ran 5:01.03 for the full mile, coming through 1,500 officially in 4:42.49. Her mile time converts to 4:59.28 for 1,600 meters, which is No. 14 in South Jersey history and No. 5 on the all-time Camden County list. Wassell also ran the 800 at Ocean Breeze Nationals, placing 10^thoverall in 2:17.01, just a fraction off her indoor PR of 2:16.68 from sectionals.

All-time South Jersey indoor 1,600 list
4:41.52y … Michelle Rowen [Wash. Twp.], 1983
4:49.46y … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2001
4:51.60 … Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 2016
4:52.34y … Rachel Vick [Kingsway], 2017
4:53.36 … Lindsey Kane [Washington Twp.], 2014
4:53.85 … Nicole Clifford [Cherokee], 2022
4:54.58 … Celine Mazzi [Delsea], 2014
4:55.04y … Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], 2010
4:56.1h,y … Ruth Lockbaum [Glassboro], 1985
4:57.12 … Megan Quimby [Lenape], 2015
4:57.72 … Caitlin Orr [Lenape], 2010
4:57.77y … Aubrey Pierontoni [Kingsway], 2022
4:58.48 … Natalia Ocasio [Lenape], 2010
4:59.28y … Grace Wassell [Highland], 2022
4:59.29 … Julia Despirito [Shawnee], 2014
4:59.39 … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2012

WINSLOW TWP.: Junior Briyel Brown, junior Janelle Marshall, junior Kamryn Holness and senior Jaia James placed 13^th overall in the 800-meter relay in 1:43.99. Winslow ran slightly faster at Easterns, winning in 1:43.58, which was No. 1 in South Jersey this year and No. 2 in the state.

 MICHAEL MAZERO, PAUL VI: The Meet of Champions 400 winner placed 10^th overall in the 400 with a personal-best 48.71 in the trials, missing the final by just 19-100ths of a second. Mazero lowered his indoor PR from 49.02 from the M-of-C. That 48.71 moves him up to No. 11 in South Jersey history and No. 3 on the all-time Camden County list. With Bryce Tucker running 48.23 at Ocean Breeze Nationals, Xander Roberts-Bogin 48.45 at Easterns and Mazero 48.71 at Armory Nationals, the last two weeks produced three of the 11-fastest times in South Jersey history as well as Camden County and Atlantic County records.

All-time S.J. indoor 400 list
47.90 … Brandon Outlaw [Moorestown], 2018
48.23 … Bryce Tucker [Pennsauken], 2022
48.27 … Jade Smith [Camden], 2002
48.36 … Mohammad Kanu [Lenape], 2000
48.45 … Xander Roberts-Bogin [Pleasantville], 2022
48.48 … Amir Brock [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2017
48.50 … Alex Reber [Cherry Hill East], 2013
48.55 … Royce Reed [Bridgeton], 1995
48.64 … Keith Griffith [Florence], 2010
48.68 … Lamont Smith [Willingboro], 1991
48.71 … Michael Mazero [Paul VI], 2022
48.74 … John Morris [Camden], 2001
48.75 … Luke Colehower [Haddonfield], 2017
48.79 … Gabriel Moronta [Pleasantville], 2020
48.7h … Curt Mcintyre [Bridgeton], 1992
48.91 … Marlin Gross [Bridgeton], 2001
48.91 … Rob Gary [Lenape], 1998

CINNAMINSON: Matt McCarron, Derek Coceano, Tyler Schill and Alex Boyko ran a school-record 8:07.47 for 3^rd in the Rising Stars 3,200-meter relay. McCarron led off with a 2:03.28, Coceano split 2:01.93, Schill ran 1:59.73 on the third leg, and Boyko anchored in 2:02.52. That 8:07.47 is 6^th-fastest in New Jersey this year. For those of you who like these sorts of things, here’s the all-time South Jersey sub-8:10 list:

7:43.64 … Cherokee, 2012
7:45.55 … Pleasantville, 2013
7:47.50 … Kingsway, 2020
7:48.92 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2017
7:51.43 … Washington Twp., 2009
7:51.78 … Cherokee, 2000
7:52.76 … Kingsway, 2020
7:52.77 … Pleasantville, 2006
7:52.95 … Willingboro, 2003
7:53.64 … Willingboro, 2002
7:54.76 … Pleasantville, 2007
7:55.40 … Washington Twp., 2008
7:55.44 … Haddonfield, 2010
7:57.28 … Rancocas Valley, 2018
7:57.29 … Oakrest, 2009
7:57.56 … Haddonfield, 2019
7:58.08 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2016
7:58.5h … Willingboro, 1983
7:59.05 … Pleasantville, 2015
7:59.51 … Pleasantville, 2012
7:59.84 … Kingsway, 2014
7:59.91 … Kingsway, 2013
8:01.32 … Kingsway, 2015
8:01.64 … Haddonfield, 2018
8:02.39 … Bridgeton, 2001
8:02.47 … Cherokee, 2011
8:02.49 … Washington Twp., 2000
8:02.62 … Mainland Reg., 2004
8:02.67 … Washington Twp., 1999
8:03.0y … Woodbury, 1977
8:03.58 … Pleasantville, 2009
8:03.11 … Kingsway, 2018
8:03.77 … Rancocas Valley, 2019
8:04.1h … Rancocas Valley, 2015
8:04.50 … Haddonfield, 2009
8:05.49 … Delsea, 2010
8:06.58 … Cherokee, 2009
8:06.7h … Haddonfield, 2015
8:06.91 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2018
8:07.47 … Cinnaminson, 2022
8:07.5h … Shawnee, 2000
8:07.93 … Seneca, 2013
8:08.4h … Cherokee, 1998
8:08.53 … Edgewood, 1985
8:08.7y … Edgewood, 1984
8:08.95 … Highland, 2014
8:08.92 … Kingsway, 2009
8:09.37 … Woodrow Wilson, 1993
8:09.6y … Willingboro

And here’s the all-time Burlington County top-20 list:
7:43.64 … Cherokee, 2012
7:51.78 … Cherokee, 2000
7:52.95 … Willingboro, 2003
7:53.64 … Willingboro, 2002
7:57.28 … Rancocas Valley, 2018
7:58.5h … Willingboro, 1983
8:02.47 … Cherokee, 2011
8:03.77 … Rancocas Valley, 2019
8:04.1h … Rancocas Valley, 2015
8:06.58 … Cherokee, 2009
8:07.47 … Cinnaminson, 2022
8:07.5h … Shawnee, 2000
8:07.7h … Willingboro, 2002
8:07.93 … Seneca, 2013
8:08.42 … Cherokee, 1998
8:09.6y … Willingboro
8:10.22 … Lenape, 2000
8:10.7h … Rancocas Valley, 1972
8:11.30 … Rancocas Valley, 2014
8:12.7h … Willingboro, 2001

DENNIS FORTUNA, TRITON: Opportunities to run indoor 5,000s are rare, but Fortuna made the most of his with a 15:09.79 for 9^th place overall. The fastest previous indoor 5,000 by a South Jersey runner I unearthed was a 15:24.43 by Matt Mitchell of Haddon Heights in 2006 when he placed 9^th at Nationals at the Armory, so Fortuna may have himself a South Jersey record. If anyone knows of a faster indoor 5,000 let me know!

DAN GIVENS, OCEAN CITY: Givens leaped 43-3 ¼ on his final attempt in the triple jump and while that was a bit short of his Cape May County record of 43-8 ½ from the Metropolitan Invitational at the Armory in January it is his second-best jump ever.

RYAN ALLEN, KINGSWAY: At Ocean Breeze, Clayton Stoll of Great Falls, Va., won the mile racewalk in 7:14.47, Isaac Gray of Rochester was 2^nd in 7:25.04 and Allen took 3^rd in 7:29.94. A day later at the Armory, Allen turned the tables on Stoll and Grey, winning in 7:12.00, with Gray 2^nd in 7:15.29 and Stoll 3^rd in 7:17.11. Allen is the younger brother of Sam Allen, a Cornell freshman who earlier this month represented the U.S. at 20K at the World Racewalk Championships in Muscat, Oman.

WILLINGBORO: The Chimeras ran a season-best 3:27.04 to place 2^nd in the Rising Stars 1,600-meter relay. Seniors Jaylen Young, Geordan Collins, Christopher Johnson and Miles Allen finished behind only Ocean Township, which ran 3:25.07. Willingboro’s time is 2^nd-best in South Jersey this year, behind only Pennsauken’s All-America performance at Ocean Breeze Nationals, where they placed 2^nd in 3:21.58. The 3:27.04 is the Boro’s fastest indoor 4-by-4 in 10 years, since the 2012 team ran 3:25.30 at the New Balance Invitational at the Armory. The Boro also ran 1:30.96 in the 4-by-2 , 3rd-fastest in New Jersey this year and No. 6 in Burlington County history.

It was an annual tradition during Penn Relays. I’d wander out of Franklin Field and walk over to South Street, across the bridge over the railroad tracks, down the steps outside Penn’s Naval ROTC building, along the access road that runs parallel to the Schuylkill Expressway and over to Penn’s River Fields complex to the javelin area. I’d walk over toward the circle and invariably Warren Martin would find me and fill me in on everything I missed while he was officiating the event.

It would go something like this: “The Eastern  kid threw 189-5. That’s his best throw this year. The Hazleton kid is in the lead with a personal-best 196-2. He did that on his first throw. The junior from Delsea is in 4th with a 185-8. Over at the college jav, South Carolina is sitting in first and second, but watch out for Rhode Island thrower. He had a 258-foot throw on his first attempt but it was out of the sector. The high school girls jav should be starting around 1, and the college women around 2. What else do you need to know?”

 That was Warren. He answered every question you had and a few you didn’t even realize you had.

Warren Martin, a long-time educator in the Cinnaminson school system and one of the most respected track officials in New Jersey history, died this past weekend in his adopted hometown of Key West, Fla.

If you ever attended a track meet in South Jersey you know how much Warren cared about the sport and how much he put into it. From working local relay meets in South Jersey to officiating at Penn to training cadet official candidates, he was deeply committed to track and field, and he was one of those officials who never forgot that the sport is all about the kids. Warren was an expert on every event, but the throws were his true love, especially the javelin. Nobody knew the javelin better than Warren, and South Jersey has such a rich history of great javelin throwers – including U.S. Vince Labosky and Curtis Thompson – and Warren has been around for all of it.

Warren was so happy when the Burlington County Open many years ago instituted an annual award given to the top male and female thrower each year, an award given in the name of Warren’s late wife Phyllis, who was equally committed to track and field. Back when I was covering track for The Burlington County Times, I’d get to Maple Shade for the Open every year super early – like 7:30 a.m. – to set up my laptop and get situated and walk around and chat with people. Warren would always come right up to me and ask me to keep in mind on who the top throwers were. Never mind that we wouldn’t have to pick the winners for another eight hours, he was that excited about the award. And the kids that win it always really appreciate the award because throwers don’t get the publicity that sprinters and distance runners and hurdlers get. A throwers award is unique. When I announce the Open I always get a special kick out of announcing the Phyllis Martin Award winners because it always means so much to the kids and to Warren. It always amazed me that even after Warren moved to Florida he would still fly up here every May for the County Open to hand that trophy to Burlington County’s best throwers.

Warren was inducted into the South Jersey Track Hall of Fame and the Burlington County Track Hall of Fame and was honored by the NJSIAA for his years of service to track and field. I’m sure there were numerous other honors and awards. This is a unique sport. The people who spend their lives devoted to track and field do it out of a deep love for the sport, and nobody loved it more than Warren Martin.

He’ll be deeply missed by everyone he made an impact on, and that’s pretty much everybody involved in South Jersey track and field over the last 50 years.

 

South Jersey had an incredible few days at both so-called “national” meets in New York, and we did our best to write about as many was we could, but there was so much going on that a bunch of big-time performances fell through the cracks.

So over the next couple days, we’ll review 10 performances at Ocean Breeze and 10 at the Armory that might have flown under the radar.

We start with Ocean Breeze!

ALLIE PIERONTONI, KINGSWAY: Pierontoni, a Kingsway junior, placed 6th in the mile in 4:59.51, which converts to 4:57.77 for 1,600 for the sake of comparison. It’s a PR and her first time under 5 minutes for either distance indoors or outdoors. It’s also No. 11 in South Jersey history and lowers her own school record of 5:00.17 from the Meet of Champions last weekend at the Bubble. Pierontoni’s 1,500-meter en route time was 4:38.92. Here’s a look at all the sub-5 performances for 1,600 (or converted miles) in South Jersey indoor track history:

4:41.52y … Michelle Rowen [Wash. Twp.], 1983
4:49.46y … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2001
4:51.60 … Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 2016
4:53.36 … Lindsey Kane [Washington Twp.], 2014
4:53.85 … Nicole Clifford [Cherokee], 2022
4:54.58 … Celine Mazzi [Delsea], 2014
4:55.04y … Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], 2010
4:56.1h,y … Ruth Lockbaum [Glassboro], 1985
4:57.12 … Megan Quimby [Lenape], 2015
4:57.72 … Caitlin Orr [Lenape], 2010
4:57.77 … Aubrey Pierontoni [Kingsway], 2022
4:58.48 … Natalia Ocasio [Lenape], 2010
4:59.29 … Julia Despirito [Shawnee], 2014
4:59.39 … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2012

SIANNI WYNN AND KARON ALI, PENNSAUKEN: These two Pennsauken 8th-graders both had promising performances in the Middle School competition. Sianni Wynn ran 58.28 for 3rd in the 400 and was 3rd in the 60 in 7.86 with a 7.30 en route time for 55 meters. Those times both would have ranked among the top three among South Jersey high school girls this winter. Ali ran 50.66 for 2nd in the 400 and 7.23 for 5th in the 60-meter dash with an en-route time of 6.71. Yikes!

DAHLIA BEASLEY, WASHINGTON TWP.: Beasley, a sophomore ran a big PR of 57.97 for ninth in the Emerging Elite division of the 400-meter dash. Her previous indoor PR was 59.43 and her outdoor PR is 59.34. Her 57.97 made her the top sophomore in New Jersey this year. She was also No. 2 sophomore high jumper in New Jersey at 5-4, behind only another Gloucester County jumper, Alanna Woolfolk of Clayton, who cleared 5-6.

KINGSWAY: Nicole Lipieta, Faith Bill, Cassidy Dunk and Pierontoni ran 9:43.56 for 3rd in the Emerging Elite 3,200-meter relay. That’s No. 2 in South Jersey this year, behind only Cherokee’s 9:07.27 at the Armory. Lipieta led off with a 2:22.29, Bill split 2:31.39, Dunk 2:31.03 and Pierontoni anchored in 2:18.85.

HADDONFIELD: The Bulldogs were right behind Kingsway, 6th in 9:45.30 with Thea Spellmeyer, Jess Goode, Elizabeth DeMichele and Audrey Naticchia. Spellmeyer split 2:26.08, Goode 2:27.84, DeMichele 2:29.58 and Naticchia 2:21.78.

ELAINA STYER, OCEAN CITY: Styer, a junior, placed 10th in the Emerging Elite triple jump with a lifetime-best 35-6, best in South Jersey this year and extending her own Cape May County record. Her previous PR was 35-0 at the Meet of Champions last weekend. The versatile Styer has also high jumped 5-0, run 8.24 in the 55, long jumped 16-4 ¾ and seems to be a terrific pentathlon/heptathlon candidate.

GREG FOSTER, LUMBERTON: We wrote about Foster’s record-setting wins in the long jump and triple jump, but he’s not only the nation’s best horizontal jumper, he’s also one of the best hurdlers in the country. In between winning the two horizontal jumps, the Princeton-bound Lawrenceville School senior ran 8.06 in the 60-meter hurdles trials and then 8.01 for 3rd in the final, just 2-100ths of a second behind winner Jadyn Marshall of St. Mary’s in Stockton, Calif. Foster ran 7.43 en route through 55 meters. Foster fell just 5-100ths of a second shy of the Mercer County record over the 60-meter highs. Todd Matthews of Notre Dame ran 7.96 at the 1998 National Scholastic Championships at the Reggie Lewis Center in Roxbury, Mass.

JADEN JOHNSON, TIMBER CREEK: Foster stole the headlines, but Johnson had a big day with a 4th-place in the Championship triple jump and All-America honors with a 46-11 ¾ performance. Johnson had just PR’d with a 46-9 ½ to win the Meet of Champions. His 46-11 ¾ is No. 24 in state history and No. 7 in South Jersey history.

All-time South Jersey indoor 45-foot triple jump list:
49- 1 …..… Khaliel Burnett [Delsea], 2018
48- 9 …..… Dominique Irons [Haddon Heights], 2013
48- 8 ½ … Tristan Wilson [Delsea], 2014
48- 1 ¼ … Wayne Walls [Camden], 2009
47- 3 …..… Rhodeni Spence [Woodrow Wilson], 2007
46-10 ¾ … Floyd Whitaker [Highland], 2020
46-11 ¾ … Jaden Johnson [Timber Creek], 2022
46- 5 …….. Orion Joyner [Kingsway], 2019
46- 3 ½ … Keon Grady [Delsea], 2018
45-10 …..… Kevin Kevelier [Collingswood], 2020
45- 3 ½ … Zakiyy Williams [Rancocas Valley], 2015
45- 0 …….. Earnest Daniel [Kingsway], 2017

All-time New Jersey indoor triple jump list:
49-9 ¼ … Greg Foster [Lawrenceville School], 2022
49-7 ½ … Jon Pitt [South Brunswick], 2013
49-6 ½ … Craig Halyard [Ridgewood], 1989
49-6 ½ … Eric Bethea [Piscataway], 2015
49-5 ¼ … Dodley Thermitus [Elizabeth], 2017
49-1 …..… Khaliel Burnett [Delsea], 2018
48-9 …..… Dominique Irons [Haddon Heights], 2013
48-8 ¾ … Devon Bond [Trenton], 2007
48-8 ½ … Tristan Wilson [Delsea], 2014
48-7 ½ … Myles Hartsfield [Sayreville], 2015
48-6 ¼ … Darius Pemberton [Hackensack], 1992
48-5 ¼ … Ralston Braithwaite [Trenton], 2009
48-0 ½ … Kyle Lindsay [Paterson East Side], 2006
48-1 ¼ … Wayne Walls [Camden], 2009
47-11 … Nadale Buntin [J.P. Stevens], 2018
47-10 … Devon Bond [Trenton], 2007
47-7 ¼ … Kevin Johnson [Seton Hall Prep], 1984
47-6 ¾ … Ed Alston [Hackensack], 1982
47-5 … Jason Katz [Ramapo], 2015
47-3 …..… Rhodeni Spence [Woodrow Wilson], 2007
47-2 … Tevin Ankle [Glen Rock], 2018
46-10 ¾ … Floyd Whitaker [Highland], 2020
46-10 ½ … Weston Daniel [Bergenfield], 2002
46-11 ¾ … Jaden Johnson [Timber Creek], 2022
46-10 ¼ … Ted Lesher [Northern Highlands], 2006

CHACE PEARSON, TIMBER CREEK: It wasn’t Pearson’s best day, but the Meet of Champions winner still placed 7th in the Championship long jump at 21-10 1/4. Pearson had a consistent series, with three jumps over 21-7 and two over 21-10.

JEFFREY HEINEMAN, KINGSWAY: Heineman, who ran the 400 on Kingsway’s national-champion sprint medley team, placed 8th in the Emerging Elite 800 in a personal-best 1:57.85. His previous indoor PR was 1:59.04. He’s run 1:58.01 outdoors.

The Cherokee girls finished an astonishing, record-sertting weekend Sunday with their 3rd consecutive All-America relay performance.

Junior Kelsey Niglio, sophomore Kerry O’Day, freshman Megan Niglio and senior Nicole Clifford placed 4th in the 3,200-meter relay at Armory Nationals in New York in 9:07.27, the No. 2 time in South Jersey history and No. 11 in state history.

On Friday, Maddie Van Haren, Alison Cooke, Kelsey Niglio and Nicole Clifford placed second in the sprint medley at Armory Nationals with the No. 3 time in South Jersey history and on Saturday Megan Niglio, Cooke, Kelsey Niglio and Clifford placed 2nd in the distance medley at Ocean Breeze Nationals with the No. 5 time in South Jersey history and No. 19 in state history.

So Clifford and Kelsey Niglio are three-time All-Americas, Megan Niglio and Cooke are double All-Americas and O’Day and Van Haren are single All-Americas.

Three events, two tracks, three top-four finishes, three all-time South Jersey top-5 performances, 12 total All-America awards.

All this on top of Meet of Champions and Nike Cross Regionals championships in the fall and State Relays and sectional titles in the winter. Oh, and Penn Relays is six weeks away.

On Sunday, Kelsey Niglio led off for Cherokee in 2:12.85, O’Day split 2:21.47, Megan Niglio ran 2:20.26 and Clifford anchored in 2:12.70.

The only faster time in South Jersey history is Lenape’s 9:04.66 at the 2013 Indoor Nationals on the same track.

Pioneer High School of Ann Arbor, Mich., won the race in a national-record 8:51.93, and Union Catholic was second with a state-record 8:53.69 on Columbia transfer Peyton Hollis’s 2:06.71 anchor. The previous national mark was  8:53.67  by Boys and Girls of Brooklyn also at the Armory at 2002 Indoor Nationals.

Here’s the all-time state sub-9:10 list
8:53.69 … Union Catholic, 2022
8:54.11 … Southern Reg., 2009
8:56.94 … Red Bank Cath., 2011
9:00.62 … Freehold Twp., 2014
9:01.64 … Ridge, 2017
9:04.66 … Lenape, 2013
9:05.28 … Red Bank Cath., 2012
9:05.40 … Columbia, 2014
9:05.97 … Pope John, 2007
9:07.44 … Union Catholic, 2019
9:07.27 … Cherokee, 2022
9:08.07 … Ridge, 2018
9:08.34 … Columbia, 1997
9:09.14 … Columbia, 1998
9:09.70 … Mount St. Dominic, 2012
9:09.71 … Lenape, 2012

And the all-time South Jersey list
9:04.66 … Lenape, 2013
9:07.27 … Cherokee, 2022
9:09.71 … Lenape, 2012
9:11.94 … Lenape, 2008
9:12.91 … Haddonfield, 2021
9:19.01 … Lenape, 2011
9:19.35 … Wilson, 2002
9:22.18 … Haddonfield, 2020
9:22.30 … Lenape, 2010
9:22.38 … Buena, 1999

Bryce Tucker placed 4th in the open 400-meter dash and anchored Pennsauken’s 1,600-meter relay team to 2nd place on Day 2 of Ocean Breeze Nationals.

Earlier Saturday, Pennsauken placed 3rd in the 800-meter relay, so that’s three All-America performances in one day for the Indians. What a weekend for Pennsauken!

Joining Tucker on the 4-by-4 were Kahlil Ali, Premier Wynn and Joel Oquendo.

Pennsauken’s 4-by-2 was Tucker to Ali to Nadir Paige to Wynn.

So Tucker is a triple All-America, Wynn and Ali are double All-Americas and Oquendo and Paige have one apiece.

Paige is a senior and the others are all juniors.

Tucker began his day Saturday with a PR 48.23 for 4th place in the 400. That’s the No. 2 time in South Jersey history and only 33-100ths of a second off the South Jersey record of 47.90 set Moorestown’s Brandon Outlaw at 2017 Armory Nationals.

Tucker broke the Camden County record of 48.27 set by Camden’s Jade Smith at the 2002 Midwest Indoor Invitational at the University of Nebraska’s Devaney Sports Complex in Lincoln, Neb.

Before this weekend, Tucker’s indoor 400 PR was 49.59, although he did run 48.33 outdoors in a summer meet at Franklin Field this past July. He lowered that to 48,34 Friday in the prelims and then to 48.23 Saturday in the final.

In the 1,600-meter relay, Kahlil Ali opened up, followed by Premier Wynn, Joel Oquendo and Tucker. Pennsauken ran 3:21.58, finishing behind only Cathedral High of Los Angeles, which won the race in 3:18.28.

Pennsauken’s time is fastest by a South Jersey school since Egg Harbor Township ran 3:18.45 at Armory Nationals in 2017 and No. 20 in South Jersey history.

Here’s the all-time South Jersey indoor 400-meter list
47.90 … Brandon Outlaw [Moorestown], 2018
48.23 … Bryce Tucker [Pennsauken], 2022
48.27 … Jade Smith [Camden], 2002
48.36 … Mohammad Kanu [Lenape], 2000
48.45 … Xander Roberts-Bogin [Pleasantville], 2022
48.48 … Amir Brock [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2017
48.50 … Alex Reber [Cherry Hill East], 2013
48.55 … Royce Reed [Bridgeton], 1995
48.64 … Keith Griffith [Florence], 2010
48.68 … Lamont Smith [Willingboro], 1991
48.74 … John Morris [Camden], 2001
48.75 … Luke Colehower [Haddonfield], 2017
48.79 … Gabriel Moronta [Pleasantville], 2020
48.7h … Curt Mcintyre [Bridgeton], 1992
48.91 … Marlin Gross [Bridgeton], 2001
48.91 … Rob Gary [Lenape], 1998

And the all-time South Jersey 4-by-4 list
3:16.40 … Lenape, 2000
3:17:15 … Vineland, 2003
3:17.26 … Camden, 2000
3:18.46 … Winslow Twp, 2003
3:18.45 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2017
3:18.90 … Pleasantville, 2007
3:19.34 … Camden, 2004
3:19.42 … Camden, 2002
3:20.11 … Camden, 1997
3:20.3h … Camden, 1999
3:20.53 … Oakcrest, 2012
3:20.82 … Lenape, 1999
3:20.99 … Paul VI, 2016
3:21.01 … Camden, 2007
3:21.03 … Vineland, 2004
3:21.11 … Buena, 2001
3:21.35 … Camden, 2005
3:21.49 … Pleasantville, 2008
3:21.54 … Camden, 2004
3:21.58 … Pennsauken, 2022
3:21.6y … Edgewood, 1985
3:21.87y … Lenape, 1998
3:21.8h … Vineland, 2002

And if you missed it Friday, here’s the all-time South Jersey 4-by-2 list!
1:26.90 … Camden, 2004
1:27.60 … Vineland, 2004
1:28.0h … Edgewood, 2001
1:28.45 … Camden, 2002
1:28.46 … Lenape, 2000
1:28.48 … Camden, 2007
1:28.91 … Camden, 2000
1:29.06 … Oakcrest, 2012
1:29.17 … Camden, 2001
1:29.29 … Rancocas Valley, 2017
1:29.52 … Vineland, 2003
1:29.57 … Camden, 1997
1:29.61 … Camden, 1999
1:29.72 … Timber Creek, 2013
1:29.74 … Pennsauken, 2016
1:29.81 … Pennsauken, 2022
1:29.87 … Timber Creek, 2016
1:29.92 … Deptford, 2017
1:29.92 … Deptford, 2018
1:29.97 … Pleasantville, 2008

Sterling graduates Jah’mere Beasley and Marquise Young both ran legs on Rowan University’s 1,600-meter relay team, which won the NCAA Division 3 title Saturday in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Young led off and Beasley ran the third leg for the Profs, who ran 3:16.56 and finished 23/100ths of a second ahead of 2nd-place Washington University of St. Louis.

Young, a high hurdler who hasn’t previously run on Rowan’s 4-by-4, filled in beautifully and led off for the Profs. Nana Agyemang split 48.45 on the second leg for Rowan, Beasley split 48.34 and Amara Conte from Ferris High in Jersey City 48.58.

The national title is Rowan’s first in the 4-by-400 indoors since 1999, when Highland’s Julius Kinsler, Greg Arnett of Woodrow Wilson, Metuchen’s Keith Kreiger and Rich Dixon of Vineland ran 3:15.80 to win the title at Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio.

Rowan won outdoor 4-by-4 titles in 1984, 1985, 2011, 2012 and this past spring.

Of the group that won on Saturday, only Conte was in the lineup when Rowan won the 2021 Division 3 outdoor title in May. He was joined by Hunter Barbieri of Egg Harbor Township, Sterling’s Francis Terry and Justin Bishop of Mainland Regional. All were underclassmen last year but no longer appear on Rowan’s roster.

So three different Sterling runners have run a leg on national championship 4r-by-4 teams over the past 10 months..

Last month, Rowan ran 3:12.80 in a meet at Boston University – No. 6 in NCAA Division 3 history – with Beasley, Conte, Agyemang and Charlie Serrano-Juarez in the lineup.

Beasley also placed 3rd in the 200 in 21.67, and Agyemang also placed 6th in the long jump with a 23-8 ¾ jump. Also Ahmir Johnson of Wissahickon High in Ambler was 4th in the triple jump with a 48-7 ½ jump.

Rowan placed 12th in the final standings with 24 points.

Alison Cooke, Kelsey Niglio and Nicole Clifford turned in their second All-America performance in two days Saturday – on two different tracks.

Cooke, Niglio and Clifford, joined by Megan Niglio, placed 2nd in the distance medley at Ocean Breeze Nationals in 11:57.91, the 5th-fastest time in South Jersey history.

On Friday, Cooke, Kelsey Niglio and Clifford, joined by Maddie Van Haren, placed 2nd in the sprint medley at the Armory Nationals 25 miles north of Ocean Breeze. That’s No. 3 in South Jersey history.

On Saturday, Megan Niglio led off with a 3:43.62 leg for 1,200 meters, Cooke split 58.01 on the 400 and Kelsey Niglio ran her 800 leg in 2:14.72. Clifford anchored in 5:01.56, and Cherokee placed second to Saratoga Springs, N.Y., which won the race in 11:44.34.

Cherokee is back at the Armory Sunday for the 3,200-meter relay. Cherokee is ranked No. 4 nationally with its 9:07.81 at a SJTCA meet at the Bubble in February. Kelsey Niglio, Kerry O’Day, Megan Niglio and Nicole Clifford are expected to line up in the 4-by-8 for Cherokee.

All-time South Jersey 3,200-Meter Relay List
11:43.94 … Haddonfield, 2014
11:54.63 … Lenape, 2013
11:55.90 … Lenape, 2012
11:57.64 … Haddonfield, 2017
11:57.91 … Cherokee, 2022
11:58.92 … Lenape, 2010
12:02.51 … Ocean City, 2014
12:03.40 … Haddonfield, 2015
12:04.45 … Haddonfield, 2009
12:04.62 … Sterling, 2017
12:04.9h ….. Lenape, 2015
12:11.47 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2020
12:12.22 … Ocean City, 2005
12:13.46 … Washington Twp., 2011
12:14.48 … Haddonfield, 2013
12:15.60 … Lenape, 2014
12:16.71 … Highland, 2004
12:17.11 … Kingsway, 2017
12:17.40 … Lenape, 2017
12:19.81 … Lenape, 2009
12:20.11 … Shawnee, 2017
12:20.4h … Woodrow Wilson, 2002

Kingsway senior Kyle Rakitis earned All-America honors for the second time in 24 hours and ran the 3rd-fastest mile in South Jersey history Saturday at Ocean Breeze Nationals.

Rakitis, who anchored Kingsway’s winning sprint medley team Friday, placed 2nd in the mile in 4:12.79, the equivalent of 4:11.32 for 1,600 meters.

Junior Wesley Shipsey of Central Catholic High in Portland, Ore., won the race in 4:11.42.

The performance moves Rakitis behind two Ocean City runners on the all-time South Jersey mile list – Miles Schoedler ran 4:11.42 in 2011 and Brett Johnson 4:12.49 in 2009. It’s also No. 26 in state history.

Shipsey and Rakitis separated from the pack by the time they finished the first lap. Rakitis led early, but Shipsey moved into the lead on the second lap, and they stayed together the rest of the race. Three times Rakitis moved even with Shipsey and tried to regain the lead, but Shipsey responded each time.

Rakitis came through the quarter in 63.74 and hit the half in approximately 2:07.2 (split not listed, so that’s off the video). He closed in 61.19 for his final quarter. Shipsey closed in 29.8 for his final 200.

Rakitis’s previous indoor PR was a 4:12.55 for the slightly shorter 1,600 meters in the Meet of Champions at the Bubble. That’s the equivalent of a 4:14.01 full mile. He’s run 4:08.58 outdoors – twice, actually. At Group 4 sectionals at Washington Township last spring and when he won the Meet of Champions at South Plainfield.

All-time South Jersey 1,600 list
4:09.96y … Miles Schoedler [Ocean City], 2011
4:11.03y … Brett Johnson [Ocean City], 2009
4:11.32 … Kyle Rakitis [Kingsway], 2022
4:11.89y … Luke Petela [Haddon Twp.], 2015
4:11.93y … Greg Pelose [Haddonfield], 2016
4:13.68y … Marc Pelerin [Cherokee], 2002
4:13.87y … Stone Caraccio [Kingsway], 2020
4:14.1y … Marty Ludwikowski [C.H. West], 1975
4:15.2y … Jim Smith [Haddonfield], 1980
4:15.52 … Bill Dolan [Clearview], 2014
4:16.0y … Greg Stremmel [Gateway], 1974
4:16.02 … Erik Johnson [Ocean City], 2012
4:16.3y … Rich Caton [Woodbury], 1979
4:16.61y … Jon Anderson [Cinnaminson], 2004
4:16.71y … Dave Forward [Shawnee], 2009
4:16.85 … Ben Potts [Haddonfield], 2011
4:16.9y … Bob Marino [Williamstown], 1974
4:17.1y … Mike Mantini [Gateway], 1978
4:17.33y … Carmen Cavella [Washington Twp.], 2004
4:17.51y … Connor Melko [Bishop Eustace], 2019
4:17.67 … Derek Gess [Haddonfield], 2018
4:17.67y … Sebastien Reed [Pitman], 2020
4:17.98 … Seth Clevenger [Haddonfield], 2022
4:18.21y … Xavier Fraction [Washington Twp.], 2009
4:18.22 … Jacob Clark [Pleasantville], 2013
4:18.48 … Justin Kelly [Cherokee], 2018
4:18.50 … Shawn Wilson [Cherokee], 2013
4:18.53y … Chris Platt [Haddonfield], 2001
4:18.4y … Al Harden [Millville], 1979
4:18.4h … Mike Myers [Eastern], 2001
4:18.70y … Ethan Wechsler [Cherokee], 2019
4:18.73 … Jacob Cobb [West Deptford], 2022
4:18.74 … George Andrus [Haddonfield], 2022
4:18.80y … Austin Gabay [Cinnaminson], 2020
4:18.83 … Tyler Jackson [Cherokee], 2020
4:19.03 … Noah Culbreath [Kingsway, 2014
4:19.40 … Justin Branco [Delsea], 2015
4:19.7y … Chris Hageman [Paul VI], 1985
4:19.96 … Robert Rawls [Triton], 2011
4:19.97 … Steve Burkholder [Cherokee], 2010

Northern Burlington freshman Liliah Gordon capped her phenomenal indoor season by lowering her South Jersey freshman record, running the No. 2 time in Burlington County history and earning All-America honors Saturday in the two-mile run at Ocean Breeze Nationals.

Gordon placed 5th in the Championship race in 10:49.55, which lowers her own South Jersey freshman record of 10:56.77 over the slightly shorter 3,200 meters from the Meet of Champions last week, where she placed 7th.

Gordon’s time trails only Cherokee’s Megan Lacy [10:31.06] on the all-time Burlington County indoor list. Lacy last week placed 13th in the U.S. 15,000-meter road championships in Jacksonville.

Gordon was out very fast, hitting the half in 2:37.60 and the mile in 5:18.48 – less than seven seconds off her mile PR of 5:11.62 (converted from 1,600 meters). But she ran strong over her second mile, coming back with a 5:31.07.

For performance list purposes, Gordon’s time converts to 10:45.78 for 3,200 meters. That makes her No. 14 in South Jersey history.

Here’s the all-time Burlington County list:
10:31.06 … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2012
10:45.78 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2022
10:46.63 … Erika Kemp [Rancocas Valley], 2013
10:55.58 … Nicole Clifford [Cherokee], 2022
11:00.7y … Deanna Germano (Shawnee), 1986
11:06.32y … Colleen Sunderland (Northern Burlington), 1995
11:08.85 … Nina Bendixen, [Shawnee], 2015
11:09.91 … Liliah Gordon [Northrn Burlington], 2022
11:10.88 … Caitlin Orr [Lenape], 2009
11:12.32 … Mara Schiffhauer [Seneca], 2014

All-Time S.J. Girls Indoor 3,200 Top-50
10:15.71 … Brittany Sedberry [Ocean City], 2006
10:23.49 … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2011
10:29.90 … Chelsea Ley [Kingsway], 2009
10:33.95 … Alyssa Aldridge [Mainland Reg.], 2016
10:38.11 … Megan Venables [Highland], 2011
10:38.90 … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2001
10:40.03 … Dina Iacone [Washington Twp.], 2012
10:40.80 … Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 2017
10:42.06 … Holly Bischof [Bishop Eustace], 2012
10:42.22 … Theresa Cattuna [Cherry Hill East], 2007
10:43.2y … Michelle Rowen [Washington Twp.], 1983
10:45.20 … Devon Grisbaum [Ocean City], 2015
10:45.40 … Julianna Catania [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2016
10:45.78 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2022
10:46.63 … Erika Kemp [Rancocas Valley], 2013
10:48.78 … Shelby Cain [Haddonfield], 2014
10:49.12 … Madison Coppolino [Sterling], 2017 [3]
10:49.46 … Alyssa Condell [Timber Creek], 2016
10:52.05 … Amanda Goetschius [Delsea], 2007
10:52.53 … Allie Pierontoni [Kingsway], 2020
10:53.4h … Christin Bettis [Hammonton], 2012
10:53.89y … Sarah Naticchia [Haddonfield], 2020
10:55.29y … Ann Klocke [Bishop Eustace], 1996
10:55.58 … Nicole Clifford [Cherokee], 2022
10:56.77 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2022
10:57.95 … Katy Storti [Bishop Eustace], 2019
10:59.02 … Catherine Van Horn [Triton], 2005
10:59.04 … Maria Ruiz [Williamstown], 2009
10:59.13 … Vickie Ajimoko [Williamstown], 2013
10:59.90 … Aubrey Pierontoni [Kingsway], 2022

Junior Premier Wynn’s blistering 21.22 anchor led Pennsauken to 3rd place in the 800-meter relay at Ocean Breeze Nationals.

The team of juniors Bryce Tucker and Kahlil Ali, senior Nadir Paige and Wynn ran 1:29.81, fastest in New Jersey this year, and placed 3rd behind Hardin Valley Academy of Knoxville, Tenn. [1:28.76] and Cathedral High School of San Diego [1:29.12].

With a top-six finish, Pennsauken earned all-America honors.

Pennsauken’s previous fastest 4-by-200 this year was a 1:32.46 at the Group 3 state relays at the Bubble in Toms River back in January.

It’s also fastest by any South Jersey school in five years, since Rancocas Valley ran
1:29.29 to win Easterns at the Armory in 2017.

They’re the only New Jersey 4-by-2 to go under 1:30 this year. Their time is No. 16 in South Jersey history just 7-100ths of a second off the school record of 1:29.74 set by a 2016 Pennsauken team that included Stephen Elam, Marquan Jones, Briheem Whitfield and Nahzir Russell and placed 3rd at Easterns at the Armory.

Here’s the all-time South Jersey sub-1:30 list

1:26.90 … Camden, 2004
1:27.60 … Vineland, 2004
1:28.0h … Edgewood, 2001
1:28.45 … Camden, 2002
1:28.46 … Lenape, 2000
1:28.48 … Camden, 2007
1:28.91 … Camden, 2000
1:29.06 … Oakcrest, 2012
1:29.17 … Camden, 2001
1:29.29 … Rancocas Valley, 2017
1:29.52 … Vineland, 2003
1:29.57 … Camden, 1997
1:29.61 … Camden, 1999
1:29.72 … Timber Creek, 2013
1:29.74 … Pennsauken, 2016
1:29.81 … Pennsauken, 2022
1:29.87 … Timber Creek, 2016
1:29.92 … Deptford, 2017
1:29.92 … Deptford, 2018
1:29.97 … Pleasantville, 2008