It took Sofia Day one race to break the Atlantic County 800 record.
Day, a Mainland Regional sophomore, shattered the county record in her first lifetime attempt at 800 meters.
Day ran 2:17.76 to lead four girls under 2:20 at the SJTCA meet at Ocean Breeze. She broke the Atlantic County record of 2:18.10 set by Oakcrest’s Nijgia Snapp when she placed 3rd at the 2008 South Jersey Group 4 sectionals at the Bubble. Jill Smith of Southern won that race in 2:13.07, and Millville’s Brooke Kott was 2nd in 2:17.03.
Buena’s Katrina Sye owns the Atlantic County outdoor record with a hand-timed 2:09.2 at 1999 sectionals at Buena (then a South Jersey record), and Snapp ran 2:10.57 at the 2009 state Group 4 meet at Egg Harbor Township.
Day is coming off a terrific cross country season, where she won the Atlantic County title, placed 2nd at sectionals, 7th at states and then ran 19:22 at Holmdel to finish 11th at the Meet of Champions.
But the 800 is a far cry from 5,000 meters, and Day showed serious wheels in running the No. 2 time in the state this year. Julia Scrudato of Montgomery, who ran 4:54.69 for 1,600 meters last spring, ran 2:15.67 at Jadwin over the weekend.
Day sat back in 3rd place on a 34.0 first lap before taking the lead. She was out in 69.2 and came back in 68.5, closing in 33.3. Cherokee senior Kelsey Niglio placed 2nd in 2:18.39, Cherry Hill East senior Alexis Tepper ran 2:19.53 and Cherokee sophomore Megan Niglio 2:19.64.
Notably, Kingsway senior Aubrey Pierontoni, in her first race in seven months, ran 2:20.20 for 5th. Pierontoni last raced at the state Group 4 meet last spring. She ran 5:09.56 and 11:06.87 as a junior.
All-Time S.J. Indoor 800-Meter Run Sub-2:18 List
2:09.56 … Megan Tiernan [Washington Twp.], 2010
2:10.0h … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2001
2:12.46 … Monica Olkowski [Cherokee], 1990
2:12.55 … Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], 2010
2:13.51 … Emily Duffey [Lenape], 2011
2:14.12 … Carly Pettipaw [Lenape], 2013
2:14.5h … Ruth Lockbaum [Glassboro], 1985
2:14.6h … Michelle DiMuro [Shawnee], 1985
2:14.64 … Bridget Flynn [Ocean City], 2014
2:14.99 … Kami Joi Hickson [Washington Twp.], 2017
2:15.05 … Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 2015
2:15.06 … Sydney Coppolino [Sterling], 2017
2:15.17 … Britney Kott [Millville], 2008
2:15.31 … Lindsay Colflesh [Haddonfield], 2020
2:15.46 … Tara DeBrielle [Overbrook], 2000
2:15.73 … Kelsey Niglio [Cherokee], 2022
2:15.86 … Greta Feldman [Haddonfield], 2009
2:15.89 … Kayla Martin [Seneca], 2016
2:15.90 … Felicia O’Donnell [Delsea], 2009
2:15.99 … Brooke Kott [Millville], 2008
2:15.36 … Rachel Stremme [Ocean City], 2014
2:16.60 … Gabbi Kirsch [Williamstown], 2015
2:16.63 … Lindsay Thomas [Winslow Twp.], 2003
2:16.68 … Grace Wassell [Highland], 2022
2:16.71 … Lindsey Kane [Washington Twp.], 2015
2:16.82 … Mary Bohi [Seneca], 2009
2:16.84 … Celine Mazzi [Delsea], 2014
2:16.85 … Megan Quimby [Lenape], 2017
2:16.88 … Shelby Whetstone [Lenape], 2019
2:16.93 … Julia Despirito [Shawnee], 2014
2:16.95 … Patrice Rowe [Willingboro], 2010
2:17.00 … Sarah Naticchia [Haddonfield], 2020
2:17.11 … Miya Johnson [Lenape], 2007
2:17.15 … Courtney McCrudden [Eastern], 2000
2:17.15 … Nicole Tiernan [Washington Twp.], 2011
2:17.21 … Allie Pierontoni [Kingsway], 2020
2:17.23 … Lisa Burkholder [Cherokee], 2004
2:17.0h … Kimarra McDonald [Rancocas Valley], 2004
2:17.32 … Courtney McCrudden [Eastern], 2000
2:17.43 … Cassie Hagstoz [Kingsway], 2013
2:17.70 … Kaitlyn Bonnet [Haddonfield], 2017
2:17.76 … Destiny Stanford [Kingsway], 2017
2:17.76 … Sofia Day [Mainland Reg.], 2023
2:17.82 … Tara Debrielle [Overbrook], 2000
2:17.85 … Holly Cosnett [Haddonfield], 2001
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 