From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Delsea did something at Easterns this week that had never been done, at least as far back as the last 50 years.

Junior Greg Masso, sophomore Jonathan Harris and junior Tyler Habersham-Agbermenu all placed in the top six, the first time in at least half a century that three boys from the same high school placed in the top six in any event at Easterns.

And you don’t want to know how long it took me to look that up!

At the 88th annual Easterns Wednesday night at the Armory, Masso threw 53-11 ½ for 3rd, Harris 52-0 for 5th and Habersham-Agbermenu 51-6 for 6th.

There are no full results available anywhere before 1972, so it’s possible it happened at some point. The meet was first held (under a different name) in 1934. But I don’t think schools were allowed to enter more than two athletes per event back in those days.

The closest instance I could find came in 1999, when Danye Brown and Dwight Ruff of Camden went 1-2 in the 55-meter hurdles, and Wilson’s Jeff Young was 3rd. So that was a 1-2-3 sweep by the Camden district.

Masso leads South Jersey at 54-8 from the Cherokee Throw Down #2 in January. He’s No. 7 seed in the Meet of Champions on Sunday

Harris’s 52-0 was not only a PR but his first time over 50 feet. Not to mention his first time over 49, 48 and 47 feet. His previous PR was a 46-8 at the Bubble in January. Harris, a 1st-time thrower this winter, is now the No. 3 sophomore in the state and No. 1 in South Jersey. His throw is best by a S.J. sophomore indoors since Bridgeton’s Braheme Days Jr. threw 55-6 ½ in 2011 and the best by a Gloucester County sophomore since Kwabena Keene of Washington Township had a 53-2 in 2007.

Habersham-Agbermenu s 51-6 was also a PR and also his first time over 50 feet. He’s also a 1st-year thrower and had a previous PR of 49-4 ¼ at sectionals last month at the Bubble.

Harris and Habersham-Agbermenu won’t be in action at the Meet of Champions, but another Delsea 50-footer – Jake Phelan – will be. He earned a wild-card after placing 7th at the state Group 3 meet. Phelan has a PR of 50-9 ½ from the Cherokee Thrown Down #3.

Incredibly, Delsea is the only school with two 50-footers this winter – and they have four.

Technically, Bergen Catholic has two – Justin King has thrown 52-9 and Ben Shue 55-10 ¼. But Shue – who threw 60-9 and 198-5 last spring – is competing unattached this winter and only competed in one meet.