From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Northern Burlington sophomore Liliah Gordon and Delsea senior Lillie Widmer both raced their way into the all-time South Jersey top-10 at 3,200 meters Sunday at the 55th annual Meet of Champions at Ocean Breeze.

Gordon placed 5th in 10:38.20 and Widmer finished a step behind her in 6th with a 10:39.88. They’re the two-fastest times by South Jersey girls since Alyssa Aldridge of Mainland ran 10:33.95 – converted from a 10:37.65 full two-mile – at the 2016 Bishop Laughlin Games, also at Ocean Breeze.

Their times are 2nd- and 5th-fastest in meet history by South Jersey runners and by far the fastest times by place in meet history. They’re also No. 6 and 8 in South Jersey history and No. 18 and 21 in state history.

Gordon’s previous indoor PR was a 10:55.65 at sectionals last month at the Bubble. She ran 10:49.55 full two-mile at Ocean Breeze Nationals last year, which converts to 10:45.78 for 3,200 meters. Gordon broke her own South Jersey sophomore class record that she set at the Bubble last month, and her time is 4th-fastest in the U.S. among sophomores, according to MileSplit’s national database.

Widmer’s previous lifetime best was 10:54.31 indoors at states last month at the Bubble. Her PR coming into this season was 11:15.87 from Cherokee Night of Racing in the spring of the abbreviated 2021 season.

Gordon and Widmer both recorded the No. 2 marks in their county’s history, both behind a couple legendary runners.

Gordon is No. 2 in Burlington County history, behind Cherokee’s Megan Lacy, who ran 10:23.49 (converted from 10:27.13 for two miles) at 2011 Armory Nationals. Widmer is No. 2 in Gloucester County history, behind Kingsway’s Chelsea Ley, who ran 10:29.90 [converted from 10:33.57 for two miles] at 2009 Armory Nationals.

Gordon is the first Northern Burlington girl to medal at the Meet of Champions since Latasha Leake placed 4th in the high jump with a 5-4 clearance at Jadwin Gym in 2004. Widmer is Delsea’s first medalist since 2017, when Cecelia Gerstenbacher placed 2nd in the 200 in 25.16.

And let’s not forget Clearview senior Abigail Waddington and Egg Harbor junior Michaela Schlemo, who also broke 11 minutes.

Waddington placed 8th in 10:48.28, lowering her PR from 10:55.10 at the Bubble in January, and Schlemo, who took 11th in 10:57.53, lowering her PR from 11:06.06 from states. Waddington’s time is No. 4 in Gloucester County history, and Schlemo’s time is No. 2 in Atlantic County history, behind Aldridge in 2016.

Finally, Haddonfield junior Ava Thomas ran 11:04.46 and placed 14th in only her 4th race this winter. She trimmed 8 ½ seconds off her PR of 11:12.94 from states.

OK, time for lists!

All-Time New Jersey Indoor 3,200 List
10:12.75 … Ashley Higginson [Colts Neck], 2007
10:15.71 … Brittany Sedberry [Ocean City], 2006
10:20.53 … Katie McCafferty [Oak Knoll], 2008
10:23.20 … Cate Guiney [Middletown South], 1999
10:23.49 … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2011
10:26.95 … Melanie Thompson [Voorhees], 2008
10:29.57 … Briana Jackucewicz [Colts Neck], 2008
10:29.90 … Chelsea Ley [Kingsway], 2009
10:31.5h … Anne Letko [North Hunterdon], 1985
10:34.0h … Cathy Feeney [Wayne Valley], 1990
10:33.95 … Alyssa Aldridge [Mainland Reg.], 2016
10:35.9 … Jodie Bilotta [North Hunterdon], 1987
10:36.31 … Monal Chokshi [Bridgewater], 1992
10:35.56 … Patti Melski [Ridgewood], 1983
10:36.9h … Meg Waldron [Bernards], 1983
10:37.8h … Tracy Biber [Springfield], 1986
10:38.11 … Megan Venables [Highland], 2011
10:38.20 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2023
10:38.87 … Amanda Trotter [Red Bank Reg.], 2003
10:38.90 … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2001
10:39.88 … Lillie Widmer [Delsea], 2023

All-Time S.J. Girls Indoor 3,200 Sub-11 List
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
10:38.20 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2023
10:38.90 … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2001
10:39.88 … Lillie Widmer [Delsea], 2023
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
10:46.63 … Erika Kemp [Rancocas Valley], 2013
10:48.28 … Abigail Waddington [Clearview], 2023
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
10:54.31 … Lillie Widmer [Delsea], 2023
10:55.10 … Abigail Waddington [Clearview], 2023
10:55.29y … Ann Klocke [Bishop Eustace], 1996
10:55.58 … Nicole Clifford [Cherokee], 2022
10:56.77 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2022
10:57.53 … Michaela Schlemo [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2023
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

All-Time Burlington County 3,200 List
10:23.49 … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2011
10:38.20 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2023
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 Gloucester County 3,200-Meter List
10:29.90 … Chelsea Ley [Kingsway], 2009
10:39.88 … Lillie Widmer [Delsea], 2023
10:40.03 … Dina Iacone [Washington Twp.], 2012
10:43.2y … Michelle Rowen [Washington Twp.], 1983
10:48.28 … Abigail Waddington [Clearview], 2023
10:52.05 … Amanda Goetschius [Delsea], 2007
10:52.53 … Allie Pierontoni [Kingsway], 2020
10:59.04 … Maria Ruiz [Williamstown], 2009
10:59.13 … Vickie Ajimoko [Williamstown], 2013
10:59.90 … Aubrey Pierontoni [Kingsway], 2022

All-Time Meet of Championships 3,200 Performance List
10:00.90 … Angelina Perez [Lakeland], 2022 [1]
10:16.20 … Cate DeSousa [Red Bank Catholic], 2023 [1]
10:24.73 … Dana Giordano [Bernards], 2012 [1]
10:26.25 … Leanna Johnston [Immaculate Heart Academy], 2023 [2]
10:26.53 … Ashley Higginson [Colts Neck], 2007 [1]
10:27.25 … Mackenzie Barry [Mendham], 2012 [2]
10:31.06 … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2012 [3]
10.31.98 … Niamh Hayes [Howell], 2017 [1]
10:32.55 … Julia Threthaway [West Morris], 2019 [1]
10:34.49 … Nicole Vanasse [Pingry School], 2018 [1]
10:35.70 … Julia Guerra [Indian Hills], 2016 [1]
10:35.81 … Tilly O’Connor [St. Rose], 2023 [3]
10:36.48 … Angelina Perez [Lakeland], 2020 [1]
10:36.74 …….. Higginson, 2006 [1]
10:36.7h … Meg Waldron [Bernards], 1983 [1]
10:37.70 … Dana Klein [Gill St. Bernard], 2014 [1]
10:37.92 … Lindsay Hausman [Kent Place], 2023 [4]
10:38.20 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2023 [5]
10:38.31 … Megan Venables [Highland], 2011 [1]
10:38.39 … Monica Hebner [Northern Highlands], 2018 [2]
10:38.54 … Mackenzie Barry [West Morris Mendham], 2013 [1]
10:38.87 … Amanda Trotter [Red Bank], 2003 [1]
10:38.90 … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2001 [1]
10:39.39 … Melanie Thompson [Voorhees], 2009 [1]
10:39.71 … Angela Rugino [Toms River North], 2009 [2]
10:39.6h … Anne Marie Letko [North Hunterdon], 1986 [1]
10:39.88 … Lillie Widmer [Delsea], 2023 [6]
10:39.93 … Nicole Vanasse [Pingry School], 2019 [2]