From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Juniors Elijah Jennings and Bronze Whitmore and seniors Bryce Tucker and Premier Wynn of Pennsauken smoked the Cherokee track Saturday for the fastest 800-meter relay by a South Jersey school in 19 years.

Pennsauken ran 1:26.74 at Fast Times at Cherokee, No. 16 in state history and No. 5 in South Jersey history.

Since 2006, the only faster times by New Jersey 4-by-200 teams came in 2018, when East Orange and Setonh Hall Prep both ran 1:26.59 (in different meets).

Pennsauken’s time is fastest by a South Jersey 4-by-2 since Camden ran 1:24.90 at the 2004 adidas Outdoor Championships in Raleigh, N.C.

The Indians’ previous best time was a 1:27.68 at the 2016 Willingboro Relay Championships with Marquan Jones, Nahzir Russell, Barheem Whitfield and Martin Booker.

Six other schools ran sub-1:33, led by Kingsway’s 1:30.63 with Benny Liles III, Alex Sims, Mathias Alexander and Damon Dukes Jr.

Delsea [1:31.59], Atlantic County Tech [1:31.84] and Clayton [1:31.91] all ran sub-1:32 and Glassboro [1:32.21] and Timber Creek [1:32.24] broke 1:33.

Delsea, Atlantic Tech, Glassboro and Timber Creek all raced in the 4^th of five sections. Pennsauken, Kingsway and Clayton ran in the 5^th race.

All-Time State 800-Meter Relay List
1:24.49 … Winslow Twp., 2003
1:24.90 … Camden, 2004
1:26.05 … Camden, 2000
1:26.0h … Somerville, 1973
1:26.05 … Camden, 2000
1:26.3h … Weequahic, 1992
1:26.59 … East Orange, 2018
1:26.59 … Seton Hall Prep, 2018
1:26.66 … Irvington, 2005
1:26.68 … Camden, 1997
1:26.5h … Snyder, 1971
1:26.5h … Rahway, 1971
1:26.5h … Montclair, 1984
1:26.5h … Plainfield, 1998
1:26.70 … Teaneck, 2007
1:26.74 … Pennsauken, 2023
1:26.7h … Plainfield, 1980
1:26.93 … St. Peter’s, 2017

All-Time South Jersey 800-Meter Relay List
1:24.49 … Winslow Twp., 2003
1:24.90 … Camden, 2004
1:26.05 … Camden, 2000
1:26.68 … Camden, 1997
1:26.74 … Pennsauken, 2023
1:27.38 … Paul VI, 2016
1:27.52 … Woodrow Wilson, 1996
1:27.66 … Oakcrest, 2011
1:27.68 … Pennsauken, 2016
1:27.69 … Oakcrest, 2012
1:27.74 … Pleasantville, 1994
1:27.75 … Willingboro, 2007
1:27.80 … Pleasantville, 1999
1:27.84 … Winslow Twp., 2002
1:27.90 … Winslow Twp., 2008
1:27.96 … Williamstown, 2015
1:27.98 … Camden, 2002