Deptford’s Lathan Brown ran Gloucester County’s fastest intermediate hurdles race in 14 years Thursday at the Gloucester County Championships on his home track at Deptford.
Brown won the race in 53.67, dropping his PR from 54.11 from last week’s South Jersey Elite at Delsea. His time is No. 4 in the state this year, behind Pennsauken’s Bryce Tucker [52.18], Seton Hall Prep’s Ryan Matulonis [53.41] and Morristown’s Jason Meza [53.65].
That 53.67 is fastest by a Gloucester County runner since 2009, when Washington Township’s Tim Carey ran 52.10 . He broke the school record of 54.03 set by Shaquille Dixon at the 2015 state Group 3 meet at South Plainfield.
Brown’s time is 2nd-fastest in meet history. Carey set the meet record of 52.90 when he won the 2009 race at Delsea.
The versatile Brown has run 48.96 for 400 meters, 1:56.19 for 800 meters and 15.80 in the high hurdles. He was 3rd at Group 2 states in the intermediates last year at Franklin Township and this past indoor season won the 400 at indoor states at the Bubble and placed 3rd in the 800 at Easterns at the Armory.
Washington Township’s Kanye Mills also PR’d for 2nd place with a 55.03. His previous PR was 55.06 at last year’s state Group 4 meet at Franklin. His time is No. 10 in the state this year and No. 3 in South Jersey behind Tucker and Brown.
Here’s the all-time Gloucester County sub-54 list:
51.62 … Fred Sharpe [Paulsboro], 1997
52.10 … Tim Carey [Washington Twp.], 2009
52.66 … Aaron Younger [Delsea], 2007
52.72 … Devon Carter [Washington Twp.], 2000
53.22 … Will Washington [Delsea], 2006
53.67 … Lathan Brown [Deptford], 2023
53.84 … Andy Carson [Woodbury], 1997
53.94 … Edwyn Pierre [Williamstown], 2017
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 