From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Once upon a time, running fast 4-by-400s was a way of life for the Willingboro girls. They set a South Jersey record of 3:43.94 at the 2001 adidas Outdoor Nationals in Greensboro that still stands and from 1997 through 2002 broke 3:50 each year and recorded five of the eight-fastest times ever run (still) in South Jersey history.

They won the Meet of Champions in 1992, 1993, 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2004 and in 1999 won the Championship of America at the Penn Relays.

In 2010, the Chimeras broke 4:00 four times, including a 3:50.49 for 4th at the Meet of Champions.

Then Willingboro didn’t break 4 minutes again.

Until Saturday.

At the Burlington County Scholastic League Championships at Pennsauken, freshman Kaila Speight, freshman Jaden Murry, freshman Aaliyah Robinson and sophomore Nester Wea won the Liberty Division race in 3:55.0, Willingboro’s fastest 4-by-4 in 13 years.

Unfortunately, the timing service working the meet had issues and the times for every race after the Freedom Division girls 800 were all rounded to 0’s and not presented in hundredths. So for the shorter races, we’ll have to wait to see exactly what the correct times are.

Also no splits available.

Still, assuming the 3:55.0 is correct, it’s the fastest by a South Jersey school this year and equivalent to Rumson-Fair Haven’s state-leading 3:55.23 from the Penn Relays.

Willingboro broke the meet record of 3:58.2 set in 1998 by Latasha Taylor, Takia Canty, Kendra Brown and Shakirah Rutherford.

The Chimeras had come close to breaking 4 minutes a couple times this year. They ran 4:01.17 indoors at the Meet of Champions at Ocean Breeze in March (the results don’t list any runners), they ran 4:01.33 to win the South Jersey Small School race at Penn with Wea, Speight, Murry and Robinson, and then they ran 4:01.39 to win the County Open.

Pennsauken ran 3:57.10 for 2nd with sophomore Amina Dyer, freshman Sianni Wynn, freshman Sanaya Dupree and sophomore Ameenah Rodriguez. Pennsauken is No. 4 in the state this year with its 3:55.75 at Penn.

Not really sure what’s up with team scoring. The results are a mess and they show Willingboro with a 74-61 lead over Burlington Township and Northern Burlington after nine events, but it appears the meet may be over and there are final results for 14 of 16 events in the Liberty girls division. Who knows.