Helene Usher became the 8th Haddonfield girl to run sub-11 for 3,200 meters Monday night at Haddonfield Distance Night.
Usher ran 10:59.39 and was the first girl across the line in the mixed 3,200 on her home track. Usher’s previous PR was an 11:03.92 earlier this month at the Camden County Championships at Haddon Township.
Usher and Highland senior Grace Wassell finished half a minute clear of the rest of the field. Wassell ran a lifetime-best 11:00.68. Wassell is primarily an 800-1,600 runner, but her previous best over 3,200 meters was 11:09.63 en route to a 11:13.54 full two-mile indoors in January of 2022 in Virginia Beach.
Haddonfield junior Ava Thomas ran 10:55.73 at the Camden County meet, and this is the first time ever Haddonfield has had two sub-11 two-milers the same season. [In 2014, Shelby Cain went under indoors and Briana Gess outdoors.]
In all, Usher is the 5th South Jersey girl to break 11 minutes this year, along with Northern Burlington sophomore Liliah Gordon [10:49.76], Paul VI junior Shaelan McNally [10:51.98], Thomas and Ocean City sophomore Maeve Smith [10:58.96].
This is the first time in eight years that five South Jersey girls have run sub-11. In 2015, Devon Grisbaum of Ocean City [10:40.35], Timber Creek’s Alyssa Condell [10:52.00], Lenape’s Megan Quimby [10:58.97], Mainland’s Alyssa Aldridge [10:58.99] and Pennsauken’s Amanda Bakley [10:59.56] all did it.
Wassell, Cherokee junior Kerry O’Day [11:01.22] and Clearview senior Abigail Waddington [10:02.35] are all just a second or two away.
Haddonfield all-time sub-11 list
10:28.6h….. Erin Donohue (Haddonfield], 2001 [South Jersey Group 2, Buena]
10:33.85 … Sarah Naticchia [Haddonfield], 2021 [Haddonfield Invitational]
10:37.53 … Vanessa Wright (Haddonfield], 2005 [Nike Outdoor Nationals, Greensboro, N.C.]
10:45.12 … Briana Gess (Haddonfield], 2014 [Group 2 States, Egg Harbor]
10:43.36y… Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], 2009 [Rowan Open, Glassboro]
10:48.78i … Shelby Cain [Haddonfield], 2014 [Meet of Champions, Toms River]
10:52.75 … Meghan Malloy [Haddonfield], 2013 [Haddonfield Invitational]
10:55.73 … Ava Thomas, 2023 [Camden County Championships, Haddon Township]
10:59.39 … Helene Usher, 2023 [Haddonfield Distance Night]
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 