The formula for Eastern was a simple one. Lots of the Dumas sisters, a big-time hurdler in Johnay Stilley and huge points from the throwers.,
It added up to a championship in the South Jersey Group 4 meet at Pennsauken.
Senior Kadence Dumas picked up a 1st and two 2nds, freshman sister added a 1st and a 4th, Johnay Stilley won the hurdles and the throwing team – led by Savana Dodd – scored a whopping 31 points as the Eastern girls won their first sectional title since 2002 this weekend at Pennsauken.
Eastern outscored Toms River North 94-78 to win a four-team battle, with Rancocas Valley [72] and Washington Township [63] also in the mix. Eastern’s only previous title came in 2002, when the Vikings outscored Southern Regional 71-53 ½ at Buena.
Kadence Dumas dropped a second off her 800 PR and won in a school-record 2:13.52, holding off Toms River North freshman Jessica Abbott by 1-10th of a second and becoming the first Eastern half-miler ever to win a sectional title.
Her time is No. 7 in Camden County history:
2:07.33 … Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], 2009
2:08.87 … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2001
2:11.45 … Sydney Coppolino [Sterling], 2017
2:11.80 … Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 2016
2:12.85 … Greta Feldman [Haddonfield], 2008
2:13.34 … Holly Cosnett [Haddonfield], 2000
2:13.52 … Kadence Dumas [Eastern], 2023
2:13.72 … Lindsay Colflesh [Haddonfield], 2021
2:13.74 … Briana Roberts [Pennsauken], 2016
2:14.08 …Lindsay Thomas [Wilson], 2003
2:14.0h … Sue Handlan [Haddonfield], 1976
2:14.0h … Kathy Ezell [Sterling], 1982
She also ran a hot lifetime-best 55.90 in the 400, finishing 2nd to Pennsauken freshman Sianni Wynn’s 54.01. The versatile Dumas also took 2nd to Abbott in the 1,600 with a 5:09.39.
Here’s a look at the all-time Camden County 400 list, which added three names this weekend:
53.00 … English Gardner [Eastern], 2007
54.01 … Sianni Wynn [Pennsauken], 2023
54.36 … Shakira Dancy [Winslow Twp.], 2018
54.41 … Dennisha Page [Woodrow Wilson], 2019
54.93 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow Twp.], 2004
55.11 … Nichole Bartley [Highland], 1992
55.21 … Avionne Sloan [Camden], 2006
55.24 … Jasmine Still [Wilson], 2005
55.2h … Loretta Thompson [Camden], 1980
55.5h … Denise Mitchell [Edgewood], 1983
55.65 … Jade Pope [Pennsauken], 2018
55.83 … Naylah Jones [Timber Creek], 2023
55.90 … Kadence Dumas [Eastern], 2023
55.97 … Nylah Perry [Winslow Twp.], 2019
Younger sister Natalie made it 40 points from one family with a win in the 400-meter hurdles and a 4th in the flat 400. Natalie Dumas ran 1:04.01 in the 400IH and 56.53 in the 400, both personal bests.
Senior Johnay Stilley, competing for the first time in two months, gave Eastern a huge win in the 100-meter hurdles with a PR 14.82 in her first 100 hurdles race since last year’s Meet of Champions.
Eastern also took 4th in the 400-meter relay in 49.59 and 2nd in the 4-by-4 in 3:54.99 and we finally have names to go with these relays!
Natalie Dumas led off both relays, followed by Stilley, sophomore Johnna Gonter and junior Lomaria Tengbeh on the 4-by-1 and by sophomore Samantha Osei-Kyei, senior Mackenzie James and Kadence Dumas on the 4-by-4.
As for the throwers, senior Savana Dodd was huge, with 2nd-place finishes in both the shot [37-5] and discus [117-8], junior Zoe Goldberg threw 132-2 for 2nd in the javelin and 104-5 for 6th in the discus and junior Aniyah Smith placed in all three throws. She was 5th in the shot at 33-4, 4th in the disc at 116-6 and 4th in the javelin at 109-4.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 