From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

It was the greatest discus competition in New Jersey sectional history, and it happened Saturday afternoon at Pennsauken.

Glassboro junior Damere Lassiter and Penns Grove senior Janier Armstead became the first duo in New Jersey sectional track history to both throw 180 feet in the same competition.

Full series aren’t available – thanks for nothing, “EliteFeats” – but Lassiter won the South Jersey Group 1 meet with a throw of 184-8, and Armstead was 2nd with a 183-4.

Both were well beyond the previous South Jersey Group 1 meet record of 171-8 set by Pennsville’s John Clark at the 2007 meet at Egg Harbor and they are the 2nd- and 3rd-best throws ever in any Group 1 sectional behind a 187-8 throw by Giovanni Gutierrez of Saddle Brook in the 2017 North 1 Group 1 meet at Randolph.

The best previous 2nd-place performance behind a 180-foot winning throw in state sectional history came in 1995 at West Deptford. Overbrook’s Ron Dayne, who five years later would be the 11th pick in the NFL draft, won the discus at 187-4 and Jackson’s Jay Ziemack was 2nd with a 171-7.

Lassiter and Armstead popped the two-best throws ever by South Jersey Group 1 athletes and they’re No. 3 and 4 in the state this year, behind Southern’s Fabian Gonzalez [203-2 at Penn] and Bergen Catholic’s Ben Shue [200-10 in a meet at Demarest last month].

The only New Jersey Group 1 throwers in at least 20 years to throw farther than Lasster and Armstead are Hopatcong’s Phil Smith [189-4 at the 2005 state Group 1 meet at Egg Harbor] and Gutierrez in 2017.

Lassiter’s 184-8 is No. 12 in South Jersey history, best ever by a Group 1 thrower and No. 2 in Gloucester County history, behind Delsea’s Josh Awotunde, the World Championships bronze medalist last year, who threw 192-5 at the state Group 3 meet at South Plainfield, and Deptford’s Ken Manhana, who threw a then-South Jersey-record 185-5 at the 1976 Gloucester County Championships at Woodbury. Armstead is No. 15 in South Jersey history and No. 2 in Salem County history, behind school record holder Russ Willett, who threw 185-10 at the 1985 Bridgeton Relays.

They are No. 8 and 12 in South Jersey sectional history in any group:

198-0 … Ron Dayne [Overbrook], 1995 [Group 4]
187-4 … Ron Dayne [Overbrook], 1994 [Group 4]
186-7 … Dan Gilligan [Toms River East], 2016 [Group 3]
185-11 … John Mooers [Middle Twp.], 2015 [Group 2]
185-9 … Fabian Gonzalez [Southern Reg.], 2022 [Group 4]
185-6 … James Plummer [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2013 [Group 4]
185-0 … Braheme Days Jr. [Bridgeton], 2013 [Group 2]
184-8 … Damere Lassiter [Glassboro], 2023 [Group 1]
184-5 … Ray Wilks [Bridgeton], 1995 [Group 3]
184-3 … Kamron Kobolak [Cinnaminson], 2018 [Group 2]
183-6 … Todd Stueber [Toms River South], 2017 [Group 3]
183-4 … Janier Armstead [Penns Grove], 2023 [Group 1]
182-0 … Fabian Gonzalez [Southern Reg.], 2021 [Group 4]
180-0 … Kevin Benson [Toms River North], 2015 [Group 4]

Lassiter, whose best throw last year was 149-5, had a PR of 159-7 going into sectionals from the Delsea Crusader Field Meet a week earlier. Armstea’’s best was a 177-3 from the Woodbury Relays, where he finished 2nd to Southern’s Gonzalez.

Lassiter is the top underclassman in South Jersey since Days [190-3] and Awotunde [186-9] in 2012. His 184-8 appears to be the best throw ever by a Group 1 junior in New Jersey.

Here’s an updated look at the all-time South Jersey 180-foot list:

216-11 … Ron Dayne [Overbrook], 1996
199- 6 … Braheme Days Jr. [Bridgeton], 2013
197- 0 … James Plummer [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2013
192- 5 … Josh Awotunde [Delsea], 2013
191-11 … Franklin Simms [St. Augustine], 2022
189- 7 … Ray Wilks [Bridgeton], 1995
185-11 … John Mooers [Middle Twp.], 2015
185-10 … Russ Willett [Penns Grove], 1985
185- 7 … Matt Huckabee [Timber Creek], 2010
185- 6 … Kamron Kobolak [Cinnaminson], 2018
185- 5 … Ken Manahan [Deptford], 1976
184-8 … Damere Lassiter [Glassboro], 2023
184- 4 … Adam Hunt [Collingswood], 2017
183-9 … Jason Nwosu [Delsea], 2022
183-4 … Janier Armstead [Penns Grove], 2023
181-10 … Jason Winrow [Cumberland Reg.], 1989
180- 3 … Howard Clark [Pennsauken], 1998