Thanks to a blistering 61-second final lap, senior Nick Scarangelli became Ocean City’s first outdoor individual state champion in 15 years Saturday morning with a PR win in the 3,200 at the state Group 3 meet at Delsea.
Scarangelli ran 9:20.89, finishing 10 meters ahead of Wayne Valley senior Sean Matthews, who was 2nd in 9:22.85.
He negative split 4:44.78 and 4:36.11.
Scarangelli’s previous PR was a 9:24.12 from South Jersey Elite on the same track last month. Although Ocean City won the Group 3 4-by-800 with Tyler Greene, *Owen Ritti, Brendan Schlatter and Drew Tarr in 2021, Scarangelli is Ocean City’s first individual state champ since Brett Johnson won the 800 in 1:53.49 and the 1,600 in 4:14.55 in 2008 at South Plainfield.
With 800 meters to go, seven runners were separated by two seconds. Scarangelli and Matthews gapped the field on the 7th lap and at the bell, Matthews had a slight lead, thanks to a 68-second lap.
Matthews closed in a fast 63.68 but Scarangelli ran his final lap in 61.43 to lock up his first state title.
Scarangelli won the 3,200 at the indoor state meet at the Bubble in 9:34.61.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 