Delsea’s Jonathan Harris capped his remarkable sophomore season by becoming the first South Jersey sophomore to medal in a Meet of Champions shot put in more than a quarter of a century.
Harris placed 6th at the Meet of Champions with a big PR of 57-7.
Because physical development is such a big part of the weight throws, the shot is not an event that younger athletes often excel at. Harris is only the 6th soph to finish in the top six at Meet of Champs since 1999 (and two of the first five threw under 55 feet).
He’s the first South Jersey sophomore to place in a Meet of Champions in 27 years, since another Gloucester County thrower, Paulsboro’s Jon Kalnas, threw 59-0 ¼ to place 4th in the 1996 meet at South Plainfield.
Harris, a 1st-year thrower, first hit 50 feet at indoor Easterns at the Armory, where he placed 5th at 52-0. He improved to 53-1 ½ at Woodbury and 55-2 at South Jersey Elite and then 56-4 ½ to win Group 3 sectionals before taking 2nd at states with a 55-0 behind Mount Olive senior Nicholas Frattina’s 61-3 ¾.
At the Meet of Champs, Harris edged Cinnaminson senior Malicah Etienne [7th at 55-11] for top South Jersey honors.
His 57-7 is best by a South Jersey sophomore in 12 years, since Braheme Days Jr. of Bridgeton threw 61-7 ¼ at the 2011 South Jersey Open at Buena.
Harris moved into the No. 11 spot on a very deep, very competitive all-time Gloucester County list, five inches out of the top 10. He’s No. 4 in Delsea history.
He’s also No. 11 sophomore nationally according to MileSplit’s national database. Harris threw 57-7 too late to get into the Championship division of West Philly Nationals, but he’ll throw in the Rising Stars competition at 3 p.m. Saturday at Franklin Field along with Delsea junior Greg Masso, who has thrown 55-4 ¾ this spring.
All-Time Gloucester County 57-Foot List
64-10 ½ … Jon Kalnas [Paulsboro], 1997
62-10 ¼ … Nick Pulli [West Deptford], 2014
61-10 ½ … Harry Dilks [Pitman], 1971
61-6 … Josh Awotunde [Delsea], 2013
60-11 ½ … Ryan Knight [Delsea], 1996
59-7 ¾ … Chris Pressley [Woodbury], 2003
59-3 … Kwabena Keene [Washington Twp.], 2008
58-8 ½ … Bob Baylor [Paulsboro], 1965
58-0 ½ … Bill Goldsborough [Delsea Reg.], 2018
58-0 … Shamsiddan Little [Paulsboro], 2013
57-7 … Jonathan Harris [Delsea], 2023
57-1 … Rich Lewis [Williamstown], 1985
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 