Delsea sophomore Jonathan Harris PR’d again Saturday and won the Rising Stars shot put at West Philly Nationals with a 58-4 ½ bomb on the throwing fields outside Franklin Field.
Harris just PR’d with a 57-7 for 6th place at the Meet of Champions. As recently as the first week of May, he had never thrown beyond 53-1 ½.
Harris, a 1st-year thrower, threw 55 feet for the first time at the South Jersey Elite last month at Delsea, then hit 56 feet for the first time at sectionals.
His 58-4 ½ the best by a South Jersey sophomore since Braheme Days Jr. of Bridgeton threw 61-7 ¼ at the 2011 South Jersey Invitational at Buena.
According to the MileSplit national database, he now ranks 8th among all U.S. sophomores. No. 1 soph is Bergen Catholic’s Ben Shue, who threw 64-0 at a meet in Hackensack last month.
There have been 12 58-foot throwers in Gloucester County history, and Delsea claims six of them.
All-Time Gloucester County 57-Foot List
64-10 ½ … Jon Kalnas [Paulsboro], 1997
63-2 ½ … Jason Nwosu [Delsea], 2022
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
59-11 ½ … Joe Metzger [Delsea], 2021
59-7 ¾ … Chris Pressley [Woodbury], 2003
59-3 … Kwabena Keene [Washington Twp.], 2008
58-8 ½ … Bob Baylor [Paulsboro], 1965
58-4 ½ … Jonathan Harris [Delsea], 2023
58-0 ½ … Bill Goldsborough [Delsea Reg.], 2018
58-0 … Shamsiddan Little [Paulsboro], 2013
57-1 … Rich Lewis [Williamstown], 1985
All-Time South Jersey Shot Put List
68-8 ½ … Braheme Days Jr. [Bridgeton] 2012
64-10 ½ … Jon Kalnas [Paulsboro], 1997
64-6 ¼ … Ron Dayne [Overbook], 1996
64-5 … Ray Wilks [Bridgeton], 1995
64-4 ¼ … Chris Robinson [Penns Grove], 1990
63-2 ½ … Jason Nwosu [Delsea], 2022
63-0 … Lou Gordon [Bridgeton], 1995
62-10 ¼ … Nick Pulli [West Deptford], 2014
61-11 ¾ … Kamron Kobolak [Cinnaminson], 2018
61-10 ½ … Harry Dilks [Pitman], 1971
61-6 … Josh Awotunde [Delsea], 2013
61-4 ½ … Bubba Green [Millville], 1976
61-4 … Kofi Yamoah [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2013
61-2 ½ … Matthew Huckabee, [Timber Creek], 2010
60-11 ½ … Ryan Knight [Delsea], 1996
60-11 ……. Lucciano Pizarro [Cherokee], 2019
60-7 1/2 … Ell Ash [Willingboro], 2004
60-6 ½ … Tati White [Willingboro], 1994
60-5 ¼ … Chris Bolden [Edgewood], 1990
60-3 … Dontaye Rivera [Pleasantville], 2012
60-1 … Bill Banks [Wilson], 1973
59-10 ½ … Mike Gorczynski [Cherry Hill East], 1977
59-8 ½ … Jim Casson [Paul VI], 1975
59-7 ¾ … Chris Pressley [Woodbury], 2003
59-7 … Russ Willett [Penns Grove], 1986
59-6 … Dave Dixon [Mainland Reg.], 1987
59-5 ¼ … Cade Antonucci [Holy Spirit], 2017
58-11 ½ … Howard Clark [Pennsauken], 1998
59-11 ½ … Joe Metzger [Delsea], 2021
58-9 ½ … Michael Daniels [Highland Reg.], 2007
59-3 … Kwabena Keene [Washington Twp.], 2008
58-8 ½ … Bob Baylor [Paulsboro], 1965
58-7 … Duane Sanders [Cinnaminson], 2003
58-6 ½ … Dean Van Ness [Riverside], 1970
58-4 ½ … Jonathan Harris [Delsea], 2023
58-3 … Shane Thompson [Clayton], 2022
58-1 ½ … John Clark [Pennsville], 2007
58-1 … Keith Hinson [Pennsauken], 1979
58-0 ½ … Bill Goldsborough [Delsea Reg.], 2018
58-0 … Steve Hanson [Holy Spirit], 1982
58-0 … Shamsiddan Little [Paulsboro], 2013
58-0 … James Plummer [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2013
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 