From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Peyton Shute shattered a historic 36-year-old record Saturday at the Manhattan Invitational at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx.

Shute, a senior at Woodbury, ran 12:18.1 in the championship race at the Manhattan Invitational – the boys Easterns – the fastest time in course history by a South Jersey runner.

Shute broke the record of 12:20.5 on the legendary 2 ½-mile layout set in 1987 by Paul VI’s Jason DiJoseph, the 1988 Kinney (Foot Locker / Eastbay) National champion.

His time is 11th-fastest ever by a New Jersey runner at Vanny and 27th-fastest ever run on a course that’s hosted major meets since 1957.

Shute placed 2nd to Joe Barrett of Christian Brothers Academy of Lincroft, who won the race in 12:13.6, No. 6 in New Jersey history.

Here’s a start at an all-time South Jersey list at Van Cortlandt working from various sources, mostly connected with MileSplit but also from archives put together by the late New York State track stats guru Larry Byrne. There are definitely times missing from the 1970s and 1980s. Please let me know who else from South Jersey ran sub-12:50 at Vanny!

12:18.1 … Peyton Shute [Woodbury], 2023
12:20.5 … Jason DiJoseph [Paul VI], 1987
12:24.3 … Aaron Groff [Cherry Hill East], 2015
12:25.6 … Jonathan Vitez [Haddonfield], 2009
12:28 … Kevin Pumphrey [Highland], 1985
12:30 … Bill Stewart [Cherry Hill East], 1983
12:31 … Jim Smith [Haddonfield], 1979
12:32 … Ed Blakeley [Haddon Twp.], 1974
12:32.3 … Austin Gabay [Cinnaminson], 2019
12:35.1 … Josh Clark [Highland], 2015
12:35.9 … Shawn Hutchison [Bishop Eustace], 2014
12:38.7 … Steve Maine [Highland], 2013
12:41.6 … Martin Riddell [Haddonfield], 2019
12:45.7 … Dennis Fortuna [Triton], 2021
12:47.3 … Brett Johnson [Ocean City], 2008
12:47.3 … Mike Ungvarsky [Cinnaminson], 2016
12:47.7 … David Forward [Shawnee], 2009
12:48.6 … Connor Melko [Bishop Eustace], 2018
12:48.7 … George Andrus [Haddonfield], 2022
12:49.2 … Greg Eisenhower [Haddonfield], 2018