Washington Township junior Dakota Jones had quite a breakthrough race Saturday at the Armory, running the fastest hurdles race by a Gloucester County girl in 10 years at the Hispanic Games.

Jones entered the season with a PR of 8.86 as a sophomore at last year’s state meet at the Bubble, but she lowered that to 8.57 in her 2023-24 season opener at the Armory last month and after an 8.58 in the trials Saturday she placed 4th in the final with an 8.46.

Although MileSplit no longer seems to update their performance lists as fast as they used to, her 8.46 appears to be No. 6 in New Jersey this year and No. 2 among juniors.

It’s also fastest by a Gloucester County hurdler since another Washington Township girl, Lexie Fraction, ran 8.37 at 2014 Easterns at the Armory. Fraction shares the county record with Kingsway’s Delicia Sample, who ran 8.37 to win the 2004 state Group 3 meet at Jadwin Gym.

Jones’ 8.46 appears to be No. 2 in South Jersey this year, behind Timber Creek senior Guerlande Pierre, who won the 55-meter highs Saturday at the Ocean Breeze Freedom Games with a PR and New Jersey No. 2 and public school No. 1 8.34, leading a 1-3-4 Timber Creek finish wiuth senior Nyla Jones [PR 8.57] and junior Billie Frazier [PR 8.63].

Gloucester County Sub-8.50 Hurdles List
8.37 … Delicia Sample [Kingsway], 2004
8.37 … Lexie Fraction [Washington Twp.], 2014
8.46 … Dakota Jones [Washington Twp.], 2024
8.48 … Christina Barbaro [Delsea], 2014
8.49 … Amaris Marsh [Deptford], 2018

The Paul VI girls seem to be ready for a fast 4-by-mile at Nationals judging by the way they ran Saturday at Ocean Breeze.

Senior Shaelan McNally, sophomores Giovanna Mantuano and Macy Huber and freshman Grace Gutowski combined to run 21:12.38 for 6,400 meters and while that’s a bit shorter than four miles, it’s still fast enough to be the equivalent of the 4th-fastest indoor 4-by-mile ever by a South Jersey school.

Haddonfield ran 20:53.03 at Armory Nationals in 2014, Cherokee ran 20:56.84 at the same shoe company meet but in Boston in 2023 and Lenape ran 21:03.64 at a different shoe company meet but in Boston but at a different track in 2010.

A 21:12.38 would have placed 7th at Boston Nationals last winter, just three seconds off All-America pace.

So while Paul VI’s performance doesn’t count, it would be 4th-fastest in South Jersey history if it came on a relay. Now, it’s harder to run a 4-by-mile than four individual miles just because in a 4-by-mile you’re often running by yourself, where in individual 1,600 or mile races you have plenty of company.

But still, this was a terrific group performance by the Paul VI girls.

McNally raced in the first of three sections, placing 6th in 5:10.97, an indoor PR and just four seconds off her outdoor PR of 5:06.74.

Huber ran in the second race and clocked 5:19.82. She ran 5:12.76 by the end of indoors last year at the state Parochial A meet at the Bubble.

Mantuano and Gutowski were both in the 3rd section, Mantuano finished first in 5:19.20 and Gutowski was 3rd in 5:22.39. Mantuano had never broken 6 minutes before this indoor season, but she ran 5:27.21 at the Bubble late last month and then cut another nine seconds off her PR with her 5:19.20 Saturday. And Gutowski finished just behind her in her first high school 1,600.

McNally, Mantuano, Huber and Gutowski were all part of Paul VI’s cross country team that placed 3rd at the state Parochial A meet at Holmdel.

The only other New Jersey school with four girls under 5:25 this winter is super-duper parochial all-star powerhouse landing spot for Central Jersey junior Olympic superstars Union Catholic.

Delsea graduate Elisia Lancaster won the weight throw at the Illini Open Saturday at the University of Illinois Armory in Champaign.

Lancaster, competing unattached, threw 77-2 ½, winning by nearly five feet over Phethisang Makhethe of Sasolburg, South Africa, and New Mexico State.

Lancaster also had throws of 75-3 ¼, 74-11 and 73-8 ¼.

It’s tough to tell since the World Athletics rankings database is a complete mess – and Lancaster’s bio doesn’t even list her ever competing in the weight throw – but the Track and Field Results Reporting Service shows her with a PR of 73-10 ¼ from a meet in February of 2022 in Nashville, when she was a senior at Southern Illinois.

It’s possible she’s had a better throw in an open meet since then, but it doesn’t show up anywhere. Maybe one day World Athletics will fix its web site. It’s getting dangerously close to USATF status at this point. USATF doesn’t even provide national rankings on its pathetic, archaic, useless web site.

Wish I could tell you where that 77-2 1/2 ranks in the U.S. so far this season, but the World Athletics site is not currently listing indoor events in its performance list database.

You’d think somebody would keep track of this stuff.

Anyway, Lancaster was one of the top hammer throwers in Division 1 while she was at Southern Illinois. She has a PR (we think) of 220-4 from May of 2022 in a meet at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.

For the 3rd straight year, the Cherokee girls 4-by-800 team made the trip to Lynchburg, Va., worth it with a win at the Liberty Premier Invitational.

Sophomore Alyssa Suriano, junior Megan Niglio, sophomore Maddie Meder and senior Kerry O’Day ran 9:46.72, and Cherokee finished 20 meters ahead of Blacksburg (Va.) High, who was 2nd in 9:50.37.

Cherokee won the 4-by-8 at Liberty in 2022 with Nikki Clifford, Kelsey Niglio, O’Day and Megan Niglio in 9:23.85 and last year in 9:42.11 with Meder, Kelsey and Megan Niglio and O’Day.

Surianno led off in 2:30.1 and got Cherokee into 3rd place when she handed off to Niglio, who split 2:27.5 and moved the Chiefs into 2nd place. Meder split 2:29.9 and kept Cherokee in 2nd and O’Day anchored in 2:19.2 and into the lead for good.

Cherokee’s time is No. 1 in South Jersey this year and No. 2 in the state, behind only Rumson-Fair Haven’s 9:45.74 at Ocean Breeze last month. It’s No. 17 nationally, according to the MileSplit database.

Timber Creek senior Naylah Jones ran the 5th-fastest 300 in South Jersey history and doubled back to win the 55 with a PR Saturday at the Ocean Breeze Freedom Games on Staten Island.

In the 300, Jones was 1st in 39.52, finishing six meters clear of 2nd-place Kendall Barnhart of Guilderland of Guilderland Center, N.Y.

Jones’ time is No. 9 on the U.S. list, according to the MileSplit database. It’s No. 2 in New Jersey this year. 1-100th of a second behind Rhia Randolph of parochial all-star team Union Catholic, who ran 39.51 at the Armory last month. Jones’ time is also No. 14 in state history.

Later in the afternoon, Jones won the 55 in 7.07, edging New Jersey No. 1 teammate Ryan Jennings, who was 2nd in 7.12. Jennings ran 7.04 last month at the Armory. Pennsauken’s Sianni Wynn also ran 7.04 this winter. Jones’ previous 55 PR was a 7.08 when she placed 3rd in the Meet of Champions in March at Ocean Breeze.

So Camden County currently has the three-fastest sprinters in the state with Jennings and Wynn tied for No. at 7.04 and Jones No. 3 at 7.07.

Jones’ 7.07 is tied for No. 15 in South Jersey history and is No. 8 on the all-time Camden County 55-meter dash performance list.

All-Time South Jersey Girls 300-Meter Dash Top-10
39.16 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow Twp.], 2006
39.17 … Sianni Wynn [Pennsauken], 2023
39.40 … Arianna Sharpe [Clayton], 2022
39.42 … Aliyah Taylor [Rancocas Valley], 2018
39.52 … Naylah Jones [Timber Creek], 2024
40.13 … Jasmine Still [Woodrow Wilson], 2006
40.15 … Amirah Sharpe [Clayton], 2021
40.2h … Evelyn Simpson [Camden], 1979
40.2h … Dana Burnett [Williamstown], 1996
40.22 … Nia Ali [Pleasantville], 2006
40.27 … Kiara Lester [Deptford]. 2014

All-Time New Jersey Girls 300-Meter Sub-40 List
36.82 … Sydney McLaughlin [Union Catholic], 2017
37.36 … Athing Mu [Trenton], 2020
38.73 … Olivia Baker [Columbia], 2014
38.79 … Wendy Vereen [Trenton], 1984
39.16 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow Twp.], 2006
39.17 … Sianni Wynn [Pennsauken], 2023
39.28 … Myasia Jacobs [Paramus Catholic], 2012
39.1h … Janine Davis [Queen of Peace], 2004
39.40 … Arianna Sharpe [Clayton], 2022
39.42 … Aliyah Taylor [Rancocas Valley], 2018
39.44 … Racquel Vassell [East Orange], 2007
39.47 … Mariah Fede [Paramus Catholic], 2020
39.51 … Stephanie Saleem [Neptune], 1985
39.52 … Naylah Jones [Timber Creek], 2024
39.3h … Mikele Barber [Montclair], 1998
39.3h … Tawana Watkins [Paterson Kennedy], 2002
39.85 … Chidumga Nkulume [Union Catholic], 2020
39.9h … Melisa Barber [Montclair], 1998
39.94 … Dominique Booker [Immaculate Conception], 2008

All-Time South Jersey 55-Meter Dash List
6.73y … Michelle Glover [Willingboro], 1981
6.88y … Patti Dunlap [Camden], 1979
6.91 … English Gardner [Eastern], 2010
6.95 … Bria Mack [Williamstown], 2017
6.95 … Torie Robinson [Winslow Twp.], 2014
6.95 … Denise Mitchell [Edgewood], 1983
6.98 … Lauren Princz [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2020
7.00 … Amandi Rhett [Moorestown], 2000
7.00 … Iyanli Kollock [Our Lady of Mercy], 2017
7.00 … Sianni Wynn [Pennsauken], 2023
7.01 … Aliyah Taylor [Rancocas Valley], 2017
7.04 … Ryan Jennings [Timber Creek], 2024
7.05 … Dana Burnett [Williamstown], 1996
7.06 … Jailya Ash [Eastern], 2019
7.07 … Aliya Harrison [Sterling], 2018
7.07 … Dennisha Page [Woodrow Wilson], 2019
7.07 … Annie Johnson [Shawnee], 2012
7.07 … Audrey Wilson [Deptford], 2009
7.07 … Magenta Taylor [Willingboro], 1999
7.07 … Angela Clyburn [Egg Harbor Twp.], 1991
7.07 … Naylah Jones [Timber Creek], 2024
7.08 … Naylah Jones [Timber Creek], 2023
7.09 … Ste’yce McNeil [Winslow Twp.], 2012
7.09 … Emily Carson [Haddonfield], 2013

The Willingboro boys ran their fastest 4-by-200 in 12 years Saturday at the Hispanic Games at the Armory.

The Chimeras won the 800-meter relay final in 1:30.59, No. 4 in the state this year and No. 4 in Burlington County history.

Unfortunately, the Armory results don’t list names. A possible lineup would include senior Rae-Juan Gayle, senior Jackson Murry – also a 14-foot pole vaulter – junior Theo Pryrce and senior hurdler Eric Foster. But if anybody reading this knows the Chimeras’ actual lineup please let us know in the comments section.

Thanks to a few people who gave us the lineup! It was indeed Gayle to Murry to Foster to Pryce, and as Eric let us know it was the first time that lineup had raced together!

Willingboro missed its school record by 1-100th of a second but obviously will have several more chances to get that. The 2012 team ran 1:30.58 at the Marine Corps Holiday Classic, also at the Armory. Names from that race are also unavailable because it was at the Armory, but the lineup likely included hurdler Isaac Williams and sprinter Darius Holmes.

Livingston High of Essex County led the qualifiers with a 1:29.76 and North Rockland of Thiells, N.Y., ran 1:31.01. But North Rockland didn’t race in the final, and Livingston finished 3rd in 1:30.90. Willingboro edged St. Peter’s Prep of Jersey City in the final. St. Peter’s ran 1:30.72.

Willingboro’s time is fastest by a Burlington County school indoors in seven years, since Rancocas Valley won Easterns with a 1:29.29 at the Armory in 2017. Lenape set the county – and then-state – record with its 1:28.46 at 2000 Easterns.

Cherokee graduatre Jack Shea ran a huge mile PR Friday in the Wagner College Shootout at Ocean Breeze.

Shea ran 4:08.12, closing in exactly 2:01.00. That’s fastest ever by a Cherokee alumni.

Shea was out conservatively with 32.27, 31.78 and 32.36 through 600 meters. At that point, he was in 5th place, about 15 meters behind early leader Johnny Sokoll, a junior at Wagner.

But Shea ran sub-31 for each of his last five laps, closing in 30.73, 30.05, 30.35. 30.06 and 30.55, taking the lead for good on the 6th lap. Jake Ireland of Central Connecticut wound up 2nd in 4:10.68.

Shea, competing for Shore Athletic Club, is listed with a previous mile PR of 4:20.32 in January of 2022 as a junior at Northern Arizona in a meet in Flagstaff. That makes this more than a 12-second PR. He ran 4:19.36 for 1,600 meters at the 2017 Burlington County Open at Rancocas Valley, which converts to a 4:20.86 mile (but you can’t convert up anyway).

Shea ran 13:44.57 in the spring of 2022 in Palo Alto, Calif., the fastest track 5,000 by a South Jersey runner in at least the last 40 years.

The previous Cherokee alumni mile best was a 4:08.58 by Marc Pelerin, which he hit twice – outdoors at the New Jersey Invitational in Colts Neck in 2004 and indoors in New York at the NYU Fastrack Invitational at the Armory in 2009.

Oakcrest senior Ryan Merlino shattered his own Atlantic County indoor pole vault record Wednesday at the South Jersey Track Coaches Association Winter Meet #7 at the Bubble in Toms River.

Merlino cleared 15-3, No. 4 in South Jersey history and No. 1 in New Jersey this year.

He broke his own county mark of 14-9, which he set in March at Boston Nationals. Merlino is No. 2 in Atlantic County history in all conditions behind Brandon Kurtz of Absegami, who cleared 15-7 outdoors at the 1991 South Jersey Group 3 meet at Bridgdeton.

According to the MileSplit U.S. database, Merlino is tied for 14th in the country.

So Merlino’s clearance is best indoors or outdoor by an Atlantic County vaulter in 33 years.

His outdoor PR and previous overall PR is 15-0 from a summer beach vault event in Atlantic City in July. Because that came after the end of the school year, his official high school PR before Wednesday was that 14-9 indoors in March. Merlino missed the championship season last spring with an injury.

The only superior vaults on the all-time South Jersey indoor list came from the Morales twins of Delsea – Marco cleared 16-0 at Ocean Breeze in 2020 and Nico 15-6 at the Bubble in 2019 – and a 15-6 from West Deptford’s Dan Batdorf at the Armory in 2008.

West Deptford senior Alex Spositi – whose indoor best last year was 10-0 – placed 2nd with a 13-0 clearance, matching his lifetime best from last month.

Event progression from Wednesday is not available – same with relay splits – because Bubble results are provided in a format that was popular in the early 1950s.

All-Time South Jersey 14-6 Indoor Pole Vault List
16-0 … Marco Morales [Delsea], 2020
15-6 … Dan Batdorf [West Deptford], 2008
15-6 … Nico Morales [Delsea], 2019
15-3 … Ryan Merlino [Oakcrest], 2024
15-1 … Dylan Altland [Kinsgway], 2014
15-0 ¼ … Devon Purves [Haddonfield], 2006
15-0 … Mark Murphy [Haddonfield], 1985
15-0 … Mike Davis [Haddonfield], 2004
15-0 … Mike Rivard [Haddonfield], 2009
15-0 … Noah Kriesman [Cherry Hill East], 2021
14-11 ¼ … Tom Jeffers [Triton], 2011
14-9 … Ryan Merlino [Oakcrest], 2023
14-7 … Brian Banks [Eastern], 2011
14-6 ¼ … Brandon Kurtz [Absegami], 1991
14-6 … Mike Maira [Seneca], 2009
14-6 … Michael Oberg [Ocean City],
14-6 … Jarrod Brovero [Delsea], 2016
14-6 … Kyle Loveland [Moorestown], 2016

All-Time New Jersey 15-0 Foot Indoor Pole Vault List
17-0 … Bill Lange [Bridgewater East], 1980
16-7 ¼ … Bradley Jelmert [Watchung Hills], 2020
16-6 ¼ …Brian O’Sullivan [Hillsborough], 2023
16-3 1/4 … Adam Sarafian [Ocean Twp.], 2004
16-2 1/4 … Don Heyburn [Cranford], 1980
16-1 1/4 … Craig Hunter [Robbinsville], 2013
16-0 … Marco Morales [Delsea], 2020
15-10 … Bill Hartley [Southern Reg.], 1976
15-9 … Liam Landau [Pascack Hills], 2019
15-6 … Casey DiCesare [Irvington], 2006
15-6 … Dan Batdorf [West Deptford], 2008
15-6 … Luke Annichiarico [Northern Valley], 2014
15-6 … Nico Morales [Delsea], 2019
15-6 … Vince Reilly [St. Joe’s-Metuchen], 1977
15-6 … Eric Richard [Bridgewater East], 1981
15-6 … Brian McSweeney [East Brunswick], 2019
15-6 … Simon Schenk [Princeton], 2019
15-6 … Conor Reilly [Union Catholic], 2020
15-6 … Connor Munson [Westwood], 2022
15-6 … Max Zuckerman [Pascack Hills], 2022
15-4 … Nick Eckett [Jackson Liberty], 2013
15-3 ½ … Tyler Hrbek [Northern Valley], 2018
15-3 ½ … David Bausmith [Hunterdon Central], 2018
15-3 … Eric Geider [Northern Valley], 2013
15-3 … Bruce Wodder [Northern Hunterdon], 1975
15-3 … Dan Bertolami [Woodbridge], 1984
15-3 … Ryan Merlino [Oakcrest], 2024
15-2 … Justin Amezquita [Governor Livingston], 2010
15-1 ¾ … Bert Reppen [Highland Park], 1974
15-1 ¾ … Jordan Subai [Toms River North], 2010
15-1 ½ … Anthony Abitante [Berkeley Heights], 2005
15-1 … Dylan Altland [Kinsgway], 2014
15-0 ¼ … Devon Purves [Haddonfield], 2006
15-0 ¼ … James Zeolla [West Morris Central], 2020
15-0 ¼ … Seth Kricheff [Old Tappan], 2018
15-0 … Will Nesbitt [Millburn], 1980
15-0 … Ray Maragni [Seton Hall Prep], 1983
15-0 … Mark Murphy [Haddonfield], 1985
15-0 … Kevin McGuire [Lawrenceville], 1989
15-0 … Mike Davis [Haddonfield], 2004
15-0 … Gabe Knutson [Ridgewood], 2004
15-0 … Greg Stripe [Mahwah], 2008
15-0 … Greg Hoffman [Park Ridge], 2009
15-0 … Greg Kelly [Toms River North], 2009
15-0 … Mike Rivard [Haddonfield], 2009
15-0 … John Brinkerhoff [Veritas Christian Academy], 2011
15-0 … Peter Fagan [Westfield], 2013
15-0 … Jordan Pacheco [Morris Hills], 2013
15-0 … Mike Benz [Delbarton], 2014
15-0 … Abe Gertler [Madison], 2014
15-0 … Trevor Knowles [North Hunterdon], 2014
15-0 … Connor Bennett [Toms River North], 2020
15-0 … Brendan Sheehan [Hillsborough], 2020
15-0 … Noah Kriesman [Cherry Hill East], 2021
15-0 …Kevin O’Sullivan [Hillsborough], 2022
15-0 … Cade Zeolla [West Morris Central], 2023
15-0 … Damian Scouloukas [Hunteron Central], 2023

Sophomore Emma Preissman, senior Gillian Lovett and junior Sofia Day led Mainland Regional to the No. 2 times in the state Wednesday in both the 3,200-meter relay and the distance medley.

Preissman, Lovett and Day were joined by junior Ava McDole on the 4-by-8 team and by sophomore Madison Taylor on the DMR at the South Jersey Track Coaches Association Winter Meet #7 at the Bubble.

Mainland won the DMR in 12:36.80 and the 4-by-8 in 9:47.86. On the DMR, Preissman ran the 1,200, Taylor the 400, Day the 800 and Lovett the 1,600. On the 4-by-8, the order listed in the results is Pressman, Lovett, Day and McDole. As usual, splits not available as usual in Bubble results.

The 4-by-8 time is No. 2 in Atlantic County indoor history, behind a 9:21.38 by Buena at Easterns at the Armory with the team of Stephanie Maxwell, Lauren Ricci, Katrina Sye and Cheryl Ewing. Mainland broke its school record of 9:48.47 set this past February at Ocean Breeze.

The DMR time is No. 4 in Atlantic County history behind Egg Harbor in 2020 [12:11.47 at Easterns at the Armory], 2017 [12:46.31 at the state Group 4 relays at the Bubble] and 2016 [12:53.16 at the state relays].

No. 1 New Jersey DMR is Paul VI’s 12:31.11 last month at Ocean Breeze with sophomores Claire Magee Giovanna Mantuano and Macy Huber and senior Shaelan McNally. No. 1 4-by-8 in New Jersey so far this year is Rumson-Fair Haven’s 9:45.74 last month, also at Ocean Breeze.

Atlantic County Indoor DMR List
12:11.47 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2020
12:36.80 … Mainland Regional, 2024
12:46.31 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2017
12:53.16 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2016

Atlantic County Indoor 4×800 List
9:21.38 … Buena, 1999
9:47.86 … Mainland Regional, 2024
9:48.47 … Mainland Regional, 2023

Yashahya Brown anchored Washington Township to the No. 2 shuttle hurdles time in the country Wednesday at the Bubble.

Zachary Kotel, Nino DiGiacomo and Aidan Ellis ran the first three legs before Brown, the top-ranked hurdler in the country so far this year, brought the Minutemen home in 30.73.

According to the MileSplit national database, the only faster time in the U.S. this year is a 30.45 by Fordham Prep of the Bronx at the Armory last week.

Township’s time is No. 3 in Gloucester County history, behind only Deptford’s South Jersey-record 29.45 at the 2019 state Group 2 relays at the Bubble and Washington Township’s 30.52 at the 2012 state Group 4 relays, also at the Bubble.

The time is No. 16 in South Jersey history.

Deptford placed 2nd in 31.23 and Oakcrest also dipped under 32 seconds, in 3rd place with a 31.95. Ryan Sanchez, Manny Perdue, Larry Norman and Keenan Jones ran for Deptford and Clayton Husta, Kelvin Urena, Armando Velazquez and Asmar Gibbs for Oakcrest.

All-Time South Jersey Indoor Shuttle Hurdles List
29.45 … Deptford, 2019
29.72 … Winslow Twp., 2004
29.74 … Egg Harbor, 2009
30.07 … Oakcrest, 2012
30.18 … Winslow Twp., 2020
30.22 … Camden, 2009
30.26 … Winslow Twp., 2003
30.41 … Camden, 1996
30.42 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2020
30.47 … Willingboro, 2012
30.52 … Washington Twp., 2012
30.62 … Lenape, 1997
30.63 … Camden, 2001
30.64 … Seneca, 2012
30.67 … Willingboro, 2007
30.73 … Washington Twp., 2024
30.81 … Willingboro, 2016
30.90 … Winslow Twp. 2015
30.92 … Seneca, 2006
30.94 … Deptford, 2018
30.96 … Woodrow Wilson, 1998
30.98 … Washington Twp., 2023

All-Time Gloucester County Shutte Hurdles Top-10
29.45 … Deptford, 2019
30.52 … Washington Twp., 2012
30.73 … Washington Twp., 2024
30.94 … Deptford, 2018
30.98 … Washington Twp., 2023
31.11 … Washington Twp., 2011
31.23 … Deptford, 2024
31.29 … Delsea Reg., 2010
31.43 … Deptford, 2015
31.44 … Deptford, 2016
31.64 … Delsea Reg., 2009