From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Cherokee senior Robert Poplau won the state Group 4 800 title Saturday and shattered a 23-year-old Burlington County 800-meter record along the way.

Poplau ran 1:54.64 and led six half-milers under 1:56 in a very fast race on a very slow Bubble track in Toms River. He finished about a meter in front of Howell junior Michael Card, 2nd in 1:54.85.

His time is 8th-fasteast in South Jersey history.

Also in the mix was Egg Harbor Township senior Christopher Manzo, who was 5th in a huge PR of 1:55.74. His previous indoor PR was a 1:58.20 on the same track last month. He ran 1:55.93 outdoores last spring at the Meet of Champions at Franklin High. More on him below!

Poplau broke the Burlington County record of 1:54.80 set at 2001 Easterns at the Armory by Willingboro’s Marvin Lewis. He broke the 25-year-old Cherokee indoor record of 1:56.02 at New York Nationals in 1999 at the Armory.

Poplau is No. 2 in the state this year behind Patrick Kurtz of Pascack Valley, who ran 1:54.51 earlier this month at the Armory.

Poplau’s previous indoor PR was 1:57.55 last month at Ocean Breeze. He ran 1:56.31 last spring in New Brunswick.

His time is fastest by a South Jersey 800 runner at states since 2013, when Derrell Manhertz of Kingsway won the Group 3 race in 1:53.79.

The field went out fast – 27 through the first 200 and 55 through 400 – and the last lap was a matter of who was strongest hanging on for dear life, and it was Poplau who pulled it out in the final 50 meters.

As for Manzo, his time is 7th-fastest in Atlantic County indoor history. He broke the indoor school record of 1:56.43 set by Eric Barnes at the 2017 Meet of Champions at the Bubble.

All-Time South Jersey Indoor 800 Top 10
1:51.52 … Jacob Clark [Pleasantville], 2013
1:51.72 … Isaac Clark [Pleasantville], 2013
1:51.80 … Derrell Manhertz [Kingsway], 2013
1:52.46 … Gabriel Moronta [Pleasantville], 2020
1:53.51 … Alan Laws [Pleasantville], 2007
1:53.68 … Ishmael Muhammad [Oakcrest], 2013
1:54.53 … Stone Caraccio [Kingsway], 2020
1:54.64 … Robert Poplau [Cherokee], 2024
1:54.80 … Marvin Lewis [Willingboro], 2001
1:54.81 … Bill Dolan [Clearview], 2013
1:54.82 … Xavier Fraction [Washington Twp.], 2009

All-Time Burlington County Indoor 800 Top 10List
1:54.80 … Marvin Lewis [Willingboro], 2001
1:55.14 … Zach McBride [Lenape], 2002
1:55.19 … Isaiah Curbelo [Rancocas Valley], 2016
1:55.84 … Matt Poskus [Cinnaminson], 2007
1:56.02 … Dave Sitzer [Cherokee], 1999
1:56.2h … Roger Lawyer [Willingboro], 1988
1:56.37 … Ian Waterhouse [Rancocas Valley], 2004
1:56.46 … Jalen Jones [Burlington Twp.], 2017
1:56.52 … Rob Novak [Bordentown], 2005
1:56.69 … Sean Watson [Willingboro], 1995

All-Time Atlantic County Indoor 800 Top 10List
1:51.52 … Jacob Clark [Pleasantville], 2013
1:51.72 … Isaac Clark [Pleasantville], 2013
1:52.46 … Gabriel Moronta [Pleasantville], 2020
1:53.51 … Alan Laws [Pleasantville], 2007
1:53.68 … Ishmael Muhammad [Oakcrest], 2013
1:55.16 … Joe Lewis [Pleasantville], 1998
1:55.74 … Christopher Manzo [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2024
1:56.43 … Eric Barnes [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2017
1:56.73 … Dan Galeano [Absegami], 2010
1:56.77 … Larry Ramirez [Pleasantville], 2010