From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Washington Township senior Yashahya Brown, the state record holder in the hurdles, smashed the Easterns meet record yesterday.

Brown easily won the 55-meter hurdles at the 88th annual Easterns at the Armory in 7.10, just 4-100ths of a second off his state-record 7.06 from the South Jersey Group 4 sectional meet at the Bubble.

He smashed the meet record of 7.10, set just last year by Nathaniel Rayan of Scotch Plains-Fanwood, who ran 7.14 in the final and broke a 44-year-old meet record set in 1979 by Rod Wilson of Bartram at Jadwin Gym.

Brown is the 13th South Jersey hurdler to win an Easterns title going back to William Mitchell of Collingswood, who won the 60-yard highs in 1943. He’s the second Washington Township hurdler to win Easterns. Devon Carter won the 2010 meet at the Armory.

Washington Township’s other Easterns winner is Todd Dutch, who was 1st in the 200 in 2002 at the Armory.

The fastest previous South Jersey hurdler at Easterns was Delsea’s Sultan Tucker, who won the 1996 race in 7.23, edging Pleasantville’s Nate Harley, who ran 7.29.

Brown ran 7.43 in the trials and 7.20 in the semis. Williamstown senior Alexander Hollimon placed 3rd with a 7.40 in the final, giving Gloucester County a 1-3 finish. His time was just off his lifetime-best 7.36 from last month at the Bubble.

Here’s a look at the fastest times in meet history, with a + indicated the race was run at the identical 60-yard distance:

All-Time Easterns 55-Meter Hurdles List
7.10 … Yashahya Brown [Washington Twp.], 2024
7.14 … Nathaniel Rayan [Scotch Plains-Fanwood], 2023
7.17+ … Rodney Wilson [Bartrum, Pa.], 1979
7.20 … Sincere Rhea [St. Augustine], 2019
7.23 … Sultan Tucker [Delsea], 1996
7.27+ … Patrick Mann [Gar-Field, Va.], 1984
7.28+ … Calvin Holmes [Denbeigh, Va.], 1984
7.29 … Anthony Acklin [Triton], 2001
7.29 … Nate Harley [Pleasantville], 1996
7.29 … Will Brown [Palmyra], 2006
7.30+ … James Purvis [Brentwood, N.Y.], 1984
7.31s … Danyne Brown [Camden], 1999

All-Time S.J. Hurdles Winners at Easterns
1943 … William Mitchell [Collingswood] 7.8y
1985 … Jonathan Dickey [Penns Grove] 7.32y
1989 … Gerard Reynolds [Willingboro] 7.44y
1990 … Gerard Reynolds [Willingboro] 7.35y
1995 … Sultan Tucker [Delsea] 7.47
1996 … Sultan Tucker [Delsea] 7.23
1999 … Danyne Brown [Camden] 7.34
2000 … Rashad Baker [Woodrow Wilson] 7.39
2001 … Anthony Acklin [Triton] 7.29
2002 … Matt Dahms [Haddonfield] 7.52
2006 … Will Brown [Palmyra] 7.29
2010 … Devon Carter [Washington Twp.] 7.49
2019 … Sincere Rhea [St. Augustine] 7.20
2020 … Anthony Vasquez [Egg Harbor Twp.] 7.45

All-Time Gloucester County Winners at Easterns
BOYS
55-Meter Dash
1965 … George Hartsfield [Glassboro], 6.3y
1966 … Bill Gaines [Clearview], 6.4y
1970 … John Boxley [Deptford], 6.5y
2012 … Anthony Averett [Woodbury], 6.46
200-Meter Dash
2002 … Todd Dutch [Washington Twp.], 21.62
2012 … Darrell Bush [Woodbury], 21.53
Mile Run
1943 … Browning Ross [Woodbury], 4:37.5
2013 … Bill Dolan [Clearview], 4:21.51
55-Meter Hurdles
1995 … Sultan Tucker [Delsea], 7.47
1996 … Sultan Tucker [Delsea], 7.23
2010 … Devon Carter [Washington Twp.], 7.49
2020 … Anthony Vasquez [Egg Harbor Twp.], 7.45
High Jump
2015 … Ameer Banks [Delsea], 6-10
Pole Vault
2008 … Dan Batdorf [West Deptford], 15- 6
Long Jump
2012 … Anthony Averett [Woodbury], 23- 7 ¾
Triple Jump
2014 … Tristan Wilson [Delsea], 48- 8 ½
2018 … Khaliel Burnett [Delsea], 49- 1
Shot Put
2002 … Jason Nwosu [Delsea], 61-5
800-Meter Relay
2015 … Deptford, 1:30.51

GIRLS
Mile Run
2017 … Rachel Vick [Kingsway], 4:55.96
High Jump
2023 … Alanna Woolfolk [Clayton], 5-8
1,600-Meter Relay
2010 … Washington Township, 3:58.85