From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

The Willingboro girls made history Tuesday night by winning both the 800- and 1,600-meter relays at the 88th annual Easterns States Championships at the Armory.

After winning the 800-meter relay in 1:41.70 – we wrote about that race here – the Chimeras came back a couple hours later and won the 4-by-4 in 4:05.50.

We know the 4-by-200 runners were sophomore Kaila Speight, freshman Maya Bolden, senior Jaden Murray and junior Nester Wea. Incredibly, the Armory doesn’t list relay names in its results, but we’re going to assume until we learn otherwise that the same four girls ran the 4-by-4. When Willingboro ran their season-best 4:01.95 at states to wrap up the state Group 2 team title, it was listed as Murry to Wea to Speight to Bolden in the results.

Willingboro became the first New Jersey school in the meet’s 43-year history of the girls meet to sweep the 4-by-2 and 4-by-4 and only the third school overall to record that remarkable double.

In 1998, Simon Gratz of Philadelphia won the 4-by-2 in 1:42.34 and the 4-by-4 in 3:52.31, and in 2005, Hempstead, N.Y., ran 1:40.51 and 3:53.94 to win both relays.

Wilingboro is actually only the second South Jersey school to ever win both relays. Camden won the 4-by-2 in 2008 and 2009 and the 4-by-4 in 1993 and 1995.

The Chimeras had never won the 4-by-2 at Easterns. This was their 4th 4-by-4 win after finishing first in 2000, 2002 and 2003.

Here’s a look at South Jersey 4-by-2 and 4-by-4 winners at Easterns.

800-Meter Relay
2000 … Moorestown, N.J. 1:40.77
2008 … Camden, N.J. 1:41.19
2009 … Camden, N.J. 1:41.98
2018 … Winslow Twp., N.J. 1:39.75
2022 … Winslow Twp., N.J. 1:43.58
2024 … Willingboro, N.J. 1:41.70

1,600-Meter Relay
1993 … Camden, N.J. 4:00.68y
1995 … Camden, N.J. 3:50.17y
2000 … Willingboro,N.J. 3:56.62
2002 … Willingboro,N.J. 3:52.76
2003 … Willingboro,N.J. 3:49.27
2006 … Woodrow Wilson, N.J. 3:52.55
2008 … Millville, N.J. 3:54.82
2009 … Millville, N.J. 3:57.67
2010 … Washington Township 3:58.85
2024 … Willingboro, N.J. 4:05.50

And here’s a look at the South Jersey-record 23 Easterns titles Willingboro has won:

BOYS
55-Meter Dash
1981 … George McKey [Willingboro]6.44y
300-Yard Dash
1991 … Lamont Smith [Willingboro] 31.34
55-Meter Hurdles
1989 … Gerard Reynolds [Willingboro] 7.44y
1990 … Gerard Reynolds [Willingboro] 7.35y
High Jump
2002 … Mike Morrison [Willingboro] 7- 0
2003 … Mike Morrison [Willingboro] 7- 2
Long Jump
1978 … Carl Lewis [Willingboro] 23-11 ¼
1979 … Carl Lewis [Willingboro] 25- 5 ½
1990 … Gerard Reynolds [Willingboro] 24- 6 ¼
2003 … Mike Morrison [Willingboro] 23- 2
Shot Put
2004 … Ell Ash [Willingboro] 60- 0 ½
800-Meter Relay
1988 … Willingboro [Doug Newman, Malik Crawford, Sean Scott, Chris Donaldson] 1:31.33y
3,200-Meter Relay
2002 … Willingboro [Edmund Dixon, Rashad Lee, Shareef Muhammad, Ahmad Rutherford] 7:53.64
2003 … Willingboro [Ahmad Rutherford, Shareef Muhammad, Edmund Dixon, Rashad Lee] 7:52.95

GIRLS
55-Meter Dash
1980 … Michelle Glover [Willingboro] 6.5y
400-Meter Dash
2003 … Okechi Ogbuokiri [Willingboro] 55.14
Long Jump
1980 … Carol Lewis [Willingboro] 20- 6 ¼
1995 … Selina Burton [Willingboro] 17- 3
800-Meter Relay
2024 … Willingboro [Kaila Speight, Maya Bolden, Jaden Murry, Nester Wea], 1:41.70
1,600-Meter Relay
2000 … Willingboro [Simone Thomas, Shakirah Rutherford, Halimah Bashir, Danielle Myricks] 3:56.62
2002 … Willingboro [Channel Hamilton, Halimah Bashir, Rhea Mann, Okechi Ogubokiri] 3:52.76
2003 … Willingboro [Rhea Mann, Halimah Bashir, Channel Hamilton, Okechi Oguokiri] 3:49.27
2024 … Willingboro [Kaila Speight, Maya Bolden, Jaden Murry, Nester Wea] 4:05.50