Indiana Tech senior hurdler Javon Sanders, a Deptford graduate, earned All-America honors Saturday and nearly won his first national title at the NAIA Championships in Brookings, S.D.
Sanders ran a lifetime-best 7.91 and placed 2nd to Tajean Houston of Texas Wesleyan of Fort Worth at Sanford-Jackrabbit Athletic Complex on the South Dakota State University campus.
Sanders was only the 5th-fastest qualifier on Friday with an 8.03 to win his heat. But in the final, racing out of Lane 7, he came within 3-100ths of a second of Houston, the NAIA champion at 110 meters last spring in 13.87 in Marion, Ind.
Last year, Sanders was 5th at indoor nationals. He lowered his PR from 7.92, which he just ran last month at a meet in Ashland, Ohio.
Sanders’ 7.91 is No. 3 in school history behind Coby Bailey, who ran 7.82 at 2022 NAIA nationals in Brookings, and Ahumad Williams, who ran 7.84 also in 2022 in a meet in Nashville. Williams, now a senior, ran 7.96 Saturday and placed 4th at nationals.
Other South Jersey hurdlers under 8.00 this year are Miami senior Sincere Rhea of St. Augustine [7.75], Syracuse senior Anthony Vazquez of Egg Harbor [7.91], Princeton sophomore Greg Foster of Lumberton and Lawrenceville Prep [7.96], Syracuse senior Naseem Smith of Deptford [7.96] and Rowan senior Marquise Young from Sterling [7.96].
Sanders goes into the outoor season with a PR of 14.22 over the 42-inch 110-meter barriers. He ran that last May when he won the Wolverine-Hoosier title in Adrian, Mich. That’s No. 8 in school history.
All-Time South Jersey Indoor 8-second 60-meter hurdles list
7.50 … Anwar Moore [Camden], Feb. 24, 2008, Boston
7.52 … Jack Pierce [Woodbury], Feb. 25, 1995, Fairfax, Va.
7.72 … Isaac Williams [Willingboro], Jan. 9, 2015, Houston
7.75 … Sincere Rhea [St. Augustine], Feb. 9, 2024, Clemson, S.C.
7.80 … Anthony Acklin [Triton], Jan. 21, 2006, Carbondale, Ill.
7.86 … Tyler Garland [Deptford], Feb. 29, 2020, South Bend, Ind.
7.87 … Devon Carter [Washington Twp.], Feb. 28, 2014, Clemson, S.C.
7.89 … Paul Klemic [Mainland Reg.], Feb. 23, 2003, Boston
7.90 … Jalen Walker [Burlington Twp.], March 8, 2015, Boston
7.91 … Dwight Ruff [Camden], Feb. 12, 2005, Ames, Iowa
7.91 … Anthony Vazquez [Egg Harbor Twp.], Jan. 19, 2024, New York
7.91 … Javon Sanders [Deptford], March 2, 2024, Brookings, S.D.
7.92 … Greg Foster [Lawrenceville Prep / Lumberton], Feb. 10, 2023, New York
7.94 … Jusson Boyd [Willingboro], Feb. 26, 2012, Winston-Salem, N.C.
7.94 … Edwin Alston [Winslow Twp.], Feb. 18, 2017, New York
7.94 … Jusson Boyd [Willingboro], Feb. 26, 2012, Winston-Salem, N.C.
7.96 … Naseem Smith [Deptford], Feb. 2, 2024, Cambridge, Mass.
7.96 … Marquise Young [Sterling], Jan. 20, 2024, Staten Island, N.Y.
7.97 … Chais Hill [Highland], Feb. 26, 2016, Geneva, Ohio
8.00 … Isaiah Lewis [Winslow Twp.], Feb. 11, 2022, Clemson, S.C.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 