For the second year in a row, Eastern has run the fastest distance medley in New Jersey. And the Vikings did it with a 75 percent new lineup.
Johnna Gonter, Eva Sprewell, Natalie Dumas and junior Samantha Osei-Kyei placed 5th at Armory Nationals in New York Friday evening, just two seconds behind winner Scarsdale of New York, which ran 4:03.75.
Last year, at a postseason meet in Virginia Beach, Eastern ran 4:01.78 with Johnay Stilley, Lomaria Tengbeh, Dumas and older sister Kadence Dumas, who now runs for Delaware.
Those times are No. 2 and No. 6 in South Jersey history and tbe two-fastest times in Camden County history.
Gonter and Sprewell ran their 200s in a combined 53.49, Dumas split 56.81 and Osei-Kyei anchored in 2:15.69.
All-Time South Jersey Sprint Medley List
4:01.41 … Willingboro, 2003
4:01.78 … Eastern, 2023
4:03.93 … Haddonfield, 2001
4:04.27 … Cherokee, 2022
4:04.38 … Washington Twp., 2010
4:05.98 … Eastern, 2024
4:08.21 … Lenape, 2015
4:08.60 … Lenape, 2012
4:09.27 … Millville, 2008
4:10.01 … Willingboro, 2004
4:10.17 … Camden, 1995
4:10.18 … Willingboro, 2005
4:10.22 … Lenape, 2016
4:10.36 … Lenape, 2013
4:10.43 … Kingsway, 2013
4:10.51 … Lenape, 2007
All-Time South Jersey Sprint Medley List
3:57.19 … Columbia, 2014
3:58.46 … Union Catholic, 2019
4:00.33 … Neptune, 2011
4:01.41 … Willingboro, 2003
4:01.78 … Eastern, 2023
4:03.13 … Sparta, 2010
4:03.14 … Westwood, 2014
4:03.18 … Columbia, 2010
4:03.22 … Columbia, 2013
4:03.57 … Piscataway, 2006
4:03.69 … Pope John, 2007
4:03.85 … Hopewell Valley, 2005
4:03.93 … Haddonfield, 2001
4:04.27 … Cherokee, 2022
4:04.36 … Columbia, 1983
4:04.38 … Washington Twp., 2010
4:04.47 … Neptune, 2009
4:04.49 … Hunterdon Central, 2015
4:04.81 … Union Catholic, 2017
4:05.83 … Union Catholic, 2016
4:05.98 … Eastern, 2024
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 