Pleasantville’s Gabriel Moronta ran a 44.69 anchor leg and South Florida placed 3rd in the Championship of America 1,600-Meter Relay Saturday at the 128th Penn Relays at Franklin Field.

Moronta, in his first season at South Florida after three years at Mississippi State, had the fastest split of any runner in the race.

South Florida placed 3rd in 3:02.43, just behind Texas A&M [3:01.52] and Arizona State [3:02.02]. Tre’Sean Bouie, Shevioe Reid and Devontie Archer ran the first three legs for the Bulls of Tampa. Bouie is a Philly native who went to high school at Neumann Goretti.

The time is No. 2 in school history, behind a 3:02.16 the Bulls ran with the same lineup in Gainesville last month. That 3:02.16 is No. 11 in the world this year. It’s not eligible for the U.S. list because Reid and Archer are Jamaican.

South Florida had run 3:05.32 in Friday’s heats with a slightly different lineup that didn’t include Moronta.

Moronta has run 46.55 for 400 meters this spring, No. 7 in school history. He has PRs of 46.24, 1:49.33 and 51.38 for the intermediates, all from his stay at Mississippi State.

Freshman Premier Wynn of Pennsauken also raced in the Championship of America 4-by-4, running the second leg for Norfolk State, who placed 5th in 3:06.99.

With an all-South Jersey lineup of freshman Chastiney Pearson from Timber Creek, junior Jasmine Pope from Pennsauken, Molly Lodge from Woodstown and junior Nevaeh Lorjuste from Triton, the Rowan women ran the No. 14 time in NCAA Division 3 in the 1,600-meter relay Saturday at the 128th annual Penn Relays at Franklin Field.

The Profs ran 3:51.66, missing the College Final 4-by-4 by 11-100ths of a second.

As always, the first two splits aren’t available, since the race is run in a three-turn stagger and you can’t have a FAT timer for every lane. Lodge split 56.99 and Lorjuste 56.09.

Pearson is an interesting story. She graduated in 2021 from Timber Creek, where she was a 17-foot long jumper and 36-foot triple jumper but never even ran the 400 – or anything over the 55 . Not sure if she was at another college and not competing the last two years or took some time off. Can’t find any record of her anywhere else in 2022 or 2023. Either way, incredible to be a part of a 3:51 relay team in a new event in what appears to be your first year of track in three years.

What makes Pearson’s split even crazier is that according to TFRRS – the Track and field Race Reporting System – Pearson had never even run a 4-by-4 since she first began competing for Rowan in late January. She did some long jump and some shot put but literally nothing on the track.

Rowan’s previous fastest 4-by-4 this year was a 3:53.45 two weeks ago in Princeton. Indoors, the Profs ran 3:48.64 and placed 5th at the NCAA Division 3 Championships in Virginia Beach with Lodge, Pope and Lorjuste in the lineup.

With the New Jersey Athletic Conference meet scheduled for this weekend – Saturday and Sunday at Stockton in Galloway Township – Rowan’s time is No. 1 in the conference. The College of New Jersey has also run sub-4 with a 3:55.95 last month in San Marcos, Texas, with Shawnee’s Amanda Demko anchoring.

The Paul VI girls ran the fastest distance medley in South Jersey this year Saturday at the Rowland Relays at Haddon Township.

PVI won the race in 12:33.19 with Shaelan McNally leading off with a 3:36 split, freshman distance runner Kara Salamone dipping down to the 400 and splitting  69, freshman Grace Gutowski splitting 2:23 and sophomore Giovanna Mantuano anchoring in 5:22.

Paul VI’s time is No. 4 in New Jersey this year behind three schools that raced in somewhat more prominent events – Manalapan [12:07.02] and Pingry [12:16.83] ran at Penn and Union Catholic [12:27.48] at Arcadia [Calif.].

Paul VI on the other hand raced with no competition, winning by half a lap. Hopefully, the Eagles can find a fast race somewhere over the next couple weeks. Shame the East Coast Relays isn’t around anymore.

This was Paul VI’s 3rd-fastest outdoor time ever and fastest since 1983, when they ran 12:28.7 – not sure where. Still working on figuring that out. They also ran 12:27.9 in 1982. They ran 12:31.11 indoors in December at Ocean Breeze, just missing the Penn Relays qualifying time by about eight seconds.

Paul VI’s Aliya Garozzo and the Penn Quakers smashed the Ivy League 1,600-Meter Relay record Saturday and placed 3rd in the Championship of America at the 128th annual Penn Relays.

Racing on their home track at Franklin Field, the Quakers ran 3:29.29, finishing behind only Houston [3:27.32] and Texas A&M [3:29.27].

Penn’s 3:29.29 is the 3rd-fastest 3rd-place time in meet history.

That time is No. 12 in NCAA Division 1 this year, No. 27 in the world and No. 9 on the U.S. list (all four runners must be from the U.S. to be eligible for that list, which is why Penn is ranked higher in the U.S. than in college track).

Garozzo, a senior from Sicklerville, ran the 2nd leg for Penn and although her split isn’t available, she’s been regularly running 52-low splits this spring. Junior Jocelyn Niemiec of Arnold O. Beckham High in Irvine, Calif., led off for Penn, with sophomore Christiana Nwachuku of Kent Place School in Summit and senior Isabella Whittaker of Mount DeSales Academy in Catonsville handling the last two legs, Whittaker anchoring in 50.05.

Penn broke the school and Ivy League record of 3:29.64 that the Quakers just set last month at the Florida Relays in Gainesville.

Before that, the Ivy League record was 3:29.98 by Harvard in 2016 in the NCAA Division 1 East Preliminary meet in Jacksonville and the school record was 3:32.12 set by the 2019 team, also at NCAA East Prelims in Jacksonville.

Penn also broke school and Ivy League 4-by-4 records indoors, with a 3:29.86 at the Clemson Tiger Paw Invitational in February. That was with a lineup of Nwachuku, Niemiec, Whitaker and Garozzo.

Garozzo will turn her attention back to the hurdles this coming weekend when Penn competes in the Ivy League Championships (the “Heps”).

Garozzo is the top-ranked woman in the Ivy League in both the 100-meter hurdles [13.65 earlier this month at Penn] and the 400-meter hurdles [57.22 in Gainesville earlier this month]. Both are PRs, and the 57.22 is a school record and the 13.65 is 4th in Penn history. Garozzo won the 60-meter highs at indoor Heps in February in Cambridge, Mass.

Heps are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at Princeton’s Weaver Stadium.

We thought it would be fun to come up with an all-time Penn Relays 4-by-4 sub-3:30 list!

3:24.72 … Oregon, 2017 [1]
3:25.05 … Texas, 2014 [1]
3:25.97 … Texas A&M, 2023 [1]
3:26.53 … South Carolina, 2022 [1]
3:26.56 … Ohio State, 2023 [2]
3:26.73 … Oregon, 2013 [1]
3:27.14 … Duke, 2023 [3]
3:27.32 … Houston, 2024 [1]
3:27.64 … Texas, 2003 [1]
3:27.85 … Miami (Fla.), 2006 [1]
3:27.85 … Utah, 2013 [2]
3:27.93 … Auburn, 2006 [2]
3:27.96 … LSU, 2006 [3]
3:28.00 … South Carolina, 2005 [1]
3:28.34 … South Carolina, 2001 [1]
3:28.68 … LSU, 2003 [2]
3:29.10 … South Carolina, 2002 [1]
3:29.15 … South Carolina, 2004 [1]
3:29.27 … Miami (Fla.), 2005 [2]
3:29.27 … Texas A&M, 2024 [2]
3:29.29 … Penn, 2024 [3]
3:29.46 … Texas, 2015 [1]
3:29.70 … Texas Tech, 2005 [3]
3:29.78 … South Carolina, 2007 [1]
3:29.91 … LSU, 1993 [1]

Despite being interfered late in the race, Rancocas Valley’s 400-meter relay team ran the 3rd-fastest 400-meter relay in Burlington County history Saturday at the 128th annual Penn Relays at Franklin Field.

The all-underclass team of Jameer Bellamy, Xavier Bancroft, David Smith and Julian Coppage-Seepersand placed 2nd in the Northeast Championship race, finishing 1-100th of a second behind Coatesville of Chester County.

That’s four inches separating Coatesville and R.V. at the finish line.

R.V. almost certainly would have won the race and definitely would have run significantly faster if the Red Devils hadn’t been interfered with by a runner from Toms River North.

With Coatesville in Lane 6, R.V. in Lane 7 and Toms River North in Lane 8, on the final straightaway, Toms River North’s runner drifted well into R.V’s lane, impeding Coppage-Seepersand and allowing North to win the race.

Toms River North was disqualified, which moved Coatesville into first with a 41.99 win and moved R.V. from 3rd to 2nd in 42.00, but it was little consolation because everybody who watched the race knows the Red Devils likely finish first in a clean race.

R.V. had run 42.38 in the trials and Toms River North 42.40. Coatesville ran 41.88. R.V.’s 42.00 is fastest by a New Jersey school this year and 1-100th of a second off the school record of 41.99 set by the 2021 Red Devils – Masai Byrd, Herbert Quarterman, James McGhee and Isaiah Arzu – when they won the 2021 Meet of Champions in South Plainfield.

Willingboro set the county record of 41.69 at the 1982 Penn Relays when they placed 2nd to Camperdown of Kingston, Jamaica, in the Championship of America race with the team of Lance Reed, George McKee, Damon Chambers and Derek Streater.

For R.V., Smith is a junior and Bellamy, Bancroft and Coppage-Seepersand are sophomores.

All-time South Jersey List
40.92 … Winslow, 2003
41.09 … Camden, 2000
41.25 … Camden, 2004
41.25 … Camden, 2001
41.45 … Timber Creek, 2014
41.47 … Deptford, 2018
41.50 … Timber Creek, 2013
41.54 … Camden, 2002
41.57 … Pennsauken, 2017
41.55 … Deptford, 2017
41.62 … Camden, 2003
41.64 … Winslow Twp., 2004
41.69 … Willingboro, 1982
41.71 … Edgewood, 2000
41.71 … Salem, 2017
41.72 … Deptford, 2018
41.80 … Oakcrest, 2012
41.83 … Camden, 1997
41.83 … Oakcrest, 2011
41.83 … Camden, 1997
41.7h … Camden, 1996
41.7h … Edgewood, 2001
41.85 … Pennsauken, 2016
41.86 … Pennsauken, 2017
41.87 … Pennsauken, 2023
41.7h … Camden, 1996
41.7h … Edgewood, 2001
41.96 … Paul VI, 2018
41.99 … Rancocas Valley, 2021
42.00 … Rancocas Valley, 2024

All-Time Burlington County List
41.69 … Willingboro, 1982
41.99 … Rancocas Valley, 2021
42.00 … Rancocas Valley, 2024
42.03 … Rancocas Valley, 2015
42.07 … Kennedy, 1982
42.12 … Rancocas Valley, 2017
42.24 … Willingboro, 1988
42.31 … Moorestown, 2010
42.34 … Willingboro, 2000
42.1h … Kennedy, 1988

You’ll never believe who’s back competing again.

Tim VanLiew, a Deptford native and javelin finalist at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials, hadn’t competed since 2018 but popped up in the results of the Lions Invitational Saturday at The College of New Jersey in Lawrenceville.

In his first meet in six years, VanLiew threw 219-1, which is incredible after a six-year layoff.

VanLiew’s last competition was the 2018 U.S. Championships in Des Moines, where he placed fifth with a 236-4.

His lifetime best is a 261-2 in Arizona on May 21, 2016 at the Tucson Elite Throws Classic. From 2013 through 2018, he was ranked 10th, 16th, 5th, 5th, 4th and 15th among U.S. men.

VanLiew was a two-time NCAA Division 3 champ at Rutgers-Camden, where he was also a 3rd-team All-America goalie on Rutgers-Camden’s soccer team.

Hs 261-2 is tied for 2nd-best ever by a South Jersey thrower. Holy Cross graduate Vince Labosky threw 261-2 in Norwalk, Calif., in 1990. Curtis Thompson of Florence threw 287-9 in East Stroudsburg in 2022.

VanLiew, now 33, earned himself a No. 55 U.S. ranking after his first meet in six years, which is impressive. His series info from Saturday isn’t listed in the results. Thomas Flanagan of Rowan and Arthur Johnson High School placed 2nd with a lifetime-best 196-11 throw.

After missing the Championship of America 400-Meter Relay by just 8-100ths of a second with a 47.15 in their class race, the Timber Creek girls proved they belong among the best with a blazing 46.68 win in the Northeast Championship race at the 128th annual Penn Relays.

Junior Billie Frazier, junior Ryan Jennings, sophmore Samiyah Puckett and senior Naylah Jones outraced Cheltenham by six meters. Cheltenham placed 2nd in 47.41.

Timber Creek’s time is 2nd-fastest in South Jersey history. Jennings, Chloe Jones, Nyla Jones and Naylah Jones set the South Jersey record of 46.43 in the trials of West Philly Nationals this past June, also at Franklin Field.

It’s also No. 9 in state history.

Winslow placed 5th in 47.96, a full second faster than they ran in their class race. Senior Sierra Handy, senior Dominique Clement, freshman Cinniya Robinson and sophomore Olivia Okaro for for Winslow.

All-Time New Jersey 400-Meter Relay List
45.50 … Montclair, 1998
45.89 … Columbia, 2010
46.07 … Union Catholic, 2024
46.08 … Trenton, 1984
46.19 … Union Catholic, 2024
46.40 … Union Catholic, 2023
46.42 … Franklin Twp., 2003
46.43 … Timber Creek, 2023
46.68 … Timber Creek, 2024
46.84 … Piscataway, 2014
46.87 … Eastern, 2003
46.89 … Franklin Twp., 2001
46.90 … Paramus Catholic, 2010
46.96 … Columbia, 2009
46.98 … Winslow Twp., 2017
46.9h … Willingboro, 1980
47.02 … Columbia, 2005
47.05 … Union Catholic, 2022
47.07 … Union Catholic, 2024
47.15 … Timber Creek, 2024

All-Time South Jersey 400-Meter Relay List
46.43 … Timber Creek, 2023
46.68 … Timber Creek, 2024
46.87 … Eastern, 2003
46.98 … Winslow Twp., 2017
46.9h … Willingboro, 1980
47.06 … Winslow Twp., 2014
47.15 … Timber Creek, 2024
47.18 … Winslow Twp., 2013
47.19 … Winslow Twp., 2018
47.25 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2018
47.27 … Delsea, 2017
47.36 … Eastern, 2019
47.40 … Winslow Twp., 2016
47.3h … Willingboro, 1981
47.45 … Willingboro, 1994
47.49 … Rancocas Valley, 2017
47.53 … Millville, 2019
47.53 … Rancocas Valley, 2019
47.54 … Winslow Twp., 2003
47.54 … Rancocas Valley, 2018
47.4h … Camden,, 1978
47.4y … Camden, 1979
47.75 … Eastern, 2002
47.76 … Winslow Twp., 2005
47.76 … Winslow Twp., 2012
47.79 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2021
47.78 … Willingboro, 2023
47.82 … Moorestown, 2000
47.85 … Deptford, 2015
47.87 … Winslow Twp., 2011
47.9h … Willingboro, 1995
47.8h … Willingboro, 2003
47.94 … Camden, 2000
47.96 … Winslow Twp., 2024
47.98 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2019

Winslow ran 48.96 in class race

Dennisha Page recorded an absolutely mind-blowing sprint double at the Desert Heat Classic in Tucson late Saturday night (and early Sunday morning EST in the 200), two of the fastest sprint times this year by a U.S. woman. She added a third history performance on a relay team.

Page, a Woodrow Wilson graduate and senior at Tennessee, got her day started at the University of Arizona’s Drachman Stadium with an explosive 11.11 to win the 100 with a legal 0.5 meters-per-second tailwind.

Page outraced eight-time All-America sprinter Jadyn Mays of Oregon, who placed 2nd last month in the NCAA Division 1 Championships in Boston in the 200 and 4th in the 60. Mays ran 11.17, just 1-100th of a second off her PR from this meet in 2022. Her time is No. 8 among U.S. women this year, according to the World Athletics database.

It’s also 4th-fastest ever run by a New Jersey native, behind Olympic gold medalist English Gardner of Eastern [10.74 in Eugene in 2016], Montclair’s Me’Lisa Barber [10.95 in Carson, Calif., in 2007] and Montclair’s Mikele Barber [11.02 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2007].

And it’s No. 5 in Tennessee history.

Page’s previous PR was an 11.27 earlier this month in a meet in Knoxville. She ran 11.30 to set a Rutgers school record at the Big Ten Championships in Bloomington, Ind., in May.

She followed that with another monster PR, winning the 200 in 22.61, again with a legal wind of 0.9 meters-per-second. That’s No. 5 in school history and No. 11 among U.S. women this year.

For the first time, Page finished ahead of seven-time All-America teammate Jacious Sears, who is world No. 12 in the 200 at 22.57 and won the 60 at the NCAA Championships in Boston last month. Page and Sears are the only U.S. women who have run as fast as 11.11 and 22.61 this year.

Page’s previous 200 PR was a 22.70 two weeks ago in Gainesville.

Her 22.61 is 4th-fastest ever by a New Jersey woman and fastest by a South Jersey alum. The only faster women over half a lap are Me’Lisa Barber with a 22.37 in Carson, Calif., in 2005, and intermediate hurdles world record holder and Olympic gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin of Union Catholic in Gainesville in 2018.

The previous South Jersey alumni record holder at 200 meters was Olympic gold medalist English Gardner, who ran 22.62 in Los Angeles in May 2013.

Page and Sears – along with Tennessee teammates Seaman and White – won the 400-meter relay in 42.52, which is No. 3 in the world this year and fastest by a college team since Kentucky ran 42.46 in Baton Rouge, La., in April 2022.

That quartet broke the school record of 43.18 set by Tianna Madison, Courtney Champion, Toyin Olupona and Cleo Tyson when they placed 3rd at the 2005 NCAA Championships in Sacramento.

The Winslow girls raced to a commanding win in the Philadelphia Area 1,600-Meter Relay Friday at the 128th annual Penn Relays at Franklin Field.

Olivia Okaro, Dominique Clement, Djassi Dean and Cinniya Robinson ran 3:46.85 and finished 15 meters ahead of 2nd-place Friends Central of Philadelphia, which ran 3:48.57.

Winslow’s 3:46.85 is No. 10 in South Jersey history and 7th-fastest ever run by a South Jersey school in any race at the Penn Relays.

Winslow had placed 2nd to Timber Creek in the South Jersey 4-by-4 on Thursday in 3:49.66. Timber Creek qualified for the Championship of America with its 3:46.04 Thursday and placed 6th Friday in 3:46.96 with junior Billie Frazier, junior Ryan Jennings, sophomore Samiyah Puckett and senior Naylah Jones.

For Winslow, the Philadelphia Area title was their 3rd following wins in 2004 [3:49.30] and 2022 [3:51.70]. Their time is fastest by a South Jersey school in the Philadelphia Area Championship race since Willingboro ran 3:46.18 to win the 2000 race.

Other Philadelphia Area winners from South Jersey include Willingboro in 1998 [3:49.53], Eastern in 2003 [3:49.74], Woodrow Wilson in 2005 [3:50.60] and Washington Township in 2007 [3:52.88].

Okaro led off with a 56.60 split and Clement ran 56.53 on the second leg. Despite coming through 800 meters in a quick 1:53.13, Winslow was 2nd at the second handoff, about 10 meters behind Friends Central.

But Dean gave Winslow the lead with a 57.97 leg and Robinson ran a 55.75 anchor to maintain the lead and give the Eagles the 2nd-fastest time in school history. Winslow ran 3:46.67 to win the 2018 Meet of Champions at Northern Burlington.

With Timber Creek at 3:46.04 and Winslow at 3:46.85 with county, conference and state meets still to come, this is already the first time in history two South Jersey 4-by-4s have run sub-3:47 the same year.

All-Time Fastest South Jersey 4-by-4s at Penn Relays
3:44.67 … Clayton, 2022 Championship of America [6th]
3:45.41 … Camden, 1995 Championship of America [4th]
3:45.74 … Willingboro, 1999 Championship of America [1st]
3:45.94 … Camden, 1995 South Jersey [1st]
3:46.04 … Timber Creek, 2024 South Jersey [1st]
3:46.18 … Willingboro, 2000 Philadelphia Area [1st]
3:46.85 … Winslow Twp., 2024 Philadelphia Area [1st]
3:46.96 … Timber Creek, 2024 Championship of America [6]
3:47.30 … Willingboro, 2003 South Jersey Large School [1]
3:47.39 … Clayton, 2022 South Jersey Small School [1]
3:48.08 … Winslow Twp., 2017 Philadelphia Area [3rd]
3:48.80 … Willingboro, 1999 South Jersey Large School [1]
3:49.30 … Winslow Twp., 2004 Philadelphia Area [1st]
3:49.46 … Eastern, 2003 South Jersey Large School [2]
3:49.66 … Winslow, 2024 South Jersey Lartge School [2]
3:49.74 … Eastern, 2003 Philadelphia Area [1st]
3:49.97 … Lenape, 2015 Philadelphia Area [3rd]
3:49.53 … Willingboro, 1998 Philadelphia Area [1st]

All-Time New Jersey 4-by-4 List
3:35.90 … Union Catholic, 2015
3:38.92 … Union Catholic, 2017
3:40.36 … Columbia, 2013
3:41.03 … Montclair, 1998
3:41.19 … Columbia, 2014
3:42.54 … Columbia, 2010
3:42.59 … Union Catholic, 2016
3:42.97 … Union Catholic, 2019
3:43.3h … Plainfield, 1981
3:43.94 … Willingboro, 2003
3:44.64 … Willingboro, 2002
3:44.67 … Clayton, 2022
3:44.9h … Columbia, 1980
3:45.11 … Union Catholic, 2024
3:45.12 … Trenton, 2001
3:45.41 … Camden, 1995
3:45.67 … Willingboro, 1999
3:46.04 … Timber Creek, 2024
3:46.13 … Willingboro, 2000
3:46.38 … Timber Creek, 2023
3:46.67 … Winslow, 2018
3:46.71 … Union Catholic, 2023
3:46.73 … Scotch Plains-Fanwood
3:46.85 … Winslow Twp., 2024
3:46.96 … Timber Creek, 2024

All-Time South Jersey 4-by-4 List
3:43.94 … Willingboro, 2001
3:44.64 … Willingboro, 2002
3:44.67 … Clayton, 2022
3:45.41 … Camden, 1995
3:45.67 … Willingboro, 1999
3:46.04 … Timber Creek, 2024
3:46.13 … Willingboro, 2000
3:46.38 … Timber Creek, 2023
3:46.67 … Winslow Twp., 2018
3:46.85 … Winslow Twp., 2024
3:47.16 … Eastern, 2003
3:47.30 … Willingboro, 2003
3:47.41 … Winslow Twp., 2017
3:47.4h … Camden, 1978
3:47.55 … Camden, 2006
3:48.00 … Wilson, 2001
3:48.17 … Wilson, 2006
3:48.6y … Camden,, 1978
3:48.78 … Lenape, 2014
3:48.7h … Washington Twp., 1999
3:48.87 … Rancocas Valley, 2019
3:48.91 … Penns Grove, 2013
3:49.25 … Lenape, 2015
3:49.2y … Camden, 1979
3:49.30 … Winslow Twp., 2004
3:49.43 … Willingboro, 1997
3:49.53 … Willingboro, 1998
3:49.63 … Winslow Twp., 2016
3:46.66 … Timber Creek, 2024
3:49.93 … Willingboro, 2009

All-Time South Jersey Penn Relays 4-by-4 List
3:44.67 … Clayton, 2022 Championship of America [6th]
3:45.41 … Camden, 1995 Championship of America [4th]
3:45.74 … Willingboro, 1999 Championship of America [1st]
3:45.94 … Camden, 1995 South Jersey [1st]
3:46.04 … Timber Creek, 2024 South Jersey [1st]
3:46.18 … Willingboro, 2000 Philadelphia Area [1st]
3:47.30 … Willingboro, 2003 South Jersey Large School [1st]
3:47.39 … Clayton, 2022 South Jersey Small School [1st]
3:48.08 … Winslow Twp., 2017 Philadelphia Area [3rd]
3:48.80 … Willingboro, 1999 South Jersey Large School [1st]
3:49.30 … Winslow Twp., 2004 Philadelphia Area [1st]
3:49.46 … Eastern, 2003 South Jersey Large School [2nd]
3:49.53 … Willingboro, 1998 Philadelphia Area [1st]
3:49.66 … Winslow Twp., 2024 South Jersey Large School [2nd]
3:49.74 … Eastern, 2003 Philadelphia Area [1st]
3:49.97 … Lenape, 2015 Philadelphia Area [3rd]

Northern Burlington junior Liliah Gordon ran the 3rd-fastest 3,000 in South Jersey history Friday at the Penn Relays and raved within 5 ½ seconds of the South Jersey record.

Gordon ran 9:45.66 at the 128th Penn Relays at Franklin Field and placed 8th among some of the top runners in the country. She was the top New Jersey finisher and dropped nearly 12 seconds off her PR 9:57.23 from last year’s Penn Relays.

Her time is fastest by a South Jersey girl since Megan Lacy of Cherokee ran 9:44.72 and set a Burlington County record at the 2012 Penn Relays. Gordon missed the county record by less than a second.

Olympian Marielle Hall of Haddonfield set the South Jersey record of 9:40.23 at the 2010 Penn Relays.

Gordon’s pace – 78.09 seconds per lap – comes out to 10:24.70 for the more commonly run 3,200. Her 3,200 PR is 10:26.49 at last year’s indoor Meet of Champions at Ocean Breeze.

Her time is No. 14 in state history and 4th-fastest over the past decade. She sliced a fraction off the South Jersey junior class record of 9:45.83 set by Highland’s Megan Venables at the 2010 Penn Relays. Venables was inducted into the South Jersey Track and Field Hall of Fame last month.

Her time is fastest by a New Jersey underclassman at Penn since Julia Trethaway of West Morris Central in Chester, Morris County, ran 9:41.39 in 2019.

Gordon ran incredibly even splits – 36.70 for the first 200, then 78.25, 78.69, 79.43, 78.41, 78.52 and 78.91, closing in 76.79. So from 200 meters to 2,600 meters, she ran six laps all between 78.25 and 79.43.

Addison Ritzenheim of Niwot, Colo., won the race in 9:17.81. Her father, Dathan, was the American record holder at 5,000 meters in 2009 and 2010.

All-Time South Jersey 3,000-Meter List
9:40.23 … Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], 2010 Penn Relays
9:44.72 … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2012 Penn Relays
9:45.66 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2024 Penn Relays
9:45.73 … Megan Venables [Highland], 2010 Penn Relays
9:50.11 … Alyssa Aldridge [Mainland Reg.], 2017 Penn Relays
9:50.95 … Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 2016 Penn Relays
9:53.19 … Chelsea Ley [Kingsway], 2009 Penn Relays
9:55.0h … Theresa Cattuna [Cherry Hill East], 2007 Penn Relays
9:57.12 … Dina Iacone [Washington Twp.], 2007 Penn Relays
9:57.23 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2023 Penn Relays
9:57.9h … Michelle Rowen [Washington Twp.], 1981 Penn Relays
9:59.5h … Deanna Germano [Shawnee], 1985 Penn Relays

All-Time New Jersey 3,000-Meter List
9:18.11 … Angelina Perez [Lakeland Regional], 2022
9:20.98 … Charlotte Bednar [The Lawrenceville School], 2022
9:33.7h …Meg Waldron (Bernards), 1981
9:37.15 …Kathleen McCafferty (Oak Knoll Academy), 2008
9:37.1h …Jodie Bilotta (North Hunterdon), 1987
9:37.91 …Ashley Higginson (Colts Neck), 2007
9:40.11 …Monal Chokshi (Bridgewater-(Raritan West), 1991
9:40.23 …Marielle Hall (Haddonfield), 2010
9:41.24 …Chris Constantin (Kittatinny), 1988
9:41.39 … Julia Trethaway [West Morris Central], 2019
9:41.7h …Anne Letko (North Hunterdon), 1981
9:44.72 …Megan Lacy (Cherokee), 2012
9:44.87 …Melanie Thompson (Voorhees), 2008
9:45.66 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2024
9:45.83 …Megan Venables (Highland), 2010
9:46.76 …Megan Curham (Villa Walsh Academy), 2013
9:47.10 …Danielle Tauro (Southern Regional), 2007
9:47.8h …Janet Smith (North Edison), 1984
9:48.59 …Grace Dwyer (Nottingham), 2014
9:49.51 … Alexa Westley [Warren Hills], 2024
9:49.0h …Theresa Gschwind (Summit), 1981