Washington Township senior Ajani Dwyer ran the 6th-fastest 100-meter dash in South Jersey history Saturday at Fast Times at Cherokee High.
Dwyer edge Robbinsville’s Maxim Rychkov by 2-100ths of a second, Dwyer in 10:48 and Rychkov in 10.50.
Dwyer was a 1st-time sprinter last spring but only competed in a handful of meets and missed sectionals, states and the Meet of Champions. He ran 10.60 to win the Gloucester County title in Deptford and also had a 200 best of 21.47.
Indoors, he ran a state-record 6.18 for 55 meters and a South Jersey-record 20.25 for 200 meters but again missed the end of the season with an injjury.
Three other sprinters ran sub-11 – Washington Township junior John Santos was 3rd in 10.91, Cherokee senior Ryan Bender 4th in 10.94 and Washington Township senior Yashahya Brown – the state hurdles record holder indoors – was 5th in 10.96.
There was no wind reading taken in his race, so some performance lists may not include his performance.
Dwyer’s time is No. 15 in state history and 1-100th of a second off the Gloucester County record of 10.47 set 15 years ago by Glassboro’s James Brown at the 2009 South Jersey Group 1 sectionals at Egg Harbor Township.
It’s fastest by a South Jersey sprinter in 14 years, since Timber Creek’s Damiere Byrd ran 10.36 at the 2010 South Jersey Group 3 sectionals, also at Egg Harbor Township.
All-Time New Jersey 100-Meter Dash List
10.30 … Danny Johnson [Rahway], 2001 [1st, Meet of Champions, South Plainfield]
10.30 … Fitzroy Ledgister [St. Peter’s Prep], 2022 [4th, New Balance Nationals, Franklin Field, Philadelphia]
10.33 … Mario Heslop [Franklin Twp.], 2019 [1st, Central Jersey Group 4 Sectionals, Howell]
10.35 … Jamar Ervin [Camden], 2000 [1st, Meet of Champions, South Plainfield]
10.36 … Damiere Byrd [Timber Creek], 2010 [1st, South Jersey Group 3 Sectionals, Egg Harbor Twp.]
10.39 … Miles Shuler-Foster [Long Branch], 2010 [1st, Meet of Champions, South Plainfield]
10.43 … Zaire Clemes [Trenton], 2013 [1st, Group 4 States, Egg Harbor Twp.]
10.45 … James Townsend [Holy Cross], 2003 [1st, Meet of Champions, South Plainfield]
10.45 … Mekhi Stafford [Ewing], 2023 [1st, NYC Grand Prix, New York, N.Y.]
10.46 … Adian Sanderson [Ewing], 2003 [1st, Group 3 States, Egg Harbor Twp.]
10.46 … Michael Ray Garvin [Don Bosco], 2005 [3rd, Nike Outdoor Nationals, Greensboro, N.C.]
10.47 … Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 1983 [4th, TAC U.S. Juniors, State College, Pa.]
10.47 … James Brown [Glassboro], 2009 [1st, South Jersey Group 1 Sectionals, Egg Harbor Twp.]
10.48 … Shamali Whittle [Nottingham], 2021 [1st (trials), Meet of Champions, South Plainfield]
10.48 … Ajani Dwyer [Washington Twp.], 2024 [1st, Fast Times at Cherokee High, Marlton]
10.49 … Maxwell Booker [Essex Catholic], 2000 [Trials, Meet of Champions, South Plainfield]
10.49 … Jonathan Taylor [Salem], 2017 [1st, South Jersey Group 1 Sectionals, Egg Harbor Twp.]
10.50 … Dana Ridley [Hamilton North], 2019 [1st, Central Jersey Group 3 Sectionals, Jackson Liberty]
10.50 … Fabian France [Bergen Catholic], 2022 [2nd, Parochial A States, Middletown North]
10.50 … Maxim Rychkov [Robbinsville], 2024 [2nd, Fast Times at Cherokee High, Marlton]
All-Time South Jersey 100-Meter Dash List
10.35 … Jamar Ervin [Camden], 2000
10.36 … Damiere Byrd [Timber Creek], 2010
10.45 … James Townsend [Holy Cross], 2003
10.47 … Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 1983
10.47 … James Brown [Glassboro], 2009
10.48 … Ajani Dwyer [Washington Twp.], 2024
10.49 … Jonathan Taylor [Salem], 2017
10.54 … Fabian Santiago [Oakrest], 2010
10.54 … Malachi James [Willingboro], 2022
10.55 … Todd Dutch [Washington Twp.], 2002
10.55 … Evan Corcoran [Kingsway], 2022
10.57 … Jamil Benjamin [Cumberland Regional], 2006
10.57 … Geoff Navaro [Absegami], 2008
10.58 … Anthony Miles [Winslow Twp.], 2003
10.58 … James Burrus [Moorestown], 2022
10.60 … Marquis Bonds [Millville], 2007
10.60 … Shawney Kersey [Woodbury], 2009
10.60 … Thomas Hampton [Clayton], 2019
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 