From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Timber Creek’s juniors Billie Frazier and Ryan Jennings, sophomore Samiyah Puckett and senior Naylah Jones ran the 6th-fastest 400-meter relay in South Jersey history Thursday morning at the 128th annual Penn Relays at Franklin Field.

Junior Billie Frazier, Junior Ryan Jennings, Sophmore Samiyah Puckett, Senior Naylah Jones

Timber Creek missed qualifying for the Championship of America race by 8-100ths of a second but did qualify for the Northeast Championship race along with Winslow, scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday.

The Chargers posted the 11th-fastest time of nearly 600 schools that competed. The top nine advance to the Championship of America race.

Timber Creek was the fastest U.S. public school in the race.

Of the 10 schools that ran faster, six are Jamaican, one is from the Bahamas and the three others are parochial schools from North Jersey, Florida and Washington, D.C.

Timber Creek’s time is No. 18 on the all-time New Jersey list.

Also under 50 seconds were Winslow’s senior Sierra Handy, senior Dominique Clement, freshman Cinniya Robinson and sophomore Olivia Okaro [48.96], Washington Township’s senior Dylan Giloley, senior Kayla D’Ottaviano, junior Dakota Jones and senior Dahlia Beasley [49.38], Haddonfield’s senior Chloe Kamp, senior Ava Peifer, junior Molly Minor and junior Nicolette Pinkerton [49.41], Pennsauken’s Abigayle John, Sianni Wynn, Amina Dyer and Ameenah Rodriguez [49.47], Cherokee’s seniors Katie Zubrzycki and senior Madison Van Haren and juniors Veronica Ashcroft and Morgan Shank [49.73] and Willingboro’s sophomore Kaila Speight, freshman Maya Bolden, sophomore Jaden Murry and junior Nester Wea [49.91].

Winslow’s time was No. 31 overall, No. 4 among New Jersey schools and No,. 19 among U.S. schools, Washington Township was No. 5 among New Jersey schools, No. 40 overall and No. 25 among U.S. Schools and Haddonfield No. 42 overall, No. 6 among New Jersey schools and No. 27 among U.S. schools.

In the Northeast Championship race, Timber Creek will be in Lane 6 as the top seed and Winslow is in Lane 1.

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
46.40 … Union Catholic, 2023
46.42 … Franklin Twp., 2003
46.43 … Timber Creek, 2023
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
46.87 … 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 Harbort 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
47.98 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2019