Paul VI senior Shaelan McNally ran the 4th-fastest 1,600 or mile in South Jersey history Thursday and the fastest in 10 years at the South Jersey Elite.
McNally, coming off her 10:18.93 for 3,200 last month at Holmdel – No. 16 in state history – backed it up with a solo 4:47.95 at Delsea, the fastest 1,600 by a South Jersey girl since Haddonfield’s Briana Gess ran 4:45.97 to win the 2014 Meet of Champions at South Plainfield.
McNally was out in 2:23.31 and already had a 35-meter lead after two laps, She won by 60 meters over Haddonfield senior Ava Thomas, who ran a PR of her own at 5:00.19.
McNally’s previous PR was a 4:52.90 at the indoor Meet of Champions at Ocean Breeze in March. Her outdoor PR was 5:01.44 at this meet last spring.
Olympian Erin Donohue set the South Jersey record of 4:41.16 in 2000, and Washington Townshhip’s Michelle Rowen set the state record of 4:41.5 converted from a full mile in 1982.
Ocean City junior Maeve Smith [5:02.80] and Audubon sophomore Riley Fayer [5:04.02] also ran big PRs for 3rd and 4th. Cherokee junior Megan Niglio [5:08.93] also ran sub-5:10.
Four others PR’d with sub-5:12 times: Vineland junior Georgia Chalow [5:10.33], Absegami sophomore Samia Ghazaz [5:10.88], Ocean City junior Chloe Care [5:11.20] and Sterling senior Cara Coppolino [5:11.58].
4:41.16 … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2000
4:41.5y … Michelle Rowen [Washington Twp.], 1982
4:45.97 … Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 2014
4:47.95 … Shaelan McNally [Paul VI], 2024
4:48.73 … Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], 2010
4:48.82y … Nicole Clifford [Cherokee], 2022
4:49.11 … Renee Tomlin [Ocean City], 2005
4:49.26 … Rachel Vick [Kingsway], 2017
4:51.53 … Alyssa Aldridge [Mainland Reg.], 2017
4:52.95 … Caitlin Orr [Lenape], 2009
4:54.25 … Sarah Naticchia [Haddonfield], 2021
4:54.76 … Allison Colflesh [Haddonfield], 2021
4:54.71 … Megan Hartman [Ocean City], 194
4:54.88 … Bridget Flynn [Holy Spirit], 2012
4:37.45 … Danielle Tauro [Southern Reg.], 2006
4:40.15 … Lilly Shapiro [Colts Neck], 2021
4:41.16 … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2000
4:41.61 … Josette Norris [Tenafly], 2013
4:41.52i,y … Michelle Rowen [Washington Twp.], 1982
4:42.07 … Camryn Wennersten [Ridgewood], 2021
4:42.1h,y … Doreen Ennis [Nutley], 1973
4:43.92 … Ajee’ Wilson [Neptune], 2010
4:44.90 … Molly McNamara [Red Bank Catholic], 2011
4:45.36 … Liz Lansing [Randolph], 2013
4:45.57 … Claudia DiSomma [Sparta], 2010
4:45.76 … Julia Scrudato [Montgomery], 2023
4:45.97 … Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 2014
4:46.03 … Abby Loveys [Randolph], 2018
4:46.28 … Melanie Thompson [Voorhees], 2009
4:46.32 … Sarah Disanza [High Point Reg.], 2013
4:46.63 … Tilly O’Connor [St. Rose], 2023
4:46.4h … Margaret Scutro [Ridgewood], 1985
4:46.87 … Jill Smith [Southern Reg.], 2007
4:46.95 … Ariann Neutts [Roxbury], 2009
4:47.21 … Chloe Gonzalez [North Hunterdon], 2019
4:47.71 … Ashley Higginson [Colts Neck], 2007
4:47.7h,y … Jodi Bilotta [North Hunterdon], 1987
4:47.90 … Ciara Roche [Freehold Twp.], 2016
4:47.95 … Shaelan McNally [Paul VI], 2024
4:48.13 … Angelina Perez [Lakeland], 2022
4:48.00 … Paige Sheppard [Union Catholic], 2023
4:48.13 … Emma Zawatski [Freehold Twp.], 2023
4:48.23 … Christina Cancan [West Windsor-Plainsboro South], 2016
4:48.42 … Julia Trethaway [West Morris Central], 2019
4:48.48 … Kylene Cochrane [West Morris Central], 2014
4:48.62 … Katy Trotter [Red Bank], 2003
4:48.71 … Molly Malague [Metuchen], 2022
4:48.73 … Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], 2010
4:48.82 … Catherine Pagano [Northern Highlands], 2014
4:48.82y … Nicole Clifford [Cherokee], 2022
4:49.06 … Cate DeSousa [Red Bank Catholic], 2022
4:49.11 … Renee Tomlin [Ocean City], 2005
4:49.26 … Rachel Vick [Kingsway], 2017
4:49.7h … Karen Ahern [Bernards], 1985
4:49.88 … Marin Warner [Holmdel], 2014
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 