From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

It was quite a day for Schalick senior Grace O’Neill, who scored 24 points and contributed to a winning relay in Schalick’s Salem County Meet victory on Wednesday at Salem.

O’Neill won the discus by 33 feet with a 125-6 on her final throw. That makes her No. 4 in South Jersey this year, No. 8 in New Jersey and No. 2 in Group 1, behind only Glassboro junior Sunsarai Moore, who threw 136-11 earlier this month in the South Jersey Elite at Delsea.

O’Neill threw 125-11 at South Jersey Group 1 sectionals at Pennsauken last year, but the 125-6 is her best throw this year.

But what makes O’Neill’s performance Wednesday so unique is the nature of the events she competed in. She ran a 400-meter hurdles PR of 1:07.83 to place 2nd to Salem senior Anna Buzby [1:05.91] and then ran a PR 62.44 in the 400 to take 3rd behind Buzby [59.76] and Schalick junior Gia Martellacci [62.44].

O’Neill also ran 61.13 on the 2nd leg of Schalick’s winning 4-by-4 team, which ran 4:12.60. Martellacci, senior Alivia Klancic and junior Sophia Harris also ran.

The old discus / 400 / intermediates / relay quad!

O’Neill’s previous track PRs were 64.67 on Saturday at Rancocas Valley and 1:08.47 from last year’s state Group 1 meet in Somerset.

Schalick’s 4:12.60 is No. 4 in New Jersey among Group 1 schools, behind Audubon [4:08.62 at Woodbury], Salem [4:11.38 at Woodbury] and Hasbrouck Heights [4:12.52 at Penn]. So two of the fastest Group 4-by-4s are from tiny Salem County.

Salem senior Karima Davenport-White, in just her 2nd major meet this year, won the high hurdles in 15.70, the fastest Group 1 time in New Jersey this year. She had just PR’d in the trials of the South Jersey Elite with a 15.77. She also won the long jump with a PR 16-1 ¾ and placed in both sprints with two more PRs.

Schalick junior Jordan Hadfield won the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 [PR 2:20.09, 5:30.64, 12:42.29], and Penns Grove senior Jameelyona Horace swept the 100 and 200 with PRs in both [12.67, 26.28].

Also Woodstown sophomore Kami Casiano won the high jump [4-10], Pennsville junior Megan Morris won the pole vault with a lifetime-best 9-0 on fewer misses over the versatile Buzby, Schalick senior Brooke Watt tripled jumped a winning 33-6 ¾, Salem sophomore Ava Rodgers threw a five-foot PR 35-2 ½ to win the shot put and Schalick junior Allyson Green won the javelin at 104-5.