From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Camden Catholic gradaute Matt Coffey ran a big 5,000 PR Monday night in the Widener Final Qualifier in Chester, Pa.

Coffey, running unattached after finishing a grad year at St. Joe’s, ran 14:14.16 and placed 4th out of 88 runners. His previous PR was a 14:19.95 last month in Princeton.

Penn State’s Brian DiCola from Hatboro-Horsham High in Montgomery County won the race in 14:04.82.

Coffey, a Pennsauken native, is now up to 13th on my best attempt at an all-time South Jersey 5,000-meter run list, which has undergone major changes over the past few months. Who’s missing?

ALL-TIME SOUTH JERSEY 5,000-METER RUN LIST
13:44.57 … Jack Shea [Cherokee], April 29, 2022, Palo Alto, Calif.
13:48.61 …Karl Savage [Eastern], April 17, 2003, Walnut, Calif.
13:58.23 … Jon Anderson [Cinnaminson], April 23, 2009, Philadelphia
13:58.84 … Austin Gabay [Cinnaminson], March 28, 2024, Raleigh, N.C.
14:03.52 … Kevin McDonnell [Camden Catholic], April 5, 2013, Williamsburg
14:04.8h … Kevin Pumphrey [Highland], 1989, ???
14:06.23 … Sam Gerstenbacher [Schalick], April 29, 2022, Philadelphia
14:08.24 … Kevin Antczak [Mainland Regional], Feb. 22, 2024, Boston
14:09.10 … Andy Arnold [Bishop Eustace], April 4, 2014, San Francisco
14:09.37 … Jon Vitez [Haddonfield], March 30, 2012, Raleigh, N.C.
14:12.0h … Mike Elder [Haddon Twp.], 1977, ???
14:13.72 … Miles Schoedler [Ocean City], April 5, 2013, Williamsburg, Va.
14:14.02… Ethan Wechsler [Cherokee], April 19, 2024, Charlottesville, Va.
14:14.16 … Matt Coffey [Camden Catholic], May 13, 2024, Chester, Pa.
14:15.73 … Conor Melko [Bishop Eustace], May 15, 2021, Springfield, Mass.
14:15.94 … Sebastien Reed [Pitman], April 29, 2022, Philadelphia
14:16.10 … John Richardson [Ocean City], April, 2008, Palo Alto, Calif.
14:17.77 … Keith Krieger [Cherokee], April 6, 2007, Durham, N.C.
14:17.91 … Dennis Fortuna [Triton], April 25, 2024, Philadelphia
14:17.99 … Marc Pelerin [Cherokee], May 7, 2006, Storrs, Ct.
14:20.26 … Eric Lorenz [Holy Cross], 1992
14:20.39 … Thomas Cooke [Kingsway], 2021, Boston
14:21.54 … Kevin Antczak [Mainland Reg.], March 24, 2022, Raleigh, N.C.
14:23.12 … Mike Rankin [Paul VI], April 12, 2014, Fairfax, Va.
14:23.23 … Martin Riddell [Haddonfield], April 25, 2024, Philadelphia
14:24.46 … Seth Clevenger [Haddonfield], April 14, 2023, Asuza, Calif.
14:26.53 … Nick / Cole Pschunder [Eastern], March 2, 2019, Boston
14:26.90 … Aaron Groff [Cherry Hill East], Feb. 15, 2020, Boston
14:27.38 … Ben Woodward [Highland], March 5, 2022, Boston
14:28.30 … Colton Johnson [Paul VI], May 5, 2024, Fairfax, Va.
14:30.65 … Noah Deckert [Delsea], April 12, 2024, Princeton
14:31.31 … Paul Szulewski [Williamstown], April 13, 2013, Lewisburg, Pa.
14:32.01 … Joe Domanico [Haddon Township], Feb. 15, 2020, Boston