Paul VI senior Shaelan McNally raced to the 14th-fastest 1,600 in state history Tuesday night at the Holmdel Twilight Series Royal Rumble.
McNally led four girls under 4:52 at Holmdel High School, winning in 4:45.91. That’s 3rd-fastest in South Jersey history and fastest in 23 years.
Northern Burlington junior Liliah Gordon finished 4th with a huge PR of 4:51.84, which is 10th-fastest in South Jersey history and No. 2 on the all-time Burlington County list.
McNally, whose previous PR was 4:47.95 from the South Jersey Elite at Delsea earlier this month, now trails only two legends on the all-time South Jersey list:
√ Michelle Rowen of Washington Township ran a hand-timed 4:43.2 full mile at the 1982 Kinney Invitational at Cal Berkeley on June 12, 1982, which converts to 4:41.5 for 1,600 meters
√ Haddonfield Olympian Erin Donohue ran 4:42.96 full mile on June 17, 2001, at Outdoor Nationals in Raleigh, N.C., which converts to 4:41.16.
Unbelievably in this day and age, splits are not available. Too bad Tomahawk can’t time every meet.
As for Gordon, her 4:51.84 is 2nd-fastest on the all-time Burlington County list behind Cherokee’s Nicole Clifford, who ran 4:48.82 in 2022 converted from a 4:50.50 full mile at Icahn Stadium in New York.
It’s fastest by a South Jersey underclassman since Mainland Regional’s Alyssa Aldridge ran 4:51.43 at the 2017 state Group 3 meet on Gordon’s home track at Northern Burlington.
Gordon’s previous 1,600 PR was 4:55.56 converted from a 4:57.28 full mile indoors at Boston University in February.
McNally and Gordon belong to a small club of nine New Jersey girls – only three from South Jersey who’ve run sub-2:18, sub-4:52 and sub-10:23:
2:13.85 / 4:46.03 / 10:10.24 … Abby Loveys [Randolph], 2018, 2019
2:14.70 / 4:51.99 / 10:12.73 … Dana Giordano [Bernards], 2012
2:10.1h / 4:415h / 10:12.8h … Michelle Rowen [Washington Twp.], 1982, 1983
2:10.14 / 4:46.28 / 10:17.18 … Melanie Thompson [Voorhees], 2008
2:12.17 / 4:46.63 / 10:18.08 … Tilly O’Connor [St. Rose], 2023
2:09.1h / 4:47.7h / 10:18.0h … Jodie Bilotta [North Hunterdon], 1987
2:06.94 / 4:40.15 / 10:18.34 … Lily Shapiro [Colts Neck], 2021
2:11.85 / 4:45.91 / 10:18.93 … Shaelan McNally [Paul VI], 2024
2:17.65 / 4:51.84 / 10:22.20 … Lilliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2024
All-Time New Jersey 1,600-Meter Run List
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
4:45.28 … Paige Sheppard [Union Catholic], 2024
4:45.36 … Liz Lansing [Randolph], 2013
4:45.57 … Claudia DiSomma [Sparta], 2010
4:45.76 … Julia Scrudato [Montgomery], 2023
4:45.91 … Shaelan McNally [Paul VI], 2024
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
4:48.13 … Angelina Perez [Lakeland], 2022
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
4:48.82 … Julia Threthaway [West Morris Central], 2019
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], 2014a
All-Time South Jersey 1,600-Meter Run List
4:41.16 … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2000
4:41.5y … Michelle Rowen [Washington Twp.], 1982
4:45.91 … Shaelan McNally [Paul VI], 2024
4:45.97 … Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 2014
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
4:51.84 … Lilliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2024
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
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 