Glassboro senior Damere Lassiter had a monster double at the Delsea Crusader Field Meet Tuesday night, PR’ing with a 60-11 ¼ in the shot put and winning the discus with a season-best 180-3. Both throws came on his final attempt.
Lassiter became the 7th thrower in South Jersey history to hit 60 feet in the shot and 180 feet in the discus in the same meet and the first ever in Group 1.
Lassiter is now No. 5 in New Jersey this year in the shot and No. 3 in the discus and No. 1 in both events in Group 1. He’s the first Group 1 thrower in New Jersey to hit 60 and 180 since Saddle Brook’s Giovanni Gutierrez in 2017 [62-8 ¾, 187-8].
He has a 184-8 to his credit from last year’s South Jersey Group 1 sectionals at Pennsauken. He did hit 60 feet indoors with a 60-1 to win Easterns at the Armory in February, but the 60-11 ¼ is a PR.
His 184-8 is the best throw by a South Jersey Group 1 athlete since Penns Grove’s Russell Willitt threw 185-10 at the 1985 Bridgeton Relays [held that year at Cumberland Regional in Upper Deerfield Township], and his 60-11 ¼ is best in South Jersey Group 1 since Paulsboro’s Jon Kalnas hit 64-10 ¼ at the 1997 Meet of Champions.
Lassiter is the 4th South Jersey thrower to hit 60 feet this year, joining Hammonton junior Anthony Liakhnovich [62-10 at the South Jersey Open], Pennsauken senior Jayden Farmer [61-3 at the Camden County Championships] and Delsea junior Jonathan Harris [60-9 ½ at Woodbury]. That’s the most ever in a single year.
Harris was 2nd in the shot Tuesday with a 60-3 ½ Delsea senior Greg Masso got within a few inches of 60 feet with a PR 59-8 ¾ – on his final throw.
In the disc, Willingboro senior Derrick Swain PR’d with a 163-8, and Paulsboro senior Javion Payne made it three over 160 feet with a lifetime-best 161-0, which is No. 2 in New Jersey Group 1 behind Lassiter.
Ron Dayne [Overbrook], 1996 Meet of Champions [63-10 ¼, 215-3]
Braheme Days Jr. [Bridgeton], 2013 Nationals [68-6 ½, 186-2]
Josh Awotunde [Delsea], 2013 Meet of Champions [61-1, 188-10]
Kamron Kobolak [Cinnaminson], 2018 Meet of Champions [61-11 ¾, 185-6]
Damere Lassiter [Glassboro], 2024 Crusader Field Meet [60-11 ¼, 180-3]
Jason Nwosu [Delsea], 2022 Crusader Field Meet [61-7, 183-9]
Ray Wilks [Bridgeton], 1995 Meet of Champions [64-5, 184-3]
68-8 ½ … Braheme Days Jr. [Bridgeton] 2012
64-10 ½ … Jon Kalnas [Paulsboro], 1997
64-6 ¼ … Ron Dayne [Overbook], 1996
64-5 … Ray Wilks [Bridgeton], 1995
64-4 ¼ … Chris Robinson [Penns Grove], 1990
62-10 ¼ … Nick Pulli [West Deptford], 2014
63-0 … Lou Gordon [Bridgeton], 1995
61-11 ¾ … Kamron Kobolak [Cinnaminson], 2018
61-10 ½ … Harry Dilks [Pitman], 1971
61-6 … Josh Awotunde [Delsea], 2013
61-4 ½ … Bubba Green [Millville], 1976
61-4 … Kofi Yamoah [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2013
61-2 ½ … Matthew Huckabee, [Timber Creek], 2010
60-11 ½ … Ryan Knight [Delsea], 1996
60-11 ¼ … Damere Lassiter [Glassboro], 2024
60-11 ……. Lucciano Pizarro [Cherokee], 2019
60-7 1/2 … Ell Ash [Willingboro], 2004
60-6 ½ … Tati White [Willingboro], 1994
60-5 ¼ … Chris Bolden [Edgewood], 1990
60-3 … Dontaye Rivera [Pleasantville], 2012
60-1 … Bill Banks [Wilson], 1973
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 