Winslow’s Jayden Poteat and Woodbury’s Marquise Taylor simultaneously opened Day 2 of the state championships with identical wins in the 400-meter dash.
Poteat ran a PR 48.23 to win the state Group 3 title at Delsea and Taylor ran a PR 48.23 to win the Group 1 race in Somerset.
Taylor out-ran Tennessee signee Luke Schagelin, who had won the 800 in 1:51.17 on Friday. Schagelin was 2nd in 48.35. Poteat is the first Winslow quarter-miler to win a state title since legendary Reuben McCoy won Group 4 in 46.77 back in 2004. Delsea senior Dante McGrenehan also ran under 49, taking 5th place in 48.97. Hammonton junior Jake Edwards [49.31] and Eastside senior Julius Dominguez [49.78] also broke 50.
Taylor led a 1-2 South Jersey finish with Clayton junior Alex Osayemi 2nd in 48.78. Glassboro senior Cartrell Moore also broke 9, taking 4th in 49.46, and Woodbury senior Jayden Johnson was 5th in 50.36.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 