Washington Township’s Yashahya Brown capped a historic senior year by hurdling his way to a national title Sunday.
Brown didn’t lose a race this year, finishing with a thrilling win over senior Anthony Waterman of DeMatha Catholic in Hyattsville, Md., at West Philly Nationals at Franklin Field.
Brown ran 13.52, 9-100ths of a second off the South Jersey record of 13.43 he set in the state Group 4 meet in Somerset.
Brown was only 6th-fastest in Saturday’s semis with a 13.72 – he only made the final by 15-100ths of a second – but racing in Lane 3, with Waterman in Lane 4, he won what was essentially a two-man race by about a fifth of a meter – approximately seven inches. Waterman was 2nd in 13.55.
From his opener at Fast Times at Cherokee High through Sunday, Brown never lost a hurdles race, and he was undefeated indoors as well, winning titles at Easterns and the Meet of Champions. The last time he raced in the 110-meter highs and didn’t win was last year’s Meet of Champions, where he placed 3rd behind Nathaniel Ryan of Scotch Plains-Fanwood and Jack Attali of Demarest. Last time he finished behind a South Jersey runner was in last year’s state Group 4 meet, when he was 3rd, one spot behind Pennsauken senior Bryce Tucker.
Brown this year also enjoyed great success as a flat sprinter, lowering his 100 time to 10.56 and running 21.72 in his only 200. He ranked 5th in the state this year at 100 meters with legal wind.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 