Over the next few weeks, we’ll spotlight 30 athletes who excelled during the outdoor track season that we didn’t have a chance to write about extensively. We’d love to write about every athlete in South Jersey, but that’s not practical. But we will try to spotlight some who may have gotten overlooked over the past few months. We apologize in advance if we don’t get to you or your son or daughter or an athlete you coach.
Today: David Godbolt, Rancocas Valley
David Godbolt broke a long-standing Rancocas Valley high jump record, won his first state title and was also one of South Jersey’s top long jumpers as a Red Devil senior.
Godbolt first made his presence known as a sophomore when he won indoor Easterns at the Armory with his first lifetime 6-foot clearance. He improved to 6-2 as a junior indoors and added the triple jump [44-3] and long jump [21-6 ¾] to his arsenal.
Last year, Godbolt cleared 6-6 for the first time, winning South Jersey Group 4 sectionals, and his senior indoor season he had four 6-6 clearances and placed 2nd at the Meet of Champions.
Then this spring, Godbolt cleared 6-8 ¼ to win sectionals. That’s No. 12 in Burlington County history and broke the school record set by Barry Anderson in 1977 at the Greater Philadelphia Invitational at Frnaklin Field and matched by Jim Bowles at the 1986 state Group 3 meet at Rutgers in Piscataway.
It also equalled the best jump by a Burlington County high jumper since Seneca’s Drew Kanz hit 7-1 at the 2009 County Open at Maple Shade. Cherokee’s Ed Kramer also cleared 6-8 ¼ in 2010 at the old East Coast Relays at Morristown.
Anderson was a state champ indoors, but Goldbolt became Rancocas Valley’s first outdoor state champ in the high jump since John Stroud won Group 3 in 1961 at Merchantville High. Rancocas Valley was known as Mount Holly High School back then.
Godbolt also picked up high jump wins at the West Deptford Relays, Burlington County Open and Olympic Conference Championships and placed 6th at the Penn Relays.
In the long jump, Godbolt’s 22-6 makes him No. 3 all-time at Rancocas Valley, behind Tai Matlock [23-1 in 2019] and Iverson Clement [23-0 ½ in 2017]. He was 5th at the Burlington County Open, 2nd in the Olympic Conference meet and 2nd at sectionals.
Godbolt will join a large South Jersey contingent at Monmouth in the fall.
All-Time Burlington County High Jump List
7-3 ¼ ..… Mike Morrison [Willingboro], 2003
7-1 ………. Drew Kanz [Seneca], 2009
7-0 ………. Marc Holland [Willingboro], 1978
7-0 …..….. Todd Lowber [Delran], 2001
6-10 …….. Scott Landers [Northern Burlington], 1980
6-10 …….. Troy Saunders [Bordentown], 1983
6-10 …….. Pat Collier [Willingboro], 1983
6-9 ………. Marvin Bass [Palmyra], 1994
6-8 ½ … Rocky Harrison [Woodbury], 1975
6-8 ½ … Ben Kendall [Bordentown], 1980
6-8 ½ … Mike Pascuzzo [Lenape], 1980
6-8 ¼ … Ed Kramer [Cherokee], 2010
6-8 1/4 … David Godbolt [Rancocas Valley], 2024
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 