Deptford’s Marcus Hood opened his senior season with an indoor pole vault PR and the No. 5 mark in Gloucester County history.
Hood cleared 14-1 at the Ridge Winter Invitational Monday at Ocean Breeze. His previous indoor PR was 13-0, which he cleared three times last year. Hood PR’d at 15-3 outdoors when he won the state Group 3 title last spring at Delsea. That’s No. 4 in South Jersey history.
On Monday, Hood cleared 12-0 and 12-6 on his first attempts and had the meet won at 12-6. He passed 13-0, cleared 13-6 on his 3rd attempt and 14-1 on his 2nd. He finished the day by taking three shots at 14-6.
Senior teammate Tiburcio Torres tied for 2nd with a 12-0 clearance. His previous indoor PR was 11-0 and his lifetime best was 11-6 last spring at sectionals.
16-0 … Marco Morales [Delsea], 2020
15-6 … Dan Batdorf [West Deptford], 2008
15-6 … Nico Morales [Delsea], 2019
15-1 … Dylan Altland [Kinsgway], 2014
15-0 ¼ … Devon Purves [Haddonfield], 2006
15-0 … Mark Murphy [Haddonfield], 1985
15-0 … Mike Davis [Haddonfield], 2004
15-0 … Mike Rivard [Haddonfield], 2009
14-11 ¼ … Tom Jeffers [Triton], 2011
14-7 … Brian Banks [Eastern], 2011
14-6 ¼ … Brandon Kurtz [Absegami], 1991
14-6 … Mike Maira [Seneca],
14-6 … Michael Oberg [Ocean City],
14-6 … Jarrod Brovero [Delsea], 2016
14-6 … Kyle Loveland [Moorestown], 2016
14-1 … Joshua Cohen [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2019
14-1 … Marcus Hood [Deptford], 2025
14-0 … Chris Matteo [Bishop Eustace], 1984
14-0 … Mike Yurcho [Shawnee], 1999
14-0 … David Murname [West Deptford], 2000
14-0 … Jason Yurchak [Delsea], 2004
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 