From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Highland senior Jayden DeLeon notched the best indoor high jump by a South Jersey athlete in a decade Saturday at the Ott Center.

Competing at the South Jersey Coaches Association meet in West Philly, DeLeon cleared 6-9 on his 2nd attempt, the best clearance by a South Jersey jumper since Williamstown’s Devin Bradham and Delsea’s Ameer Banks both cleared 6-10 at Easterns at the Armory.

His 6-9 is tied for No. 3 in Camden County history and matches the best jump in 38 years, since Cherry Hill West’s Terrance Ferguson cleared 7-0 at Easterns at Princeton’s Jadwin Gym.

DeLeon had cleared 6-8 indoors last week at the Bubble and outdoors at Group 3 Sectionals at Delsea last spring.

DeLeon’s 6-9 equals the No. 5 performance nationally, according to the MileSplit U.S. database. It’s the best jump by a Highland athlete since Reggie Williams cleared 7-0 at South Plainfield when he placed 2nd to Franklin’s Reggie Garrett at the 1997 Meet of Champions.

On Saturday, DeLeon passed through 6-0, then cleared 6-2, 6-4, 6-6 and 6-8 ¼ on his first attempts. Glassboro junior Amari Sabb cleared a lifetime-best 6-4 on his 1st attempt for 2nd place. He had cleared 6-2 at the Gloucester County Championships last spring at Deptford. His previous indoor PR was 6-0, which he cleared a couple times last year.

After. Clearing 6-8 ¼, DeLeon had the bar moved up to 6-9 and sailed over the bar on his 2nd try. Then it was up to 6-10, where he missed three tries.

Here’s the all-time South Jersey indoor list …

7-4 1/4 … Mike Morrison [Willingboro], 2003 [i]
7-0 … Terry Ferguson [Cherry Hill West], 1987 [i]
6-11 … Mike Pascuzzo [Lenape], 1980 [i]
6-10 ¾ … Paul Klemic [Mainland Reg.], 1999 [i]
6-10 … Damon Julian [Edgewood], 1984 [i]
6-10 … Raffael Craig [Millville], 1999 [i]
6-10 … Josh Butler [Delsea], 2006 [i]
6-10 … Devin Bradham [Williamstown], 2015 [i]
6-10 … Ameer Banks [Delsea], 2015 [i]
6-9 … Andrew Athias [Cherry Hill East], 2011 [i]
6-9 … Jayden DeLeon [Highland], 2025 [i]

And the all-time South Jersey combined indoor-outdoor list:

7-4 1/2 ..… Paul Klemic [Mainland Reg.], 2000 [o]
7-4 1/4 ..… Robert Jordan [Millville], 1999 [o]
7-4 1/4 … Mike Morrison [Willingboro], 2003 [i]
7-1 ………. Drew Kanz [Seneca], 2009 [o]
7-0 1/2 ..… Dwayne Robinson [Bridgeton], 1992 [o]
7-0 ………. Marc Holland [Willingboro], 1978 [o]
7-0 … Terry Ferguson [Cherry Hill West], 1987 [i]
7-0 ………. Reggie Williams [Highland], 1997 [o]
7-0 ………. Raffael Craig [Millville], 1999 [o]
7-0 ………. Daryl Gause [Schalick], 2000 [o]
7-0 …..….. Todd Lowber [Delran], 2001 [o]
7-0 …..….. Montez Blair [Timber Creek], 2008 [o]
7-0 ………. Markquese Bell [Bridgeton], 2016 [o]
6-11 … Mike Pascuzzo [Lenape], 1980 [i]
6-11 …….. Kerry Vivett [Edgewood], 1985 [o]
6-10 1/2 … Mike Starks [Haddon Heights], 1993 [o]
6-10 1/4 … Ed Malone [Gloucester], 1985 [o]
6-10 …….. Scott Knecht [Haddonfield], 1979 [o]
6-10 …….. Scott Landers [Northern Burlington], 1980 [o]
6-10 …….. Paul Tyson [Camden], 1983 [o]
6-10 …….. Troy Saunders [Bordentown], 1983 [o]
6-10 …….. Pat Collier [Willingboro], 1983 [o]
6-10 …….. Damon Julian [Edgewood], 1984 [i,o]
6-10 …….. Spencer Irvin [Paulsboro], 1993 [o]
6-10 …….. Jarrett Carr [Pennsauken], 1994 [o]
6-10 …….. Jamil Sanders [Bridgeton], 1994 [o]
6-10 …….. Willie Hill [Vineland], 1994 [o]
6-10 …….. Anthony [Schalick], 1999 [o]
6-10 …….. Marshall Akins [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2005 [o]
6-10 …….. Justin Oliver [Pennsauken], 2006 [o]
6-10 …….. Josh Butler [Delsea], 2006 [i,o]
6-10 …….. Devin Bradham [Williamstown], 2005 [i,o]
6-10 …….. Ameer Banks [Delsea], 2015 [o]
6-9 ¼ …… Keith Brown [Salem], 1979 [o]
6-9 ¼ ………. Blake Bartlett [Penns Grove], 1999 [o]
6-9 ………. Bob Reid [Oakcrest], 1977 [o]
6-9 ………. Marvin Bass [Palmyra], 1994 [o]
6-9 … Andrew Athias [Cherry Hill East], 2011 [i]
6-9 … Jayden DeLeon [Highland], 2025 [i]