From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Glassboro won the distance medley and high jump relay on the way to its first state relays title in 16 years Friday at the Bubble in Toms River.

Senior Ty Blackman, junior Jaeden Wesley, freshman Aaron Johnson and freshman Joseph Saicic ran 10:56.39 to win the DMR – sorry, it’s the Bubble, so no splits available – and junior Amari Sabb and freshman Moses Robles combined to win the high jump relay, Sabb clearing 6-0 and Robles 5-10.

Glassboro outscored 2nd-place Hasbrouck Heights 39-29 in Group 1, with Camden 3rd [28], Woodstown 4th [24], Woodbury 6th [18], Salem and Audubon tied for 9th [11] and Haddon Township tied for 10th [10].

The Bulldogs won their only previous title in 2009 by 45-42 over Haddonfield. That team went on to win state Group 1 titles indoors and outdoors.

Glassboro also scored big points in the pole vault relay and shuttle hurdles. Senior Daniel Adams cleared 11-0 and senior Dayshaun Day 10-0 in the vault for 2nd place, and Day, Sabb, freshman Mehki Parker and Robles ran 32.67 for 3rd in the shuttles.

Senior Kyle Williams threw 45-4 in the shot and sophomore Jayce Grays 38-0 1/2 for 5th place in the shot put relay, and Glassboro’s 4-by-8 team of Blackman, Wesley, Johnson and freshman Gavin Rakitis ran 8:38.74 for 6th place.

Camden won the 800-meter relay in 1;31.00 with senior Azir Lee, junior Jaiden Steele, junior Chase Robinson and junior Christian Braxton, placed 2nd in the shuttles in 32.48 with sopphomore Jaleel Dickerson-Dempsey, junior Talib Shakir, Steele and Robinson and took 2nd in the 4-by-4 with Lee, Steele, Braxton and Robinson running 3;3.69.

Woodstown won the 3,200-meter relay in 8:23.30 with junior Karson Chew, junior Jacob Marino, junior Joshua Crawford and senior Cole Lucas and was 3rd in the 4-by-4 with Lucas, Chew, Marino and Crawford running 3:33.74.

For Woodbury, junior Shiwoe Varpilah, senior Nico Soterion, junior Elijah Young and senior Marquis Taylor won the 4-by-4 in 3:32.91, and Varpilah, senior Aiden Washington, freshman Aaron Johnson and Taylor ran 1:35.08 for 2nd in the 4-by-2.

(Note that Glassboro and Woodbury both have a freshman named Aaron Johnson. He did not transfer in the middle of the meet. Different guy!)

Senior Jacob George cleared 13-6 and sophomore Bobby McIlvain 10-0, and Haddon Township won the pole vault relay.

And Audubon took 2nd in the high jump relay, with senior Thomas Weick clearing 6-0 and junior Dylan Gallagher 5-6.