Highland’s Jayden DeLeon recorded the No. 5 high jump clearance in the U.S. this year Friday at sectionals in Toms River.
DeLeon cleared 6-10 ¼ on his 3rd attempt at the South Jersey Group 3 sectionals at the Bubble. DeLeon broke the overall New Jersey sectional record of 6-10 set by Mark Jones of Summit at the 2010 Central Jersey Group 2 meet.
DeLeon’s mark is the best by a South Jersey jumper indoors or outdoors since Mike Morrison set the state indoor record of 7-4 ¼ at the Varsity Classic at the Armory in 2003.
It’s the highest clearance by any New Jersey jumper in seven years, since Jadon Watson of Kennedy High in Paterson at 2018 Armory Nationals.
It’s also No. 2 on the all-time Camden County indoor list, behind Terry Ferguson of Cherry Hill West, who cleared 7-0 in 1987. But it’s not an overall school record. Reggie Williams cleared 7-0 at the 1997 outdoor Meet of Champions at South Plainfield.
All-Time New Jersey Indoor High Jump List
7-4 ¼ … Mike Morrison [Willingboro], 2003
7-2 ¼ … Milt Goode [Monmouith], 1979
7-2 … Eric Taylor-Perry [Montclair], 1990
7-2 … Derrick Ponton [Montclair], 1995
7-0 ¼ … Mark Jones [Summit], 2011
7-0 … Terry Ferguson [Cherry Hill West], 1987
7-0 … Mike Loftin [North Hunterdon], 1991
7-0 … Adam Bergo [Westfield], 2008
6-11 … Mike Pascuzzo [Lenape], 1980
6-11 … Kijana Corbin [Columbia], 1997
6-10 ¾ … Paul Klemic [Mainland Reg.], 1999
6-10 ¾ … Darius Pemberton [Hackensack], 1993
6-10 ¾ … Jadon Watson [JFK-Paterson], 2018
6-10 ¼ … VIn Reilly [St. Joe’s-Metuchen], 1977
6-10 ¼ … Jayden DeLeon [Highland], 2025
6-10 ¼ … Glenn Scheidler [Randolph], 2009
New Jersey Indoor/Outdoor All-Time List
7-4 ½ … Paul Klemic [Mainland Reg.], 2000 [o]
7-4 ¼ … Mike Morrison [Willingboro], 2003 [i]
7-3 ¾ … Robert Jordan [Millville], 1999 [o]
7-2 ¼ … Milt Goode [Monmouith], 1979 [i]
7-2 … Eric Taylor-Perry [Montclair], 1990 [i]
7-2 … Derrick Ponton [Montclair], 1995[i]
7-1 … Drew Kanz [Seneca], 2009 [o]
7-1 … David Njoku [Cedar Grove], 2014 [o]
7-0 ¼ … Mark Jones [Summit], 2011 [i]
7-0 … Terry Ferguson [Cherry Hill West], 1987 [i]
7-0 … Mike Loftin [North Hunterdon], 1991 [i]
7-0 … Reggie Williams [Highland], 1997 [o]
7-0 … Raffael Craig [Millville], 1999 [o]
7-0 … Adam Bergo [Westfield], 2008 [i]
7-0 … Montez Blair [Timber Creek], 2008 [o]
6-11 … Mike Pascuzzo [Lenape], 1980 [i]
6-11 … Kijana Corbin [Columbia], 1997 [i]
6-11 … James Bell [Newark West Side], 2019 [o]
6-10 ¾ … Darius Pemberton [Hackensack], 1993 [i]
6-10 ¾ … Cory Hubert [St. John Vianney], 1997 [o]
6-10 ¾ … Zachary Davis [Pope John XXIII], 2013 [o]
6-10 ¾ … Jadon Watson [JFK-Paterson], 2018 [i]
6-10 ¼ … VIn Reilly [St. Joe’s-Metuchen], 1977 [i]
6-10 ¼ … Juan Cave [Voorhees], 2005
6-10 ¼ … Glenn Scheidler [Randolph], 2009 [i, o]
6-10 ¼ … Damarion Potts [South Brunswick], 2023 [o]
6-10 ¼ … Jayden DeLeon [Highland], 2025 [i]
South Jersey Indoor High Jump List
7-4 ¼ … Mike Morrison [Willingboro], 2003
7-0 … Terry Ferguson [Cherry Hill West], 1987
6-11 … Mike Pascuzzo [Lenape], 1980
6-10 ¾ … Paul Klemic [Mainland Reg.], 1999
6-10 ¼ … Jayden DeLeon [Highland], 2025
6-10 … Raffael Craig [Millville], 1999
6-10 … Devin Bradham [Williamstown], 1999
6-10 … Ameer Banks [Delsea], 2015
6-9 … Andrew Athias [Cherry Hill East], 2011
6-8 ¼ … Mike Murawski [Holy Cross], 2003
6-8 … Barry Anderson [Rancocas Valley], 1977
6-8 … Chris Walsh [Shawnee], 1983
6-8 … Derek King [Cumberland Reg.], 1983
6-8 … Scott Harrison [Willingboro], 1984
6-8 … Kerry Vivett [Edgewood], 1985
6-8 … Ed Malone [Gloucester], 1986
6-8 … Jim Bowles [Rancocas Valley], 1986
6-8 … J.C. Slocum [Bordentown], 1989, 1990
6-8 … Jamal Sanders [Bridgeton], 1994
6-8 … Desmond Powell [Oakcrest], 1994
6-8 … Ryan O’Connell [Mainland Reg.], 1994
6-8 … Victor Mallory [Penns Grove], 1995
6-8 … Ernesto Colon [Pleasantville], 1995
6-8 … Jamal Ames [Vineland], 2004
6-8 … Uchenna Njoku [Cherry Hill East], 2009
6-8 … Ed Kramer [Cherokee], 2010
6-8 … Jeffrey-Jon Tucker [Eastern], 2013
6-8 … Larry Russell [Timber Creek], 2014
6-8 … Tariq Adams [Pleasantville], 2015
6-8 … Nate Robertson [Willingboro], 2020
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 