In one of the greatest distance performances in state history, Northern Burlington senior Liliah Gordon won the Meet of Champions 3,200 with the 3rd-fastest time in state history.
Gordon won in 10:13.41, a South Jersey indoor record and the fastest 3,200 by a South Jersey girl indoors or outdoors in 42 years, since Michelle Rowen of Washington Township ran 10:12.8 for 3,200 meters at the 1983 outdoor South Jersey Group 4 sectionals at Toms River East.
The only New Jersey girls to run faster indoors are Lakeland’s Angelina Perez, who ran 9:53.50 converted from a 9:56.96 at 2022 Armory Nationals and Colts Neck’s Ashley Higginson, who ran 10:13.17 converted from a 10:16.75 two-mile at 2007 Armory Nationals. Perez is the only girl to run faster than Gordon at a Meet of Champions. She ran 10:00.90 to win the 2022 meet.
Gordon broke the South Jersey indoor 3,200 record of 10:15.71 set in 2006 by Ocean City’s Brittany Sedberry. She ran what was then a state record of 10:19.30 over two miles at the Hall of Fame Classic at the Armory. When Sedberry ran that time, she beat Higginson.
She also broke the Burlington County indoor record of 10:23.49 set by Cherokee’s Megan Lacy at the 2011 Armory Nationals over two miles and convergted from 10:27.13. She also surpassed Lacy’s overall indoor-outdoor Burlington County record of 10:22.02 set at the 2012 outdoor Meet of Champions at Old Bridge.
Gordon is the first South Jersey girl to win the 3,200 Meet of Champions since Devin Grisbaum of Ocean City ran 10:45.20 to win the 2015 race at the Bubble. Rowen in 1981 [10:18.9], Bridgeton’s Cathy McGuigan in 1993 [11:21.96], Bishop Eustace’s Ann Klocke in 1996 [10:58.93] and Erin Donohue of Haddonfield in 2001 [10:38.90] also won indoor MoC 3,200s.
Gordon’s time is No. 6 in the U.S. this year.
Gordon placed 2nd in last year’s MoC by 5-100ths of a second. Including cross country, indoors and outdoors, she had placed in the top 8 in seven Meet of Champions races, including two 2nds. But she ran a brilliant tactical race Sunday and that combined with her incredible fitness level made her unbeatable.
She settled in from the start near the front of a large pack that went out very fast – eight girls came through 800 in 2:34 or faster and six came through the 1,600 at 5:14 or faster. But she was content to sit back and not take the lead and let everyone else do the work.
Gordon finally moved into the front on the 10th lap, leading a group of four that had gapped the field. Still running with Gordon with six laps to go were Ocean Township freshman Leah Starkey, the top seed at 10:32.62; Union Catholic sophomore Cayleigh Kaiser, the state Parochial A champ; and Walkill Valley senior Delana Einreinhofer, the state Group 4 champ.
But Gordon put the hammer down on the 14th lap, using a 37.41 to separate from the field. She increased her lead to 15 meters with two laps to go and 30 meters at the bell, ultimately finishing 35 meters ahead of Einreinhofer, who ran 10:20.60 in 2nd. Starkey was 3rd in 10:24.86 and Kaiser 4th in 10:27.01.
Gordon’s official time at 3,000 meters was 9:39.04, which is a South Jersey indoor and overall record. Indoors, Lacy ran 9:53.39 at the 2011 Princeton Invitational at Jadwin Gym and outdoors Haddonfield’s Marielle Hall ran 9:40.23 at the 2010 Penn Relays at Franklin Field.
Coming into the meet, Gordon had a lifetime best of 10:22.20 from last year’s Glenn Loucks Invitational at White Plains High School (hey, that’s my alma mater!) with an indoor PR of 10:26.49 from last year’s MoC.
The race produced four of the 11-fastest times in meet history:
Meet of Champions 3,200-Meter All-Time List
10:00.90 … Angelina Perez [Lakeland], 2022 [1]
10:13.41 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2025 [1]
10:16.20 … Cate DeSousa [Red Bank Catholic], 2023 [1]
10:20.60 … Delana Einreinhofer [Walkill Valley], 2025 [2]
10:24.73 … Dana Giordano [Bernards], 2012 [1]
10:24.86 … Leah Starkey [Ocean Twp.], 2025 [3]
10:26.25 … Leanna Johnston [Immaculate Heart], 2023 [2]
10:26.44 … Rosemary Shay [Middletown South], 2024 [1]
10:26.49 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2024 [2]
10:26.53 … Ashley Higginson [Colts Neck], 2007 [1]
10:27.01 … Cayleigh Kaiser [Union Catholic], 2025 [4]
10:27.25 … Mackenzie Barry [Mendham], 2012 [2]
10:31.06 … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2012 [3]
10.31.98 … Niamh Hayes [Howell], 2017 [1]
All-Time New Jersey 3,200 Indoor List
9:53.50y … Angelina Perez [Lakeland] 2022
10:13.17y … Ashley Higginson [Colts Neck], 2007
10:13.41 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2025
10:14.97 … Charlotte Bednar [Lawrenceville School, 2021
10:15.71 … Brittany Sedberry [Ocean City], 2006
10:16.20 … Cate DeSousa [Red Bank Catholic], 2023
10:17.40y… Abby Loveys [Randolph], 2019
10:20.90y … Kathleen McCafferty [Oak Knoll], 2008
10:22.00y … Julia Trethaway [West Morris Central], 2019
10:23.49y … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2011
Combined Indoor-Outdoor Sub-10:20
9:53.29y … Angelina Perez [Lakeland], 2022 [o]
9:59.34y … Charlotte Bednar [Lawrenceville School, 2021 [o]
10:09.88y … Ashley Highinson [Colts Neck], 2007 [o]
10:10.24y … Abby Loveys [Randolph], 2019 [o]
10:12.73y … Dana Giordano [Bernards], 2012 [o]
10:12.8h … Michelle Rowen [Washington Twp.], 1983 [o]
10:13.17y … Ashley Higginson [Colts Neck], 2007 [I]
10:13.41 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2025 [i]
10:13.60y … Melanie Thompson [Voorhees], 2008 [o]
10:14.5h,y … Jodie Bilotta [North Hunterdon], 1987 [o]
10:15.1h,y … Janet Smith [North Edsion], 1983 [o]
10:15.02 … Sarah DiSanza [High Point Reg.], 2013 [o]
10:15.71 … Brittany Sedberry [Ocean City], 2006 [i]
10;15.82 … Alexa Westley [Warren Hills], 2019 [o]
10:16.20 … Cate DeSousa [Red Bank Catholic], 2023 [o]
10:16.46 … Molly Malague [Metuchen], 2022 [o]
10:17.18 … Melanie Thompson [Voorhees], 2008 [o]
10:17.28 … Kathleen McCafferty [Oak Knoll], 2008 [o]
10:18.08 … Tilly O’Connor [St. Rose], 2023 [o]
10:18.24 … Mackenzie Barry [Mendham], 2012 [o]
10:18.36 … Lilly Shapiro [Colts Neck], 2021 [o]
10:18.93 … Shaelan McNally [Paul VI], 2024 [o]
10:19.31 … Chelsea Ley [Kingsway], 2009 [o]
10:19.37 … Julia Trethaway [West Morris Central], 2019
All-Time South Jersey Indoor List
10:13.41 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2025
10:15.71 … Brittany Sedberry [Ocean City], 2006
10:23.49y … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2011
10:29.90y … Chelsea Ley [Kingsway], 2009
10:33.95y … Alyssa Aldridge [Mainland Reg.], 2016
10:38.11 … Megan Venables [Highland], 2011
10:38.90 … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2001
10:39.88 … Lillie Widmer [Delsea], 2023
10:40.03 … Dina Iacone [Washington Twp.], 2012
10:40.80 … Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 2017
10:42.06 … Holly Bischof [Bishop Eustace], 2012
10:42.42 … Theresa Cattuna [Cherry Hill East], 2007
10:43.2y … Michelle Rowen [Washington Twp.], 1983
10:45.20 … Devon Grisbaum [Ocean City], 2015
10:45.40y … Julianna Catania [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2016
10:46.63 … Erika Kemp [Rancocas Valley], 2013
10:48.28 … Abby Waddington [Clearview], 2023
10:48.78 … Shelby Cain [Haddonfield], 2014
10:49.12 … Madison Coppolino [Sterling], 2017 [3]
10:49.46 … Alyssa Condell [Timber Creek], 2016
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 