From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

On Tuesday, we posted a look at some of the top South Jersey entries for Armory Nationals. You can find that by clicking here. Today we’ll look at South Jersey entries at Boston Nationals.

Why is there more than one “nationals?” Because there’s more than one running shoe company. It’s stupid. But it’s not going to change.

Both meets start Thursday and South Jersey’s top athletes are split on the two meets, which are both held on fast banked 200-meter tracks.

In any case, here’s a look at most of the top South Jersey athletes heading to Boston:

Boston Nationals Order of Events: Click here.
Boston Nationals Entry List: Click here.
Boston Nationals Live Results: Click here.
Boston Nationals Live Stream: Click here.
Boston Nationals Meet Records [going all the way back to 2023!]: Click here.

BOYS
✓ M.J. Lincoln, Lenape: Lincoln is No. 6 in Burlington County history with his school-record 6.44 at Ocean Breeze last month. He’ll race the 60 in Boston.
✓ John Santos, Washington Twp.: Santos PR’d at 6.46 at Ocean Breeze in January but was under 6.50 at both sectionals and states
✓ Jayden Poteat, Winslow Twp.: Will be a busy few days for Poteat, who is entered in the open 400 – he is New Jersey No. 2 at 48.43 – and is also down for legs on Winslow’s sprint medley, 1,600-meter relay and 3,200-meter relay.
✓ Matthew Niedbalski, Clearview: Niedbalski will race the 400 in Boston, looking to lower his PR from 49.43.
✓ Melvin Lewis, Pleasantville: The latest speedy P-ville half-miler PR’d with 1:57.25 at the Meet of Champions and will race the 800 this weekend.
✓ Ty Blackman, Glassboro: Coming off his PR 4:17.46 at the Meet of Champions, Blackman will run the full mile in Boston.
✓ Noah Manwaring, Lenape: He’s still listed as a Lenape runner, but he only competed in one meet this winter, running 9:20.19 in Idaho in February, so I’m not sure if it’s a different Noah Manwaring or he transferred or what’s happening. But there can only be one Noah Manwaring, right? He’s down to run the 5,000 in Boston.
✓ Ryan Sanchez, Deptford: N.J. No. 6 hurdler at 7.42 for the 55 highs will race in the 60 highs.
✓ Anthony Parker, Salem: Parker is slated to compete in both the hurdles and long jump.
✓ Jayson Ross, Timber Creek: South Jersey No. 3 shot putter looks to improve on his 55-9 from sectionals.
✓ Marcus Hood, Deptford: Hood is No. 3 pole vaulter in South Jersey history and No. 13 in state history with his 15-6 clearance at the Bubble last month.
✓ Artrill Evans, Winslow Twp.: New Jersey No. 5 triple jumper and No. 10 all-time in south Jersey history, Evans is only 7 ½ inches shy of becoming South Jersey’s 3rd 47-footer.
✓ Winslow Township: Winslow hasn’t focused on a loaded sprint medley, but they’ll load up in Boston with KaRon Ali, Kristopher Jackson, Jayden Poteat and Dominic Bassey. Bassey, Poteat and Ali will also race on Winslow’s 4-by-4.

GIRLS
✓ Olivia Okaro, Winslow Twp.: Okaro has indoor PRs of 7.08, 24.75 and 58.27 and will race all three sprints at Nationals as well as racing on Winslow’s 4-by-200.
✓ Cinniya Robinson, Winslow Twp.: Soph PR’d with 56.81 t the Meet of Champions and will run the open 400as well as the 4-by-2 and 4-by-4.
✓ Skyhe Seamon, Winslow Twp.: Another soph and also slated for the open 400 as well as the 4-by-2.
✓ Jasmine Jackson, Winslow Twp.: No. 1 freshman in the country in the hurdles at 7.97 over 55 meters will run the championship 60-meter highs and the freshman 400. She’s run 56.59 this year. She’s also scheduled to run on Winslow’s 4-by-4.
✓ Winslow: The Eagles will run two 4-by-2 teams and two 4-by-4’s. They’re No. 11 nationally in the 4-by-2 at 1:39.66 from Ocean Breeze in January and 7th in the 4-by-4 at 3:45.89. Winslow will also put together a shuttle hurdles team, with Ma’Syiah Brawner and Jackson likely to be joined by Justice Green and Sanaa Bradley.
✓ *Leeya Joseph, Winslow Twp.: Coming off her PR 18-8 ½ at Easterns, Joseph will long jump and run legs on one of the Winslow 4-by-200s and 4-by-400s.
✓ My’Syiah Brawner, Winslow Twp.: Brawner is on the shuttles and 4-by-2 teams as well as in the open triple jump, which she placed 8th in last spring at West Philly Nationals.
✓ Brook-lyn Roberts, Winslow Twp.: No. 5 shot putter in New Jersey this year, Roberts looks to build on her 43-5 PR from sectionals.
✓ Liliah Gordon, Northern Burlington: Coming off her spectacular 10:13.41 Meet of Champions win, Gordon eyes the two-mile / 5000 double. She’s already No. 3 in state history in the 3,200 and 6th-fastest in the 5,000 at 17:02.44. Keep an eye on the clock. The state record is 16:43.02 by Briana Jackucewicz as a 7th-grader at the Armory in 2004 and the South Jersey record is 16:49.00 by Cherokee’s Megan Lacy at 2012 Armory Nationals. (Jackucewicz never ran an indoor 5,000 once she got to Colts Neck, so Lacy’s 16:49.00 is the fastest ever by an actual New Jersey high school runner.)
✓ Hannah Byrd-Leitner, Moorestown: Byrd-Leitner is No. 13 nationally in the pole vault at 13-0. She was 4th at West Philly Nationals last spring.
✓ Rebecca Hoover, Haddonfield: Hoover cleared an indoor PR 12-6 ½ last month when she won the state Group 2 title.
✓ Macy Huber, Paul VI: PVI junior had a huge breakthrough at Meet of Champions with a 4:56.87 and will run the mile in Boston.
✓ Carly Godfrey, Ocean City: Coming off a big PR 2:15.05 at Meet of Champions, Godfrey will go 800 at Nationals.
✓ Grace Gutowski, Paul VI: Gutowski will run the 800 and team up with Huber and two others TBA on PVI’s DMR.
✓ Maeve Smith, Ocean City: Smith will run the two-mile and anchor Ocean City’s DMR.
✓ Hope Edwards, Moorestown: Edwards will finish her auspicious freshman year in the freshman 400 and 800 races. She’s the No. 7 freshman nationally in the 800 at 2:16.11, and she’s also run 58.96.
✓ Cherokee: Cherokee will go 4-by-mile with Grace Wojciechowski, Madeline Meder, Erin Healy and Megan Niglio and DMR with Niglio, Veronica Ashcroft, Alyssa Suriano and Meder.
✓ Jordan Hadfield, Schalick: Hadfield ran sub-11 at the Ott Center in January and looks to lower her PR in Boston.
✓ Julia Flanagan, Holy Cross: After running sub-11 at the Meet of Champions, the Lancer junior runs the full two miles at Nationals.
✓ *Riley Fayer, Audubon: Yet another South Jersey two-miler, Fayer looks to go under 11 minutes after an 11:01.6 at the Ott.
✓ Dakota Jones, Washington Twp.: Meet of Champions and Easterns hurdles medalist will race the 60-meter highs and anchor the Minutemaids’ shuttle hurdles team.