Hammonton’s Anthony Liakhnovich got his senior year off to an explosive start with the No. 2 outdoor shot put mark in South Jersey history and the No. 2 discus throw in the state this year.
Liakhhnovich won the shot at 65-1 ¾ and the discus with a 172- 6 at the Delsea Crusader Field Meet Saturday.
Liakhnovich threw 66-3 ¾ when he won Boston Nationals indoors, but his 65-1 ¾ trails only Bridgeton’s Braheme Days Jr. on the all-time South Jersey outdoor list. Days threw 68-8 ½ when he won the 2012 Penn Relays.
Days and Liakhnovich are also No. 1 and 2 in South Jersey history indoors, Days with his 70-8 at 2012 Easterns at the Armory and Liaknovich with his 66-3 ¾ in Boston.
Liakhnovich’s 65-1 ¾ Saturday is No. 20 all-time in New Jersey history outdoors. He’s No. 7 in state history indoors with his 66-3 ¾.
According to the MileSplit national database, Liakhnovich now ranks 3rd in the country in the shot.
Liakhnovich came into the meet with an outdoor PR of 62-10 from the South Jersey Invitational at Delsea last May. He actually surpassed that with a 63-3 ½ on his 1st attempt and a 64-6 ¼ on his 2nd before hitting the 65-1 ¾ on his final attempt.
Senior Jayson Ross of Timber Creek, senior Jayron Lewis of Williamstown and Lionelray Rodriguez of Cumberland Regional also surpassed 53 feet.
Ross threw an outdoor-best 54-11 ½, surpassing his 54-5 ½ from Group 3 sectionals last May at Delsea. He threw 56-6 indoors. Lewis was 3rd with a lifetime-best 54-8. His previous PR was a 54-2 ¼ from indoor Group 4 sectionals at the Bubble last month. His outdoor PR was 53-5 from Group 4 states last June in Somerset. Rodriguez threw 53-5 for 4th, improving his PR from 50-6 ¼ in January at the Bubble. His throw was a 12-foot outdoor PR from his 41-0 ¼ at Group 3 sectionals last spring at Delsea.
Liakhnovich, Ross, Lewis and Rodriguez now rank 1st, 5th, 6th and 7th on the 2025 outdoor state list.
Liakhnovich also won the discus with a 172-6 on his 1st attempt, leading four throwers over 150 feet. Liakhnovich has a PR of 181-3 from last year’s Meet of Champions at Pennsauken.
Also over 150 feet were Millville junior Jamal Wallace and Cinnaminson senior Victor Meira, Wallace in 2nd with a PR 156-3 and Meira 3rd with a 154-1. Braeden Dushkin of Mount St. Joseph School in Springfield Township, Montgomery County, Pa., also surpassed 150 feet, 4th in 152-9.
Wallace’s previous PR was 147-9 from his win at last year’s Cumberland County Championships at Bridgeton. Meira has a PR of 159-10 at Delsea last May.
Liakhnovich, Wallace and Meira rank 2nd, 3rd and 4th in New Jersey so far this year. Benjamin Shue of Bergen Catholic, the defending Meet of Champions winner, threw 183-8 in Austin, Texas,
All-Time South Jersey Outdoor Shot Put List
68-8 ½ … Braheme Days Jr. [Bridgeton] 2012
65-1 ¾ … Anthony Liakhnovich [Hammonton], 2025
64-10 ½ … Jon Kalnas [Paulsboro], 1997
64-6 ¼ … Ron Dayne [Overbook], 1996
64-5 … Ray Wilks [Bridgeton], 1995
64-4 ¼ … Chris Robinson [Penns Grove], 1990
62-10 ¼ … Nick Pulli [West Deptford], 2014
63-2 ½ … Jason Nwosu [Delsea], 2022
63-0 ½ … Jonathan Harris [Delsea], 2024
63-0 … Lou Gordon [Bridgeton], 1995
61-11 ¾ … Kamron Kobolak [Cinnaminson], 2018
61-10 ½ … Harry Dilks [Pitman], 1971
61-6 … Josh Awotunde [Delsea], 2013
61-4 ½ … Bubba Green [Millville], 1976
61-4 … Kofi Yamoah [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2013
61-3 … Jayden Farmer [Pennsauken], 2024
61-2 ½ … Matthew Huckabee, [Timber Creek], 2010
60-11 ½ … Ryan Knight [Delsea], 1996
60-11 ¼ … Damere Lassiter [Glassboro], 2024
60-11 ……. Lucciano Pizarro [Cherokee], 2019
60-7 1/2 … Ell Ash [Willingboro], 2004
60-6 ½ … Tati White [Willingboro], 1994
60-5 ¼ … Chris Bolden [Edgewood], 1990
60-3 … Dontaye Rivera [Pleasantville], 2012
60-1 … Bill Banks [Wilson], 1973
All-Time New Jersey 65-Foot Club
75-10 ¼ …..Nick Vena [Morristown], 2011
69-8 ¼ …..Kevin DiGiorgio [Bayonne], 1997
69-2 … Benjamin Shue [Bergen Catholic], 2024
68-8 ½ … Braheme Days Jr. [Bridgeton] 2012
68-3 … Andy Papathanassiou [Emerson], 1985
68-0 ¾ …..Luke Grodeska [St. Rose], 2016
68-0 ¼ …..Glenn DiGiorgio [Bayonne], 2002
67-4 ¼ …..Jordan West [Rahway], 2017
67-3 ¾ … Josh Huisman [St. Rose], 2024
66-4 ½ … Elvin Bethea [Trenton], 1964
66-4 …..Rudy Guevara [Essex Catholic], 1971
66-0 ½ … Steve Adams [St. Joe’s-Montvale], 1970
66-0 ¼ … Mike Alleman [Scotch Plains-Fanwood], 2008
65-10 ¼ … Bruce Heide [Springfield], 1975
65-9 … Fabian Gonzalez [Southern Reg.], 2023
65-8 … Vaughn Skidmore [Ocean Twp.], 1976
65-4 ¾ … Cole Tucker [Colts Neck], 2021
65-2 …..Bob Mattia [Union], 1975
65-2 … Aaron Echternacht [Hopewell Valley], 1991
65-1 ¾ … Anthony Liakhnovich [Hammonton], 2025
65-1 ½ … Chris Licata [Gill St. Bernard’s], 2018
65-1 … Ron Klotzer [Union], 1974
65-0 … Bob Mattia [Union], 1975
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 