Big 800 PR for Pemberton junior Isaaiah Shockley Saturday at the Burlington County League Championships at Pennsauken.
Shockley won the Patriot Division 800 in 1:56.82, dropping his PR from 1:58.73 from last year’s South Jersey Group 3 Sectionals at Delsea. He ran 1:58.79 indoors when he placed 2nd at Group 2 Sectionals at the Bubble.
Shockley’s time is 3rd-fastest in South Jersey this year, behind only Brandon Lyons of Cherry Hill East [1:53.77] and Kingsway soph Ryan Duffy [1:56.03], both at South Jersey Elite on Thursday at Delsea. It’s also 3rd-fastest in New Jersey Group 3, behind two Bernards runners – junior Brody Watt [1:55.14] and senior Michael Dooley [1:55.17].
It looks like Shockley’s time is fastest by a Pemberton half-miler since Bryant Walker ran 1:53.54 when he placed 5th at the 1983 Meet of Champions. That was the same race Willingboro’s Vance Watkins ran 1:50.8, placing 2nd to John Carlotti of Bernards.
He’s the first Pemberton runner to win a BCSL title since Ira Joseph ran 1:58.90 won the Liberty 800 in 1985.
Shockley was out in 57.56 and came back in 59.26. He finished 45 meters ahead of the field.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 