Junior Quayd Hendryx and the Burlington Township boys ran the fastest 400-meter relay in New Jersey state championship history Friday at the Group 3 meet in South Plainfield.
Junior Solomon Wesley, junior Gemaus Sackie, senior Yeator Tappia and Hendryx ran a sizzling 41.30 to win the 4-by-1 with the 7th-fastest time in state history.
The Falcons broke the state Group 3 meet record of 41.71 at in 2017 by Deptford and the overall state meet record of 41.46 set in 2016 by Franklin Township. They broke the Burlington County record of 41.69 set in 1982 by Willingboro when the Chimeras placed 2nd to Calabar of Jamaica in the Championship of America race at the Penn Relays.
Before this year, Burlington Township’s school record was 42.60, set by Anthony Salley, David Slaton, Koree Dusenbury and Vinny Pini at the 2010 Woodbury Relays. But they broke that with a 42.39 at a Pennsauken batch meet in April before a 42.30 at the Burlington County Open at Lenape earlier this month.
So they broke the school record by exactly one second. This is the first time Township has ever won the 400-meter relay at states.
Hendryx came back to win the 100 in with a PR 10.71 with legal wind. He’s the first Burlington Township sprinter to win a state title since Louis Smith won the 200 in 2006, the 100 in 2007 and the 100 and 200 in 2008, all in Group 1.
All-Time New Jersey 400-Meter Relay List
40.92 … Winslow, 2003
41.0h … Plainfield, 1980
41.09 … Camden, 2000
41.25 … Camden, 2004
41.25 … Camden, 2001
41.26 … Washington Twp., 2024
41.30 … Burlington Twp., 2025
41.42 … St. Peter’s Prep, 2025
41.2h … Weequahic, 1972
41.45 … Timber Creek, 2014
41.46 … Franklin Twp., 2016
41.47 … Deptford, 2018
41.48 … East Brunswick, 2022
41.49 … Franklin Twp., 2017
41.50 … Timber Creek, 2013
All-Time South Jersey 400-Meter Relay List
40.92 … Winslow, 2003
41.09 … Camden, 2000
41.25 … Camden, 2004
41.25 … Camden, 2001
41.26 … Washington Twp., 2024
41.30 … Burlington Twp., 2025
41.45 … Timber Creek, 2014
41.47 … Deptford, 2018
41.50 … Timber Creek, 2013
41.54 … Camden, 2002
41.57 … Pennsauken, 2017
41.55 … Deptford, 2017
41.62 … Camden, 2003
41.64 … Winslow Twp., 2004
41.69 … Willingboro, 1982
41.71 … Edgewood, 2000
41.71 … Salem, 2017
41.72 … Deptford, 2018
41.77 … Washington Twp., 2024
41.80 … Oakcrest, 2012
41.83 … Camden, 1997
41.83 … Oakcrest, 2011
41.83 … Camden, 1997
41.86 … Winslow Twp., 2025
41.7h … Camden, 1996
41.7h … Edgewood, 2001
41.85 … Pennsauken, 2016
41.86 … Pennsauken, 2017
41.87 … Pennsauken, 2023
41.7h … Camden, 1996
41.7h … Edgewood, 2001
41.96 … Paul VI, 2018
41.99 … Rancocas Valley, 2021
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 