From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Ocean City sophomore Carly Godfrey blazed one of the fastest 800s in South Jersey history Friday at the state Group 3 meet at Somerset.

Godfrey placed 3^rd in a very fast race in 2:11.25, 15^th-fastest in South Jersey and fastest by a South Jersey sophomore in 21 years, since another Ocean City runner – Renee Tomlin – ran 2:10.44 at the 2004 Meet of Champions in South Plainfield. Tomlin went on to run 2:05.06 for 800 meters, 4:08.09 for 1,500 meters, 4:34.39 for the mile after graduating from Princeton.

Godfrey ran 2:23.02 indoors as a freshman and then got down to 2:18.50 last spring. She ran 2:15.05 indoors and then PR’d in her last two races – 2:14.43 at South Jersey Group 3 sectionals and then a more than three-second PR Friday with the 2:11.25.

She’s the third Ocean City girl under 2:12, following Tomlin’s 2:09.50 at Greensboro Nationals in 2005 and Rachel Stremme’s 2:09.84 at the 2014 Meet of Champions at South Plainfield. She’s also one of an astonishing 32 New Jersey girls under 2:15 this year

Godfrey also anchored Ocean City’s winning 4-by-8 at states with a 2:11.52 split. Chloe Care led off in 2:18.88, senior Maeve Smith split 2:17.80 and freshman Riley Tolson ran 2:26.02 for the Red Raiders, whose 9:14.20 is 8^th-fastest in South Jersey history and a Cape May County record and makes them the No. 1 seed at the Meet of Champions.

Godfrey also PR’d at sectionals in the 1,600 with a 5:04.33 but focused only on the 800 and 3,200-meter relay at states.

Smith, meanwhile, is the No. 5 seed in the 3,200 after a 10:44.48 and 3^rd-place finish. She ran 10:39.76 at Cherokee in April, No. 19 in South Jersey history. She’s No. 13 seed in the 1,600 at 5:01.21.

All-Time South Jersey 800 List
2:07.33 … Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], 2009
2:08.87 … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2001
2:09.2h … Katrina Sye [Buena], 1999
2:09.50 … Renee Tomlin [Ocean City], 2005
2:09.84 … Rachel Stremme [Ocean City], 2014
2:10.1h … Michelle Rowen [Washington Twp.], 1982
2:10.44 … Kadence Dumas [Eastern], 2023
2:10.49 … Natalie Dumas [Eastern], 2025
2:10.55 … Shelby Whetstone [Lenape], 2019
2:10.57 … Nijgia Snapp [Oakcrest], 2009
2:10.79 … Krista Ferrara [Vineland], 1991
2:10.9h … Ruth Lockbaum [Glassboro], 1985
2:11.07 … Miya Johnson [Lenape], 2007
2:11.12 … Nicole Clifford [Cherokee], 2022
2:11.25 … Carly Godfrey [Ocean City], 2025
2:11.45 … Sydney Coppolino [Sterling], 2017
2:11.56 … Mary Bohi [Seneca], 2009
2:11.80 … Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 2016
2:11.80 … Kelsey Niglio [Cherokee], 2022
2:11.88 … Kayla Martin [Seneca], 2015
2:11.94 … Bridget Flynn [Ocean City], 2014

All-Time South Jersey 3,200-Meter Relay List
9:00.51 … Haddonfield, 2021
9:05.62 … Lenape, 2012
9:05.83 … Lenape, 2008
9:06.30 … Haddonfield, 2008
9:10.32 … Haddonfield, 2000
9:12.30 … Haddonfield, 2019
9:13.67 … Cherokee, 2025
9:14.20 … Ocean City, 2025
9:14.25 … Cherokee, 2023
9:15.61 … Ocean City, 2014
9:15.19 … Lenape, 2007
9:15.51 … Ocean City, 2024
9:15.92 … Haddonfield, 2015
9:16.57 … Seneca, 2017
9:16.79 … Haddonfield, 1999
9:17.50 … Winslow Twp., 2025
9:17.77 … Cherokee, 2022
9:18.22 … Kingsway, 2016
9:18.37 … Haddonfield, 2019
9:18.57 … Seneca, 2018
9:18.71 … Lenape, 2011
9:18.93 … Haddonfield, 2018
9:18.94 … Lenape, 2006
9:19.15 … Wilson, 2002
9:19.68 … Kingsway, 2017

All-Time South Jersey 3,200-Meter List
10:12.8h ….. Michelle Rowen [Washington Twp.], 1983
10:18.93 … Shaelan McNally [Paul VI], 2024
10:19.31 … Chelsea Ley [Kingsway], 2009
10:22.02 … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2012
10:22.20 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2024
10:27.44 … Alyssa Aldridge [Mainland Reg.], 2017
10:28.6h….. Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2001
10:29.28 … Rachel Vick [Kingsway], 2017
10:30.57 … Dina Iacone [Washington Twp.], 2012
10:32.4h….. Mindy Rowand [Sterling], 1985
10:33.22 … Holly Bischof [Bishop Eustace], 2012
10:33.25 … Megan Venables [Highland], 2011
10:33.85 … Sarah Naticchia [Haddonfield], 2021
10:34.79 … Theresa Cattuna [Cherry Hill East], 2007
10:35.59 … Amanda Goetschius [Delsea], 2007
10:37.47 … Meghan McGlinchey [West Depford], 2009
10:37.53 … Vanessa Wright [Haddonfield], 2005
10:39.15 … Devon Grisbaum [Ocean City], 2015
10:39.76 … Maeve Smith [Ocean City], 2025
10:40.24 … Katie Van Horn [Triton], 2005
10:40.95 … Erika Kemp [Rancocas Valley], 2013
10:42.22 … Jenn Rawls [Highland], 2009
10:43.3h….. Deanna Germano [Shawnee], 1985
10:43.50 … Alyssa Condell [Timber Creek], 2017
10:43.86 … Ava Thomas [Haddonfield], 2023
10:44.23 … Brittany Sedberry [Ocean City], 2004
10:45.12 … Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 2014
10:45.24 … Nicole Clifford [Cherokee], 2022
10:45.40 … Julianna Catania [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2016
10:45.73 … Meghan Hughes [Moorestown], 2002
10:46.38 … Madison Coppolino [Sterling], 2018
10:48.87 … Sarah Naticchia [Haddonfield], 2019