Liliah Gordon placed 5th at the USATF Under-20 Championships Thursday at Hayward Field in Eugene in 16:38.54, a South Jersey record and 4th-fastest in New Jersey history.
Gordon was the 2nd high school finisher behind Zariel Macchia, a senior at William Floyd High in Mastic Beach, N.Y., who was 3rd in 16:30.91. Macchia and Gordon ran 1-2 at the USATF Under-20 Cross Country Championships in Lubbock, Texas, in January.
Macchia and Gordon are now the two-fastest high school 5,000 runners in the country this year.
Vanderbilt freshman Lily Kriegel, a 2024 graduate of Whitefish Bay [Wisc.] High won the race in 16:18.36, followed by Unviersity of Charlotte freshman Ella White from Preston High in Kingwood, W. Va. [16:20.24], Macchia, Oklahoma State freshman Gentry Turner of Bartlesville [Okla.] High [16:36.88].
In March, Gordon ran 16:48.89 in Boston, which broke the state indoor high school record of 16:49.00 set by Cherokee’s Megan Lacy indoors at 2012 Armory Nationals in New York.
She broke the South Jersey [and Burlington County] outdoor record of 16:50.75 set by Cherokee’s Megan Lacy at Princeton in 2011 and she lowered her own overall South Jersey record by more than 10 seconds.
The only faster 5,000 runners in state history are Charlotte Bednar of Lawrenceville School [15:52.10 in Edison in 2021], Alexa Westley of Warren Hills [16:34.66 in Greensboro in 2019] and Ashley Higginson of Colts Neck [16:38.51 in Princeton in 2007].
Gordon ran between 78.42 and 80.45 for her first nine laps, and she closed in 67.87. She averaged 79.88 per lap, which is about 5:19 pace per mile for 3.1 miles.
Gordon’s time is No. 16 on the all-time South Jersey alumni list, which includes the fastest performances from South Jersey natives at any point in their lives.
The Northern Burlington alumni record is 16:03.71 by Laura Mason at the 1994 Penn Relays.
USATF Under 20 is open to athletes who don’t turn 20 until after Dec. 31.
15:02.27 … Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], July 9, 2019, Azusa, Calif.
15:10.10 … Erika Kemp [Rancocas Valley], May 29, 2021, Attleboro, Mass.
15:41.78 … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], May 1, 2011, Palo Alto, Calif.
15:53.74 … Megan McGlinchey [West Deptford], Dec. 7, 2013, Haverford, Pa.
15:56.73 … Mindy Rowand [Sterling], March 9, 1990, Indianapolis
16:03.71 … Laura Mason [Northern Burlington], April 28, 1994, Philadelphia
16:06.92 … Amanda Goetschius [Delsea], March 12, 2020, Fayetteville, Ark.
16:12.62 … Chelsea Ley [Kingsway], April 7, 2012, Williamsburg, Va.
16:14.07 … Kylie Anicic [Kingsway], April 12, 2024, Azusa, Calif.
16:16.52 … Melody Sye [Ocean City], April 28, 1994, Philadelphia
16:17.67 … Lori Townsend [Kingsway], April 27, 1995, Philadelphia
16:29.45… Alyssa Condell [Timber Creek], April 12, 2004, Princeton
16:32.79 … Katie Van Horn [Triton], Feb. 9, 2007, Fayetteville, Ark.
16:34.70 … Jenna Darcy [Shawnee], Feb. 19, 2005, Kingston, R.I.
16:36.18 … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], June 5, 2021, Nashville, Tenn.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 