Good early 1,600 race Saturday morning between sophomores Addison Weiss of Cherry Hill East and Payton Derer of Moorestown at the Ott Center, with Weiss winning in 5:08.21 and Derer 2nd in 5:10.82.
It was the first 1,600 or mile race ever for Weiss, who didn’t run indoors last year and only ran the 800 outdoors. This was her 1st race since she placed 13th at the XC Meet of Champions at Holmdel last month.
Weiss broke the indoor school record of 5:08.68 set by Theresa Cattuna at the 2005 Meet of Champions at Princeton’s Jadwin Gym. Cattuna holds the Cherry Hill East outdoor record with her 4:59.27 at the 2005 outdoor Meet of Champions at South Plainfield.
Weiss closed in 72.79 and 34.26 and negative split 2:36.52 and 2:31.69.
Derer, who ran a PR 58.89 for 2nd to Pennsauken sophomore and former teammate Hope Edwards in the 400, was also running her first indoor 1,600. She ran 5:02.40 outdoors last spring at the Meet of Champions at Pennsauken. Derer ran 2:14.83 last spring.
It looks like Derer broke the Moorestown indoor school record. The fastest time I could find is Noelia Reyes’ 5:20.26 from last year’s state Group 2 meet at the Bubble. Before that it was 5:25.09 by Meghan Hughes in 2002. Outdoors, Brianna Rogers ran 5:04.85 at the 2005 state Group 3 meet at Egg Harbor.
Also under 5:20 was Haddonfield junior Madison Kelsey, who placed 3rd in 5:19.88, lowering her PR from 5:22.91 at 2024 outdoor Group 2 states at Delsea.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 