From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Josh Crawford’s 1:54.96 anchor led Woodstown to first place in the 3,200-meter relay Wednesday at the Millrose Games Trials at the Armory.

Woodstown ran 8:00.24, winning by 25 meters over Manhasset, N.Y., which placed 2^nd in 8:03.74. That’s 4^th-fastest ever by a South Jersey Group 1, behind three Pleasantville performances when they were down in Group 1 – 7:45.55 when they won 2013 Easterns at the Armory, 7:59.05 when they were 2^nd at 2015 Easterns and 7:59.51 at the 2012 Millrose Games, also at the Armory.

With the win, Woodstown automatically qualified to race at the 118^th Millrose Games on Feb. 1 back at the Armory. The winner and all other teams under 8:02 – which there weren’t any of – qualified.

Woodstown’s time is a big Salem County record, No. 1 this year in New Jersey and No. 2 on the Milesplit U.S. list, behind Hickory High of Chesapeake, Va., which ran 7:59 last month in a meet at Hampton, Va.

Senior Karson Chew, senior Jacob Marino and junior David Farrell ran the first three legs for the Wolverines.

Chew led off with a quick 1:58.67 split that gave Woodstown the early lead. Marino ran 2:02.11 and though he briefly fell behind Manhasset, Marino hande off to Farrell in the lead. Farrell then split 2:04.52, handing off in 5^th, but Crawford was out in 25.41 and 29.22 to re-take the lead and he finished strong, giving Woodstown the win.

Woodstown ran a Salem County outdoor-record 7:54.84 when it plaed 5^th at the Meet of Champions at Pennsauken in June with Chew, Marino, Crawford and Cole Lucas, who’s now at Marist in Poughkeepsie and ran 1:55.15 at Ocean Breeze in his first collegiate meet.

7:43.64 … Cherokee, 2012
7:45.55 … Pleasantville, 2013
7:47.50 … Kingsway, 2020
7:48.92 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2017
7:51.45 … Washington Twp., 2009
7:51.78 … Cherokee, 2000
7:52.76 … Kingsway, 2020
7:52.77 … Pleasantville, 2006
7:52.95 … Willingboro, 2003
7:53.64 … Willingboro, 2002
7:54.76 … Pleasantville, 2007
7:55.40 … Washington Twp., 2008
7:55.44 … Haddonfield, 2010
7:57.28 … Rancocas Valley, 2018
7:57.29 … Oakrest, 2009
7;57.56 … Haddonfield, 2019
7:58.08 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2016
7:58.5h … Willingboro, 1983
7:59.05 … Pleasantville, 2015
7:59.51 … Pleasantville, 2012
7:59.84 … Kingsway, 2014
7:59.91 … Kingsway, 2013
8:00.24 … Woodstown, 2026
8:01.32 … Kingsway, 2015
8:01.64 … Haddonfield, 2018
8:02.39 … Bridgeton, 2001
8:02.47 … Cherokee, 2011
8:02.49 … Washington Twp., 2000
8:02.62 … Mainland Reg., 2004
8:02.67 … Washington Twp., 1999
8:03.0y … Woodbury, 1977
8:03.58 … Pleasantville, 2009
8:03.11 … Kingsway, 2018
8:03.77 … Rancocas Valley, 2019
8:04.1h … Rancocas Valley, 2015
8:04.50 … Haddonfield, 2009
8:05.49 … Delsea, 2010
8:06.58 … Cherokee, 2009
8:06.7h … Haddonfield, 2015
8:06.91 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2018
8:07.5h … Shawnee, 2000
8:07.93 … Seneca, 2013
8:08.4h … Cherokee, 1998
8:08.53 … Edgewood, 1985
8:08.7y … Edgewood, 1984
8:08.95 … Highland, 2014
8:08.92 … Kingsway, 2009
8:09.37 … Woodrow Wilson, 1993
8:09.6y … Willingboro
8:10.10 … Kingsway, 2010
8:10.1y … Williamstown, 1977
8:10.22 … Lenape, 2000