Delsea senior Matthew Littlehales ran the 2nd-fastest mile in New Jersey this yaer and 10th-fastest in the U.S. Wednesday at the Ott Center.
Littlehales won the mile in 4:15.10, equivalent of a 4:13.62 for 1,600 meters at the La Salle Winter Series meet. He won by 12 meters over senior Justin Landis of North Penn, who was 2nd in a PR 4:17.05. Littlehales took the lead on the 7th lap.
Littlehales had a huge negative-split 2:14.30 for the first 880 and 2:00.80 for the second 880, closing in 55.81 for the final 440 and 26.63 for the final lap.
The only faster time this indoor season by a New Jersey runner is the 4:14.72 that Randolph senior Kennan Byers ran at the Armory last week.
Littlehales broke Miles Schoedler’s South Jersey-record 4:09.37 last indoor season when he placed 2nd at the Meet of Champions at Ocean Breeze. He finished just behind Colts Neck’s Hunter Celkupa, who ran 4:09.21 and has since graduated.
Outdoors, Littlehales ran 4:11.54 and 9:12.23.
In the same race, Haddonfield senior Benjamin Andrus ran 4:21.44, Cherokee sophomore Jack Tindall 4:23.30 and Haddonfield senior Peter Simpson 4:23.83.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 