Deptford senior Anthony Schilling, senior Christian Gonzalez, sophomore John Collier and senior Zach Harrison teamed up to run the fastest 3,200-meter relay by a Gloucester County school in six years Saturday at Ocean Breeze.
Deptford placed 2nd at the Shoe Company New York Showcase in 8:02.56, 3rd-fastest in New Jrsey this year.
Deptford’s time is 8th-fastest in Gloucester County history indoors and fastest since 2020, when Kingsway set the county record of 7:47.50 at the Meet of Champions, also at Ocean Breeze.
Schilling led off in 1:59.67, Gonazlez split 2:04.77, Collier ran 1:58.51 and Harrison anchored in 1:59.62. Saratoga Springs won the race in 8:01.61.
Only Woodstown, with an 8:00.24 at the Millrose Games, has run faster among South Jersey schools this year. Woodstown and Deptford are now 8th and 16th nationally on the MileSplit U.S. database.
Deptford smashed the indoor school record of 8:10.77 from the 2024 Meet of Champions, also at Ocean Breeze. Deptford set the outdoor South Jersey record of 7:49.00 for a full two miles at the 1967 Delaware Valley Meet of Champions at Franklin Field with Wayne Jenkins, Tom Williams, Jerry Clark and Irv Jenkins. That remained the South Jersey record until Willingboro ran 7:40.99 as part of their 1983 Penn Relays distance relay double and remains Deptford’s outdoor school record.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 