Five days after his 4:15.10 full mile at the Ott Center, we’ve now got a hot 800 from Delsea senior Matthew Littlehales at Ocean Breeze.

Littlehales ran a PR 1:54.34 at the SJTCA meet last week at Ocean Breeze. That’s No. 3 in New Jersey this year behind two non-public half-milers and nudges Josh Crawford’s 1:54.98 for fastest so far by a South Jersey runner.

It’s also 2^nd-fastest on the all-time Gloucester County indoor list, behind only Kingsway’s Derrell Manhertz, who ran 1:51.80 at the 2013 Meet of Champions at the Bubble. It’s also No. 10 on the all-time South Jersey list.

Littlehales’ previous indoor PR was a 1:57.07 last January at the Bubble. His previous overall PR was a 1:55.89 at Haddonfield in May.

With his 4:09.37 at last year’s Meet of Champions at Ocean Breeze, Littlehales is now the only South Jersey runner ever to break 1:55 and 4:10 indoors.

At Ocean Breeze, Littlehales led the entire race, coming through 200 in 28.06, 400 in 57.43 and 600 in 1:25.75 before closing in 28.59 for negative splits of 57.43 and 56.92. Junior Tahj Wilson of Toms River North was 2^nd in a PR 1:55.80.

Littlehales is entered in the 3,200 Wednesday at the Nike Elite at the Ott Center. He has a 9:12.83 PR from his win at last year’s state Group 3 championships in South Plainfield. His indoor PR is 9:26.75 from the Ott Center last January.

1:51.52 … Jacob Clark [Pleasantville], 2013
1:51.72 … Isaac Clark [Pleasantville], 2013
1:51.80 … Derrell Manhertz [Kingsway], 2013
1:52.46 … Gabriel Moronta [Pleasantville], 2020
1:52.74 … Bobby Poplau [Cherokee], 2024
1:53.51 … Alan Laws [Pleasantville], 2007
1:53.59 … Christian Napoli [Paul VI], 2025
1:53.68 … Ishmael Muhammad [Oakcrest], 2013
1:54.05 … Dominic Bassey [Winslow Twp.], 2025
1:54.34 … Matthew Littlehales [Delsea], 2026
1:54.53 … Stone Caraccio [Kingsway], 2020
1:54.73 … Chris Manzo [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2024
1:54.80 … Marvin Lewis [Willingboro], 2001
1:54.81 … Bill Dolan [Clearview], 2013
1:54.82 … Xavier Fraction [Washington Twp.], 2009
1:54.98 … Josh Crawford [Woodstown], 2026

1:51.80 … Derrell Manhertz [Kingsway], 2013
1:54.34 … Matthew Littlehales [Delsea], 2026
1:54.53 … Stone Caraccio [Kingsway], 2020
1:54.81 … Bill Dolan [Clearview], 2013
1:54.82 … Xavier Fraction [Washington Twp.], 2009
1:55.00 … Steve Butenewicz [Delsea], 2011
1:55.16 … Tivo Rivera [Kingsway], 2009
1:55.19 … Jayden Greene [Washington Twp.], 2020
1:55.42 … Kevin Cianfarino [West Deptford], 2014
1:55.3h … Tony Uzdavines [Williamstown], 1976
1:55.77 … Carmen Cavella [Washington Twp.], 2004
1:56.07 … Stephen Marrone [Washington Twp.], 2010
1:56.42 … Lathan Brown [Deptford], 2023
1:56.66 … Danny Torres [Washington Twp.], 2024
1:56.93 … Mark Weems [Washington Twp.], 1999

Hammonton senior Mitra Sampson popped the best indoor shot put by an Atlantic County girl in 13 years Sunday at the state Group 3 relays at the Bubble.

Sampson threw 40-11 ¼ on her 2^nd of three attempts and teamed with junior Helen Garcia to place 6^th in the shot put relay.

Delsea senior Hannah Nuhfer, the national discus champ, had the best throw of the meet at 41-5, and Sampson had the next-best throw.

Nuhfer and Sampson are the only 40-footers in South Jersey so far this year. Sampson ranks 7^th in the state and 4^th in Group 3.

Sampson threw 42-9 ¾ outdoors last year when she placed 2^nd at Group 3 states in South Plainfield. That’s No. 4 in Atlantic County history, behind Egg Harbor Township’s Lola Agabalogun [44-9 in 2013], Kimberly Warren of Atlantic City [44-8 in 2006] and Mercedes Hicks of Atlantic City [43-1 ¼ in 2006].

43-10 ¼ … Mercedes Hicks [Atlantic City], 2006
42-0 ¼ … Lola Agabalogun [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2013
40-11 ¼ … Mitra Sampson [Hammonton], 2026x
40-10 … Nyla Noble [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2014
40-1 ¾ … Kelly Staten [Atlantic City], 2001
39-11 … Tey’ana Ames [Atlantic County Tech], 2021
39-10 … Ronny Martin [Absegam], 1998

Cherry Hill West’s Supreme Stradford became the first South Jersey sophomore in 25 years to clear 6-8 Saturday at the Group 4 state relays.

Stradford began the day with a 6-2 PR, which he cleared once last spring – in a meet at Lenape – and once previously this indoor season – last month at Ocean Breeze.

On Saturday, he passed opening-height 5-4 and then cleared 5-8, 6-0 and 6-2 on his 1^st attempts. He needed three tries to get over the bar at a PR 6-4 but cleared 6-6 on his 1^st try and 6-8 on his 2^nd. He took three jumps at 6-10 before calling it a day. Junior teammate Elijah Triche cleared a PR 6-0 in his 1^st meet of the season to team up with Stradford and win the high jump relay at the Bubble.

The last South Jersey sophomore to clear 6-8 indoors was legendary Mike Morrison of Willingboro, who cleared 6-8 at the Armory in the winter of 2001. He went on to clear 7-0 that spring and cleared 7-4 ¼ by the time he was a senior.

The last South Jersey soph to clear 6-8 or better overall was Bridgeton’s Markquese Bell, currently a Dallas Cowboys safety, who cleared 6-10 as a soph in 2015 when he won the Meet of Champions at South Plainfield.

Stradford’s jump is best by a Cherry Hill West athlete since 1987 Meet of Champions winner Terry Ferguson cleared 7-0 at 1987 Easterns at Princeton’s Jadwin Gym. It’s tied for 4^th-best all-time indoors by a Camden County jumper and it’s tied for 11^th on the all-time South Jersey list.

Stradford’s 6-8 is No. 2 in New Jersey this year, behind junior Tyler O’Garro of North Brunswick, who cleared 7-0 for the first time earlier this month at the Armory. The No. 2 sophomore in New Jersey is Glassboro’s Moses Robles, who cleared 6-6 at the Armory last month. Stradford is tied for the No. 1 sophomore on the MileSplit U.S. list with Jonah Banks of Clinton (Miss.) High, who cleared 6-8 at a meet last month in Birmingham, Ala.

All-Time Camden County Indoor High Jump List
7-0 … Terry Ferguson [Cherry Hill West], 1987
6-10 ¼ … Jayden DeLeon [Highland], 2025
6-9 … Andrew Athias [Cherry Hill East], 2011
6-8 … Kerry Vivett [Edgewood], 1985
6-8 … Ed Malone [Gloucester], 1986
6-8 … Uchenna Njoku [Cherry Hill East], 2009
6-8 … Jeffrey-Jon Tucker [Eastern], 2013
6-8 … Larry Russell [Timber Creek], 2014
6-8 … Supreme Stradford [Cherry Hill West], 2025

South Jersey Indoor High Jump List
7-4 ¼ … Mike Morrison [Willingboro], 2003
7-0 … Terry Ferguson [Cherry Hill West], 1987
6-11 … Mike Pascuzzo [Lenape], 1980
6-10 ¾ … Paul Klemic [Mainland Reg.], 1999
6-10 ¼ … Jayden DeLeon [Highland], 2025
6-10 … Raffael Craig [Millville], 1999
6-10 … Devin Bradham [Williamstown], 1999
6-10 … Ameer Banks [Delsea], 2015
6-9 … Andrew Athias [Cherry Hill East], 2011
6-8 ¼ … Mike Murawski [Holy Cross], 2003
6-8 … Barry Anderson [Rancocas Valley], 1977
6-8 … Chris Walsh [Shawnee], 1983
6-8 … Derek King [Cumberland Reg.], 1983
6-8 … Scott Harrison [Willingboro], 1984
6-8 … Kerry Vivett [Edgewood], 1985
6-8 … Ed Malone [Gloucester], 1986
6-8 … Jim Bowles [Rancocas Valley], 1986
6-8 … J.C. Slocum [Bordentown], 1989, 1990
6-8 … Jamal Sanders [Bridgeton], 1994
6-8 … Desmond Powell [Oakcrest], 1994
6-8 … Ryan O’Connell [Mainland Reg.], 1994
6-8 … Victor Mallory [Penns Grove], 1995
6-8 … Ernesto Colon [Pleasantville], 1995
6-8 … Jamal Ames [Vineland], 2004
6-8 … Uchenna Njoku [Cherry Hill East], 2009
6-8 … Ed Kramer [Cherokee], 2010
6-8 … Jeffrey-Jon Tucker [Eastern], 2013
6-8 … Larry Russell [Timber Creek], 2014
6-8 … Tariq    [Pleasantville], 2015
6-8 … Nate Robertson [Willingboro], 2020
6-8 … Supreme Stradford [Cherry Hill East], 2025

Long-time Clearview track and cross country Tom Hengel and his wife Lisa were killed early Saturday evening when the SUV he was driving crashed into a home in the Mullica Hill section of Harrison Township, Gloucester County.

According to a news story on NJ.com, Hengel was driving a 2020 Hyundai Palisade SUV on Banff Avenue when he lost control of the vehicle, went over a curb and across two yards and into the house.

The vehicle and the home caught on fire. Nobody in the house was injured, although the home sustained significant damage. According to a story on Patch.com, firefighters reached the scene within four minutes.

Authorities have not determined the cause of the accident, according to the story.

Hengel began coaching at Clearview in 1981. He was induced into the Gloucester County Sports Hall of Fame in 2022 when the Pioneers won the state Group 3 XC title and placed 9^th in the Meet of Champions. He coached Clearview to three consecutive state Group 2 outdoor track championships from 1990 through 1992 – 41-17 over neighboring Kingsway in 1990, 25-21 over Rahway in 1991 and 54-39 over Asbury Park in 1992.

According to Clearview’s web site, Hengel was currently a volunteer assistant XC and outdoor coach at Clearview.

According to a story in the Mantua News, Hengel in 2021 surpassed 100 combined seasons coaching basketball, cross country and track.

Hengel, 72, graduated from Clearview in 1972 and also graduated from Glassboro State College, now Rowan University, according to a story in the Courier-Post.

Delsea placed 3rd in the shot put relay with senior Hannah Nuhfer, the national discus champion, throwing 41-5 and sophomore Alese Beverly 27-1.

Kareem Brown and Xavion Holmes each ran on three 1st-place relay teams and Deptford won its sixth state relays title and fifth in a row Sunday at the Bubble.

Deptford outscored Winslow Township 54-34 to win the Group 3 title. That’s the 6th-most points ever in Group 3 and most since Kingsway scored 56 in 2015. Deptfore’s 20-point margin of victory is the largest in Group 3 since Willingboro topped Franklin by 32 points – 64-32 – in the 2003 meet at Princeton’s Jadwin Gym.

Brown and Holmes both ran on winning shuttle hurdles, 4-by-2 and 4-by-4 teams.

The state relays title is Deptford’s 6th. Only Willingboro (10) and Haddonfield (9) have won more among South Jersey schools. Deptford also won Group 2 in 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2024 and Group 3 last year.

Their streak of five straight team titles is tied for 5th-longest all-time, behind three streaks by CBA in Parohial A and a seven-year streak in Group 1 and Group 2 by Asbury Park from 1988 through 1995.

Since 2019, Gloucester County has won 12 of a possible 28 state relays titles – six for Deptford, two each for Delsea and Kingsway and one apiece for Glassboro and Washington Township.

Deptford won the shuttle hurdles with Brown, Holmes, Kamldeep Singh and Larry Norman in 30.13, 6th-fastest in South Jersey history. Story on that performance here. The Spartans also won the 800-meter relay with Damon Albertson, Holmes, Brown and Johann Hernandez running 1:32.54.

Deptford also piled up 10 points with a dominating win in the pole vault relay, where the Spartans had the top two performers – senior Mason Henry at 14-6 and senior Dominic DiPietro 11-6.

And Deptford, with the team title already clinched, won the 4-by-4 in 3:31.40 with Norman, Holmes, Brown and Kyle Jackson.

Brown, Hernandez, Albertson and Anthony Schilling ran 3:40.27 for 2nd place and eight big points in the sprint medley for Deptford.

Winslow won the sprint med in 3:38.29, with Noah Brown, KaRon Ali, Prince Owusu-Twum and Vincent Perri, placed 2nd in the shuttles in 31.66 with Mahjae Torres, Elijah Deanley, Jibril Hammond and Rel-wende Tapsoba and 3rd in the 4-by-2 with KaRon Ali, Keyon Ali, Deanley and Jacoby James running 1:33.99. Winslow also picked up six points in the high jump relay, where junior Cayden Hester cleared 6-2 and Torres 5-10.

Cherry Hill West got a big PR 6-8 from sophomore Supreme Stradford to win the high jump relay, with junior Elijah Triche clearing 6-0 for a combined 12-8. Stradford’s previous PR was 6-2, so that’s an unreal six-inch PR. More on Stradford later today.

Pennsauken ran 1:33.65 for 2nd in the 4-by-2 with the team of Jabari Sonnebeyatta, Zion Long, Michael Lawrence and Joseph Guilty,

Moorestown got a 2nd in the pole vault relay, seniors Nicholas Fierro and Connor Kortman both clearing 11-0.

Ocean City placed 3rd in the 4-by-8 in 8:11.84 with Keenan Neuman, Michael Romano, Nathan Aschmann and Erik Preisner.

Delsea got a 48-5 ¼ from junior Sheldon Goldsborough and 44-5 from sophomore Eneas Tavella to place 2nd in the shot put relay.

Deptford’s 4-by-4 win led a 1-2-3-4 South Jersey sweep, with all four schools finishing within 77-100ths of a second.

Burlington Township was 2nd in 3:31.87 with Solomon Wesley, Jaydin Macklin, Jaylen Porter and Robert Proctor, Moorestown 3rd with Shaymus Derer, Ethan Taylor, Lucas Horner and Sean Sobin in 3:32.05 and Winslow 4th in 3:32.17 with KaRon Ali, Keyon Ali, Deanley and Owusu-Twum.

Deptford senior Kareem Brown, junior Xavion Holmes, senior Kamaldeep Singh and senior Larry Norman won the shuttle hurdles Sunday at the state Group 3 relays at the Bubble with the 5th-fastest time in South Jersey history.

Deptford won the race in 30.13, No. 2 in Gloucester County history behind Deptford’s meet-record 29.45 at the 2019 Group 2 state relays. It’s also fastest in the U.S. this year, though an event that’s run almost exclusively in New Jersey and New York.

Deptford just missed the Group 3 meet record of 30.07 set in 2012 by Oakrest’s Syid Evans-White, Chase Tolliver, Aaron Wilson and Stpehen Adkisson.

All-Time South Jersey Shutte Hurdles Top-10
29.45 … Deptford, 2019
29.72 … Winslow Twp., 2004
29.74 … Egg Harbor, 2009
30.07 … Oakcrest, 2012
30.13 … Deptford, 2026
30.18 … Winslow Twp., 2020
30.22 … Camden, 2009
30.26 … Winslow Twp., 2003
30.41 … Camden, 1996
30.42 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2020
30.47 … Willingboro, 2012
30.52 … Washington Twp., 2012
30.62 … Lenape, 1997
30.63 … Camden, 2001
30.64 … Seneca, 2012
30.67 … Willingboro, 2007
30.73 … Washington Twp., D
30.81 … Willingboro, 2016
30.90 … Winslow Twp. 2015
30.92 … Seneca, 2006
30.94 … Deptford, 2018
30.96 … Woodrow Wilson, 1998
30.98 … Washington Twp., 2023

All-Time Gloucester County Shutte Hurdles Top-10
29.45 … Deptford, 2019
30.13 … Deptford, 2026
30.52 … Washington Twp., 2012
30.73 … Washington Twp., 2024
30.94 … Deptford, 2018
30.98 … Washington Twp., 2023
31.11 … Washington Twp., 2011
31.23 … Deptford, 2024
31.29 … Delsea Reg., 2010
31.43 … Deptford, 2015
31.44 … Deptford, 2016
31.64 … Delsea Reg., 2009
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Rider senior Gabrielle Veterre from Washington Township picked up a pole vault at Ocean Breeze this weekend with a 12-1 ½ clearance at the NYC Gotham Cup.

Veterre cleared 11-1 ¾, 11-7 ¾ and 12-1 ½ on her 1st attempt before missing three tries at 12-5 ½.

Veterre is Rider’s indoor school record holder with a 12-8 ¾ at a meet last January at the Armory. She’s 3rd in school history outdoors with a 12-4 ¼ at Princeton this past May. That 12-8 3/4 makes her No. 9 on the all-time South Jersey alumni list.

She’s No. 2 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, behind only Talia Graham of Quinnipiac, who cleared 12-5 ½ in a meet last month at Yale’s Coxe Cage in New Haven.

Seniors Alyssa Suriano, Sofia Recinto and Madeline Meder each ran on two winning relay teams for Cherokee at the state Group 4 Relays at the Bubble.

Cherokee was the top South Jersey school, placing 4th with 22 points. South Brunswick outscored 2nd-place West Orange 37-24 towin the team title.

In the distance medley, Suriano, Recinto, Meder and sophomore Emily Couture won in 12:33.83, and in the 4-by-8 Recinto, Suriano and Meder were joined by sophomore Erin Healy, and that group ran 9:35.93.

South Jersey’s other win came in the pole vault relay, where Rancocas Valley senior La’el Yates cleared 10-6 and sophomore Isabella Santamaria 10-0 for a combined 20-6. R.V. also scored in the 4-by-2, with seniors Autumn Austin, Angelina Brown, Rhyann Roseboro and Damanique Johnston placing 3rd in 1:47.22.

Kingway placed 2nd in the 800-meter relay, with senior Lariah Miles, junior Kenya Nobles, junior Saudah Turner and sophomore Noemi Haller running 1:46.92 and 3rd in the 4-by-4, with senior Savannah Aulich, Haller, Nobles and Turner running 4:09.75.

Washington Township picked up a pair of 3rd places in the field, with seniors Sandy Henry [4-10] and Riley Gramble [4-10] in the high jump and senior Cali Lacovara [9-6] and Gramble [8-6] in the pole vault.

And Williamstown took 2nd in the sprint medley, junior Chanelle Briscoe, junior Timia Waters, junior Kya Oliver and senior Sophia Aldridge running 4:22.69.

Greg Foster became South Jersey’s best long jumper since Carl Lewis Saturday with a lifetime-best 26-5 ¾ at the Quaker Invitational at the Ott Center.

Greg Foster became South Jersey’s best long jumper since Carl Lewis Saturday with a lifetime-best 26-5 ¾ at the Quaker Invitational at the Ott Center.

Foster extended his legal PR from 26-1 ¾, which he jumped outdoors at the 2023 Ivy League Championships at Franklin Field and remains the Princeton outdoor record. His previous indoor best was 25-10 ¾, which he hit in a meet in Annapolis, Md., in January 2023.

Foster broke the Princeton and all-time Ivy League indoor record of 26-3 set in 1990 at the Manhattan Invitational at Madison Squar Garden by Al Dyer. He also broke the Ott Center record of 25-9 ¼ set by UConn’s Marc Morrison last January at the Penn 10 Elite. Foster was 2nd in that meet with a 25-0 ¾.

Foster also surpassed the Ivy League all-time outdoor record of 26-2, set by Chris Chrysostomou at the 1985 Ivy League Championships in Cambridge, Mass.

The incomprable Lewis is now the only South Jersey long jumper who’s gone farther than Foster. Lewis jumped 28-10 at the 1984 Millrose Games, which remains the world indoor record. Foster’s jump is the best by a South Jersey jumper indoors since Lewis’s final indoor meet, the 1992 U.S. Indoor Championships at Madison Square Garden, where he jumped 27-4 ¾.

Foster is now No. 5 all-time among New Jersey jumpers – see full list of New Jersey 26-footers below.

Foster on Saturday had a superb series, with five 25-foot jumpers before his final-attempt PR: 25-4 ¾, 25-8 ¼, 25-11, 25-2 ¾, 25-6, 26-5 ¾. His series averaged 25-8 ¼, only 2 ½ inches off his previous indoor PR.

On the 2026 NCAA Division 1 list, Foster is now No. 2, behind only Oklahoma junior Kennedy Stringfellow, who jumped 27-2 ½ on Friday in a meet in Norman, Okla.

Foster’s mark is a provisional qualifier for the U.S. Championships at Ocean Breeze Feb. 28 and March 1 and just off the auto standard of 26-6 ¾.

Foster also PR’d in the 60-meter hurdles with a 7.83 in the prelims. That’s No. 3 in Princeton history. He placed 2nd in the final in 7.85 behind Rutgers sophomore Chris Serrao from East Brunswick, whose 7.55 is fastest in Division 1 this year. Foster is 2nd in the Ivy this year behind Penn’s Shane Gardner, who ran 7.79 Saturday in the trials at the Ott Center.

All-Time New Jersey Alumni Long Jump List
29-1 ¼ … Carl Lewis [Willingboro], Aug. 30, 1991, Tokyo
27-2 ¼ … Corey Crawford [Indian Hills], May 29, 2021, Chula Vista, Calif.
26-10 ¼ … Evans Tobler [Trenton], May 13, 1989, Ponce, Puerto Rico
26-7 ½ … Chris Phipps [Lodi], June 27, 2010, Des Moines, Iowa [+1.8]
26-5 ¾ … Greg Foster [Lumberton], Jan. 17, 2026, Philadelphia
26-5 ½ … Darius Pemberton [Hackensack], March 22, 1997, Houston
26-3 ¼ … Matt Rose [Bordentown], Mary 4, 1991, Knoxville, Tenn.
26-3 … Eulace Peacock [Union], July 4, 1935, Lincoln, Neb.
26-3 … Bob Calhoun [Scotch Plains], May 20, 1978, Philadelphia
26-1 ¾ … Norm Tate [East Orange], May 20, 1972, El Paso, Texas
26-1 ¾ … Chris Gillis [Pennsauken], May 12, 2006, Waco, Texas
26-1 ¼ … Mike Morrison [Willingboro], May 13, 2006, Fayetteville, Ark.

Full disclosure: I posted a story earlier that included incomplete information from Foster’s performance. The results site showed the event as final after three jumps each before the final, so I thought the jumpers only got three attempts. But they got six! And that changed the story a bit! We apologize for the error!