Rowan freshman Denirah Jones from Woodbury soared to a long jump win in her first college conference meet.
Jones jumped 17-10 ¾ on her 2nd attempt at the New Jersey Athletic Conference Championships at the Ott Center, and that stood up as the winner, 3 ¼ inches ahead of Tonna Ogina of New Jersey City, who was 2nd with a 17-7 ½ on her 5th jump.
Jones is Rowan’s first conference long jump champ in seven years, since Michelle McCauley from Franklin Township set the meet record of 18-10 at the 2019 meet at Ocean Breeze.
She’s the first freshman to win the NJAC long jump in 15 yers, since Rowan’s Jamie Thompson from South Brunswick jumped 17-0 ½ at the 2011 meet at the Armory.
Jones is the No. 12 freshman in NCAA Division 3 with her PR 17-11 at the Armory last month. She jumped within a quarter of an inch of that on Saturday. She surpassed 17 feet on all six jumps – 17-2 ¾, 17-10 ¾, 17-6 ¾, 17-4 ¼, 17-9 ¾ and 17-0 ½. She averaged 17-5 ¾ on her six jumps.
Jones had an indoor best of 16-8 at Woodbury from a meet last February at Ocean Breeze. She jumped a wind-legal 18-0 outdoors this past June at the Meet of Champions at Pennsauken.
Jones also ran 7.86 in the 60, advancing to the final, which will be held Friday back at the Ott Center. Jones’ PR is a 7.80 two weeks ago at the Armory, 5th-fastest in Rowan history.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 