Eastern senior Natalie Dumas won her 10th and 11th state titles Saturday, doubling the 400 and 800 at the state Group 4 meet at the Bubble.
Dumas, a triple national champion in the 400, 800 and intermediate hurdles at West Philly Nationals last spring, ran 55.96 in the 400 and 2:17.68 in the 800. She also anchored Eastern’s 3rd-place 1,600-meter relay, which ran 4:05.52.
Those 26 points earned Eastern 2nd place, just four points behind state champion Hunterdon Central.
Dumas will be the No. 2 seed at Meet of Champions at Ocean Breeze behind Pennsauken senior Sianni Wynn, who ran 55.24 to win the state Group 3 title. But Wynn is expected to go 55-200 at the Meet of Champions, a double she’s won in each of the last three years.
In the 800, we won’t get the showdown we’d love to see with Paige Sheppard, because she only ran the 1,600 at states.
Dumas has run 53.68 and 2:07.73 indoors and 51.14 and 2:00.11 outdoors.
Joining Dumas Saturday on Eastern’s 3rd-place 4-by-4 were Adriana Marella, Poetry Anderson and Knoelle Whittle.
Also in Group 4, Atlantic County Tech senior Brianna Growalt won the 55-meter hurdles in 8.10.
The Rancocas Valley tandem of senior La’el Yates and sophomore Isabella Santamaria finished 2nd and 3rd in the pole vault, Yates clearing 11-0 and Santamaria 10-6.
Williamstown junior Timia Williams placed 4th in the hurdles in 8.40 and Williamstown senior Brynn Greenwood was 5th in the pole vault at 10-0.
Cherry Hill East sophomore Addison Weiss ran 10:47.46 for 3rd in the 3,200 and 5:05.12 for 6th in the 1,600. More on her hot 3,200 later! Kingsway junior Aubrey Bishop also broke 11 minutes in that race, 4th in 10:55.85.
Kingsway ran 4:06.10 for 4th in the 4-by-4, with senior Savannah Aulich, junior Norah Brown, sophomore Noemi Haller and junior Kenya Nobles.
Cherokee senior Sofia Recinto ran 2:19.27 for 2nd in the 800 and Cherry Hill East junior Ryleigh Budsock ran 2:21.96 for 6th.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 