From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Haddonfield’s Dylan Hosty lowered her own South Jersey freshman record with a 3^rd-place finish in the 1,600 at the Meet of Champions Sunday at Ocean Breeze.

Hosty ran 4:51.58, dropping her PR from 4:51.97 converted from a 4:53.67 full mile at Ocean Breeze in January.

Her time is fastest by a South Jersey runner at the meet of Champions in 43 years and 4^th-fastest all-time by a South Jersey girl. It’s 9th-fastest in Meet of Champions history.

Hosty’s time is fastest by a South Jersey girl at the M-of-C since Michelle Rowen of Washington Township won the 1983 race at Princeton’s Jadwin Gym in a hand-timed 4:48.5.

She ran within two seconds of the hallowed Camden County record of 4:49.46 set by Olympian Erin Donohue – now a Haddonfield coach – converted from a 4:51.15 full mile at the 2001 Prince Georges County Nationals in Landover, Md.

Rowan set the South Jersey record of 4:41.52 convered from a 4:43.16 full mile at 1983 Easterns at Harvard’s Gordon Track in Cambridge, Mass.

Hosty came through 800 in 2:26.73, then ran her next 400 in 74.89 and closed in 69.98, with her final lap in 33.68.

She’s the fastest 3rd-place finisher in meet history. Another Haddonfield girl, Brianna Gess, ran 4:51.60 in 2016.

Her time is No. 2 among U.S. freshmen, according to the MileSplit national database. Eliza Schwass of Ludington (Mich.) ran 4:46.87 in a meet in December in Allendale Charter Township, Mich.

In the same race, Audubon senior Riley Fayer placed 7th in 4:55.66, 12th-fastest in South Jersey history and fastest by a New Jersey Group 1 runner in 12 years. More on Riley’s race soon!

All-Time Meet of Champions Performance List
4:35.71 … Paige Sheppard [Union Catholic], 2026 [1]
4:37.60 … Sophia Thompson [Union Catholic], 2026 [2]
4:45.38 …….. Sheppard, 2025 [1]
4:47.83 … Sophia Thompson [Union Catholic], 2025 [2]
4:48.23 … Jill Smith [Southern Regional], 2009 [1]
4:48.5h … Michelle Rowen [Washington Twp.], 1983 [1]
4:49.53 … Emma Zawatski [Freehold Twp.], 2023 [1]
4:50.85 … Christina Rancan [West Windsor-Plainsboro South], 2016 [1]
4:51.18 … Ciara Roche [Freehold Twp.], 2016 [2]
4:51.58 … Dylan Hosty [Haddonfield], 2026 [3]
4:51.60 … Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 2016 [3]
4;51.71 … Lilly Shapiro [Colts Neck], 2022 [1]
4:52.10 … Jennifer Friedman [Ridge], 2026 [4]
4:52.96 … Julia Scrudato [Montgomery], 2023 [2]
4:53.17 … Kylene Cochrane [West Morris Central], 2014 [1]
4:53.36 … Lindsey Kane [Washington Twp.], 2014 [2]
4:53.39 … Christina Allen [River Dell], 2022 [2]
4:53.84 … Jessica Abbott [Manalapan], 2025 [3]
4;53.83 … Cate DeSousa [Red Bank Catholic], 2022 [3]
4:53.96 … Keira Monagle [Columbia], 2026 [5]
4:53.98 …….. Smith, 2007 [1]
4:54.15 … Marin Warner [Holmdel], 2014 [3]
4:54.41 … Molly McNamara [Red Bank Catholic], 2011 [1]
4:54.58 … Celine Mazzi [Delsea], 2014 [4]
4:54.85 … Ivy Slavinski [Point Pleasant Borough], 2025 [4]
4:55.21 … Amanda Marino [Jackson], 2006 [1]
4:55.33 … Katherine Keating [Ridgewood], 2025 [5]
4:55.39 …….. Allen, 2023 [3]
4:55.55 … Kayla Devine [Union Catholic], 2026 [6]
4:55.66 … Riley Fayer [Audubon], 2026 [7]
4:55.7h …….. Rowen, 1982 [1]
4:56.08 … Jenn Ennis [Roxbury], 2006 [2]
4:56.0h … Ruth Lockbaum [Glassboro], 1985 [1]
4:56.32 …….. Zawatski, 2022 [4]
4:56.32 … Kayla Devine [Union Catholic], 2025 [6]
4:56.87 … Macy Huber [Paul VI], 2025 [7]
4:56.96 … Madison Brand [Middletown South], 2018 [1]
4:57.12 … Megan Quimby [Lenape], 2016 [4]
4:57.12 … Addison Hansen [Bergen County Tech], 2026 [8]
4:57.13 … Caroline Schleif [Metuchen], 2022 [5]
4:57.15 … Katie Hamilton [Westfield], 2020 [1]
4:57.90 … Danielle Tauro [Southern Regional], 2005 [1]
4:57.95 … Lily Oliver [Toms River South], 2022 [6]
4:57.8h … Karen Ahearn [Bernards], 1985 [2]
4:58.07 … Remy Dubac [Clifton], 2023 [4]
4:58.26 …….. Ahearn, 1986 [1]
4:58.23 … Katie Watson [Summit], 2011 [2]
4:58.38 … Liana Marzano [Red Bank Catholic], 2012 [1]
4:58.42 … Leah Brogan [Monsignor Donovan], 2005 [2]
4:58.46 … Jillian Turner [New Providence], 2016 [5]
4:58.47 … Haley Mahn [Hopewell Valley], 2014 [5]
4:58.53 … Ajee’ Wilson [Neptune], 2010 [1]
4:58.72 … Nora Eberle [Toms River North], 2026 [9]
4:58.79 … McNamara [Red Bank Catholic], 2009 [2]
4:58.81 … Kelsey Ramsey, [Ramapo], 2007
4:58.88 …….. Rancan, 2015 [1]
4:59.04 …….. Gess, 2017 [1]
4:59.05 … Elena DiMarcello [North Hunterdon], 2017 [2]
4:59.06 …….. Shapiro, 2020 [2]
4:59.07 … Claudia DiSomma [Sparta], 2010 [2]
4:59.15 …….. Lockbaum, 1986 [2]
4:59.22 … Liz Wellman [Randolph], 2014 [6]
4:59.26 … Jerika Lufrano [Union Catholic], 2019 [1]
4:59.35 … Addison Weiss [Cherry Hill East], 2026 [10]
4:59.42 … Emma McGill [Voorhees], 2020 [3]
4:59.46 … Sadie Honig [Manalapan], 2025 [8]
4:59.59 … Jacqueline Gottuso [Rumson-Fair Haven], 2014 [7]
4:59.60 … Paige Boyce [North Hunterdon], 2023 [5]
4:59.67 … Julia Guerra [Indian Hills], 2014 [8]
4:59.73 … Camryn Wennersten [Ridgewood], 2019 [2]
4:59.74 … Abby Loveys [Randolph], 2018 [2]
4:59.74 … Kaylee Finnegan [Ramey], 2026 [11]
4:59.82 … Sara Khiri [Dickinson], 2023 [6]

All-Time South Jersey 1,600 List
4:41.52y … Michelle Rowen [Wash. Twp.], 1983
4:49.46y … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2001
4:50.44y … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2025
4:51.58 … Dylan Hosty [Haddonfield], 2026
4:51.60 … Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 2016
4:52.34 … Rachel Vick [Kingsway], 2017
4:52.90 … Shaelan McNally [Paul VI], 2024
4:53.36 … Lindsey Kane [Washington Twp.], 2014
4:53.85 … Nicole Clifford [Cherokee], 2022
4:54.58 … Celine Mazzi [Delsea], 2014
4:55.04y … Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], 2010
4:55.66 … Riley Fayer [Audubon], 2026 [7]
4:56.1h,y … Ruth Lockbaum [Glassboro], 1985
4:56.87 … Macy Huber [Paul VI], 2025
4:57.12 … Megan Quimby [Lenape], 2015
4:57.72 … Caitlin Orr [Lenape], 2010
4:57.77y … Aubrey Pierontoni [Kingsway], 2022
4:58.48 … Natalia Ocasio [Lenape], 2010
4:58.54 … Kerry O’Day [Cherokee], 2024
4:59.28 … Grace Wassell [Highland], 2022
4:59.29 … Julia Despirito [Shawnee], 2014
4:59.39 … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2012