Delsea senior Matthew Littlehales ran the fastest 3,200 in New Jersey this year Thursday night on a cold and rainy night in Marlton.
Littlehales was first out of more than 400 runners in 21 heats at the Cherokee Night of 3200s with a time of 9:19.19.
Littlehales, the state Group 3 champion at 3,200 meters last spring and at 1,600 meters this indoor season, negatived 4:45.55 and 4:33.64, closing in 2:09.98 for his final 800 and 60.18 for his final 400.
Don Bosco senior Matthew Maguire led Littlehales with a lap to go before Littlehales speedy final 400. Maguire finished 2nd in 4:24.84.
Other South Jersey runners under 9:30 were Glassboro sophomore Joe Saicic, 5th with a PR 9:26.37 and negative splits of 4:45.21 and 4:41.16 closing in 67.23, Ocean City senior Erik Preisner, 6th in 9:28.79 [4:46.20 / 4:42.59, closing in 66.26] and Cherokee junior Maximo Harada with a PR 9:29.32 [4:45.99 / 4:43.33, closing in 66.68].
Also under 10 minutes: Cherokee junior Sean Sooy [9:33.38], Cinnaminson senior Jacob Wickersham [9:34.63], Cherokee senior Logan Bromley [9:38.56], Ocean City junior Keenan Neuman [9:41.27], Ocean City junior Nathan Aschmann [9:41.50], Cherokee junior Gavin Danielewicz [9:46.16], Cherry Hill East junior Cian Sherlock [9:46.84], Highland senior Andrew Dopkin [9:52.34], Glassboro sophomore Zacchaeus Harrigan [9:52.91], Winslow senior Vincent Perri [9:53.08], Washington Township sophomore Travor Szilier [9:53.25], Glassboro senior Jaeden Wesley [9:53.81], Cinnaminson junior Edward Abu-Adas [9:57.76], Cherokee freshman Hamza Salahuddin [9:58.08], Cherry Hill East junior Aneesh Rajagopal [9:58.32], Egg Harbor senior Matthew Reed [9:58.71], Ocean City sophomore Nevin Millstein [9:58.85] and Ocean City sophomore Benjamin McCarthy [9:59.15].
Top girls from South Jersey were Cherokee senior Alyssa Suriano [11:02.79], Cherokee sophomore Erin Healy [11:09.25], Cherokee senior Sofia Recinto [11:17.57], Williamstown senior Sophia Aldridge [11:1.57], Egg Harbor junior Meghan Johnson [11:18.00], Cherokee senior Madeline Meder [11:25.46] and Cherry Hill East junior Ryleigh Budsock [11:29.44].
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 