A historic race Wednesday at Pennsauken by Glassboro’s Zacchaeus Harrigan, who became the fastest sophomore half-miler ever in South Jersey at the Meet of Champions.
Harrigan, racing in the 2nd of three sections, ran 1:53.58, placing 3rd in his race, which held up for 10th overall after the fast section.
Harrigan, whose previous PR was 1:55.00 when he won the state Group 1 title in Somerset two weeks earlier, broke the South Jersey sophomore record of 1:54.33 at the state Group 4 race at Egg Harbor on June 3, 2016, exactly 10 years earlier.
The top sophomore in New Jersey this year is Liam Angley of St. Peter’s Prep, who placed 4th Wednesday in 1:51.49. Harrigan is the fastest Group 1 sophomore in 10 years also, since Drew Maher of Shore Regional ran 1:53.37 at the 2016 state Group 1 meet, also at Egg Harbor.
Keith Griffith of West Windsor-Plainsboro South ran 1:53.25 as a sophomore in 2008. He went on to graduate from Florence, where he ran 1:52.94 as a junior.
Ray Rivera of Old Bridge holds the state sophomore record with his 1:50.82 at the 2015 Meet of Champions at South Plainfield. Harrigan is 12th on the all-time state list.
Harrigan is 3rd-fastest South Jersey half-miler this year, behind Haddonfield senior Brandon Stoner [PR 1:52.39 Wednesday] and Woodstown senior Josh Crawford [PR 1:52.56], who placed 7th and 8th.
The remarkable Glassboro sophomore class was also represented Wednesday by Moses Robles, who placed 5th in the triple jump at 46-7 and tied his PR of 6-4 for 11th in the high jump, 2nd-best among freshmen, and Joe Saicic, who ran a PR and school-record 4:18.49 for 13th in the 1,600 and was 3rd among sophomores. a
All-Time South Jersey 800 List
1:48.52 … Ishmael Muhammad [Oakcrest], 2014
1:49.27 … Isaac Clark [Pleasantville], 2013
1:49.72 … Rich Caton [Woodbury], 1979
1:49.74 … Fred Sharpe [Paulsboro], 1997
1:49.84 … Rob Novak [Bordentown], 2005
1:50.30 … Jacob Clark [Pleasantville], 2013
1:50.67 … John Richardson [Ocean City], 2003
1:50.94h … Vance Watson [Willingboro], 1983
1:51.02 … Derrell Manhertz [Kingsway], 2013
1:51.53 … Jeff Boyer [Camden], 1978
1:51.74y … Sam Summerville [Holy Spirit], 1976
1:51.84 … Shannon Sherrer [Vineland], 2003
1:51.86 … Cliff Beckford [Vineland], 1991
1:52.21 … Leaquan James [Vineland], 2013
1:52.24 … Ford Palmer [Absegami], 2009
1:52.37 … Matt Poskus [Cinnaminson], 2007
1:52.39 … Brandon Stoner [Haddonfield], 2026
1:52.56 … Josh Crawford [Woodstown], 2026
1:52.60 … Kevin Fox [Moorestown], 2016
1:52.64h … Greg Honsby [Rancocas Valley], 1974
1:52.65 … Ian Waterhouse [Rancocas Valley], 2004
1:52.76 … Kevin Cianfarini [West Deptford], 2014
1:52.94 … Keith Griffin [Florence], 2009
1:52.97 … Jaymes Dennison [Penns Grove], 2013
1:53.04 … Xavier Fraction [Washington Twp.], 2009
1:53.09 … James Wyner [Mainland Reg.], 2004
1:53.13 … Robert Edwards [Brideton], 2003
1:53.14 … Dave Sitzer [Cherokee], 2000
1:53.25 … Greg Pelose [Haddonfield], 2016
1:53.27 … Marvin Lewis [Willingboro], 2001
1:53.34y … Lewis Hagan [Millville], 1983 ???
1:53.35 … Ahmad Rutherford [Willingboro], 2003
1:53.40 … Daveigh Brooks [Burlington City], 2016
1:53.44y … Tony Uzdavines [Williamstown], 1977
1:53.44y … Tavo Rivera [Pemberton], 1977
1:53.43 … Bill Dolan [Clearview], 2014
1:53.49 … Brett Johnson [Ocean City], 2008
1:53.49 … Ben Potts [Haddonfield], 2010
1:53.49 … Steve Butenewicz [Delsea Reg.], 2011
1:53.52 … Aaron Johnson [Oakcrest], 2009
1:53.54y … Wayne Jenkins [Deptford], 1968
1:53.54y … Frank Romero [Haddon Twp.], 1977
1:53.54y … Bryant Walker [Pemberton], 1983
1:53.54y … Clayton Baloche [Lenape], 1992
1:53.57 … Isaiah Curbelo [Rancocas Valley], 2016
1:53.58 … Zacchaeus Harrigan [Glassboro], 2026
1:53.61 … Steve Morrone [Washington Twp.], 2010
1:53.62 … Joe Lewis [Pleasantville], 1998
1:53.66 … Xavier Wright [Willingboro], 2011
1:53.70 … James Holden [Bridgeton], 2001
1:53.78 … Luke Petela [Haddon Twp.], 2015
1:53.79 … Mike Shemonsky [Eastern], 1990
1:53.84 … Ryan Garvin [Lenape], 2009
All-Time South Jersey Sophomore 800 List
1:53.58 … Zacchaeus Harrigan [Glassboro], 2026
1:54.33 … Jacob Tyndale [Rancocas Valley], 2016
1:54.37 … Isaac Clark [Pleasantville], 2013
1:54.41 … Ford Palmer [Abegami], 2009
1:54.63 …Shannon Sherrer [Vineland], 2001
1:54.93 … Matthew Littlehales [Delsea], 2024
1:54.95 … Rob Novak [Bordentown], 2003
1:55.00 … Bryce Tucker [Pennsauken], 2021
1:55.18 … Jaymes Dennison [Penns Grove, 2013
1:55.29 … Alan Laws Jr. [Pleasantville], 2008
1:55.44 … Steve Butenewicz [Delsea], 2012
1:55.2h … Tony Uzdavines [Williamstown], 1975
1:55.66 … Tivo Rivera [Kingsway], 2011
1:55.84 … Elijah Capra [Highland], 2026
1:55.85 … LeaQuan James [Vineland], 2013
1:55.86 … Eric Barnes [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2015
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 