Seniors Darryl Wayman and Christian Berry were part of a 1st-place team, a 2nd-place team and a 3rd-place team and Deptford rolling to its 3rd straight State Group 2 Relays team title at the Bubble.

Deptford outscored Willingboro 44-32 to win its 4th title in five years. The Spartans joined Willingboro (2000-03, 2017-20), Woodbury (1976-79) and Oakcrest (2011-2013) as the 4th South Jersey school to win four straight state relays titles since the meet’s inception in 1966.

Wayman and Berry were joined by sophomore Kareem Brown and senior Abu Jabbie on the winning sprint medley team, which ran 3:43.55. They were joined by juniors Sean Nieves and Neo Clark-Tabb on the 4-by-4, which placed 2nd in 3:32.37. And they teamed up with sophomore Kareem Brown and Kamari Brown on the 4-by-2, which placed 3rd in 1:34.54.

Deptford also placed 2nd in the shuttle hurdles in 31.05 behind Oakcrest’s 30.99. Senior Manny Perdue, junior Ryan Sanchez and sophomores Kamaldeep Singh and Larry Norman ran the shuttles.

Sophomore Mason Henry and Jabbie both cleared 5-8 and picked up eight big points in the high jump relay, and Henry and junior Marcus Hood both PR’d in the pole vault, picking up two points with a 5th-place finish. Hood cleared 12-6 and Henry 11-6.

Deptford’s 4-by-8 also placed 5th, with Nieves, junior Lucius Davis, senior Matthew Schilling and sophomore Anthony Schilling running 8:37.00.

For Oakcrest, Clayton Husta, Armando Velazquez, Kelvin Urena and Asmar Gibbs won the shuttle hurdles.

Willingboro got two wins in the field. In the high jump relay, junior Tra’san Adam cleared a huge PR 6-4 – more on him later – and junior Zaire Wormley 5-8. In the shot, junior Julian Williams threw a PR 52-8 ¾ and senior Derrick Swan PR’d at 48-6.

The Haddonfield boys ran their fastest indoor distance medley since 2019 Saturday morning at the state Group 2 relays at the Bubble.

Luke Andresen ran the 1,200, Connor Williams the 400, Aaron Keith the 800 and Bennett Wright the 1,600 for Haddonfield. Since it’s a Bubble meet, splits are not available.

Haddonfield ran 10:42.26 and edged Bernards by about two meters. It’s their fastest time since the 2019 team with Derek Gess, Martin Riddell, Greg Eisenhower and Zachariah Murray ran 10:34.34 at the 2019 state relays on the same track. Bernards was 2nd in 10:42.62.

The Bulldogs’ time is No. 2 in the state this year and No. 1 among public schools. Christian Brothers Academy ran 10:36.71 on Thursday at the Parochial A state relays.

Freshman Terrence Goffney medaled in three events to help Bishop Eustace place 2nd in the Parochial B State Relays Thursday at the Bubble.

Goffney and junior Christian Berardi ran the 200s, senior Christopher Stinson the 400 and senior Ryan Gaulrapp the 800 on the sprint medley team, which ran 3:54.32 and placed 2nd.

Goffney cleared a personal-best 5-0 in the high jump – the first time he’s high jumped in his high school career – and teamed up with Noah Glenn, who PR’d at 5-10, to take 2nd in the high jump relay.

Berardi, Glenn, Stinson and Goffney placed 4th in the 800-meter relay in 1:38.92.

Eustace also placed 2nd in the 3,200-meter relay in 11:50.07, with junior Desmond Carey, junior Ethan Caprarola, senior Matt Colden and sophomore Alexander Dietz running 9:09.27 and 3rd in the distance medley, with Carey on the 1,200, sophomore Massimo Sergi the 400, Gaulrapp the 800 and Caprarola anchoring with the 1,600 leg.

Senior Shawn Brady threw 51-11 ½ – equalling his lifetime best– and teamed up with senior Luca Zanghi to place 2nd in the shot put relay.

Paul VI placed 2nd in both distance relays Wednesday at the state Parochial A Relays at the Bubble in Toms River.

PVI ran a school-record 9:49.44 in the 4-by-8 and 12:40.18 in the distance medley. PVI has already run 12:31.11 at Ocean Breeze. They now rank No. 2 in New Jersey in the DMR and 5th in the 4-by-8.

Freshman Grace Gutowski, sophomore Macy Huber, sophomore Giovanna Mantuano and senior Shaelan McNally ran on the 4-by-8 team, who finished behind only Oak Knoll Academy, which won the race in 9:42.28.

Mantuano, sophomore Claire Magee, Huber and McNally ran on the DMR, which took 2nd to Union Catholic’s 12:17.16.

In the 4-by-8, it looks like this was Paul VI’s first time under 10 minutes. MileSplit lists them with a 9:55.42 in 2022, but that performance doesn’t show up in the official results, and Winslow Township did run exactly 9:55.42 in that race, so it appears likely to be an error.

Paul VI finished 3rd in team scoring with 32 points.

The Eagles also placed 3rd in the 1,600-meter relay in 4:17.99 with Anna Marie Brown, Gutkowski, Cara Doyle and Magee. In the field, senior Giselle Scrivanich and junior Claudia Crabtree won the pole vault relay.

The Timber Creek girls ran the 8th-fastest 4-by-4 in South Jersey history Wednesday night and qualified for the Millrose Games next month.

Timber Creek – and once again names are not available in the results– ran a U.S. No. 2 3:53.66 and placed 2nd in the Millrose Games trials with the 2nd-fastest time in New Jersey this year and fastest by a South Jersey school in seven years.

Senior Chloe Jones led off for the Chargers, followed by junior Billie Frazier, senior Ryan Jennings and senior Nayla Jones, who anchored in 57.4.

If you know who ran for Timber Creek – and we’re guessing it was four from among Billy Frazier, Chloe Jones, Nyla Jones, Ryan Jennings and Naylah Jones – please let us know!

Union Catholic and Timber Creek will represent New Jersey Feb. 9 in the 116th annual Millrose Games at the Armory.

The Winslow girls were 3rd in a U.S. No. 3 3:56.86 and Washington Township 4th in a New Jersey No. 5 4:03.17. We’d love to have names for both those teams as well!

Timber Creek’s time is No. 4 in Camden County history and No. 27 on the all-time New Jersey indoor list. They are fastest by a South Jersey 4-by-4 since Winslow ran 3:51.49 at the 2017 Meet of Champions at the Bubble.

All-Time New Jersey 1,600-Meter Relay List
3:40.28 … Union Catholic, 2016
3:42.03 … Columbia, 2013
3:45.57 … Willingboro, 2003
3:46.42 … Columbia, 2014
3:47.03 … Union Catholic, 2015
3:47.31 … Union Catholic, 2019
3:47.95 … Willingboro, 2002
3:48.9h … Plainfield, 1980
3:49.07 … Camden, 1995
3:49.50 … East Orange, 2006
3:49.9h … Plainfield, 1981
3:50.82 … Union Catholic, 2017
3:50.89 … Scotch Plains-Fanwood, 2022
3:50.8h … Snyder, 1981
3:51.17 … Columbia, 2015
3:51.37 … Columbia, 2010
3:51.49 … Winslow Twp., 2017
3:51.68 … Union Catholic, 2020
3:52.16 … Union Catholic, 2023
3:52.37 … Willingboro, 2000
3:52.2h … Columbia, 1982
3:52.48 … Columbia, 2011
3:52.55 … Wilson, 2006
3:53.46 … Columbia, 1995
3:53.51 … Franklin, 2004
3:53.61 … Willingboro, 1998
3:53.66 … Timber Creek, 2024
3:53.81 … Paul VI, 2020
3:53.82 … Timber Creek, 2023
3:53.6h … Willingboro, 1999
3:53.97 … Rancocas Valley, 2019

All-Time South Jersey 1,600-Meter Relay List
3:45.37 … Willingboro, 2003
3:47.95 … Willingboro, 2002
3:49.07 … Camden, 1995
3:51.49 … Winslow Twp., 2017
3:52.37 … Willingboro, 2000
3:52.55 … Wilson, 2006
3:53.61 … Willingboro, 1998
3:53.66 … Timber Creek, 2024
3:53.81 … Paul VI, 2020
3:53.6h … Willingboro, 1999
3:53.82 … Timber Creek, 2023
3:53.97 … Rancocas Valley, 2019
3:54.38 … Camden, 2009
3:54.4h … Eastern, 2003
3:54.62 … Rancocas Valley, 2020
3:54.69 … Eastern, 2023
3:54.82 … Millville, 2008
3:54.99 … Winslow Twp., 2018
3:55.04 … Millville, 2019
3:55.28 … Rancocas Valley, 2017
3:55.40 … Winslow Twp., 2019
3:55.94 … Winslow Twp., 2020
3:55.8h … Wilson, 2002
3:56.01 … Washington Twp., 1999
3:56.05 … Willingboro, 2005
3:56.52 … Buena, 1999
3:56.52 … Camden, 2008
3:56.54 … Kingsway, 2014
3:56.86 … Winslow Twp., 2024
3:56.92 … Wilson, 2008
3:56.96 … Wilson, 2001

Washington Township senior Ajani Dwyer destroyed the state 55-meter dash record Wednesday night and moved into the all-time U.S. top-10 at the Millrose Games Trials at the Armory.

Dwyer – in only the 6th race of his life – ran 6.18 in the qualifying race for the 116th annual Millrose Games on Feb. 9, also at the Armory.

He lowered his own U.S. No. 1 from 6.33, which he ran at Ocean Breeze last week. It appears that his time is tied for No. 9 in U.S. indoor track history, but I’m still working to nail that down.

Dwyer was a 1st-time runner as a junior last spring but ran only three meets. This was his 3rd meet of his first indoor season.

Dwyer shattered the state record of 6.26 set by Timber Creek’s Damiere Byrd at Armory Nationals in 2011 and matched by Franklin’s Mario Heslop on the same track at 2018 Armory Nationals.

5.9h … Houston McTear [Baker, Fl.a], 1976
6.08 … Marvin Bracy [Boone, Fla.], 2012
6.13 … Anthony Schwartz [American Heritage, Plantation, Fla.], 2018
6.14 … D’Angelo Cherry [Mt. Zion, Jonesboro, Ga.], 2008
6.16 … LaNoris Marshall [Dysart, Peoria, Az.], 1978
6.16 … Deworski Odom [Overbrook, Philadelphia], 1995
6.17 … Micah Williams [Benson, Ore.], 2019
6.17 … Martin Smith [Jefferson-Huegenot-Wythe, Richmond, Va.]
6.18 … Herkie Walls [Garland, Texas], 1979
6.18 … Issam Asinga [Monteverde Academy, Fla.], 2023
6.18 … Ajani Dwyer [Washington Twp., N.J.], 2024

 

Paul VI junior Savien Higgs moved into the all-time Camden County top 10 in the indoor shot put with a huge personal best.

Higgs threw 54-6 ½ on his 3rd attempt at the Ocean Breeze Freedom Games Saturday and placed 2nd, behind only Chase Dorsey of Calvert Hall College High School of Baltimore, who snatched the win from Higgs with a PR 55-10 ¼ on his final throw.

But Higgs PR’d by four feet and four inches after hitting 50 feet for the first time two weeks ago at the Bubble in Toms River. He brought a PR of 48-9 ½ into the indoor season from the Camden County Championships in May at Haddon Township. His indoor PR before last month was 45-4 ½ from Ocean Breeze Freedom Games a year ago.

But he’s now PR’d in all three indoor meets he’s contested this winter – 47-6 ½ at the Bubble in early December, then 50-2 ½ at the Bubble and now 54-6 ½, which is No. 9 in Camden County history.

Higgs was one of New Jersey’s best discus throwers in the spring with a 148-6 at the South Jersey Invitational at Delsea that made him the No. 7 sophomore in the state.

It looks like Higgs could be the first 50-foot thrower Paul VI has had. He’s now No. 4 in the state with his 54-6 ½ and No. 2 among both New Jersey juniors and South Jersey throwers behind Delsea’s Jonathan Harris, who has a 54-10 from the Bubble last week.

All-Time Camden County Indoor Shot Put Top 10
60-10 ¾ … John Purvis [Winslow Twp.], 2020
59-0 … Chris Bolden [Edgewood], 1990
57-10-½ … Matthew Huckabee [Timber Creek], 2010
57-8 ½ … John Purvis [Winslow Twp.], 2020
57-3 ½ … Ron Dayne [Overbrook], 1996
55-7 ½ … Phil Hatfield [Bishop Eustace], 1995
55-6 … Charles Anderson [Edgewood], 1984
54-9 ¼ … Bob Bohlman [Edgewood], 1993
54-6 ½ … Savien Higgs [Paul VI], 2024
54-5 ½ … Eric Harmon [Wilson], 1986
54-5 ½ … Osemwingie Asemota [Timber Creek], 2016
54-3 … Greg James [Edgewood], 1977

The Winslow girls edged Chester (Pa.) and Bloomfield (Conn.) in a hot 4-by-200 Saturday at the Armory that produced three of the 12-fastest times in the U.S. this year.

Sophomore Olivia Okaro, senior Dominique Clement, senior Djassi Dean and freshman Cinniya Robinson ran for Winslow.

If anybody knows who ran for Winslow please let me know because the Armory track results site doesn’t think it’s important.

 I’m going to guess some combination of sophomore Olivia Okaro, freshman Skyhe Seamon, senior Dominique Clement, freshman Cinniya Robinson, senior Sierra Handy and senior Djassi Dean. 

In any case, Winslow’s time is No. 10 in the U.S. this year and No. 2 in New Jersey behind the Union Catholic all-star team, which ran 1:40.70 over the weekend at the Jersey City Armory.

The time is also No. 15 on the all-time South Jersey list and fastest since Millville ran 1:42.43 at Easterns at the Armory in 2020.

All-Time South Jersey sub-1:43 800-meter relay list
1:39.55 … Winslow Twp., 2018
1:39.94 … Winslow Twp., 2017
1:40.77 … Moorestown, 2000
1:41.14 … Woodrow Wilson, 2006
1:41.19 … Camden, 2008
1:41.28 … Woodrow Wilson, 2005
1:41.42 … Moorestown, 1999
1:41.70 … Willingboro, 2002
1:41.78 … Winslow Twp., 2014
1:41.80 … Winslow Twp., 2019
1:41.98 … Camden, 2009
1:41.99 … Rancocas Valley, 2019
1:42.01 … Millville, 2019
1:42.20 … Camden, 2007
1:42.29 … Winslow Twp., 2024
1:42.43 … Millville, 2020
1:42.45 … Deptford, 2015
1:42.45 … Rancocas Valley, 2017
1:42.49 … Millville, 2020
1:42.49 … Winslow Twp., 2013
1:42.5h … Willingboro, 2003
1:42.59 … Winslow Twp., 2020
1:42.66 … Willingboro, 2000
1:42.75 … Eastern, 2003
1:42.85 … Washington Twp., 1999
1:42.90 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2018
1:42.94 … Millville, 2019

Washington Township junior Dakota Jones had quite a breakthrough race Saturday at the Armory, running the fastest hurdles race by a Gloucester County girl in 10 years at the Hispanic Games.

Jones entered the season with a PR of 8.86 as a sophomore at last year’s state meet at the Bubble, but she lowered that to 8.57 in her 2023-24 season opener at the Armory last month and after an 8.58 in the trials Saturday she placed 4th in the final with an 8.46.

Although MileSplit no longer seems to update their performance lists as fast as they used to, her 8.46 appears to be No. 6 in New Jersey this year and No. 2 among juniors.

It’s also fastest by a Gloucester County hurdler since another Washington Township girl, Lexie Fraction, ran 8.37 at 2014 Easterns at the Armory. Fraction shares the county record with Kingsway’s Delicia Sample, who ran 8.37 to win the 2004 state Group 3 meet at Jadwin Gym.

Jones’ 8.46 appears to be No. 2 in South Jersey this year, behind Timber Creek senior Guerlande Pierre, who won the 55-meter highs Saturday at the Ocean Breeze Freedom Games with a PR and New Jersey No. 2 and public school No. 1 8.34, leading a 1-3-4 Timber Creek finish wiuth senior Nyla Jones [PR 8.57] and junior Billie Frazier [PR 8.63].

Gloucester County Sub-8.50 Hurdles List
8.37 … Delicia Sample [Kingsway], 2004
8.37 … Lexie Fraction [Washington Twp.], 2014
8.46 … Dakota Jones [Washington Twp.], 2024
8.48 … Christina Barbaro [Delsea], 2014
8.49 … Amaris Marsh [Deptford], 2018

The Paul VI girls seem to be ready for a fast 4-by-mile at Nationals judging by the way they ran Saturday at Ocean Breeze.

Senior Shaelan McNally, sophomores Giovanna Mantuano and Macy Huber and freshman Grace Gutowski combined to run 21:12.38 for 6,400 meters and while that’s a bit shorter than four miles, it’s still fast enough to be the equivalent of the 4th-fastest indoor 4-by-mile ever by a South Jersey school.

Haddonfield ran 20:53.03 at Armory Nationals in 2014, Cherokee ran 20:56.84 at the same shoe company meet but in Boston in 2023 and Lenape ran 21:03.64 at a different shoe company meet but in Boston but at a different track in 2010.

A 21:12.38 would have placed 7th at Boston Nationals last winter, just three seconds off All-America pace.

So while Paul VI’s performance doesn’t count, it would be 4th-fastest in South Jersey history if it came on a relay. Now, it’s harder to run a 4-by-mile than four individual miles just because in a 4-by-mile you’re often running by yourself, where in individual 1,600 or mile races you have plenty of company.

But still, this was a terrific group performance by the Paul VI girls.

McNally raced in the first of three sections, placing 6th in 5:10.97, an indoor PR and just four seconds off her outdoor PR of 5:06.74.

Huber ran in the second race and clocked 5:19.82. She ran 5:12.76 by the end of indoors last year at the state Parochial A meet at the Bubble.

Mantuano and Gutowski were both in the 3rd section, Mantuano finished first in 5:19.20 and Gutowski was 3rd in 5:22.39. Mantuano had never broken 6 minutes before this indoor season, but she ran 5:27.21 at the Bubble late last month and then cut another nine seconds off her PR with her 5:19.20 Saturday. And Gutowski finished just behind her in her first high school 1,600.

McNally, Mantuano, Huber and Gutowski were all part of Paul VI’s cross country team that placed 3rd at the state Parochial A meet at Holmdel.

The only other New Jersey school with four girls under 5:25 this winter is super-duper parochial all-star powerhouse landing spot for Central Jersey junior Olympic superstars Union Catholic.