Winslow freshman Ma’Syiah Brawner picked up three wins and a 3rd at the Olympic Conference Championships Tuesday.

She’s the first freshman to win three events in meet history.

Brawner won the high jump at 5-4, the long jump at 17-9 and the triple jump at 37-10 at Rancocas Valley. She was also 3rd in the hurdles with a 15.88.

She’s the first athlete to win three events at the Olympic Conference meet since Wilson’s Dennisha Page won the 100 (12.28), 200 (24.80) and 400 (56.73) in 2019.

Brawner is the first Winslow girl to triple in the conference meet in nine years, since Cidae’a Woods recorded a quad win as a senior in 2014: 12.06 in the 100, 14.16 in the hurdle, 19-1 ½ in the long jump and 37-7 ¼ in the triple jump.

Among New Jersey freshmen, Brawner ranks 1st in the hurdles [15.49], long jump [17-10 ½] and triple jump [38-2 ¾] and tied for 1st in the high jump [5-4].

Rancocas Valley senior Kevin Burr popped the three-best javelin throws of his life – all in a row – and solidified the No. 3 spot on the New Jersey javelin rankings.

Burr began the day with a PR of 179-9 from the Burlington County Championships earlier this month at Northern Burlington. And his best throw in the trials Tuesday at the Olympic Conference Championships at the Gertrude C. Folwell Elementary School across the street from Rancocas Valley was a 176-10.

But in the final, he went off.

http://milesplit.live/meets/537984/events/28/results/F/M

Burr PR’d on three straight throws -182-0, 183-4 and 187-7 – to win by more than 25 feet.
‘
So he’s the only South Jersey thrower to surpass 180 feet this year … and he did it three times in the span of less than 15 minutes.

He fell just five inches off the meet record of 188-0 set by Alexander Georgiou of Timber Creek at the 2017 meet. The only other 180-footer in meet history [with the new javelin] is Bishop Eustace’s John Zimmatore, who threws 180-3 in 2006. The meet record with the old javelin, which was in use through 2002, is 185-5 by Lenape’s Brian Lee in 2000.

Burr is the third R.V. thrower to surpass 185 feet. In 2016 Robert Marks threw 191-6, and in 2018 Nick Mirabelli set a state record of 227-10 to win the Meet of Champions at Northern Burlington.

Burr’s throw is No. 9 in Burlington County history with the current implement.

The R.V. school record with the old javelin is 221-7 by Drew Forbes at the 1978 state Group 4 meet at South Plainfield [he placed 2nd to Scotch Plains’ Dave Farnsworth, who threw 223-6]. That remains and will always remain No. 7 in South Jersey history with the old jav.

All-Time South Jersey Javelin List
[new implement, since 2003]
227-10 … Nick Mirabelli [Rancocas Valley], 2017
224-10 … Curtis Thompson [Florence], 2014
220-11 … Cade Antonucci [Holy Spirit], 2016
216-6 … Chris Mirabelli [Holy Cross], 2014
212-2 … Alexander Georgia [Timber Creek], 2017
209-4 … Steve Jernee [Ocean City], 2017
203-6 … Stephen Benigno [Cherry Hill East], 2014
201-1 … Sean Biehn [Burlington City], 2006
200-8 … Cade Antonucci [Holy Spirit], 2016
199-10 … Kobe Roberts [Mainland Reg.], 2018
196-9 … Terrence Smith [Oakcrest], 2016
195-11 … Joshua Moore [Middle Twp.], 2017
192-6 … Matt Rafferty [Northern Burlington], 2012
192-6 … Chris Reider [Eastern], 2010
192-3 … Shane McDevitt [Cinnaminson], 2014
192-1 … Nick Cando [Eastern], 2004
191-6 … Robert Marks [Rancocas Valley], 2016
191-5 … Andrew Pierce [Cumberland Reg.], 2009
190-0 … Andrew Forbes [Williamstown], 2011
190-2 … Ian Meneswisch [Highland], 2003
189-11 … Tom Carr [Eastern], 2012
189-8 … Alex Christ [Gloucester Catholic], 2010
189-4 … John Zimmatore [Bishop Eustace], 2007
189-4 … Craig Scarpa [Vineland], 2003
188-3 … Felix Roman [Pennsauken], 2007
188-2 … Edward Evans [Timber Creek], 2008
188-2 … Luke Pease [Haddonfield], 2014
187-11 … Javier Garcia [Pleasantville], 2009
187-11 … Jose Ramos [Vineland], 2008
187-8 … Jerry Fusco [Holy Cross], 2016
187-7 … Kevin Burr [Rancocas Valley], 2023
187-6 … Dan Frame [Triton], 2002
187-6 … Lane Owens [Ocean City], 2019
187-7 …
187-0 … Jeremy Wilbur [Moorestown], 2013
186-11 … Brian Owens [Woodstown], 2008
185-3 … Kevin Mosley [Glassboro], 2003

All-Time Burlington County Javelin List
[new implement, since 2003]
227-10 … Nick Mirabelli [Rancocas Valley], 2017
224-10 … Curtis Thompson [Florence], 2014
216-6 … Chris Mirabelli [Holy Cross], 2014
201-1 … Sean Biehn [Burlington City], 2006
192-6 … Matt Rafferty [Northern Burlington], 2012
192-3 … Shane McDevitt [Cinnaminson], 2014
191-6 … Robert Marks [Rancocas Valley], 2016
187-8 … Jerry Fusco [Holy Cross], 2016
187-7 … Kevin Burr Jr. [Rancocas Valley], 2023
187-0 … Jeremy Wilbur [Moorestown], 2013
186-11 … Brian Owens [Woodstown], 2008
185-3 … Kevin Mosley [Glassboro], 2003

Claire Magee ran the 3rd-fastest 400 by a New Jersey freshman this year at the Olympic Conference Championships.

Magee won the 400 in 57.63 at Rancocas Valley in Mount Holly Tuesday, finishing just ahead of junior Guiliana Puglisi of Cherry Hill East, who also PR’d with her 58.35 for 2nd place.

Magee’s fastest previous 400 was a 58.53 at the Camden County Championships earlier this month at Haddon Township. She’s run four open 400s this spring and run sub-59 in each one.

Indoors, Magee ran 1:00.94 to place 5th in the freshman 400 at Virginia Beach Nationals in March.

The only faster freshmen in New Jersey this year are Pennsauken’s Sianni Wynn, who ran 56.69 at the BCSL Championships last weekend on her home track at Pennsauken, and Jael Gaines of the Lawrenceville School, who ran 57.51 at the Mercer County Championships at Robbinsville.

Magee is the 1st Paul VI girl to win the 400 at the Olympic Conference Championships and the first freshman to win it since Brittany Whitehead of Cherry Hill West in 2005 with a time of 56.2.

Overall, Magee is now tied for 6th-fastest 400 runner in South Jersey this year and 5th-fastest in Parochial A.

Her 57.63 is 3rd-fastest in Paul VI history. Aliya Rae Garozzo ran 56.88 at the 2019 Rowan Open. Garozzo now runs for Penn and is part of Penn’s 1,600-meter relay team that ran 3:34.30 this spring and will compete this weekend in the NCAA Division 1 East Preliminaries. And Cheryl Scott ran 57.20 at the 2002 Meet of Champions in South Brunswick.

Magee also placed 6th in the 200 with a personal-best 26.83. It was her first outdoor 200 ever.

Helene Usher became the 8th Haddonfield girl to run sub-11 for 3,200 meters Monday night at Haddonfield Distance Night.

Usher ran 10:59.39 and was the first girl across the line in the mixed 3,200 on her home track. Usher’s previous PR was an 11:03.92 earlier this month at the Camden County Championships at Haddon Township.

Usher and Highland senior Grace Wassell finished half a minute clear of the rest of the field. Wassell ran a lifetime-best 11:00.68. Wassell is primarily an 800-1,600 runner, but her previous best over 3,200 meters was 11:09.63 en route to a 11:13.54 full two-mile indoors in January of 2022 in Virginia Beach.

Haddonfield junior Ava Thomas ran 10:55.73 at the Camden County meet, and this is the first time ever Haddonfield has had two sub-11 two-milers the same season. [In 2014, Shelby Cain went under indoors and Briana Gess outdoors.]

In all, Usher is the 5th South Jersey girl to break 11 minutes this year, along with Northern Burlington sophomore Liliah Gordon [10:49.76], Paul VI junior Shaelan McNally [10:51.98], Thomas and Ocean City sophomore Maeve Smith [10:58.96].

This is the first time in eight years that five South Jersey girls have run sub-11. In 2015, Devon Grisbaum of Ocean City [10:40.35], Timber Creek’s Alyssa Condell [10:52.00], Lenape’s Megan Quimby [10:58.97], Mainland’s Alyssa Aldridge [10:58.99] and Pennsauken’s Amanda Bakley [10:59.56] all did it.

Wassell, Cherokee junior Kerry O’Day [11:01.22] and Clearview senior Abigail Waddington [10:02.35] are all just a second or two away.

Haddonfield all-time sub-11 list
10:28.6h….. Erin Donohue (Haddonfield], 2001 [South Jersey Group 2, Buena]
10:33.85 … Sarah Naticchia [Haddonfield], 2021 [Haddonfield Invitational]
10:37.53 … Vanessa Wright (Haddonfield], 2005 [Nike Outdoor Nationals, Greensboro, N.C.]
10:45.12 … Briana Gess (Haddonfield], 2014 [Group 2 States, Egg Harbor]
10:43.36y… Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], 2009 [Rowan Open, Glassboro]
10:48.78i … Shelby Cain [Haddonfield], 2014 [Meet of Champions, Toms River]
10:52.75 … Meghan Malloy [Haddonfield], 2013 [Haddonfield Invitational]
10:55.73 … Ava Thomas, 2023 [Camden County Championships, Haddon Township]
10:59.39 … Helene Usher, 2023 [Haddonfield Distance Night]

It was a perfect evening to run fast, and that’s exactly what a whole bunch of half-milers did Monday night at Haddonfield.

Haddon Heights senior Jack Bolling, coming off his PR 4:14.52 on the same track on Wednesday, won a very deep 800 at Haddonfield Distance Night with a PR 1:54.74. His previous PR was 1:56.89 from the Camden County Championships at Haddon Township earlier this month.

Bolling edged Jeremy Sallade of Wilberforce School in Princeton, who was 2nd with a personal-best 1:54.85. If that last name seems familiar, Sallade’s dad Chris ran for Shawnee and was the state Group 1,600 champ in 1990 with a 4:18.57.

Woodbury junior Peyton Shute placed 3rd with a PR 1:55.16, and Bolling and Shute are now No. 1 and No. 2 in South Jersey this year.

In all 14 runners from the last two heats ran sub-2:00 and 29 runners ran faster than 2:03.

Senior Nick Loffredo of Manchester was 4th with a PR 1:55.86 followed by two more South Jersey runners who PR’d – Cinnaminson senior Matt McCarron ran 1:56.11 and Haddon Heights senior Colin Patterson 1:56.63.

Other South Jersey runners under 2:00: Timber Creek junior Robert Wakefield [8th in 1:57.41], Deptford senior Lathan Brown [9th in 1:57.58], Haddon Heights senior Matthew Iuvara [10th in 1:57.87], Washington Township senior Kanye Mills [11th in PR 1:58.45 and 1st in the 2nd-to-last section], Egg Harbor junior Christopher Manzo [12th in PR 1:58.64] and Washington Township junior Aaron Kolosowsky [13th in 1:59.54].

Others under 2:02 were Haddonfield sophomore Bennett Wright [15th in PR 2:00.17 and 1st in 8th of 10 races], Egg Harbor junior Chase Mazur [17th in PR 2:00.38], Highland senior Gavin Gallo [18th in 2:00.39], Haddonfield senior Robert DiMedio [19th in PR 2:00.54], Woodstown sophomore Cole Lucas [20th in 2:00.91], Haddonfield senior Donald Jellig [21st in 2:01.02], Clearview senior Cavon Agatone [22nd in 2:01.19] and Deptford junior Abu Jabbie [23rd in 2:01.24].

Special notice for Cumberland senior Ehtan Turner, who according to MileSplit ran 2:19.10 in his only previous big-meet 800. Turner ran 2:02.88 Monday evening. Haddonfield’s Luke Andresen was the top freshman with a 2:02.88.

In all, 128 boys raced the 800 in 10 sections.

The Rowan men’s track team, ranked No. 3 in NCAA Division 3, leads the local contingent to the NCAA Division 3 Championships Thursday through Saturday at St. John Fisher University in Rochester, N.Y.

Rowan is ranked 3rd behind Wisconsin-LaCrosse and MIT of Cambridge, Mass. The rankings are based on projected points at nationals.

Rowan has a chance to score huge points in the two relays. The Profs are the No. 1 seed in the 400-meter relay at 40.37 and No. 4 in the 4-by-4 with a 3:10.07.

Bridgeton’s Shamar Love, Sterling’s Jah’mere Beasley, Parsippany’s Nana Agyemang and Kingsway’s Evan Corcoran are on the 4-by-1 and Sterling’s Marquise Young, Agyemang, Beasley and Amara Conte of Ferris High in Jersey City are on the 4-by-4.

Young is also the No. 7 seed in the 110-meter hurdles at 14.26 and No. 11 in the intermediate hurdles with hits 52.88, and Beasley is No. 6 seed in the 200 at 20.96. And Edgar Rosa of Paulsboro is the No. 5 seed in the javelin at 213-2.

Rowan qualified four javelin throwers for nationals. Joining Rosa are No. 2 seed Greg Poloso of Wayne Valley, who threw 227-1 this year; Julio Lebron of Memorial of West New York at 198-2; and Kevin Armstrong of Walkill Valley with a 194-0.

Agyemang is the No. 5 seed in the long jump with a 24-5 ¾, and Kwaku Nkrumah of Teaneck (alma mater of your humble From the Backstretch blogge) and Jason Agyemang of North Plainfield will both join Young in the high hurdles, Nkrumah as the No. 8 seed at 14.25 and the top freshman in the field and Agyemang at 14.45 and the No. 3 freshman entered.

The Rowan women are led by Burlington Township’s Jasmine Broadway, Triton’s Navaeh Lorjuste and Pitman’s Emily Galvin.

Broadway, a sophomore, is the No. 6 seed in the 200 with a 24.33, Lorjuste, also a soph, is No. seed in the 400 with her 55.46, and Galvin is No. 7 seed in the hammer at 56.92.

Lorjuste, Broadway, soph Molly Lodge of Woodstown and grad student Promise Fadahunsi of Monroe Township are seeded 11th in the 4-by-1 at 46.76, and senior Kat Pederson of Hillsborough, Broadway, Lodge and Lorjuste are No. 11 seed in the 4-by-4 at 3:49.77

Rutgers-Camden senior Emily Hilt from Kingsway is the No. 12 seed in the hammer at 178-3

Stockton is sending freshman Kayla Kass [2:12.07 in the 800] from Bayonne and senior Shahyan Abraham [44-10 shot put] from Orange to Rochester.

And Ursinus junior Izzy Deal from Washington Township, seeded No. 2 in the javelin, seeks her 3rd straight All-America performance at nationals after placing 8th in 2021 in Greensboro and 6th last year in Geneva, Ohio. She ranks No. 17 in NCAA Division 3 history at 155-0.

Full men’s NCAA Division 3 entries, click here.
Full women’s NCAA Division 3 entries, click here.

Eastern’s English Gardner, an Olympic gold medalist in 2016 and silver medalist in 2021, recorded her fastest early season 100-meter dash time in six years Sunday.

Gardner ran a 11.13 at the Bermuda Grand Prix at Florda Duffy Stadium in Devonshire, Bermuda, her fastest wind-legal time in May or June since she ran 11.04 in the first round of the 2017 USATF Championships in Sacramento, on June 22, 2017.

Gardner ran slightly faster twice this year but both races were wind-aided – 11.09 with a 2.8 and 11.10 with a 4.1.

This was actually her first legal-wind race since she finished last season with an 11.08 at the Hungarian Grand Prix Series event at the Sportcentrum in Pápa. That was her fastest wind-legal race since she ran 11.02 in Rovereto, Italy, in August of 2018.

Gardner won Olympic gold on the U.S. 4-by-1 in Rio De Janeiro in 2016 and silver on the 4-by-1 in Tokyo in 2021. Her 10.74 to win the 2016 U.S. Championships is 10th-fastest in world history and 5th in U.S. history.

Ryan Merlino continued his climb up the South Jersey all-time pole vault list at the Atlantic County Championships.

Merlino, an Oakcrest junior, cleared 15 feet for the first time and won his 3rd straight county title Friday at Stockton University in Galloway Township.

He’s now tied for 12th in South Jersey history and remains No. 2 in Atlantic County history, behind Brandon Kurtz’s 15-7 from the 1991 South Jersey Group 3 sectionals at Bridgeton.

He did break the Oakcrest school record of 14-9 set by Tony DeFeo at the 2004 Cape-Atlantic Championships, held at the same facility at what was then known as Stockton College.

Merlino is No. 4 in New Jersey and No. 1 in Group 2 and No. 1 among underclassmen. He’s the 5th vaulter in South Jersey history to clear 15 feet as a junior. Haddonfield’s Mark Murphy won the 1985 state Group 1 title at Rutgers with a then-meet record 15-0 clearance, Kingsway’s Dylan Altland went 15-2 ¼ at New Balance Nationals in Greensboro in 2013 and Delsea’s Morales twins both did it in 2019 – 15-6 for Marco at the South Jersey Invitational at Delsea and 15-7 for Nico at the Tri-County Championships, also at Delsea.

It was a record-setting day for Merlino, but it almost never happened.

Merlino passed through 12-6 and then missed his first two attempts at his opening height of 13-0. But one miss from no-heighting, he cleared 13-0 on his 3rd attempt and then sailed over the bar on his first attempts at 13-6, 14-0, 14-6 and 15-0. He finished by taking three tries at 15-3.

Cedar Creek sophomore Ryan Hassa also PR’d for second place with a 12-0 clearance.

The only other 15-footers in New Jersey this year are Rutgers-bound Hillsborough senior Brian O’Sullivan [16-0 after a 16-6 ¼ indoors], Old Tappan senior Nathan Park [15-6] and Ridgewood senior Matthew Aono [15-2].

Merlino cleared 12-0 as a freshman and 13-6 as a sophomore. This past indoor season he improved to 14-9 and placed 4th in the Meet of Champions. He improved his outdoor PR to 14-8 at the Penn Relays before hitting 15-0 on Friday.

Senior Aaron Young popped the best long jump by a Burlington City athlete in 27 years Saturday at the Burlington County Scholastic League Championships.

Young won the Independence Division long jump with a 21-1 ½ (series not available), just 2 ¾ inches better than Palmyra senior Kwinton Ives, who was 2nd with a 20-10 ¾.

They were the two-best jumps of the day in the four divisions at Pennsauken.

Young’s jump is best by a City long jumper since the 1996 South Jersey Group 1 sectionals at Bridgeton, when two Burlington long jumpers jumped 21-8. Donnitto Patrick jumped 21-8 ¼ that day 27 years ago and George Sills 21-8 ½.

He’s the first City long jumper to win a BCSL title since Chris Barnes jumped 20-11 and won his second in a row in 2008 at Northern Burlington.

City’s school record in the long jump is Mike Boone, who jumped 24-1 ¼ at the 1990 South Jersey Group 2 sectionals at Bridgeton. (Boone was one of seven 23-foot jumpers at sectionals that year. Boone also won the javelin at SJ-2 sectionals).

(All the field event results have disappeared in the results and there’s still no sign of the timing company fixing the track timing issues and in addition there are still several track results missing. Because of these ongoing timing and results issues, I’m going to wait to post anything else from this meet until we have verifiably correct and accurate results).

Once upon a time, running fast 4-by-400s was a way of life for the Willingboro girls. They set a South Jersey record of 3:43.94 at the 2001 adidas Outdoor Nationals in Greensboro that still stands and from 1997 through 2002 broke 3:50 each year and recorded five of the eight-fastest times ever run (still) in South Jersey history.

They won the Meet of Champions in 1992, 1993, 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2004 and in 1999 won the Championship of America at the Penn Relays.

In 2010, the Chimeras broke 4:00 four times, including a 3:50.49 for 4th at the Meet of Champions.

Then Willingboro didn’t break 4 minutes again.

Until Saturday.

At the Burlington County Scholastic League Championships at Pennsauken, freshman Kaila Speight, freshman Jaden Murry, freshman Aaliyah Robinson and sophomore Nester Wea won the Liberty Division race in 3:55.0, Willingboro’s fastest 4-by-4 in 13 years.

Unfortunately, the timing service working the meet had issues and the times for every race after the Freedom Division girls 800 were all rounded to 0’s and not presented in hundredths. So for the shorter races, we’ll have to wait to see exactly what the correct times are.

Also no splits available.

Still, assuming the 3:55.0 is correct, it’s the fastest by a South Jersey school this year and equivalent to Rumson-Fair Haven’s state-leading 3:55.23 from the Penn Relays.

Willingboro broke the meet record of 3:58.2 set in 1998 by Latasha Taylor, Takia Canty, Kendra Brown and Shakirah Rutherford.

The Chimeras had come close to breaking 4 minutes a couple times this year. They ran 4:01.17 indoors at the Meet of Champions at Ocean Breeze in March (the results don’t list any runners), they ran 4:01.33 to win the South Jersey Small School race at Penn with Wea, Speight, Murry and Robinson, and then they ran 4:01.39 to win the County Open.

Pennsauken ran 3:57.10 for 2nd with sophomore Amina Dyer, freshman Sianni Wynn, freshman Sanaya Dupree and sophomore Ameenah Rodriguez. Pennsauken is No. 4 in the state this year with its 3:55.75 at Penn.

Not really sure what’s up with team scoring. The results are a mess and they show Willingboro with a 74-61 lead over Burlington Township and Northern Burlington after nine events, but it appears the meet may be over and there are final results for 14 of 16 events in the Liberty girls division. Who knows.