Cherry Hill East graduate Johnnie Jackson moved up from 18th place to 12th on his final throw and advanced to the final of the hammer throw at the U.S. Olympic Trials.

Jackson was sitting in 18th place with a best throw of 219-7 going into his final throw. Only the top 12 throwers in the competition advance to the final Friday night at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

As he entered the circle, he needed to throw at least 228-5 to move past Justin Stafford and into 12th place.

He responded with a 228-6, and after the rest of the second flight completed their third throws, he hung on for 12th place and a berth in the finals.

Stafford finished 13th at 228-4, just two inches behind. Since Stafford had a better second throw (228-4), he would have advanced if they had tied.

Jackson and the other 11 throwers will compete in the finals starting at 7:25 p.m. on Sunday.

This was only Jackson’s third competition this year and first since April 23. He has a career best of 237-1, which he threw in Baton Rouge, La., on April 23. He also threw 235-1 in a meet in Greensboro, N.C., on April 10.

Jackson is ranked 12th among U.S. men this year and No. 61 in U.S. history.

Jackson is an incredible story. He never won a sectional or state title at Cherry Hill East, and his main claim to fame was probably winning the 2012 Camden County meet at Haddon Township in the discus.

But after going to Coffeyville Community College in Kansas and picking up the hammer and winning two national titles, he wound up at LSU, where he blossomed as a national class hammer thrower.

More on Johnnie’s background here!

Delsea’s Josh Awotunde threw 68-10 3/4 and safely advanced to tonight’s finals of the shot put at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

Awotunde threw 68-10 3/4, a little more than two feet off his lifetime best of 71-1 1/2 that he threw in Walnut, Calif., in May.  

The top 12 throwers in Friday afternoon’s trials advanced to the final, which is scheduled for 9:30 p.m.

The trials and finals are considered separate competitions, so marks achieved this afternoon do not carry over to the final. That’s why Awotunde, with no chance to lose his spot in the final after a 68-10 3/4, elected to pass his second and third throws.

Awotunde’s throw was 3rd-best in the first round, behind Ryan Crouser, who set an Olympic Trials record of 75-2 1/2, and Joe Kovacs, who threw 71-6 3/4.

The cut-off to advance to Friday evening was 64-6. 

Andrew Liskowitz, a native of Middletown and a graduate of Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft, made it two New Jersey natives in the final. Liskowitz, a seven-time All-America at Michigan, threw 66-3 1/4. He has a PR of 69-4 1/2.

Earlier this week, Jim Lambert and I posted our all-time Meet of Champions performance lists on MileSplit. You can find the boys list here and the girls list here.

South Jersey is well represented on a lot of those lists but not all of them, so to fill in the blanks I put together the inaugural all-time Meet of Champions South Jersey top-10 performance lists.

We’ll start with the girls and post the boys list tomorrow morning.

Anybody missing? Probably! Let me know in the comments section!

100-METER DASH
11.56 … English Gardner (Eastern), 2010
11.60 … Bria Mack (Williamstown), 2017 (q)
11.61 … Amanda Rhett (Moorestown), 2000
11.63 … Dennisha Page [Woodrow Wilson], 2019
11.73 … Torie Robinson (Winslow), 2014
11.5h … Patti Dunlap [Camden], 1979
11.5h … Michele Glover (Willingboro), 1979, 1981
11.74 … Patti Dunlap (Camden), 1979
11.77 … Aisha Morgan (Schalick), 1998
11.78 … Shameka Speed (Bridgeton), 2003
11.82 … Denise Liles (Kingsway), 1986
11.82 … Annie Johnson (Shawnee), 2012

200-METER DASH
23.66 … Dennisha Page [Woodrow Wilson], 2019
23.90 … Lauren Princz (Egg Harbor Twp.), 2018
23.92 … Shakirah Dancy (Winslow Twp.), 2018
23.94y … Patti Dunlap (Camden), 1979
24.02 … Amandi Rhett (Moorestown), 2000
23.8h … Michele Glover (Willingboro), 1981
24.11 … English Gardner (Eastern), 2007
24.18 … Sheriyah Nutt (Rancocas Valley), 2019
24.19 … Krystal Cantey (Winslow), 2005
24.23 … Nichole Hill [Oakcrest], 1997

400-METER RUN
53.72 … Michelle Brown (Seneca), 2009
54.11 … Nijgia Snapp (Oakcrest), 2009
54.19 … Okechi Ogbuokiri (Willingboro), 2003
54.70 … Nadia Davy (Bridgeton), 1999
54.84 … Shakira Dancy (Winslow Twp.), 2016
55.03 … Katrina Sye [Buena], 1998
55.11 … Nichole Bartley [Highland[, 1992
55.16 … Aliyah Taylor [Rancocas Valley], 2018
55.20 … Dana Burnett [Williamstown], 1996
55.24 … Jasmine Still [Woodrow Wilson], 2005

800-METER RUN
2:07.33 … Marielle Hall (Haddonfield), 2009
2:09.84 … Rachel Stremme (Ocean City), 2014
2:10.44 … Renee Tomlin (Ocean City), 2005
2:10.79 … Krista Ferrara (Vineland), 1991
2:11.45 … Sydney Coppolino [Sterling], 2017
2:11.88 … Kayla Martin [Seneca], 2015
2:11.92 … Katrina Sye [Buena], 1999
2:12.09 … Monica Olkowski [Cherokee], 1990
2:12.78 … Megan Quimby [Lenape], 2015
2:12.83 … Brooke Kott [Millville], 2008

1,600-METER RUN
4:45.97 … Briana Gess (Haddonfield) , 2014
4:49.11 … Renee Tomlin (Ocean City), 2005
4:49.3h … Michelle Rowen (Washington Twp.), 1982
4:50.17 … Erin Donohue (Haddonfield), 2000
4:52.69 … Rachel Vick (Kingsway), 2017
4:52.95 … Caitlin Orr (Lenape), 2009
4:54.71 … Megan Hartman (Ocean City), 1994
4:54.88 … Bridget Flynn (Ocean City), 2012
4:55.41 … Brittany Sedberry (Ocean City), 2004
4:55.9h … Dawn Cody (Paul VI), 1982
4:56.01 … Natalia Ocasio (Lenape), 2012

3,200-METER RUN
10:19.31 … Chelsea Ley (Kingsway), 2009
10:20.74 … Michelle Rowen (Washington Twp.), 1983
10:22.02 … Megan Lacy (Cherokee), 2012
10:30.57 … Dina Iacone (Washington Twp.), 2012
10:32.54 … Mindy Rowand (Sterling), 1985
10:33.22 … Holly Bischof (Bishop Eustace), 2011
10:34.78 … Alyssa Aldridge (Mainland Reg.), 2016
10:34.79 … Theresa Cattuna (Cherry Hill East), 2007
10:35.59 … Amanda Goetschius (Delsea), 2007
10:37.47 … Megan McGlinchey (West Deptford), 2009

100-METER HURDLES
13.67 … Claudine Smith (Atlantic City), 2019
13.78 … Nia Ali (Pleasantville), 2006
13.77 … Nichole Hill (Oakcrest), 1997
13.84 … Lenaami Morton (Camden), 2017
13.85 … Sherese Price (Pleasantville), 1998
13.98 … Cidae’a Woods (Winslow Twp.), 2014
14.05 … Tionna Tobias [Winslow Twp.], 2019
14.13 … Yvette Murry [Edgewood], 1999
13.9h … Zonya Cross [Edgewood], 1983
14.21 … Alethia Jenkins [Pennsauken], 1999

400-METER HURDLES
59.03 … Tonya Lee (Rancocas Valley), 1988
59.56 … Torie Robinson (Winslow Twp.), 2013
59.96 … Mandie Dulin (Shawnee), 1997
1:00.13 … Arianna Smith [Pennsville], 2019
1:00.26 … Helene Leyrer [Buena], 2012
1:00.47 … Shaquanda Meylor [Woodrow Wilson], 2006
1:00.67 … Meredith Updike [Cinnaminson], 2019
1:00.73 … Pam Richardson [Edgewood], 2001
1:00.74 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow Twp.], 2003
1:00.79 … Courtney Smith [Penns Grove], 2014

HIGH JUMP
5-10 … Tierra Hooker (Timber Creek), 2017, 2018, 2019
5-8 … Priscilla Frederick (Paul VI), 2007
5-8 … Anna Cook (Florence), 2007
5-8 … Brooke Minor (Kingsway), 2001
5-8 … Kim Stoll (Holy Spirit), 1993
5-8 … Erin Halpin (Cherry Hill East), 1987
5-8 … Carol Lewis (Willingboro), 1981
5-8 … Megan Kirschling (Weta Deptford), 2012
5-8 … Kenady Wilson (Willingboro), 2018

LONG JUMP
20-1 … Carol Lewis (Willingboro), 1980
20-0 ½ … Teneacia Smith (Cherry Hill East), 1992
19-7 ½ … Tionna Tobias (Winslow Twp.), 2017
19-6 … Robin Taylor (Deptford), 1980
19-4 ½ … Cidae’a Woods (Winslow Twp.), 2014
19-2 … Tierra Hooker (Timber Creek), 2018
19-1 … Nena Moore (Cherry Hill West), 1995
19-0 ½ … Kathy Rankins (Haddon Heights), 1980 …
18-11 ¾ … Shaytika Bryant (Bridgeton), 1995
18-11 ½ … Tisifinee Taylor (Woodbury), 2002

TRIPLE JUMP
42-2 … Claudine Smith (Atlantic City), 2019
39-7 ¼ … Shaya Wilkerson (Lenape), 2012
39-6 … Jessica Mills (West Deptford), 2005
39-5 ½ … Liz Montague (Cherokee), 2014
39-2 ¼ … Mariah Hubbard (Absegami), 2016
38-11 ¼ … Ashley Edwards (Northern Burlington), 2014
38-8 … Shameka Speed (Bridgeton), 2001
38-8 … Javona Ford (Millville), 2010
38-0 ¾ … Genevieve Okoro (Eastern), 2010
38-0 … Rachel Montague (Cherokee), 2008 …
37-11 … Janell Rowe (Sterling), 2017

SHOT PUT
47-1 ¼ … Jess Woodard (Cherokee), 2013
45-5 ½ … Janiece Rose (Delsea), 2011
45-3 ¾ … Nacole Moore (Bridgeton), 2001
44-9 ¾ … Najeaya Singleton (Vineland), 2017
43-7 ¼ … Ronetta Hunter ( Burlington Twp.), 2015
43-7 ¼ … Zyra Thomas (Schalick), 2017
43-6 ½ … Angela Solomon (Overbrook), 1989
43-2 ½ … Lacole Fields [Camden], 1996
43-1 ¼ … Melinda Boykin [Bridgeton], 1998
42-10 ¾ … Sylvia Galarza [Millville], 2004

DISCUS
161-1 … Jess Woodard (Cherokee), 2013
158-1 … Jocelyn White (Delsea), 2004
147-1 … Jamine Moton (Delsea), 1996
143-2 … Najeaya Singleton (Vineland), 2017
138-10 … Kim Warren (Atlantic City), 2006
138-6 … Geri Rilley (Millville), 1987
136-3 … Cydney Thomas (Haddon Heights), 2019
136-2 … Erica Davis (Northern Burlington), 2003
134-10 … Melinda Boykin (Bridgeton), 1998
134-10 … Tomara Carmichael (Palmyra), 2017

JAVELIN
163-8 … Brielle Smith (Oakcrest), 2018
143-9 … Maria Jimmenez (Vineland), 2012
138-3 … Megan Sax Vanderwyden (Pennsville), 2015
138-2 … Katie Johnston (Haddonfield), 2012
137-6 … Alyssa Whipkey (Pennsville), 2015
136-4 … Julianne Foering (Rancocas Valley), 2017
136-1 … Lindsey Minch (Pennsville), 2009
136-0 … Victoria Imbesi (Our Lady of Mercy), 2009
135-3 … Alexa Gardner (Hammonton), 2017
134-10 … Kaela Schrier (Cherokee), 2016

POLE VAULT
12-6 … Ashley Preston (Delsea), 2018
12-0 … Jessica Kloss (Moorestown), 2005
12-0 … Brittany Raffo (Seneca), 2016
11-6 … Danielle O’Reilly (Shawnee), 2004
11-0 … Elizabeth Douglas [West Deptford], 2015
11-0 … Alexandra Elder [Moorestown], 2013
11-0 … Tracey Masterson [Mainland Reg.], 2012 (T5)
11-0 … Melissa Gale [Millville], 2005 , 2006

400-METER RELAY
47.06 … Winslow Twp., 2014
47.27 … Winslow Twp., 2013
47.27 … Delsea, 2017
47.1h … Willingboro, 1980
47.36 … Eastern Reg., 2019
47.40 … Winslow Twp., 2016
47.49 … Rancocas Valley, 2017
47.53 … Rancocas Valley, 2019
47.85 … Deptford, 2015
47.87 … Winslow Twp., 2011

1,600-METER RELAY
3:44.64 … Willingboro, 2002
3:46.67 … Winslow Twp., 2018
3:47.41 … Willingboro, 2001
3:47.41 … Winslow Twp., 2017
3:47.55 … Camden, 2006
3:48.00 … Woodrow Wilson, 2001
3:48.17 … Woodrow Wilson, 2006
3:48.22 … Camden, 1995
3:48.78 … Lenape, 2014
3:48.91 … Penns Grove, 2013

3,200-METER RELAY
9:15.16 … Haddonfield, 2019
9:15.69 … Lenape, 2012
9:15.92 … Haddonfield, 2015
9:16.82 … Seneca, 2017
9:18.22 … Kingsway, 2016
9:18.57 … Seneca, 2018
9:18.71 … Lenape, 2011
9:18.93 … Haddonfield, 2018
9:22.37 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2013
9:25.83 … Lenape, 2010

We’re only two days away from the 52nd annual Meet of Champions, which begins at noon Saturday at the track adjacent to the John F. Kennedy Elementary School in South Plainfield.

The meet was originally scheduled for the dazzling, brand-new, state-of-the-art track-only facility at Rutgers University in Piscataway, which is the sort of venue a meet this good deserves and the sort of venue South Plainfield will never be.

But at least there’s a meet this year, which wasn’t the case in 2000.

Here’s a list of handy links that will help enhance your enjoyment of the Meet of Champions!

Complete Meet of Champions performance list: Click HERE.
2021 Meet of Champions Program: Click HERE.
Complete South Jersey M-of-C top-10 seeds: Click HERE.
Order of events: Click HERE (and then scroll to page 14)
Boys Meet Records: Click HERE.
Girls Meet Records: Click HERE.
All-time Meet of Champions boys winners: Click HERE.
Most boys winners by school: Click HERE.
All-time girls winners: Click HERE.
Most girls winners by school: Click HERE.
All-time boys top-20 performance list: Click HERE.
All-time girls top-20 performance list: Click HERE.
All-time South Jersey Top-50 performance lists: Click HERE.
Watch live on MileSplit [subscription required]: Click HERE.

Eight South Jersey natives – five throwers, two distance runners and a sprinter –  head out to Eugene this coming week to contend with the greatest American athletes for a berth on the U.S. Olympic Track and Field team.

The Trials are scheduled to run from Friday through June 27, a week from Saturday, at the University of Oregon’s historic Hayward Field.

You can watch the Trials on NBC and NBC Sports Network. Here’s the full TV schedule.

And here’s a look at the South Jersey contingent:

Josh Awotunde
Event: Shot put
Age: 26
Hometown: Franklinville
High School: Delsea
College: South Carolina
PR: 71-1 1/2
Season-Best: 71-1 1/2
2021 U.S. ranking: #4
Seed: #6
Schedule: Men’s shot put trials, noon, Friday, June 18; men’s shot put finals, 6:30 p.m., Friday, June 18.

Curtis Thompson
Event: Javelin
Age: 25
Hometown: Florence
High School: Florence
College: Mississippi State
PR: 271-11
Season-Best: 267-2
2021 U.S. ranking #1
Seed: #1
Schedule: Men’s javelin qualifying, Saturday, June 19, 2:15 p.m.; men’s javelin finals, 4:15 p.m., Saturday, June 19.

Cade Antonucci
Event: Javelin
Age: 26
Hometown: Mays Landing
High School: Holy Spirit
College: Auburn
PR: 249-9
Season-Best: 249-9
2021 U.S. ranking #10
Seed: #12
Schedule: Men’s javelin qualifying, Saturday, June 19, 2:15 p.m.; men’s javelin finals, 4:15 p.m., Saturday, June 19.

Johnnie Jackson
Event: Hammer throw
Age: 26
Hometown: Cherry Hill
High School: Cherry Hill East
College: LSU
PR: 237-1
Season-Best: 237-1
2021 U.S. ranking #12
Seed: #13
Schedule: Men’s hammer trials, Friday, June 18, 12:05 p.m.; men’s hammer finals, 4:25 p.m., Sunday, June 20.

English Gardner
Event: 100-meter dash
Age: 29
Hometown: Voorhees
High School: Eastern
College: Oregon
PR: 10.74
Season-Best: 11.13
2021 U.S. ranking #19
Seed: #19
Schedule: Women’s 100-meter dash trials,6:37 p.m., Friday, June 18; women’s 100-meter dash semifinals,  6:03 p.m., Saturday, June 19; women’s 100-meter dash finals, 7:51 p.m., Sunday, June 20.

Marielle Hall
Event: 10,000-meter run
Age: 29
Hometown: Mount Laurel
High School: Haddonfield
College: Texas
PR: 31:05.71
Season-Best: 31:21.78
2021 U.S. ranking #5
Seed: #4
Schedule: Women’s 10,000-meter run final, 6:44 p.m., Saturday, June 26.
(Hall also qualified in the 5,000. She has a PR of 15:02.27 and qualified with a 15:30.86 last year but scratched and will only race the 10,000.

Erika Kemp
Event: 5,000-meter run, 10,000-meter run
Age: 26
Hometown: Mount Holly
High School: Rancocas Valley
College: North Carolina State
PR: 15:26.18, 31:35.63
Season-Best: 15:26.18 (qualified for 10,000 last year)
2021 U.S. ranking #37 (not ranked in 10,000)
Seed: #14 5,000, #14 10,000
Schedule: Women’s 5,000-meter run semifinals, 5:54 p.m., Friday, June 18; women’s 5,000-meter run finals,5:40 p.m., Monday, June 21;  Women’s 10,000-meter run final, 6:44 p.m., Saturday, June 26.

Jessica Woodard
Event: Shot put
Age: 26
Hometown: Marlton
High School: Cherokee
College: Oklahoma
PR: 62-3 1/2
Season-Best: 62-3 1/2
2021 U.S. ranking #11
Seed: #7
Schedule: Women’s shot put trials, 1:30 p.m., Thursday, June 24; women’s shot put finals, 8 p.m., Thursday, June 24.

A familiar face made it into the U.S. Olympic Trials at the last minute.

English Gardner, a graduate of Eastern high School and a 2016 Olympic gold medalist in the 400-meter relay, ran her fastest 100-meter dash in three years over the weekend in Maryland, earning a lane in the Olympic Trials one day before the qualifying window closed.

Gardner ran 11.13 at the 2nd Annual High Performance Domestic Opportunity meet Saturday at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Olney, Md.

It was her fastest legal time since 2018, when she ran 11.02 at Rovereto Palio Città della Quercia in Rovereto, Italy. 

The qualifying standard for the 100 at the Trials, which start Friday at Gardner’s college track – Hayward Field at the University of Oregon in Eugene – is 11.15.

Gardner ranks No. 8 in world history and No. 5 all-time U.S. with her winning 10.74 at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials at Hayward Field in Eugene in July of 2016. She placed 7th in the 100 final at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro with a 10.94.

Gardner ran an 11.10 in Jacksonville, Fla., on May 31, but it was assisted by a 2.5 meters-per-second wind and not eligible to qualify her for the Trials.

She ran 11.23 in the trials in Olney on Saturday before getting 2-100ths of a second under the  standard in the final – with a legal 0.6 wind – in her last chance to qualify for the Trials.,

This will be Gardner’s third Olympic Trials. In 2012, she placed seventh in Eugene. 

The first round of the 100 is scheduled for 6:37 p.m. Friday. The semifinals are at 6:03 p.m. on Saturday and the final at 7:51 p.m. Saturday.

As we welcome back the Meet of Champions after last year’s meet was cancelled, this is a great time to take a look at the best performances in the meet’s history.

Jim Lambert from MileSplit and I have been putting together all-time Meet of Champions performance lists covering the fastest times, the highest jumps and the farthest throws since the boys meet began in 1969 followed by the girls meet in 1974.

Please let us know in the comments section if you find any mistakes or omissions!

Boys list: Click HERE.

Girls list: Click HERE.

Until three weeks ago, Cherokee sophomore Kelsey Niglio had never broken 2:18 for the 800.

So much for plateaus.

In the span of eight days, Niglio broke 2:18, 2:17, 2:16, 2:15 and 2:14 … all for the first time.

Niglio ran 2:13.40 to place fourth at the state Group 4 meet at Franklin Township over the weekend and goes into the Meet of Champions as the No. 6 seed.

Not bad for someone whose PR coming into the spring season was an indoor 2:18.61 from Ocean Breeze at the Meet of Champions in March of 2020.

Niglio lowered her PR to 2:18.43 at Haddonfield Distance Night on March 24, then PR’d with a 2:17.40 at the Group 4 sectionals at Washington Township.

Then came this weekend’s huge breakthrough down to 2:13.40 at states. That’s No. 2 on the all-time Cherokee list, behind only Monica Olkowski’s 2:12.09 at the 1990 Meet of Champions and No. 9 in Burlington County history.

Her time is fastest by a South Jersey sophomore in six years, since Kayla Martin of Seneca ran 2:11.88 and Briana Gess of Haddonfield ran 2:13.18.

The all-time Burlington County sub-2:15 list is below.

The state Group 4 race on Saturday was crazy fast, with 10 runners under 2:20 and five under 2:15. Including wild cards, it produced five of the top eight seeds for the Meet of Champions Saturday at South Plainfield.

Niglio’s teammate, junior Nicole Clifford, placed sixth in 2:17.39 out of the first heat. That’s also a PR, and she will join Niglio at the Meet of Champions.

Niglio and Clifford will also race in the 3,200-meter relay. Cherokee is the No. 4 seed at 9:34.21. Senior Erin Jacksons and Meghan Carroll are also on that team. Westfield is the No. 1 seed at 9:25.82.

Cherokee is also the No. 9 seed in the 1,600-meter relay at 3:59.52.

2:10.55 … Shelby Whetstone [Lenape], 2019
2:11.07 … Miya Johnson [Lenape], 2007
2:11.56 … Mary Bohi [Seneca], 2009
2:11.88 … Kayla Martin [Seneca], 2015
2:12.0h … Monica Olkowski [Cherokee], 1990
2:12.78 … Megan Quimby [Lenape], 2015
2:12.93 … Carly Pettipaw [Lenape], 2015
2:13.38 … Julia Despirito[Shawnee], 2014
2:13.40 … Kelsey Niglio [Cherokee], 2021
2:14.3h … Becky Wells [Moorestown], 1987
2:14.46 … Okechi Ogbuokiri [Willingboro], 2003
2:14.70 … Kelly Victory [Lenape], 2000
2:14.6h … Chris Danks [Shawnee], 1987
2:14.76 … Kari Vigerstol [Holy Cross], 1994
2:14.91 … Renee Passalacqua [Rancocas Valley], 2003
2:14.8h … Michelle DiMuro [Shawnee], 1984

The Meet of Champions returns this weekend after a one-year absence, and South Jersey will have quite a presence Saturday at South Plainfield.

Some 86 South Jersey athletes and relay teams are seeded in the top-10, including several No. 1 seeds.

Cllck here for the Meet of Champions performance list.

And here’s a look at all the top-10 seeds from South Jersey!

BOYS
100-METER DASH
10.82 … *Matthew Mazero [Paul VI], #4
10.92 … Ahmad Brock [Egg Harbor], #6
10.95 … *Herbert Quarterman [Rancocas Valley], #9

200-METER DASH
21.89 … *Michael Mazero [Paul VI], #7

400-METER DASH
48.64 … **Bryce Tucker [Pennsauken], #3
48.95 … *Michael Mazero [Pennsauken], #7

800-METER RUN
1:53.41 … *Kyle Rakitis [Kingsway], #5
1:54.58 … Brady Shute [Woodbury], #10

1,600-METER RUN
4:12.63 … *Kyle Rakitis [Kingsway], #3
4:15.61 … Josh Forrest [Collingswood], #9

3,200-METER RUN
9:19.66 … Aidan Groff [Cherry Hill East], #4
9:20.49 … Josh Forrest [Collingswood], #6
9:20.99 … Brady Shute [Woodbury], #7

110-METER HURDLES
14.99 … Ja’Von Solomon [Woodbury], #8
14.99 … *Aaron Brooks [Eastern], #8

400-METER HURDLES
52.68 … **Bryce Tucker [Pennsauken], #1
54.66 … Treshan Stevenson [Millville], #3
55.58 … Bobby Arnold III [Salem], #7

HIGH JUMP
6-4 … Skyler Salay [Burlington Twp.], #1
6-4 … *Dillon Page [Cherry Hill East], #1
6-2 … Floyd Whitaker [Highland], #4
6-2 … Steven Crespo [Haddon Heights], #4

LONG JUMP
23-6 1/2 … Floyd Whitaker [Highland], #2
22-11 … Ter’Meir Hill [Clayton], #5
22-7 1/4 … Tavion Corbett-Collier [Eastern], #7
22-6 1/4 … *Chace Pearson [Timber Creek],. #9
22-4 1/2 … *Elijah Steward [Holy Spirit], #10

TRIPLE JUMP
47-0 1/4 … Floyd Whitaker [Highland], #3
46-5 1/2 … Tavion Corbett-Collier [Eastern], #5
45-9 … *Jaden Johnson [Sterling], #7
45-4 … *Chace Pearson [Timber Creek], #8

POLE VAULT
13-6 … Noah Kriesman [Cherry Hill East], #7

SHOT PUT
58-4 1/4 … Joe Metzger [Delsea], #4
55-0 1/4 … C.J. Johnson [Willingboro], #10

DISCUS
157-5 … Ian Camerato [Lenape], #9

JAVELIN
167-1 … Brad Jamison [Ocean City], #7

400-METER RELAY
42.08 … Rancocas Valley, #1
42.74 … Deptford, #2
42.81 … Pennsauken, #4
43.03 … Paul VI, #6

1,600-METER RELAY
3:18.36 … Pennsauken, #1
3:18.50 … Deptford, #3

3,200-METER RELAY
8:00.37 … Ocean City, #2

GIRLS
100-METER DASH
11.92 … Lauren Princz [Egg Harbor Township], #1
12.08 … Jailya Ash [Eastern], #3
12.44 … Arianna Sharpe [Clayton], #10

200-METER DASH
24.23 … Lauren Princz [Egg Harbor Township], #1

400-METER DASH
55.99 … Amirah Sharpe [Clayton], #2
56.68 … Arianna Sharpe [Clayton], #4
57.21 … Nevaeh Lorjuste [Triton], #8
57.60 … Maya Harper [Pleasantville], #10

800-METER RUN
2:13.40 … **Kelsey Niglio [Cherokee], #6
2:15.27 … Allison Colflesh [Haddonfield], #9

1,600-METER RUN
4:54.25 … Sarah Naticchia [Haddonfield], #4
4:54.76 … Allison Colflesh [Haddonfield], #5

3,200-METER RUN
10:42.67 … Sarah Naticchia [Haddonfield], #2
11:02.95 … Sophie Steidle [Collingswood], #10

100-METER HURDLES
14.10 … Jailya Ash [Eastern], #1
15.08 … Balkis Iyiola [Willingboro], #10

400-METER HURDLES
1:01.38 … Diamond McLaughlin [Absegami], #1
1:02.22 … Amirah Sharpe [Clayton], #3
1:03.16 … Anne Rutledge [Egg Harbor], #5
1:04.46 … Alison Cooke [Cherokee], #10

HIGH JUMP
5-6 … Tatina Carr [Timber Creek], #1
5-6 … Alanna Woolfolk [Delsea], #1
5-6 … Jenovia Logan [Sterling], #1

LONG JUMP
18-4 3/4 … *Leah Ellis [Millville], #3

TRIPLE JUMP
38-4 … Mariah Stephens [Egg Harbor], #1
36-10 1/4 … Olivia Wright [Winslow], #7

POLE VAULT
11-4 … Fiona Basewitz [Collingswood], #6
11-0 … Julia Greeley [Seneca], #7

SHOT PUT
39-10 1/2 … Tey’ana Ames [Atlantic County Tech], #6
38-0 … Kara Knorr [Woodstown], #10

DISCUS
126-8 … Julia Bannan [Holy Spirit], #2
124-1 … Destiny Fields [Camden County Tech], #3
121-1 … Michaela Pomatto [Egg Harbor], #8

JAVELIN
125-6 … Kylee Alvarez [Absegami], #5
122-9 … Tatina Carr [Timber Creek], #7

400-METER RELAY
47.79 … Egg Harbor, #1
49.12 … Delsea, #6
49.47 … Washington Twp., #10

1,600-METER RELAY
3:56.67 … Clayton, #3
3:57.33 … Rancocas Valley, #5
3:59.52 … Cherokee, #9
4:00.38 … Haddonfield, #10

3,200-METER RELAY
9:34.21 … Cherokee, #4

Safe to say the season didn’t start out the way Balkis Iyiola wanted when it came to the high hurdles.

Iyiola wasn’t a hurdler last time there was an outdoor season. In the spring of 2019, she won the 100 at sectionals in 12.58 and was second in the 200 in 26.14. She started hurdling this past indoor season and picked it up fast enough to place third at states over the 55-meter highs.

But the 100-meter highs didn’t click at first. She ran 17.71 at the BCSL Championships and then didn’t make it out of the trials at the Burlington County Open.

But once championship season arrived, Iyiola was unstoppable.

She ran 15.74 – a two-second PR! – to win the Central Jersey Group 1 title and she also won the 100 and placed third in the 200 at sectionals at Long Branch,.

At Group 1 states at Pennsauken this past weekend, Iyiola matched that 15.74 in the trials and then took another whopping two-thirds of a second off her hurdles PR, running 15.08 and winning by more than a second over sophomore Rayael Marshall of Clayton, who was second in 16.20.

Willingboro’s Kenady Wilson won a state high jump title in 2019 (and competed at NCAAs this past weekend), but Iyiola became the first Willingboro girl to win a state title on the track since Vanessa Arientyl won the highs (14.38) and intermediates (1:02.54) at the 2010 state Group 2 meet at Egg Harbor. 

The only other Willingboro high hurdlers who’ve won state titles are Carole Lewis outdoors in 1979 and indoors and outdoors in 1980 and 1981, Kia Van Wright (indoors in 1994), Kim Allen (indoors in 2002 and 2003).

Iyiola’s 15.08 is also fastest by any Willingboro hurdler since Arientyl’s 14.38 at the 2010 state meet.

She also placed fourth in the 100 at states this past weekend for 14 points. She goes into Saturday’s Meet of Champions at South Plainfield as the No. 10 seed in the highs and No. 2 among South Jersey hurdlers, behind only Eastern’s Jailya Ash, the top seed at 14.10.

How fast can she go? Considering that she’s lowered her PR by 2 1/2 seconds in the last two weeks and ran 15.08 unpressed, the sky’s the limit.