It’s a safe bet nobody has ever had a meet quite like Julian Rodriguez had this weekend.

The Deptford senior won both hurdles, anchored the winning 1,600-meter relay team and won the pole vault to lead the Spartans to their second consecutive sectional title.

The old hurdles-vault-relay quad!

With Rodriguez and senior sprinter John Adams combining for five individual wins – and two more on relays – Deptford won South Jersey Group 3 with 99 points, outscoring second-place Highland and Toms River South, who tied with 82 points.

Rodriguez became Deptford’s first triple individual winner at sectionals in at least 35 years, or as far back I was able to look at the moment!

He PR’d in the 110-meter highs with a 14.83. He won the intermediates in 56.02 and vaulted 13-6. 

Rodriguez goes into Group 3 states this weekend at Pennsauken as the No. 2 seed in the highs, No. 3 in the intermediates and No. 2 in the vault (although he does have the best PR in the field).

Rodriguez is as versatile as any athlete in the state, and don’t be surprised if he tries the decathlon in college. 

He’ll be attending Georgian Court in Lakewood, and the Lions’ coach is Mike Murawski, who is a native of Cinnaminson, was a three-time state high jump champ for Holy Cross and set a Duquesne school decathlon record that still stands of 6,140 at the 2007 Atlantic 10 Championships in Charlotte, N.C. 

As for Adams, all he did was run huge 100 and 200 PRs, winning the 100 in 10.89 and the 200 in 21.94. He also PR’d with a 52.01 in the 400. Adams came into the meet with PRs of 11.49, 22.77 and 53.59.

Rodriguez and Adams scored more than half of Deptford’s points, but they certainly got lots of help.

Sophomore Lathan Brown, competing in his first sectional meet, picked up four medals. He PR’d in the 400 with a 49.60 for second, PR’d in the intermediates in 58.60 for third and ran 2:01.99 for fifth in the 800. He’s run as fast as 1:59.45 in the 800.

Brown and Pennsauken’s Bryce Tucker are the only sophomores in New Jersey who’ve run sub-50 for 400 meters and sub-2:00 for 800 meters. 

Senior Devon Roane, Adams, junior Miles Williams and senior Steven Rios ran 43.44 to win the 4-by-1, and junior Param Grewal, Rios, Brown and Rodriguez ran 3:25.78 to win the 4-by-4

Senior Donovan Collazo and junior Gursharan Singh joined Rodriguez as pole vault medalists, Collazo placing third at 13-0 and Singh fourth with a 12-0 clearance, senior Amy’r Smith placed fifth in the triple jump at 40-9 and Rios took sixth in the 400 in 51.71.

The sectional title was Deptford’s fifth but only the Spartans’ second in the last 45 years. Deptford won South Jersey Group 3 in 1970 and 1971 and Group 4 in 1973 and then went 45 years in a row without a title before winning Group 3 in 2019. There was no meet last year, so Deptford has won back-to-back titles with a year in between.

The Rancocas Valley girls waited 47 years for their first sectional title. They only waited three years for their second.

R.V. slugged it two over two days with powerful Egg Harbor and came out with a 92-85 win in the South Jersey Group 4 sectional at Washington Township, the state’s most competitive sectional meet.

In 2017, Lenape edged R.V. by five points, 65-60, to win SJ-4, with four other schools within 10 points. In 2018, R.V. edged Egg Harbor by five points, 76-71. In 2019, Millville edged Rancocas Valley by one point, 92-91, to win SJ-4. 

The last time South Jersey Group 4 wasn’t decided by seven or fewer points was 2016, when Southern Regional topped second-place Lenape 92 1/2-75. That was also the last time R.V. wasn’t first or second. 

This weekend, junior Annabella Chin was R.V.’s star, scoring 32 of the Red Devils’ 70 individual points.

Chin took second to Egg Harbor’s Anne Rutledge in the 400 with a 58.94, second in the 100 to EHT’s Lauren Princz with a 26.15, second to Eastern’s Jailya Ash in the high hurdles with a PR 14.75 and second to Rutledge in the intermediate hurdles in 1:03.62.

Chin went head-to-head with some of the state’s top athletes and even though she didn’t get a win this time, she did something even more important and put her team in position for a championship!

This was a true team effort, with senior Abby Boggs providing R.V.’s only individual win. Boggs cleared 10-6 in the pole vault on her first attempt to successfully defend her 2019 sectional PV title. 

Boggs is the first Rancocas Valley girl to win the same event in consecutive sectionals (even though they were two years apart) since legendary Tonya Hill won the intermediate hurdles in 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988, the long jump in 1986, 1987 and 1988 and the high hurdles in 1986 and 1987. 

Also what a gutty performance by senior Sheriyah Nutt, who competed just two weeks after suffering a serious hamstring injury at the Burlington County Open. She might not have been 100 percent, but she still took third in the 400 in 59.26 and fifth in the 200 in 26.42 for eight huge points. 

The Red Devils scored big in the three relays, winning the 4-by-4 in 4:00.9 (with sophomore Kasey White, Nutt, senior Alyssa Leak, and junior Jya Marshall), taking second in the 4-by-1 in 49.44 (Ogoemesim, White, Marshall and freshman Savana Riddick) and placing fourth in the 4-by-8 in 10:07.35 (with freshman Bea Faigal, Jenkins, senior Melanie Jimenez and Paz).

Here’s a look at other R.V. contributors:

RAVIN HOOD, JUNIOR
Hood picked up a pair of 4th-place finishes, throwing the discus 106-0 and the shot put 35-10 1/2.

MESHONA OGOEMESIM, SOPHOMORE
In her first sectional meet, Ogoemesim placed in two events. She took fourth in the 100 in 12.89 and sixth in the long jump at 15-8 1/2.

RACHEL SATCHELL, SENIOR
Satchell jumped within half an inch of her PR, placing fourth in the triple jump with a 35-10. 

MIA PAOLONE, JUNIOR
Paolone took fifth in the pole vault, teaming up with Boggs to give the Red Devils 12 points in the event.

SANAI JENKINS, JUNIOR
Took fifth in the intermediates in a lifetime-best 1:07.96, giving R.V. 10 points in the event.

SABRINA PAZ, FRESHMAN
Paz PR’ed in the 800 at 2:24.70 and took seventh, but she advanced to states in the 1,600 with a PR of 5:18.97. She’s R.V.’s fastest freshman miler since Erika Kemp, who ran 4:57.96 at the 2013 Burlington County Open and has qualified for this year’s Olympic Trials in the 5,000.

Willingboro’s 18th outdoor sectional title was much like the first 17. The Chimeras got big-time performances from their stars, covered just about every event on the track and in the field and found a way to come out on top.

The Boro won its third consecutive sectional title this weekend in dominating fashion, outscoring Roselle Park 103-75 in the Central Jersey Group 1 meet at Long Beach.

The Chimeras won South Jersey Group 2 in 2018 and Central Jersey Group 1 in 2019. There were no sectionals last year.

This was Martin Booker’s eighth sectional title, including five when he coached at Camden. It’s only the third time Willingboro has won three straight sectional titles. They won South Jersey Group 4 from 1977 through 1980 and won South Jersey Group 3 in 2003 and Central Jersey Group 3 in 2004 and 2005.

Willingboro’s 18 sectional titles are most in South Jersey history. Pennsauken Grove has won 15 and Winslow and Woodbury 13.

The only school in New Jersey with more sectional titles is New Providence, which has won 21 in Group 1 and Group 2 in North Section 2 (including 15 of 19 from 1984 through 2002).

And the Boro isn’t going away. Senior Glenn Ferguson won the pole vault, Immanuel Marcel placed in both horizontal jumps and Kierkegaadson Theobrun ran a leg on the winning 4-by-4. Other than that, all of Willingboro’s points came from underclassmen.

Let’s take a look at Willingboro’s 

MALACHI JAMES, FRESHMAN: James doubled the 100 in 10.95 and 200 in 22.46 becoming the first South Jersey freshman in at least 35 years to record a sectional double. Bridgeton’s Ray Wilks came close in 1992, winning the South Jersey Group 3 discus at 155-5 and placing third in the shot with a 50-6 1/2, just 11 inches behind winner Gus Swain of Woodrow Wilson. He’s the first Willingboro sprinter to double the 100 and 200 at sectionals since Isaac Williams won South Jersey Group 2 with 11.21 and 22.38 in 2012. He also won the 110-meter high hurdles in 14.16 and was third in the high jump at 6-2. James also anchored Willingboro’s winning 4-by-1, which ran 44.58.

C.J. JOHNSON, JUNIOR: Johnson had a huge day, with PRs in both the shot and the disc. Johnson won the shot at 51-8 1/2 and the discus with a 129-7. Johnson became the first Willingboro thrower to double the shot and disc at sectionals since Ell Ash won Central Jersey Group 3 in 2004 with a 58-5 3/4 and 160-4.

GLENN FERGUSON, SENIOR: Ferguson won his first sectional title and became the second straight Willingboro pole vaulter to win a sectional title. Dontavis Wilson cleared 12-6 to win the 2019 CJ-1 vault.

ANAIAS HUGHES, JUNIOR: Hughes came into sectionals with a hurdles PR of 15.95. He matched that in the trials, then recorded a huge PR of 15.57 in the finals for third place. Also took second in the high jump at 5-8, which matched his PR.

MILES ALLEN, JUNIOR: Allen ran PRs of 58.93 for second in the intermediates and 53.43 for fourth in the 400. According to MileSplit, Allen had never previously run a flat 400, although he probably has in dual meets. That’s 10 big points for Allen. He also ran legs on Willingboro’s winning 4-by-100 (44.58) and 4-by-4 (3:33.63).

CHRISTOPHER F. JOHNSON, JUNIOR: Another hurdler, another PR. Johnson, a first-year intermediate hurdler, went under 60 seconds for the first time for fourth place. Also ran a leg on Willingboro’s winning 4-by-4 (3:33.63).

IMMANUEL MARCEL, SENIOR: Jumped a personal-best 18-11 1/2 for sixth place in the long jump and jumped 40-0 3/4 for sixth in the triple jump.

JACKSON MIURRY, FRESHMAN: Murry placed sixth in the 200 with a personal-best 23.56

BRYSON BRIGHT, JUNIOR: Ran lead-off on the winning 400-meter relay team, which ran 44.58.

GEORGAN COLLINS, JUNIOR: Ran legs on Willingboro’s winning 4-by-100 (44.58) and 4-by-4 (3:33.63).

KIERKEGAADSON THEOBRUN, SENIOR: Anchored the Chimeras’ winning 4-by-4, which ran 3:33.63.

Congrats to the Clayton boys and girls, Delsea, Deptford, Willingboro and Pennsauken boys and Haddonfield, Winslow and Rancocas Valley girls on their 2021 sectional titles.

Here’s a quick look at team scoring for every section in South and Central Jersey that included South Jersey schools. Click on the headline for a direct link to complete results for that group!

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP 1 BOYS
1) Clayton 102
2) Audubon 91
3) Haddon Township 64
4) Woodbury 62.50
5) Maple Shade 45
6) Palmyra 29.50
7) Glassboro 28
7) Salem 28
7) Pitman 28
10) Paulsboro 27
11) Woodstown 26
12) Penns Grove 14
13) Lindenwold 4
14) Wildwood 2
14) Overbrook 2
16) Pennsville 1
16) Buena Regional 1

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP 2 BOYS
1) Delsea Regional 101
2) Manchester Township 69
3) Manasquan 50
4) Haddonfield Memorial 47
5) Haddon Heights 37
6) Sterling 35
7) Pemberton Township 33
8) Oakcrest 30
9) Collingswood 28
10) Lower Cape May Regional H 26
11) Cedar Creek 24
12) Cinnaminson 18
12) Barnegat Township 18
14) Pleasantville 15
15) Delran 12
16) West Deptford 9
17) Pt. Pleasant Boro 6

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP 3 BOYS
1) Deptford 99
2) Highland Reg 82
2) Toms River South 82
4) Ocean City 52
5) Timber Creek Regional 41
6) Toms River East 35
7) Absegami 28
8) Cherry Hill West 26
9) Hammonton 23
10) Winslow Township 21
11) Mainland Regional 18
12) Bridgeton 17
13) Moorestown 10
13) Lacey Township 10
15) Central Reg 8
16) Triton Regional 3
17) Seneca 2
18) Cumberland Regional 1

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP 4 BOYS
1) Southern Regional 82
2) Rancocas Valley Reg 79 ¾
3) Egg Harbor Twp 76 ¾
4) Eastern Regional 62
5) Kingsway 51
6) Cherokee 48
7) Millville 35 ¾
8) Cherry Hill East 32
9) Lenape Regional 24
10) Jackson Memorial 20.75
11) Toms River North 18
12) Washington Twp 14
13) Williamstown 6
14) Shawnee 2
14) Clearview Regional 2
14) Vineland 2
17) Brick Memorial 1
17) Atlantic City 1

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP 1 GIRLS
1) Clayton 113
2) A P Schalick 95
3) Audubon 70
4) Haddon Township 57
5) Woodstown 46
6) Gateway Regional 27
7) Penns Grove 26
8) Pitman 22
9) Woodbury 21
10) Palmyra 17
11) Salem 14
12) Maple Shade 11
13) Overbrook 10
13) Pennsville 10
15) Buena Regional 9
16) Paulsboro 6
17) Glassboro 3
18) Lindenwold 1

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP 2 GIRLS
1) Haddonfield Memorial 130
2) Delsea Regional 98
3) Manchester Township 79
4) Sterling 41
5) Collingswood 36
6) Pt. Pleasant Boro 28
7) Cinnaminson 25
8) Barnegat Township 23
9) Middle Township 20
10) West Deptford 18
10) Pleasantville 18
12) Oakcrest 12
12) Cedar Creek 12
14) Haddon Heights 8
14) Delran 8
16) Pemberton Township 1
16) Lower Cape May Regional 1

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP 3 GIRLS
1) Winslow Township 110 ½
2) Timber Creek Regional 66
3) Toms River South 52 ½
4) Mainland Regional 46
5) Toms River East 42
6) Ocean City 37
7) Highland Reg 36
8) Absegami 29
9) Triton Regional 28
9) Seneca 28
11) Hammonton 25
12) Moorestown 16
13) Central Reg 13
13) Deptford 13
15) Bridgeton 8
16) Camden County Vo-Tech 6
17) Cherry Hill West 2

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP 4 GIRLS
1) Rancocas Valley Reg 92
2) Egg Harbor Twp 85
3) Cherokee 50
3) Millville 50
5) Eastern Regional 46
6) Brick Memorial 39
7) Toms River North 33
8) Southern Regional 31
9) Washington Twp 29
10) Clearview Regional 24
11) Williamstown 20
12) Kingsway 17
13) Atlantic County Tech 16
14) Cherry Hill East 12
15) Lenape Regional 10
16) Shawnee 4

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP 1 BOYS
1) Willingboro 103
2) Roselle Park 75
3) Asbury Park 65
4) Shore Regional 56
5) Middlesex 52
6) Highland Park 49
7) Dunellen 35
8) Burlington City 25
9) South Hunterdon 21 ½
10) Riverside 17
11) Manville 14
12) Keyport 10
13) New Egypt 9 ½
14) South Amboy 9
15) Bound Brook 6
16) Florence Twp 3

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP 2 BOYS
1) Rumson-Fair Haven 102
2) Matawan Regional 58.50
3) Rahway 41
4) South Plainfield 40
5) Holmdel 38
6) Robbinsville 34.50
7) North Plainfield 32
8) Governor Livingston 29.50
9) Voorhees 28.50
10) A. L. Johnson 28
11) Metuchen 26
11) Carteret 26
13) Roselle – Abraham Clark 22
13) Hillside 22
15) Bordentown Regional 10
16) Raritan 9
16) Monmouth Regional 9
18) Wall 1
18) Spotswood 1

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP 3 BOYS
1) Pennsauken 116
2) Colts Neck 88
3) West Windsor-Plainsboro No 61
4) Ocean Township 60
5) Hamilton North – Nottingha 45
6) Burlington Township 24
7) Lawrence 23
8) Hopewell Valley 22
9) Middletown South 20
9) Brick Township 20
11) Allentown 17
12) Lakewood 14
12) Freehold Boro 14
14) Neptune 11
15) Ewing 10
16) Hamilton West 7
17) Jackson Liberty 5
18) Steinert 1

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP 1 GIRLS
1) Shore Regional 124
2) South Hunterdon 66
3) New Egypt 50
3) Willingboro 50
5) Burlington City 45
6) Florence Twp 39
7) Manville 33
8) Highland Park 31
9) Middlesex 28
10) Dunellen 12
11) South Amboy 10
11) Bound Brook 10
13) Keyport 8
13) Roselle Park 8
15) Riverside 4
16) Asbury Park 2
17) Henry Hudson Reg 1

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP 2 GIRLS
1) Holmdel 93
2) Rumson-Fair Haven 78
3) Metuchen 58
4) Matawan Regional 51
5) Rahway 47
6) South Plainfield 39
7) Voorhees 34
8) Carteret 31
9) Robbinsville 27
10) Raritan 25
11) A. L. Johnson 16
11) Delaware Valley 16
13) Hillside 11
14) Abraham Clark 10
14) North Plainfield 10
16) Governor Livingston 7
17) Bordentown Regional 4
18) Monmouth Regional 1

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP 3 GIRLS
1) Colts Neck 148
2) Hopewell Valley 94
3) Allentown 57
4) Middletown South 36
5) Burlington Township 34
6) Ewing 29
7) Brick Township 22
7) Pennsauken 22
9) West Windsor-Plainsboro No 18
9) Hamilton West 18
11) Nottingham 15
12) Neptune 14
13) Jackson Liberty 10
14) Northern Burlington Regional 9
15) Lakewood 8
15) Red Bank Regional 8
17) Ocean Township 6
18) Lawrence 2
19) Steinert 1

How good is Delsea’s throws team?

The Crusaders scored enough points this weekend in the shot put, discus and javelin to place third in the team standings at the South Jersey Group 2 sectional on their home track in Franklinville.

Delsea always has elite throwers, and this year’s group scored 52 points in the shot, discus and javelin.

The throwers got plenty of help, though, and Delsea beat Manchester Township 101-69, for its fourth consecutive South Jersey championship.

Delsea won Group 3 in 2017 and 2018 and Group 2 in 2019. There was no meet last year. Including Group 3 in 2006 and 2007 and Group 2 in 2010, Delsea has now won seven sectional titles since 2006.

And the throws have been a big part of each championship.

Delsea swept the shot put for 24 points behind senior Joe Metzger (57-2 1/2) and juniors Jason Nwosu (53-7) and Josh Caudill (50-6 3/4).

The Crusaders went 2-3-5 in the discus, with junior Cade Derardelli throwing 149-1 for second, Nwosu third at 140-9 and Caudill fifth with a throw of 138-2.

Sophomore Luke Maxwell, the No. 9 seed in the javelin, popped a nearly 22-foot PR of 157-1 and won by more than nine feet.

Maxwell was seeded at 135-10, which he threw three weeks ago at the Crusader Field No. 1 meet at his home facility. Maxwell is a first-year thrower and this was only the fifth major meet of his life. 

He threw 37 feet farther Saturday than he did in his last meet, the Cherokee Last Chance in Marlton last weekend.

Maxwell had the two-best throws of his life, the 157-1 winner and a 154-3 on his next throw.

Delsea had plenty of big-time performances outside the throwing circles.

Senior Dylan Caceci won the pole vault with an 11-6 clearance, becoming Delsea’s fourth sectional pole vault champion since 2012 (Billy Wengert, Jarrod Brovero twice, Nico Morales).

Senior Dawson Baptiste placed second in the 1,600 with a PR 4:21.54 (closing in 2:05.86 and 60.75) and was also third in the 800 with a 2:00.99.

Andrew Littlehales ran a big PR of 9:33.98 (previous PR was 9:42.04) for second in the 3,200.

Also, junior Jaedyn Stewart ran 23.12 to place fifth in the 200 and 11.43 for sixth in the 100, and junior Devin Hooks jumped 40-7 1/4 for fifth in the triple jump.

Delsea also scored 15 points in the relays.The Crusaders won the 4-by-1 in 44.49 with Stewart, freshman Christian Langston, Hooks and senior Michael Bartholetti, took fourth in the 4-by-8 with Baptiste, junior Thomas Monalto-Summers, Littlehales and senior Riley Miller in 8:25.21 and was also sixth in the 4-by-4 in 3:37.05 with freshman Xavier Wyatt, Miller, sophomore Louis Rogers and junior Ismael Ortiz.

What makes Clayton’s sectional sweep so unique is that neither the Clayton boys or Clayton girls track teams had ever won a sectional title.

Now they both have.

Clayton became the first Gloucester County school to record a sectional sweep since Delsea in Group 2 in 2010 and the first in Group 1 since Paulsboro in 1997.

The Clayton boys, led by the remarkable TerMeir Hill’s insane quad win, won their first sectional title ever, 97-81, over Audubon. 

The Clayton girls, led by the Sharpe sisters, won 113-95 over Schalick, with the Sharpe triplets scoring 82 points. All 113 of Clayton’s points came on the track.

Let’s take a look at this historic weekend for the Clipper:

BOYS

100-METER DASH: Hill ran a PR 10.88 to win the 100, senior Justin Gibson ran a PR 11.05 to take second and senior Dominck Bishop took fifth in a PR 11.37 for a whopping 20 points. This was the first 1-2 sectional finish ever by Clayton.

200-METER DASH: Hill and Gibson again went 1-2, Hill winning in 22.59 and Gibson second at 22.63 for 18 more points. This was the second 1-2 sectional finish ever by Clayton.

400-METER HURDLES: Senior Giorgio Bruno placed third in 57.76, a two-second PR. It was a crazy finish, with Salem’s Bobby Arnold III, Pitman’s Jonathan Zubert and Bruno all placing within 12-100ths of a second of each other.

400-METER RELAY: Bishop, Bruno, Gibson and Hill ran 43.55 for the win, the fastest time in the state this year in Group 1.

1,600-METER RELAY: The same quarter ran 3:30.06 for another relay win.

DISCUS: Junior Shane Thompson, a first-year thrower, threw 136-8, nearly 30 feet beyond his listed PR of 109-1 from the Deptford Spartan Relays last month. Junior Marques Hall added two points with a fifth-place finish at 122-5.

LONG JUMP: Hill won his third straight sectional long jump title – 2018, 2019, 2021 – with a monster 23-6 1/2 jump, more than a foot over his previous PR of 22-1 and just two inches shy of the meet record of 23-8 1/2 by Lamar Sturdivant of Woodbury in 1996. It was the best jump in any South Jersey section in nine years, since Reginald Morton of Oakcrest won Group 3 at 23-7 in 2012. We’ll have more on Hill’s incredible weekend later this week!

TRIPLE JUMP: Another PR for Hill with a two-inch win over Arnold at 44-6 3/4. His previous PR was a 44-3 1/2 at the 2019 sectionals. Junior Justin Pessoa placed sixth for Clayton with a 41-0.

GIRLS

100-METER DASH: Arianna Sharpe ran 12.61 for the win and Ariel Sharpe took fourth in 12.99.

200-METER DASH: Amirah, Arianna and Ariel swept the 200 in 25.3, 25.53 and 25.55 for 24 huge points.

400-METER DASH: The Sharpe sisters swept the 400, Amirah winning in 56.24, Arianna 57.35 for second and Ariel 58.61 for third and 24 more points.

800-METER RUN: Amirah recorded her third win of the weekend with an unpressed 2:20.54 win.

100-METER HURDLES: Sophomore Rafael Marshall ran a huge PR of 15.85 for the win.

400-METER HURDLES: Amirah Sharpe ran 1:04.20 for the win.

400-METER RELAY: Even without a Sharpe, Clayton won in 51.64 with Marshall, Erica Thomas, Kelsey Thomas and Ciera Smith.

1,.600-METER RELAY: Ariel and Arianna Sharpe were joined by Kelsey Thomas and Erica Thomas and ran 4:05.64.

3,200-METER RELAY: Tori Millward, Erica Thomas, Skylah Surren and Kelsey Thomas ran 11:28.59 for sixth place.

Led by seniors Shevell Higgs and Olivia Wright, junior Jaia James and sophomore Janelle Marshall, the Winslow girls raced to their state-record eighth straight sectional title this weekend, a streak that would be nine if there had been a meet last year.

Winslow, which hasn’t lost a sectional since 2012, outscored Timber Creek 110 1/2-66 to win the South Jersey Group 3 meet at Delsea.

Higgs, Wright, James and Marshall combined for three firsts, three seconds, a third, three fourths and two fifths in addition to their relay duty. 

With their eighth consecutive title, Winslow now has the longest streak in South Jersey history. They had been tied with Woodbury, which won seven straight in Group 1 from 1976 through 1982.

The Eagles are now tied with Columbia for the longest streak in state history. Columbia won eight straight North Section 2 Group 4 titles from 1998 through 1998.

Winslow has now won 13 sectional titles overall, including three as Edgewood (Group 3 in 1978 and Group 4 in 1983 and 1985) along with Group 4 in 2004 and 2005. 

And this title, like most of the others, wasn’t close.

Here’s a look at the team scores during their eight-meet winning streak and Winslow’s margin of victory:

2013: Winslow 148 3/4, Kingsway 75 1/2 [73 1/4]
2014: Winslow 140, Delsea 101 [39]
2015: Winslow 97, Delsea 68 [29]
2016: Winslow 104, Absegami 96 [8]
2017: Winslow 120, Timber Creek 63 [57]
2018: Winslow 141, Mainland Regional 57 1/2 [83 1/2]
2019: Winslow 127, Timber Creek 75 [52] 
2021: Winslow 110 1/2, Timber Creek 66 [44 1/2]

That’s an average margin of victory of 48.28 points per meet!

Let’s take a look at how Winslow piled up 110 1/2 points this weekend!

Senior Shevell Higgs: Second in 100-meter hurdles (15.02), second in triple jump (36-2 1/2), fourth in high jump (4-10), fifth in long jump (16-6 1/2).
Junior Jaia James: First in 100-meter dash (12.22), first in 200 (25.43), leg on 2nd-place 4-by-1 (50.57), leg on 1st-place 4-by-4 (4:06.89).
Senior Olivia Wright: First in triple jump (37-2 1/2), leg on 1st-place 4-by-4 (4:06.89), fourth in long jump (16-7), fifth in high jump (4-10).
Sophomore Janelle Marshall: Second in the intermediate hurdles (1:07.20), third in the 200 (25.73), fourth in the 400 (58.76).
Junior Jordan James: Third in triple jump (35-1).
Sophomore Briyel Brown: Fifth in the 100 (12.76), leg on 1st-place 4-by-4 (4:06.89), leg on 2nd-place 4-by-1 (50.57).
Junior Charly Dutton: Sixth in the 800 (2:24.51), leg on 1st-place 4-by-4 (4:06.89), leg on 2nd-place 4-by-8 (10:25.66).
Junior Kya Robinson: Leg on 2nd-place 4-by-1 (50.57).
Junior Naomi Essilfie: Leg on 2nd-place 4-by-1 (50.57).
Junior Victoria Campbell: Leg on 2nd-place 4-by-8 (10:25.66).
Junior Catherine Enwereji: Leg on 2nd-place 4-by-8 (10:25.66).
Sophomore Ciara Wiltshire: Leg on 2nd-place 4-by-8 (10:25.66).

Sophomore quad winner Bryce Tucker and his insanely young Pennsauken teammates won the Central Jersey Group 3 1,600-meter relay Saturday to wrap up the school’s first sectional title in 16 years.

With freshmen and sophomores piling up 104 of their 116 points, Pennsauken outscored second-place Colts Neck 116-77.

Sophomores Ejani Shakir, Kahlil Ali, Premier Wynn and Tucker ran 3:24.87 to win the 1,600-meter relay by 30 meters and put a giant exclamation point on an incredible two days at Jackson Liberty.

This is Pennsauken’s second sectional title and first since the Indians won South Jersey Group 4 in 2005 by a 98-70 count over Winslow Township at Egg Harbor.

Pennsauken did not score a point in the last sectional meet, held two years ago.

First of all, congrats to senior Chris Weaver, who placed second in the javelin and fourth in the triple jump for Pennsauken, the Indians’ only point scorer who’s not a sophomore or junior.

But the nucleus of this terrific Pennsauken team, coached by Clinton Tabb, consists of Tucker, Ali, Wynn, Shakir and freshman Elijah Jenkins, who had a hand in 98 of Pennsauken’s 108 points.

Those five freshmen and sophomores combined for three first (all by Tucker) along with a second, four thirds, a fourth and six legs on winning relay teams.

Let’s take a look at how Pennsauken won Central Jersey Group 3: 

BRYCE TUCKER, SOPHOMORE [40 points]
1st 400-meter intermediate hurdles [55.31]
1st 400-meter dash [48.89]
1st 800-meter run [1:59.12]
1st 1,600-meter relay [3:24.87]

KAHLIL ALI, SOPHOMORE [34 points]
2nd triple jump [42-2]
1st 400-meter relay [43.19]
1st 1,600-meter relay [3:24.87]
3rd long jump [20-1 1/2]

PREMIER WYNN, SOPHOMORE [34 points]
2nd 400-meter intermediate hurdles [56.51]
4th 400-meter dash [49.89]
1st 400-meter relay [43.19]
1st 1,600-meter relay [3:24.87]

ELIJAH JENNINGS, FRESHMAN [30 points]
3rd 100-meter dash [10.98] (10.90 in trials)
1st 400-meter relay [43.19]
4th 200-meter dash [22.53]
1st 1,600-meter relay [3:24.87]

EJANI SHAKIR, SOPHOMORE [22 points]
3rd 400-meter dash [49.64]
1st 400-meter relay [43.19]
3rd 200-meter dash [21.90]

CHRIS WEAVER, SENIOR [12 points]
2nd javelin
4th triple jump [41-3 1/2]

LADANIAN MCGRATH, FRESHMAN [6 points]
3rd 3,200-meter relay [8:38.94]

JONATHAN RODRIGUEZ, SOPHOMORE [6 points]
3rd 3,200-meter relay [8:38.94]

NOUMAN FARHAT, SOPHOMORE [6 points]
3rd 3,200-meter relay [8:38.94]

JOEL OQUENDO, SOPHOMORE [6 points]
3rd 3,200-meter relay [8:38.94]

 

Seneca senior Julia Greeley moved into the all-time South Jersey top-10 in the pole vault Saturday at the South Jersey Group 3 sectionals.

Greeley cleared 11-9 on her first attempt, the https://sjtrackblog.com/2020/05/13/unraveling-a-girls-pole-vault-mystery-and-the-all-time-s-j-outdoor-girls-p-v-top-50/.\

Her 11-9 clearances is No. 6 in South Jersey history and matches the No. 4 mark in South Jersey sectional history.

Here’s the updated all-time South Jersey top-10, with five of the top seven from Burlington County.

13- 3… Danielle O’Reilly [Shawnee], 2004
12- 7 1/2 … Ashley Preston [Delsea], 2018
12- 0 … Jessica Kloss [Moorestown], 2005
12- 0 … Brittney Raffo [Seneca], 2017
11-10 … Kaitlin Dermen [Millville], 2014
11- 9 … Julia Greeley [Seneca], 2021
11- 6 … Lauren Tauscher [Moorestown], 2007
11- 4 … Melissa Gale [Millville], 2006
11- 3 … Jennifer Scott [Haddonfield], 2019
11- 2 … Tracey Masterson [Mainland Reg.], 2012 

Greeley’s previous PR was 11-0, which she cleared indoors at the 2019 Meet of Champions and again twice this spring. Her mark is No. 3 in the state this year.

Greeley passed the first six heights, then cleared 10-0 on her first attempt. Through 10 feet, Greeley and senior Birdie Stewart of Ocean City were both clean, although Stewart was in the lead because she had a clearance at 9-6.

But Greeley sailed over the bar on her first attempt at 10-6 and when Stewart missed her third attempt, Greeley had the sectional title.

Greeley had the bar raised to 11-0, which she cleared on her first try and then up to 11-3, which she made on her third attempt. 

On her seventh vault of the day, she cleared a PR 11-6 on her first attempt and then had the bar raised to 11-9, which she also cleared on her first try.

She finally went out at 12 feet, which she missed three times.

Even with last year’s sectionals wiped out, Greeley is a repeat winner. She won the 2019 title at 10-6. 

Here’s where Greeley’s 11-9 ranks on the all-time South Jersey sectional list:

12-3 … Chelsea Vaughan [Southern Regional], SJ-4, 2012
12-1 … Jen Holly [Barnaget], SJ-3, 2008
12-0 … Ashley Preston [Delsea], SJ-3, 2018
11-9 … Brittney Raffo [Seneca], SJ-3, 2016
11-9 … Ashley Furlong [Southern Regional], SJ-4, 2007
11-9 … Julia Greeley [Seneca], SJ-3, 2021

With Colleen McDowell in 2011, Raffo in 2016 and 2017 and Greeley in 2019 and 2021, Seneca vaulters have now won five sectional titles in the last 11 years. 

The young Pennsauken team continues to pile up the points in Central Jersey Group 3, getting 10 points in back-to-back events.

Following sophomore Bryce Tucker’s 800 win, freshman Elijah Jennings, sophomore Ejani Shakir, sophomore Kahlil Ali and sophomore Premier Wynn ran a season-best 43.19 to win the 400-meter relay.

Then Shakir and Jennings went 3-5 in a fast 200, Shakir running 21.90 and Jennings a personal-best 22.53.

With four events to go, Pennsauken holds a 15-point lead over Colts Neck at 92-77.