Pennsauken freshman Jade Pope finished off a remarkable sectional quad win Saturday with a personal-best 55.3 split on Pennsauken’s 1,600-meter relay team.

Pope got the stick 25 meters down but anchored Pennsauken to a 4:01.09 win over Ocean Township.

That was Pope’s fourth win of the weekend in the Central Jersey Group 3 sectional championships at Jackson Liberty.

Jasmine Pope led off the 4-by-4, followed by Keyoura Smith, Jon’Nay Lloyd and Jade Pope.

Pope began the weekend with a win in the 400 in 57.04 and on Saturday ran 25.36 to win the 200. She followed that by joining Brianna Bryan, Jasmine Pope and Lloyd to to win the 400-meter relay in a school-record 48.71.

Penns Grove graduate Jaymes Dennison, now a senior at Iowa State, ran 1:50.28 in the 800 at the NCAA Division 1 West Regional in Sacramento and advanced to next month’s NCAA Championships.

Dennison finished fourth in the fifth of six heats of 800 qualifying. The top three from each heat plus the next six-fastest times advanced to nationals. Dennison’s time was second-fastest of those who didn’t place in the top three.

Dennison was out in 53.16 and came back in 57.13.

Dennison has a PR of 1:47.63 and a season-best of 1:47.97. The NCAA Championships are scheduled for June 6-9 at Hayward Stadium in Eugene, Ore.

The top 21 half-milers from each of the two NCAA regional meets will race in the semifinals at 9:14 p.m. EST on June 6 with the finals slated for 9:44 p.m. June 8.

This will be Dennison’s first trip to NCAAs as an individual. He was on Iowa State’s 1,600-meter relay team that went to indoor NCAAs last year but didn’t place. He ran at West Regionals last year but didn’t advance.

Dennison ran 48.33 and 1:52.97 at Penns Grove. He was a two-time JUCO 600-meter dash champ, in 2015 for ASA College in Brooklyn and in 2016 for Monroe College in the Bronx.

Delsea senior Khaliel Burnett unleashed one of the greatest triple jump performances in state history Friday, moving into the No. 3 spot on the all-time state list and jumping within three inches of the state record.

Burnett won the South Jersey Group 2 meet with a jump of 50-4, just 2 3/4 inches off the state and South Jersey record of 50-6 3/4, set at the 2013 state Group 1 meet at Egg Harbor by Haddon Heights’ Dominique Irons.

The only other jumper ahead of Burnett is Lodi’s Chris Phipps, who jumped 50-5 in 2008.

Burnett broke the Group 2 sectional meet record of 46-5 1/4, set in 2011 by Irons at EHT, and broke the overall South Jersey sectional record of 48-10 1/2, set in 2015 by Timber Creek’s Larry Russell at Central Regional. He broke the overall sectional record of 49-6 set in 2015 by Eric Bethea of Piscataway in the North 2 meet at Ridge. He broke his own PR and Gloucester County record of 49-1 3/4, set last month at the Penn Relays.

Burnett’s mark is No. 6 nationally, according to the MileSplit database.

Teammate Keon Grady placed second with a 45-11 jump, and another Delsea jumper, senior Tymir Kizee, was sixth, giving the Crusaders 19 points in the one event.

ALL-TIME N.J TRIPLE JUMP LIST
50-6 3/4 … Dominique Irons [Haddon Heights], 2013
50-5 … Chris Phipps [Lodi], 2008
50-4 … Khaliel Burnett [Delsea], 2018
50-3 1/4 … Dodley Thermitus [Elizabeth], 2016
50-2 1/2 … Eric Bethea [Piscataway], 2015
50-1 1/2 … Myles Hartsfield [Sayreville], 2014
50-0 1/4 … Devon Bond [Trenton], 2007
49-11 1/2 … Devin Jones [Boonton], 2010
49-5 … Jon Pitt [South Brunswick], 2013
49-4 3/4 … Tiquan Underwood [Notre Dame], 2005
49-1 1/4 … Rolston Braithwaite [Trenton], 2008
49-0 1/2 … Anthony DiCosmo [Paramus Catholic], 1995
49-0 … Nadale Buntin [J.P. Stevens], 2018
48-10 1/2 … Larry Russell [Timber Creek], 2015
48-10 … Adam Bergo [Westfield], 2008
48-3 1/4 … Ryan Chance [Glassboro], 2009
48-3 … Barden Adams [West Orange], 2014
48-2 1/2 … Kyle Lindsey [Paterson], 2006
48-2 1/2 … Tyrell Judson [Piscataway], 2013
48-2 1/4 … Bernard Hoover [Hasbrouck Heights], 2004
48-2 … Craig Halyard [Ridgewood], 1989
48-2 … Emeke Eze [Sayreville], 2012
48-1 1/2 … Sean Wimbush [Teaneck], 2011
48-1 1/2 … Malik Snead [Hamilton West], 2015
48-1 1/4 … Aaron King [Morris Hills], 2007
48-0 1/4 … Gerald Spears [Teaneck], 1989
48-0 1/4 … Darius Pemberton [Hackensack], 1992
48-0 … Josh Butler [Delsea], 2006
48-0 … Kevin Bostick [Bergen Catholic], 2008
48-0 … Dean Uduh [Columbia], 2015

Lenape junior Shelby Whetstone picked the right time for a three-second PR.

Whetstone lowered her PR from 2:18.74 to 2:15.56 and won the 800 Saturday morning at the South Jersey Group 4 meet at Washington Township.

Whetstone gapped the field, winning by 20 meters over top-seeded Raelynne Miller of Millville, who was second in 2:19.39.

Whetstone ran her previous PR last weekend at Haddonfield Distance Night. That was her first time under 2:21.

Whetstone is the fourth different Lenape girl to win the South Jersey Group 4 title in the last eight years following Emily McGee in 2011, Carly Pettipaw in 2015 and Megan Quimby in 2016.

Here’s a look at the South Jersey Group 4 sectional 800 winners going back to 1986:

2018 … Shelby Whetstone [Lenape] 2:15.56
2017 … Rachel Vick [Kingsway] 2:13.00
2016 … Megan Quimby [Lenape] 2:14.66
2015 … Carly Pettipaw [Lenape] 2:14.27
2014 … Julia DeSpirito [Shawnee] 2:13.75
2013 … Melana Hammel [Southern] 2:16.27
2012 … Julia DeSpirito [Shawnee] 2:15.81
2011 … Emily McGee [Lenape] 2:16.13
2010 … Chelsea Cox [Southern] 2:14.62
2009 … Jill Smith [Southern] 2:11.49
2008 … Jill Smith [Southern] 2:07.26
2007 … Danielle Tauro [Southern] 2:10.54
2006 … Danielle Tauro [Southern] 2:13.98
2005 … Danielle Tauro [Southern] 2:16.16
2004 … Lauren Lewis [Southern] 2:12.2
2003 … Lauren Lewis [Southern] 2:13.3
2002 … Lauren Lewis [Southern] 2:16.9
2001 … Lauren Lewis [Southern] 2:17.7
2000 … Claudine Evangelista [Tri.]2:16.8
1999 … Claudine Evangelista [Tri.]2:15.1
1998 … Claudine Evangelista [Tri.]2:15.6
1997 … Tara Debrielle [Ovbk.] 2:19.5
1996 … Latasha Taylor [W’boro] 2:19.2
1995 … Liz Moore [Shawnee] 2:17.0
1994 … Missy Whittaker [Shaw. 2:20.1
1993 … Missy Whittaker [Shaw.] 2:19.5
1992 … Krista Ferrera [Vineland] 2:13.4
1991 … Krista Ferrera [Vineland] 2:19.8
1990 … Monica Olkowski [Cherokee] 2:19.9
1989 … Monica Olkowski [Cherokee] 2:19.1
1988 … Nancy Goodall [Toms River East] 2:19.4
1987 … Chris Danks [Shawnee] 2:16.4
1986 … Kelly McDonnell [Toms River East] 2:18.2

Lenape junior Shelby Whetstone picked the right time for a three-second PR.

Whetstone lowered her PR from 2:18.74 to 2:15.56 and won the 800 Saturday morning at the South Jersey Group 4 meet at Washington Township.

Whetstone gapped the field, winning by 20 meters over top-seeded Raelynne Miller of Millville, who was second in 2:19.39.

Whetstone ran her previous PR last weekend at Haddonfield Distance Night. That was her first time under 2:21.

Whetstone is the fourth different Lenape girl to win the South Jersey Group 4 title in the last eight years following Emily McGee in 2011, Carly Pettipaw in 2015 and Megan Quimby in 2016.

Here’s a look at the South Jersey Group 4 sectional 800 winners going back to 1986:

2018 … Shelby Whetstone [Lenape] 2:15.56
2017 … Rachel Vick [Kingsway] 2:13.00
2016 … Megan Quimby [Lenape] 2:14.66
2015 … Carly Pettipaw [Lenape] 2:14.27
2014 … Julia DeSpirito [Shawnee] 2:13.75
2013 … Melana Hammel [Southern] 2:16.27
2012 … Julia DeSpirito [Shawnee] 2:15.81
2011 … Emily McGee [Lenape] 2:16.13
2010 … Chelsea Cox [Southern] 2:14.62
2009 … Jill Smith [Southern] 2:11.49
2008 … Jill Smith [Southern] 2:07.26
2007 … Danielle Tauro [Southern] 2:10.54
2006 … Danielle Tauro [Southern] 2:13.98
2005 … Danielle Tauro [Southern] 2:16.16
2004 … Lauren Lewis [Southern] 2:12.2
2003 … Lauren Lewis [Southern] 2:13.3
2002 … Lauren Lewis [Southern] 2:16.9
2001 … Lauren Lewis [Southern] 2:17.7
2000 … Claudine Evangelista [Tri.]2:16.8
1999 … Claudine Evangelista [Tri.]2:15.1
1998 … Claudine Evangelista [Tri.]2:15.6
1997 … Tara Debrielle [Ovbk.] 2:19.5
1996 … Latasha Taylor [W’boro] 2:19.2
1995 … Liz Moore [Shawnee] 2:17.0
1994 … Missy Whittaker [Shaw. 2:20.1
1993 … Missy Whittaker [Shaw.] 2:19.5
1992 … Krista Ferrera [Vineland] 2:13.4
1991 … Krista Ferrera [Vineland] 2:19.8
1990 … Monica Olkowski [Cherokee] 2:19.9
1989 … Monica Olkowski [Cherokee] 2:19.1
1988 … Nancy Goodall [Toms River East] 2:19.4
1987 … Chris Danks [Shawnee] 2:16.4
1986 … Kelly McDonnell [Toms River East] 2:18.2

Cinnaminson senior Kamron Kobolak extended his own Burlington County discus record by seven feet Friday with a 184-3 throw to win the South Jersey Group 2 meet at Delsea.

Kobolak’s previous PR and county record was a 177-6 at the South Jersey Invitational. He moved up to the No. 11 spot on the all-time South Jersey list, one inch out of 10th place.

This is not only Kobolak’s first career sectional discus win, it’s the first time he’s ever gotten a legal mark in a sectional discus competition. He didn’t throw the disc as a freshman or sophomore and fouled out of last year’s meet.

Kobolak won by 20 feet over Willingboro junior Manny Lewis, who recorded a massive PR of his own. Lewis took second with a 164-8 throw. His previous PR was a 147-7, also at the South Invitational. Lewis moved into the all-time Burlington County top 20 with the No. 6 mark in the history of the prestigious Willingboro program.

Kobolak just missed the meet record of 185-11 set three years ago by John Mooers of Middle Township.  

He joins James Davidson (1988) and Duane Sanders (2003) as the third Cinnaminson discus thrower to win a sectional title.

Here’s a look at all the South Jersey Group 2 discus winners going back to 1985:

2018 … Kamron Kobolak [Cinnaminson] 184-3
2017 … Adam Hunt (Collingswood) 173-2
2016 … Adam Hunt (Collingswood) 164-9
2015 … John Mooers (Middle Twp.) 185-11
2014 … Nick Pulli (West Deptford) 168-10
2013 … Braheme Days Jr. (Bridgeton) 185-0
2012 … Braheme Days Jr. (Bridgeton) 170-8
2011 … Braheme Days Jr. (Bridgeton) 177-5
2010 … George Ebinger (Barnegat) 153-0
2009 … Kevin Hebron (Middle Twp.) 149-9
2007 … Steve Hague (Buena) 164-7
2006 … James Woodley (Schalick) 147-0
2005 … Kevin Glover (Gateway) 145-7
2004 … James Owens (Bridgeton) 145-0
2003 … Duane Sanders (Cinnaminson) 142-10
2002 … John Belknap (Haddonfield) 157-5
2001 … Omar Waliyyudin (Sterling) 156-2
1999 … John Spruill (Deptford) 153-5
1998 … John Spruill (Deptford) 160-5
1997 … Terrin Walker (Bridgeton) 154-4
1996 … Joe Howe (Delran) 157-9
1995 … Matt Klaus (Haddon Twp.) 166-9
1994 … Frank Moore (Middle Twp.) 158-4
1993 … Bill Duff (Delran) 146-3
1992 … Dave Sporel (Kingsway) 150-9
1991 … Lewis Pierce (Salem) 142-9
1990 … Chris Robinson (P.G.) 151-11
1988 … James Davidson (Cinnaminson) 152-4
1987 … John Skikus (Manchester) 147-7
1986 … Rob McMullen (NBC) 159-5
1985 … Rob McMullen (NBC) 140-8 

Here’s the updated all-time South Jersey list:

216-11 … Ron Dayne [Overbrook], 1996
199-  6 … Braheme Days Jr. [Bridgeton], 2013
197-  0 … James Plummer [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2013
192-  5 … Josh Awotunde [Delsea], 2013
189-  7 … Ray Wilks [Bridgeton], 1995
185-11 … John Mooers [Middle Twp.], 2015
185-10 … Russ Willett [Penns Grove], 1985
185-  7 … Matthew Huckabee [Timber Creek], 2010
185-  5 … Ken Manahan [Deptford], 1976
184-  4 … Adam Hunt [Collingswood], 2017
184-  3 … Kamron Kobolak [Cinnaminson], 2018
181-10 … Jason Winrow [Cumberland Reg.], 1989
180-  3 … Howard Clark [Pennsauken], 1998

And the updated all-time Burlington County list:

184- 3 … Kamron Kobolak [Cinnaminson]
174- 4 … Dennis Norman [Cherokee], 1997
171-10 … Alex Lewis [Delran], 2000
171-10 … Steve Muse [Kennedy], 1984
171- 6 … Rashaun Graves [Willingboro], 2013
171-10 … John McNeill [Kennedy], 1976
170- 4 … Kurtis Johnson [Burlington Twp.], 1989
169- 8 … Ell Ash [Willingboro], 2004
169- 7 … Chuck Spinner [Willingboro], 1979
169- 2 … Greg Hardy [Kennedy], 1989
168- 3 … Tom VonReichbauer [Moorestown], 2000
167- 6 … Gil Winters [Willingboro], 1990
166- 0 … Geoff Smith [Shawnee], 1990
165- 4 … Barry Dickinson [Willingboro], 1981
164-10 … Ray Stinsman [Lenape], 2010
164- 8 … Manny Lewis [Willingboro], 2018
164- 2 … Donnell Hayden [Bordentown], 2007
163- 6 … Frank Allen [Holy Cross], 2008
164- 4 … Joe Howe [Delran], 1996
160- 6 … Luke Adams [Cinnaminson], 2018
160- 3 … Tom Vonreichbauer [Moorestown], 2000

Rancocas Valley senior Aaliyah Taylor won the 400 at sectionals in 2016 in 55.79. And on Friday? She won the 400 at sectionals in … 55.79.

Taylor, finally healthy after a difficult junior year, matched her lifetime outdoor PR Friday when she won the South Jersey Group 4 400 by a second over Eastern sophomore Jewel Ash, who ran 56.81.

Taylor ran 55.21 to win the 2017 Easterns title at the Armory, but the 55.79 is her outdoor PR and she’s now done it twice.

Taylor won Group 4 sectional and state titles indoors in the 400 and was third in the Meet of Champions. She placed second to Egg Harbor’s Lauren Princz in the 100 final Friday and will run the 200 on Saturday.

The 400 was very fast, with all six medalists running sub-59 and four girls under 58.

Burlington Township freshman Sheriyah Nutt registered two massive PRs and won the 100-meter dash Friday at the Central Jersey Group 3 sectional meet at Jackson Liberty.

Nutt arrived at sectionals Friday with a 100 PR of 12.63 from the BCSL Liberty Division meet earlier this month.

But she ran 12.45 to lead all qualifiers into the final, where she ran 12.21 and finished two meters ahead of second-place Emma Faivre of West Windsor.

Her time is fastest this year by a New Jersey freshman. Egg Harbor’s Lauren Princz has run 12.27.

Nutt’s time virtually ties the Burlington Township school record of 12.0 hand-timed by Tina Johnson in 1995. Her time is No. 11 in Burlington County history, just 2-100ths out of the top 10.

She’s the first Burlington Township girl ever to win an individual sectional title as a freshman, although Township did have two freshmen — Rachel Palacio and Janine Jones — on a 1,600-meter relay team that won the 1995 South Jersey Group 1 sectional title. Charmelle Brooks and Johnson were also on that team.

11.42 … Michelle Glover [Willingboro], 1981
11.61 … Amandi Rhett [Moorestown], 1998
11.82 … Annie Johnson [Shawnee], 2011
11.95 … Aliyah Taylor [Rancocas Valley], 2017
12.05 … Any Ward [Moorestown], 2000
12.08 … Kim Hargrove [Willingboro], 1996
12.11 … Michelle Brown [Seneca], 2009
12.11 … Nia Lawrence [Pemberton], 2012
12.15 … ReJeana Marigna [Palmyra], 2008
12.19 … Alivia Scott [Northern Burlington], 2016
12.21 … Sheriyah Nutt [Burlington Twp.], 2018
12.23 … Morgan Gordon [Rancocas Valley], 2009
12.24 … Aaliyah Courtney [Willingboro], 2012
12.25 … *Halimah Bashir [Willingboro], 2002

A few days ago we wrote about Shawnee sophomores Claire Hauser and Isabella Turner’s big 1,600-meter breakthroughs at Haddonfield Distance Night. That story is here.

That was nothing compared to what they did Friday.

Hauser and Turner both recorded huge PRs and finished 1-2 in the 1,600 at the South Jersey Group 4 meet at Washington Township.

Hauser ran 5:05.21 and Turner 5:06.15, edging Kingsway senior Kyle Anicic, who ran 5:07.11. Cherokee’s Kate Rathman made it three Burlington County sophomores under 5:10, taking fourth in a PR of her own – 5:09.86.

The 1-2 finish was the first for the Shawnee girls in any event at sectionals in 21 years, since Lisa Setter and Taylor Van Acker went 1-2 in the 1,600-meter run at the 1997 Group 4 sectionals in West Deptford. Setter won in 5:10.7 and Van Acker was second in 5:11.6.

Turner’s previous PR was 5:12.68 and Hauser 5:13.22, both last week at Haddonfield. The only faster time in South Jersey this year is the 5:04.50 that Seneca’s Sydney Warner ran Friday at the South Jersey Group 3 race at Delsea.

The only faster Burlington County sophomore in the last 10 years was Lenape’s Megan Quimby, who ran 5:02.04 at the 2015 District Cup.

Here’s our best attempt at an all-time Shawnee 1,600 list, with every time under 5:10:

4:56.81 … Julia Despirito, 2014
5:01.48 … Casey Doyle, 2008
5:01.5h … Liz Moore, 1993
5:03.69 … Nina Bendixen, 2015
5:03.8h … Deanna Germano, 1985
5:05.21 … Claire Hauser, 2018
5:06.15 … Isabella Turner, 2018
5:07.11 … Jenna Darcy, 1999
5:07.61 … Moran Arena, 2015
5:09.21 … Lisa Setter, 1997
5:09.46 … Kristen Niedrach, 2010

Jessica Woodard recorded the second-best shot put of the competition at NCAA Division 1 West Regionals Thursday to advance to the NCAA Championships next month.

Woodard fouled on her first attempt but threw 56-11 1/2 on her second and 54-4 1/2 on her third to finish behind only Arizona State senior Maggie Ewen, the defending NCAA champion, who had throws of 62-4 1/2 and 62-9 1/4.

The top 12 finishers from two regional meets advanced to NCAAs June 6-9 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

Including the 12 qualifiers from the East Regional in Tampa, Woodard will be seeded sixth at nationals, although she’s only 5 1/2 inches out of second.

Woodard has a season-best of 59-3 1/2 from this year’s Big 12 meet and a career best of 60-2 3/4 from last year’s Big 12 meet.

Woodard, an Oklahoma post-grad senior out of Cherokee High School, is a five-time NCAA All-America in the shot. She’ll throw the discus on Friday and starts out as the No. 8 seed with a season-best of 190-9.