Pennsauken ran the fastest 800-meter relay by a South Jersey school in 16 years Friday at Boston Nationals.

The team of freshman KaRon Ali, junior Bronze Whitmore, junior Elijah Jennings and senior Premier Wynn ran 1:28.77 and placed 11th in a loaded field at The Track at New Balance in Brighton, Mass.

That’s fastest by a South Jersey school since Camden ran 1:28.48 at the 2007 Hispanic Games at the Armory.

It’s also No. 7 in South Jersey history and No. 18 in state history.

Despite running one of the fastest times in state history, Pennsauken missed advancing to the final by 10-100ths of a second.

All-Time New Jersey 4×200 List
1:26.90 … Camden, 2004
1:27.04 … Union Catholic, 2014
1:27.60 … Vineland, 2004
1:27.80 … Union Catholic, 2013
1:27.80 … East Orange, 2017
1:27.89 … Nottingham, 2020
1:28.0h … Edgewood, 2001
1:28.35 … Union Catholic, 2008
1:28.35 … Trenton, 2008
1:28.45 … Camden, 2002
1:28.46 … Lenape, 2000
1:28.46 … Trenton, 2012
1:28.48 … Camden, 2007
1:28.62 … Plainfield, 2001
1:28.73 … Trenton, 2008
1:28.74 … Elizabeth, 2019
1:28.76 … East Orange, 2018
1:28.77 … Pennsauken, 2023
1:28.77 … The Lawrenceville School, 2011
1:28.81 … Franklin Twp., 2016
1:28.85 … West Orange, 2012
1:28.87 … Toms River North, 2023
1:28.91 … Camden, 2000
1:28.7h … Trenton, 2003
1:28.95 … Irvington, 2006

All-Time South Jersey 4×200 List
1:26.90 … Camden, 2004
1:27.60 … Vineland, 2004
1:28.0h … Edgewood, 2001
1:28.45 … Camden, 2002
1:28.46 … Lenape, 2000
1:28.48 … Camden, 2007
1:28.77 … Pennsauken, 2023
1:28.91 … Camden, 2000
1:29.06 … Oakcrest, 2012
1:29.17 … Camden, 2001
1:29.29 … Rancocas Valley, 2017
1:29.52 … Vineland, 2003
1:29.57 … Camden, 1997
1:29.61 … Camden, 1999
1:29.72 … Timber Creek, 2013
1:29.74 … Pennsauken, 2016
1:29.80 … Deptford, 2023
1:29.81 … Pennsauken, 2022
1:29.87 … Timber Creek, 2016
1:29.92 … Deptford, 2017
1:29.92 … Deptford, 2018
1:29.97 … Pleasantville, 2008

We have our first outdoor result of the year!

Delsea graduate Jake Nwosu, a sophomore at Army West Point, threw 164-9 and placed 5th in the discus at the Beach Opener 2023 at Jack Rose Track in Long Beach, Calif.

Nwosu only got off two legal throws – a 162-2 on his 1st attempt and the 164-9 on his 4th – but still missed his PR by less than four feet. Nwosu has a lifetime best of 168-8 from the West Point Twilight last April.

Nwosu did PR in the hammer throw with a 163-3 for 11th place. His previous PR was a 157-4 from the Lehigh Invite in Bethlehem last April.

Despite losing his senior year to COVID, Nwosu threw 173-3 at Delsea when he won Group 2 sectionals at Delesea in 2019 on his way to the state Group 2 title.

Before we get started with nationals, one last note from the Meet of Champions.

Three South Jersey girls finished in the top 12 and all three ran PRs.

Thanks to a 34.69 final lap, Paul VI junior Shaelan McNally placed 7th in 5:01.74, Cherokee sophomore Megan Niglio finished just behind her in 9th with a 5:03.21 and her teammate, junior Kerry O’Day, ran 5:04.01 for 12th.

McNally’s previous indoor PR was a 5:05.60 from the Bubble last month and her overall PR was 5:02.10 from the South Jersey Elite at Delsea in May.

Niglio had an indoor and overall PR of 5:08.16 from last year’s state Group 4 meet at the Bubble, and her fastest time this year had been a 5:08.56, also at states.

And O’Day PR’d for the second meet in a row, breaking her lifetime best indoors or out of 5:07.07 from states last month. Her PR before that was a 5:11.30 last May at Holmdel.

They now rank 21st, 26th and 31st on the all-time South Jersey list. Niglio and O’Day are the 4th and 5th Cherokee girtls to break 5:05 indoors.

Interestingly, the two-fastest indoor Paul VI milers in school history are returning in 2023. Macy Huber ran 5:12.76 at states, making her the No. 1 freshman in South Jersey (and No. 3 in the state).

Paul VI’s outdoor school record for 1,600 meters remains Dawn Cody’s 4:55.9 when she placed 2nd to Michelle Rowen of Washington Township at the 1982 Meet of Champions at Princeton’s Palmer Stadium.

McNally, Niglio and O’Day will all racing this weekend. In Boston, Niglio and O’Day are both on Cherokee’s 4-mile relay team and 3,200-meter relay team. McNally will be in New York racing the 5,000.

Here’s a look at every South Jersey girl who’s run sub-5:05 indoors:

4:41.52y … Michelle Rowen [Wash. Twp.], 1983
4:49.46y … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2001
4:51.60 … Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 2016
4:53.36 … Lindsey Kane [Washington Twp.], 2014
4:53.85 … Nicole Clifford [Cherokee], 2022
4:54.58 … Celine Mazzi [Delsea], 2014
4:55.04y … Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], 2010
4:56.1h,y … Ruth Lockbaum [Glassboro], 1985
4:57.12 … Megan Quimby [Lenape], 2015
4:57.72 … Caitlin Orr [Lenape], 2010
4:58.48 … Natalia Ocasio [Lenape], 2010
4:59.29 … Julia Despirito [Shawnee], 2014
4:59.39 … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2012
5:00.17 … Aubrey Pierontoni [Kingsway], 2022
5:00.39 … Lisa Burkholder, 2004
5:00.78y … Monica Olkowski [Cherokee], 1990
5:00.81 … Vickie Ajimoko [Williamstown], 2014
5:01.96 … Rachel Vick [Kingsway], 2017
5:01.96 … Grace Wassell [Highland], 2022
5:01.21 … Julianna Catania [Egg Harbor], 2016
5:01.74 … Shaelan McNally [Paul VI], 2023
5:01.86 … Kristen Niedrach [Shawnee], 2012
5:02.21 … Shelby Cain [Haddonfield], 2014
5:02.83 … Felicia O’Donnell [Delsea], 2011
5:02.92 … Allie Pierontoni [Kingsway], 2020
5:03.21 … Megan Niglio [Cherokee], 2023
5:03.50 … Bridget Flynn [Ocean City], 2014
5:03.81 … Maria Ruiz [Williamstown], 2009
5:03.82 … Allison Colflesh [Haddonfield], 2020
5:03.97 … Camille Franklin [Lenape], 2014
5:04.01 … Kerry O’Day [Cherokee], 2023
5:04.13 … Alyssa Aldridge [Mainland Reg.], 2017
5:04.24 … Sarah Naticchia [Haddonfield], 2020
5:04.48 … Kara Bonner [Shawnee], 2016
5:04.54 … Mia Spinella [Haddonfield], 2010
5:04.69 … Alyssa Condell [Timber Creek], 2017

I was hoping to put together a complete list of every South Jersey athlete headed to one of the two national championship meets this weekend.

When it comes to track and field, things are never as easy as they should be.

The list for the New York meet at the Armory should be fairly complete – the entire entry file can be downloaded off their web site as a *.pdf.

The problem is the Boston meet. This happens every year, but the entries cut off on the right side of the page so they’re virtually unreadable. Why haven’t they ever fixed it? Why don’t they just use a more narrow font? Probably for the same reason there are two simultaneous meets calling themselves nationals. Which doesn’t do anybody any good except the shoe companies who sponsor the meets.

In any case, between that and the club names that some high schools use and the number of unattached athletes, finding all the South Jersey people headed for Boston wasn’t easy.

But here’s my best attempt at a complete list. Please let me know of any omissions in the comment section and I’ll add them as I get them.

Boston Nationals start Thursday and New York Nationals Friday.

Here are links to where the live results will be posted:

Boston Nationals live results.
New York Nationals live results.

New York Nationals
BOYS
Haddon Heights [Jack Bolling, Jonathan Hastings, Matthew Iuvara, Colin Patterson], Distance Medley
Cinnaminson [Derek Coceano, **Ryan Malinowski, Matt McCarron, Alex Boyko], Distance Medley
*Lloyd Shambry [Gateway], Emerging Elite 60-Meter Dash
Ryan Smith [Rancocas Valley], Emerging Elite Mile
Samuel Agbessi [Sterling], Emerging Elite 60-Meter Hurdles
*Alexander Hollimom [Williamstown], Emerging Elite 60-Meter Hurdles
Northern Burlington [Joredan Wilkerson, Bryan Carroll, Darryl Pitt, Sadiq Love], Emerging Ellite 800-Meter Relay
Egg Harbor Township [Ryan Taylor,*Chris Manzo, *Amir Halim, *Chase Mazur], Emerging Elite 800-Meter Relay
*David Godbolt [Rancocas Valley], Emerging Elite, High Jump
*David Godbolt [Rancocas Valley], Emerging Elite, Triple Jump
*Cartrell Moore [Glassboro], Emerging Elite, Triple Jump
Quinn Burnett [Deptford], Emerging Elite, Shot Put
Carter Kensil [Glassboro], Emerging Elite, Shot Put
Anthony Liakhnovich [Hammonton], Emerging Elite, Shot Put
***Xavier Bancroft [Rancocas Valley], Freshman 60-Meter Hurdles
***Thomas Howard [Rancocas Valley], Freshman 400-Meter Dash
***Logan Bromley [Cherokee], Freshman Mile
***Dominic Burgio [Williamstown], Freshman Mile
***Ryan Gibson [Haddonfield], Freshman Mile

GIRLS
**Sofia Day [Mainland Regional], 800-Meter Run
**Sofia Day [Mainland Regional], Emerging Elite Mile
**Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 5,000-Meter Run
Shaelan McNally [Paul VI], 5,000-Meter Run
Shaelan McNally [Paul VI], Emerging Elite Mile
Ava Thomas [Haddonfield], 5,000-Meter Run
Helene Usher [Haddonfield], 5,000-Meter Run
Kingsway [Aubrey Pierontoni, **Camryn Stanard, *Kay Wiscount, Nicole Lipieta], Distance Medley
Kingsway [Aubrey Pierontoni, Nicole Lipieta, *Kay Wiscount, **Rachel Wiley], Emerging Elite 1,600-Meter Relay
Clayton [***Marina Perdue, *Mirrah Perdue, Rayael Marshall, Ciera Smith], Shuttle Hurdles
Clayton [Erica Thomas, Kelsey Thomas, *Alanna Woolfolk, **Leila Ortiz], Emerging Elite 800-Meter Relay
*Alanna Woolfolk [Clayton], High Jump
**Miyana Johnson [Clayton], Emerging Elite 60-Meter Dash
*Chloe Kamp [Haddonfield], Emerging Elite 60-Meter Dash
**Jonnelle Lewis [Kingsway], Emerging Elite 60-Meter Dash
Alexis Tepper [Cherry Hill], Emerging Elite 800-Meter Run
Aniya Bush [Williamstown], Emerging Elite 60-Meter Hurdles
Emma Crozier-Carole [Mainlande Regional], Emerging Elite 60-Meter Hurdles
Rayael Marshall [Clayton], Emerging Elite 60-Meter Hurdles
Rancocas Valley [*Adrienne Austin, *Nyla Byrd, **Cecelia King, ***Damanique Johnston], Emerging Elite 800-Meter Relay
Cherry Hill East [*Nadia McGinnis, Alexis Tepper, **Janell Mordi, *Giuliana Puglisi], Emerging Elite 1,600-Meter Relay
*Lauren Fadairo [Rancocas Valley], Emerging Elite High Jump
*Lauren Fadairo [Rancocas Valley], Emerging Elite High Jump
**Miyana Johnsonb [Clayton], Emerging Elite High Jump
***Damanique Johnston [Rancocas Valley], Freshman 60-Meter Dash
***Leeya Joseph [???], Freshman 60-Meter Dash
***Marina Perdue [Clayton], Freshman 60-Meter Dash
***Macy Huber [Collingswood], Freshman Mile

BOSTON NATIONALS
BOYS
Premier Wynn [Pennsauken], 200-Meter Dash
*Nasir Ali [Timber Creek], 400-Meter Dash
Lathan Brown [Deptford], 400-Meter Dash
Kanye Mills [Washington Twp.], 400-Meter Dash
Bryce Tucker [Pennsauken], 400-Meter Dash
*Yashahya Brown [Washington Twp.], 60-Meter Hurdles
*Eric Foster [Willingboro], 60-Meter Hurdles
Kanye Mills [Washington Twp.], 60-Meter Hurdles
Bryce Tucker [Pennsauken], 60-Meter Hurdles
Deptford, 800-Meter Relay
Pennsauken, 800-Meter Relay
Winslow Twp., 800-Meter Relay
Highland [*Cortland Webb, Gavin Gallo, Jake Smith, Cole Knoedler], 3,200-Meter Relay
Highland [*Cortland Webb, Gavin Gallo, Jake Smith, Cole Knoedler], 4-Mile Relay
Pennsauken [***KaRon Ali, *Ladanian McGrath, Premier Wynn, Bryce Tucker], 1,600-Meter Relay
Pennsauken [*Elijah Jennings, *Bronze Whitmore, Premier Wynn, Bryce Tucker], Sprint Medley Relay
Lenape [Sean Brennan, Will Whalen, **Noah Manwaring, Colin Hermac, 4-Mile Relay
Deptford [Lathan Brown, *Manny Perdue, *DayShaun Day, **Ryan Sanchez], Shuttle Hurdles
Washington Twp. [Kanye Mills, *Zachary Kotel, **Nico DiGiacomo, *Yashahya Brown], Shuttle Hurdles
Winslow Twp. [Jamil Peterson, **Cameron Miller, Jaylen Wall, Uchechukwu Ajaegbulemh], Shuttle Hurdles
*Derrick Robinson [Cinnaminson], High Jump
Malicah Etienne [Cinnaminson], Shot Put
Nick Scarangelli [Ocean City], Rising Stars Mile
Nicholas Krol [Williamstown], Rising Stars 2-Mile
Deptford [Kevin Mosley, **Kamari Brown, *Carl Carter, *Sean Nieves], Rising Stars 800-Meter Relay
Washington Twp. [*Yashahya Brown, Miles Reed, John Santos, John Williams], Rising Stars 800-Meter Relay
Winslow Twp. [**Cameron Miller, Ejani Shakir, Quentin Pratt-Adams, Christian Munford], Rising Stars 800-Meter Relay
Cherry Hill East [**Brody Bogos, *Raine Guidarelli, Peter Tepper, Michael McCurdy], Rising Stars 3,200-Meter Relay
Washington Twp. [Kanye Mills, Colin Keane, Aaron Kolowsky, **Hunter Bostwick], Rising Stars 3,200-Meter Relay
Winslow Twp. [**Cameron Miller, Quentin Pratt-Adams, Ejani Shakir, **Dominic Bassey], Rising Stars Sprint Medley
Cherry Hill [**Nikhil Raman, ** Ben Matthews, Peter Tepper, Michael McCurdy], Rising Stars Distance Medley
Ocean City [*Matt Hoffman, *Luke Halbruner, **Kal Heyman, *Nick Scarangelli], Rising Stars Distance Medley
*Ryan Merlino [Oakcrest], Rising Stars Pole Vault

GIRLS
*Naylah Jones [Timber Creek], 60-Meter Dash
***Sianni Wynn [Pennsauken], 60-Meter Dash
*Naylah Jones [Timber Creek], 200-Meter Dash
*Chloe Jones [Timber Creek], 400-Meter Dash
***Sianni Wynn [Pennsauken], 400-Meter Dash
**Sofia Day [Mainland Reg.], 800-Meter Run
Shaelan McNally [Paul VI], 2-Mile Run
Abigail Waddington [Clearview], 2-Mile Run
Johnay Stilley [Eastern], 60-Meter Hurdles
Timber Creek [*Chloe Jones, **Billie Frazier, *Nyla Jones, *Naylah Jones], 1,600-Meter Relay
Cherokee [**Megan Niglio, *Kerry O’Day ***Madeline Meder, Kelsey Niglio,], 3,200-Meter Relay
Cherokee [***Madeline Meder, Kelsey Niglio, **Megan Niglio, *Kerry O’Day], 4-Mile Relay
Cherokee [*Madison Van Haren, **Emily Butler, Erin Devaney, Kelsey Niglio], Distance Medley
Ocean City [Elaina Styer, **Annamaria Marczyk, ***Callie Duff, *Sophia Curtis], Shuttle Hurdles
Winslow [Janelle Marshall, ***Ma’Syiah Brawner, *Sierra Handy, Kamryn Holness], Shuttle Hurdles
Elaina Styer [Ocean City], High Jump
Alanna Woolfolk [Clayton], High Jump
*Sophia Curtis [Ocean City], Triple Jump
**Sofia Day [Mainland Reg.], Rising Stars Mile
*Michaela Schlemo [Mainland Reg.], Rising Stars 2 Mile
***My’Syiah Brawner [Winslow Twp.], Rising Stars 60-Meter Hurdles
Janelle Marshall [Winslow Twp.], Rising Stars 60-Meter Hurdles
Winslow Twp. [Briyel Brown, Janelle Marshall, Kamryn Holness, ***Olivia Okaro], Rising Stars 800-Meter Relay
Winslow Twp. [**Ava Millner, ***Olivia Okaro, Ciara Wiltshire, Kamryn Holness], Rising Stars 1,600-Meter Relay
Mainland Reg. [**Sofia Day, *Gillian Lovett, ***Emma Preissman, **Ava McDole], Rising Stars 3,200-Meter Relay
Winslow Twp. [Briyel Brown, Janelle Marshall, Alana Henry, **Ava Millner], Rising Stars Sprint Medley
Kamryn Cieslik [Paul VI], Rising Stars High Jump
***Madeline Meder [Cherokee], Freshman Mile
***Ma’Syiah Brawner [Winslow], Freshman Long Jump
***Chantina Walker [Winslow], Freshman Long Jump

Lumberton’s Greg Foster, a Princeton freshman, and Cherry Hill East’s Maya Drayton, a junior at Georgetown, will represent South Jersey this weekend at the NCAA Division 1 Championships at the Albuquerque Convention Cente in New Mexico.

Foster is the only freshman who made the field of 16 long jumpers. He’s the No. 11 seed with his PR of 25-10 ¾ that he hit at the Wesley A. Brown Invitational in January in Annapolis.

Foster is undefeated in the long jump this year and hasn’t lost a long jump competition since May of 2021, when he placed 2nd in the Mid-Atlantic Prep League Championships at the Peddie School in Hightstown, where he jumped 21-6 and took 2nd to Lawrenceville School teammate Bob Fish, who hit a PR of 22-0 ¼.

Foster also triple jumped 50-7 ½ and ran the hurdles in 7.89 this winter. He’s already No. 2 in school history in the long jump, No. 3 in the hurdles and No. 9 in the triple jump.

He’s Princeton’s first long jumper to reach indoor NCAAs since Ugwunna Ikpeowo in 1995. The last South Jersey athlete from Princeton to compete in NCAAs was Haddonfield’s Greta Feldman, who placed 5th in the 1,500 in 2012 in 4:14.76.

Drayton is expected to run the 400 leg on Georgetown’s distance medley, which is also seeded 11th.

The Hoyas set a school record and meet record with a 10:54.18 at the Alex Wilson Invitational at Notre Dame last month. That broke the record of 10:54.77 at Penn State in 2016 (the leadoff on that team was Andrea Keklek, whose sister Hannah was the zookeeper at the Boston Zoo in charge of Foles the goat following the Eagles’ Super Bowl win over the Patriots – you can read about that here)

Drayton PR’d last month when she won the Big East Championships in Chicago with a 54.44, No. 7 in Georgetown history. She’s the first Georgetown woman to win a Big East 400 title since Deseree King in 2014 and the first South Jersey girl to win a Big East title for Georgetown since Ocean City’s Renee Tomlin won the 1,000 in 2:46.32 in 2009.

Georgetown’s likely DMR lineup has 2:04 half-miler Melissa Riggins leading off, Drayton on the 400, 2:00 half-miler Katy-Ann McDonald on the 800 and 4:34 miler Grace Jensen anchoring.

The women’s distance medley is scheduled for 5:45 p.m. Friday. The long jump is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday.

For complete entry lists, click here for men and here for women.

Oakcrest junior Ryan Merlino did some clutch last-attempt pole vaulting Sunday, clearing 14-0 and 14-6 on his final attempts on his way to 4th place at the 55th annual Meet of Champions at Ocean Breeze.

Merlino took a whopping 15 jumps, clearing 12-0 on his 2nd attempt, 12-6 on his 1st, 13-0 on his 2nd, 13-6 on his 1st and then 14-0 and 14-6 on his 3rd. He took three tries at 15-0. Hunterdon Central senior Damian Scouloukas won the event at 15-0 (and also won the triple jump in a crazy and unprecedented double).

Merlino moved into a tie for the No. 13 mark in South Jersey history and No. 2 in Atlantic County history, behind only Absegami’s Brandon Kurtz, who cleared 14-6 ¼ in 1991 (and for the life of me I can’t find what meet).

Merlino is the first Oakcrest boy to medal at the indoor Meet of Champions since 2013, when Chase Toliver took 2nd in the hurdles in 7.54, Ishmael Muhammad placed 4th in the 800 in 1:53.68 and Daniel Jefferson was 4th in the high jump with a 6-4.

Last spring, Merlino had a 13-6 clearance at the Atlantic County Championships at Buena, but that was the only meet he cleared 12-0 or better. This year, he’s been a model of consistency, clearing 14 feet or better seven times, including his last six meets.

He’s the No. 1 underclassman in the state this year and the top South Jersey junior since Delsea twins Nico (15-6) and Marco (15-0) Morales in 2019.

Merlino is entered in the “Rising Stars” division of the pole vault at Boston Nationals. He’ll jump at 9 a.m. Saturday at the new facility known as The TRACK at the Boston Landing complex in Brighton, Mass.

The only other underclassman in the top eight was Willingboro junior Jackson Murry, who cleared 13-6 on his first attempt. That’s an indoor and outdoor PR for Murry.

All-Time South Jersey Indoor Pole Vault List
16-0 … Marco Morales [Delsea], 2020
15-6 … Dan Batdorf [West Deptford], 2008
15-6 … Nico Morales [Delsea], 2019
15-1 … Dylan Altland [Kinsgway], 2014
15-0 ¼ … Devon Purves [Haddonfield], 2006
15-0 … Mark Murphy [Haddonfield], 1985
15-0 … Mike Davis [Haddonfield], 2004
15-0 … Mike Rivard [Haddonfield], 2009
15-0 … Noah Kriesman [Cherry Hill East], 2021
14-11 ¼ … Tom Jeffers [Triton], 2011
14-7 … Brian Banks [Eastern], 2011
14-6 ¼ … Brandon Kurtz [Absegami], 1991
14-6 … Mike Maira [Seneca],
14-6 … Michael Oberg [Ocean City],
14-6 … Jarrod Brovero [Delsea], 2016
14-6 … Kyle Loveland [Moorestown], 2016
14-6 … Ryan Merlino [Oakcrest], 2023

Cherokee senior Kelsey Niglio raced her way into the all-time South Jersey top-10 in the 800 Sunday at the Meet of Champions at Ocean Breeze.

Niglio placed 4th in 2:14.27, fastest by any South Jersey half-miler indoors in 10 years, since Lenape’s Carly Pettipaw ran 2:14.12 at the 2012 state Group 4 meet at the Bubble, where she placed 2nd to Columbia’s Olivia Baker.

Niglio’s time is No. 7 in South Jersey history, No. 4 in Burlington County history and not far from Monica Olkowski’s hallowed school record of 2:12.46 from the 1990 Meet of Champions at Jadwin Gym, which stood as the South Jerey record until Olympian Erin Donohue of Haddonfield ran 2:10.0 at the 2001 Varsity Classic at ther Armory.

It’s also fastest by a South Jersey half-miler at the indoor Meet of Champions since another Lenape runner, Emily Duffey, ran 2:13.51 to win the 2011 meet at the Bubble.

Niglio ran 2:11.80 last spring at the state Group 4 meet at Franklin, finishing 2nd to teammate Nicole Clifford, who ran 2:11.12. But her indoor PR before Sunday was 2:15.73 from last year’s Meet of Champions, when she was 5th.

Mainland sophomore Sofia Day and Camden Catholic senior Leah Clear made it three South Jersey girls on the medal stand. Day placed 7th in 2:17.23 and Clear was 8th in 2:18.57, her 3rd straight PR race.

Day and Clear have both had terrific breakthrough seasons. Day never ran anything shorter than 3,200 meters as a freshman, and Clear hadn’t broken 2:29 before this winter.

This was the first time in 13 years three South Jersey girls placed in the top eight in a Meet of Champions 800. In the 2010 race, Washington Township’s Megan Tiernan won in 2:11.53, Delsea’s Felicia O’Donnell placed 6th in 2:17.72, Seneca’s Mary Bohi was 7th in 2:17.86 and Willingboro’s Patrice Rowe placed 8th in 2:18.58.

2:09.56 … Megan Tiernan [Washington Twp.], 2010
2:10.0h … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2001
2:12.46 … Monica Olkowski [Cherokee], 1990
2:12.55 … Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], 2010
2:13.51 … Emily Duffey [Lenape], 2011
2:14.12 … Carly Pettipaw [Lenape], 2013
2:14.27 … Kelsey Niglio [Cherokee], 2023
2:14.5h … Ruth Lockbaum [Glassboro], 1985
2:14.6h … Michelle DiMuro [Shawnee], 1985
2:14.64 … Bridget Flynn [Ocean City], 2014
2:14.99 … Kami Joi Hickson [Washington Twp.], 2017
2:15.05 … Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 2015
2:15.06 … Sydney Coppolino [Sterling], 2017
2:15.17 … Britney Kott [Millville], 2008
2:15.31 … Lindsay Colflesh [Haddonfield], 2020
2:15.46 … Tara DeBrielle [Overbrook], 2000
2:15.59 … Sofia Day [Mainland Reg.], 2023
2:15.86 … Greta Feldman [Haddonfield], 2009
2:15.89 … Kayla Martin [Seneca], 2016
2:15.90 … Felicia O’Donnell [Delsea], 2009
2:15.99 … Brooke Kott [Millville], 2008
2:15.36 … Rachel Stremme [Ocean City], 2014

His sister is one of the top sprinters in the country. His teammate is one of the fastest quarter-milers and intermediate hurdles in the country. So it’s easy to lose sight of just what a remarkable season Premier Wynn is having in his own right.

But he sure is.

Wynn was a double winner at the Meet of Champions Sunday at Ocean Breeze, taking 1st in the 200 in 21.75 – No. 3 in South Jersey history, No. 16 in state history – and running a blazing 47.53 third leg on Pennsauken’s winning 1,600-meter relay team, which ran the No. 11 time in U.S. history.

He’s the 8th South Jersey boy in the meet’s 55-year history to win an individual event and run a leg on a winning relay team, following Brian Bennett and Lee Jerkins of Edgewood in 1985, Lamont Smith of Willingboro in 1991, Rob Gary of Lenape in 1998, Danye Brown of Edgewood in 1999, Mohamad Kanu of Lenape in 2000 and Darnell Charles of Oakcrest in 2012.

For more on Pennsauken’s historic performance in the 4-by-4, click here.

BLISTERING LEGS BY PREMIER WYNN & BRYCE TUCKER LEAD PENNSAUKEN TO ALL-TIME U.S. #11 4X400 IN RIVETING MEET OF CHAMPIONS SHOWDOWN WITH SETON HALL PREP!!!!!!!!!!!!

As for the 200, Wynn won the seeded section decisively, finishing five meters ahead of the field, and 2nd through 5th place all came from a fast 4th heat. Cole Cramer of Southern Regional wound up 2nd in 22.12 out of the 4th heat. So Wynn wasn’t pushed in his one-lapper at Ocean Breeze.

This was only the 10th time the 200 has been contested at a Meet of Champions, but Wynn’s time is 2nd-fastest ever, behind only the meet-record 21.68 set in 2020 by Shamali Whittle of Nottingham, who went on to win Armory Nationals last year.

The only faster indoor 200 times in South Jersey history were recorded by Washington Township’s Todd Dutch [21.62 at 2002 Easterns at Princeton’s Jadwin Gym] and Woodbury’s Darrell Bush [21.53 at 2012 Easterns at the Armory in the only indoor 200 he ever ran].

Wynn actually broke the Camden County record in the trials at Easterns last week when he ran 21.77. That broke the county mark of 21.82 set in the prelims of the 2018 Armory Nationals by Paul VI’s Antonio Tarantino. So he broke that record for a second time in five days.

Wynn will race the open 200 at Boston Nationals this weekend and also run on Pennsauken’s 4-by-4 with freshman Ka’Ron Ali, junior Ladanian McGrath and Tucker and on the sprint medley with junior Elijah Jennings and Bronze Whitmore as well as Tucker anchoring.

The Norfolk State-bound Wynn has run 48.45 for 400 meters this winter – tied for No. 5 in state history. He’s only the 5th sprinter in New Jerey history to run sub-22 and sub-48.5 indoors:

21.34 … Adian Sanderson [Ewing], 2004 [47.76]
21.36 … Xavier Donaldson [Seton Hall Prep], 2022 [47.35]
21.37 … Taylor McLaughlin [Union Catholic], 2015 [46.80]
21.48 … Najee Glass [St. Peter’s Prep], 2012 [46.06]
21.75 … Premier Wynn [Pennsauken], 2023 [48.45]

All-Time New Jersey Indoor 200-Meter Dash List
20.90 … Mario Heslop [Franklin Twp.], 2019
21.05 … Shamali Whittle [Hamilton North], 2022
21.24 … Fitzroy Ledgister [St. Peter’s Prep], 2022
21.34 … Adian Sanderson [Ewing], 2004
21.36 … Xavier Donaldson [Seton Hall Prep], 2022
21.37 … Taylor McLaughlin [Union Catholic], 20152
21.48 … Najee Glass [St. Peter’s Prep], 2012
21.51 … Zamir Thomas [Snyder], 2010
21.53 … Darrell Bush [Woodbury], 2012
21.62 … Todd Dutch [Washington Twp.], 2002
21.63 … Brian Bucknor [St. Benedict’s], 2008
21.67 … Greg McQueen [Elizabeth], 2022
21.68 … Rahmir Johnson [Bergen Catholic], 2019
21.71 … Ty Adams [Monmouth Reg.], 1993
21.73 … Akeem Lindo [East Orange], 2017
21.75 … Premier Wynn [Pennsauken], 2023
21.76 … Louis Akpadago [Hamilton North], 2020
21.80 … Damien Miles [Teaneck], 2008
21.80 … Harmodio Cruz [South Brunswick], 2017
21.82 … Antonio Tarantino [Paul VI], 2018
21.6h … Gary Satterwhite [Rahway], 1985
21.6h … Ray Williams [Scotch Plains], 2002
21.83 … Chris Turner [Seton Hall Prep], 2001
21.83 … Jermaine Collier [Trenton], 2012
21.85 … Lamont Smith [Willingboro], 1991
21.85 … Charles Cox [Monmouth Reg.], 2006
21.86 … Antonio Abney [Willingboro], 2007
21.86 … Akheem Gauntlett [Roselle], 2008
21.89 … Reuben McCoy [Winslow Twp.], 2004
21.90 … Richie Luzzi-Liggins [St. Peter’s Prep], 2019
21.90 … Anthony Thulin [Mount Olive], 2022
21.90 … Dana Ridley [Hamilton North], 2020
21.91 … Sterling Pierce [Rancocas Valley], 2015
21.92 … Rajahn Dixon [Eastern], 2023
21.93 … Peter Frei [Freehold Boro], 1990
21.93 … Bryant McCombs [Old Bridge], 2005
21.93 … Masaki Aerts [St. Peter’s Prep], 2017
21.7h … A.J. Bunton [West Deptford], 2006
21.95 … Zyaire Clemes [Trenton], 2014
21.96 … Mike Bolling [Willingboro], 2001
21.97 … Semaj Willis [Trenton], 2017
21.99 … Ishmael Hyman [St. John Vianney], 2012

All-Time South Jersey Indoor 200-Meter Dash List
21.53 … Darrell Bush [Woodbury], 2012
21.62 … Todd Dutch [Washington Twp.], 2002
21.75 … Premier Wynn [Pennsauken], 2023
21.82 … Antonio Tarantino [Paul VI], 2018
21.85 … Lamont Smith [Willingboro], 1991
21.86 … Antonio Abney [Willingboro], 2007
21.89 … Reuben McCoy [Winslow Twp.], 2004
21.91 … Sterling Pierce [Rancocas Valley], 2015
21.92 … Rajahn Dixon [Eastern], 2023
21.7h … A.J. Bunton [West Deptford], 2006
21.96 … Mike Bolling [Willingboro], 2001
22.04 … A.J. Dawson [Holy Spirit], 2013
22.06 … Albert Newark [Camden], 1996
22.12 … Philip Reid [Rancocas Valley], 2006
22.13 … Tyriq Bundy [Deptford], 2019
22.20 … Michael Mazero [Paul VI], 2022
22.21 … Martin Booker [Pennsauken], 2017
22.0h … Dwight Ruff [Camden], 2001
22.28 … Evan Corcoran [Kingsway], 2022
22.32 … Ejani Shakir [Winslow], 2023
22.34 … Louis Smith [Burlington Twp.], 1998
22.1h … Sherron Bullock [Camden], 2003
22.37 … Joel Bartow [Lenape], 2014
22.38 … Ray Wilson [Pleasantville], 2007
22.38 … Will Rapp [Cherokee], 2009
22.40 … Curtis McIntire [Bridgeton], 1992
22.40 … Royce Reed [Bridgeton], 1994

Ocean City junior Sophia Curtis broke two more Cape May County records Sunday at the Meet of Champions at Ocean Breeze.

And they were both her own.

Curtis placed 2nd in the triple jump with a 38-8 and ran 8.33 in the trials before placing 6th in the 55-meter hurdles final.

Curtis, in her first year at Ocean City after beginning her high school career at Padua Academy in Wilmington, Del., held the previous county marks of 38-6 from a meet in February at Ocean Breeze and 8.42 from the state Group 2 meet last month at the Bubble.

Although she was already No. 2 in South Jersey history in the triple jump, she improved on her No. 2 ranking behind only Atlantic City’s Claudine Smith, who jumped 40-1 ½ at 2019 Armory Nationals.

According to the MileSplit U.S. rankings, Curtis is the No. 8 junior in the country with her 38-8.

Curtis went 37-5 on her first two jumps and then fouled before popping the 38-8 on her final attempt.

Curtis does have a slightly longer outdoor triple jump on her resume from last spring, when she hit 38-8 ¾ at the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association Meet of Champions at Salesianum.

Curtis is also the Cape May County record holder in the 400 with a 57.99 from the state Group 2 meet.

At Boston Nationals this weekend, Curtis will triple jump and anchor an Ocean City shuttle hurdles team that also includes senior Elaina Styer, sophomore Annamaria Marczyk and freshman Callie Duff.

Curtis is the first Ocean City girl to place at Meet of Champions since 2014, when Rachel Stremme placed 4^th in the 800 in 2:09.84 and Devon Grisbaum ran 6^th in the 3,200 in 10:39.15.

She’s the first Ocean City girl to finish in the top eight in two events in the same Meet of Champions since Abbey Hartman took 2^nd in the 3,200 in 11:09.81 and 8^th in the 1,600 in 5:21.88 in 1997.

And her 2^nd place in the triple jump is the 2^nd-best finish ever by a Red Raider, behind only Grisbaum’s 10:45.20 win in the 3,200 in 2015.

Mind-blowing 3rd and 4th legs by Premier Wynn and Bryce Tucker made up a 25-meter deficit on the No. 1 team in the country and Pennsauken ran the 11th-fastest time in U.S. indoor track  history Sunday at the 55th annual Meet of Champions 1,600-meter relay at Ocean Breeze

In one of the greatest performances in South Jersey track history, freshman KaRon Ali, junior Ladanian McGrath, Wynn and Tucker ran 3:15.83 in the final event of the 55th annual Meet of Champions, finishing eight meters ahead of top-seeded, U.S. No. 1 and New Jersey state record holder Seton Hall Prep of West Orange.

Seton Hall Prep broke Camden’s 22-year-old state record of 3:15.78 at the Armory last month when they ran 3:15.73 at the Millrose Games.

That’s No. 9 in U.S. indoor track history.

They were the top seed in the Meet of Champions by seven seconds over Ocean Township, and Pennsauken was the No. 4 seed with its 3:24.47 at the state Group 3 meet at the Bubble.

But Pennsauken was ready.

Ali opened with a 51.67, and even though Seton Hall Prep leadoff Ryan Matulonis got the Pirates out hot with a 48.35 split, Ali kept the Indians in the race with a terrific leadoff leg for a freshman. McGrath split 50.43, and at the second handoff Pennsauken was in 3rd in the five-team final section (but behind the pace of three schools from the fourth section).

That’s when Wynn – who had won the 200 in 21.75 – got the stick. He passed Toms River North’s third runner Jameel Matthews with 100 to go along the far straight and immediately began making up ground on Seton Hall Prep’s Xavier Donaldson, the 2nd-fastest quarter-miler in the U.S. this year, Donaldson, who had edged Tucker in the 400 in 47.35, split 48.91, but Wynn split 47.53, trimming Seton Hall Prep’s lead to 12 meters.

That set up Tucker, the two-time Meet of Champions intermediate hurdles winner coming off his South Jersey-record 47.50 in the open 400. Tucker ran patiently and smartly, gradually closing on Seton Hall Prep anchor Ryan Matulonis, passing him on the final backstretch and striding powerfully away from him off the final turn.

Matulonis had split 48.94, and Tucker made up 20 meters on him with a dazzling 46.71 split.

Pennsauken’s 3:15.73 is 4th-fastest in state history, fastest by a South Jersey school in 22 years, No. 11 in U.S. history and a meet record by more than 2 ½ seconds.

Seton Hall Prep took 2nd in 3:16.72, and both were well under the previous meet record of 3:18.26 set in 2017 by East Orange at the Bubble.

The fastest previous 4-by-4 at an indoor Meet of Champs by a South Jersey school was Oakcrest’s winning 3:20.53 in 2012. Pennsauken beat that by nearly five seconds.

All-Time U.S. Indoor 4-by-4 List
3:12.53 … Bulls School, Potomac, Md., 2019 [VA Showcase, Liberty University, Lynchburg, Va.]
3:13.06 … New Bern (N.C.), 2009 [New Balance Invite, Armory]
3:13.34 … Muir, Pasadena, Calif., 1996 [Nationals, Reggie Lewis Center, Boston]
3:13.68 … Muir, Pasadena, Calif., 1997 [Nationals, Reggie Lewis Center, Boston]
3:15.12 … Boys and Girls, Brooklyn, N.Y., 2012 [New Balance Invitational, Armory]
3:15.23 … DeMatha Catholic, Hyattsville, Md., 2011 [New Balance Nationals, Armory]
3:15.31 … Monteverde (Fla.) Academy, Florida/Georgia Challenge, 2023 [Alachua County Sports and Event Center, Gainesville, Fla.]
3:15.53 … Union Catholic, Scotch Plains, N.J., 2014 [New Balance Nationals, Armory]
3:15.73 … Seton Hall Prep, 2023 [Millrose Games, Armory]
3:15.78 … Camden, 2001 [Easterns, Jadwin Gym, Princeton]
3:15.83 … Pennsauken, 2023 [Meet of Champions, Ocean Breeze, Staten Islsand]

All-Time New Jersey 1,600-Meter Relay List
3:15.73 … Seton Hall Prep, 2023
3:15.78 … Camden, 2001
3:15.53 … Union Catholic, 2014
3:15.83 … Pennsauken, 2023
3:16.09 … East Orange, 2017
3:16.31 … Union Catholic, 2013
3:16.40 … Lenape, 2000
3:16.48 … Old Bridge, 2014
3:16.60 … East Orange, 2018
3:16.5h … Vineland, 2003
3:17.0h … Trenton, 2003
3:17:15 … Vineland, 2003
3:17.26 … Camden, 2000
3:18.36 … St. Benedict’s, 2019
3:18.45 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2017
3:18.46 … Winslow Twp, 2003
3:18.49 … Old Bridge, 2006
3:18.76 … Seton Hall Prep, 2022
3:18.78 … Union Catholic, 2020
3:18.90 … Pleasantville, 2007
3:19.01 … Metuchen, 1997
3:19.09 … Union, 2020
3:19.1h … Asbury Park, 1978
3:19.34 … Camden, 2004
3:19.36 … Seton Hall, 2005
3:19.40 … Christian Brothers Academy, 2012
3:19.42 … Camden, 2002
3:19.47 … Montclair, 1984
3:19.53 … Plainfield, 1985
3:19.82 … Weequahic, 1992
3:19.99 … Rahway, 2009

All-Time Meet of Champions 4-by-4 List
3:15.83 … Pennsauken, 2023 [1]
3:16.72 … Seton Hall Prep, 2023 [2]
3:18.26 … East Orange, 2017 [1]
3:18.78 … Union Catholic, 2020 [1]
3:19.09 … Union, 2020 [2]
3:19.70 … Union Catholic, 2014 [1]
3:20.53 … Oakcrest, 2012 [1]
3:20.54 … Old Bridge, 2014 [2]
3:20.98 … Jackson Memorial, 2020 [3]
3:21.16 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2017 [2]
3:21.19 … Toms River North, 2023 [3]
3:21.64 … Winslow, 2013 [1]
3:22.18 … Trenton, 2023 [4]
3:22.1h … Seton Hall Prep, 1970 [1]
3:22.42 … Monmouth, 2007 [1]
3:22.44 … Camden, 2001 [1]
3:22.3h … Snyder, 1971 [1]
3:22.87 … Montclair, 2020 [4]
3:22.84 … Christian Brothers, 2012 [2]
3:22.75 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2016 [1]
3:22.96 … Trenton, 2007 [2]
3:23.02 … Rahway, 2009 [1]
3:23.12 … Cherry Hill East, 2012 [3]
3:23.20 … Christian Brothers, 2023 [5]
3:23.31 … Paul VI, 2016 [2]
3:23.40 … Cherokee, 2012 [4]
3:23.42 … Winslow, 2009 [2]
3:23.47 … Columbia, 2009 [3]
3:23.48 … Christian Brothers, 2013 [2]
3:23.52 … Franklin Twp., 2014 [3]
3;23.58 … Passaic County Tech, 2020 [5]
3:23.68 … Ocean Township, 2023 [6]