Winning back-to-back Meet of Champions titles is a monster accomplishment in any year. But doing it when those titles were separated by a year without a meet is even crazier.

But that’s what Highland senior Floyd Whitaker did Saturday.

Whitaker, who won the 2019 Meet of Champions triple jump at Northern Burlington, won it again Saturday at South Plainfield at the 52nd annual M-of-C. Only the pandemic and the cancelled 2020 meet prevented him from a likely three-peat.

Whitaker jumped 49-7 on his final attempt and won by nearly two feet over Sincere Robinson of Essex County Tech, second in 47-10.

Whitaker had the four-best jumps of the competition and averaged 48-3 3/4 on his six legal jumps. 

In addition to his 49-7, he had consecutive jumps of 48-7 1/2, 48-9 and 48-8 3/4 on his second, third and fourth attempts.

Whitaker’s 49-7 is the No. 6 jump in meet history and No. 8 in the U.S. this year, according to the MileSplit database.

Whitaker is entered in both the long jump and triple jump at the National Scholastic Championships, scheduled for June 30-July 3 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

Whitaker also jumped 6-4 for seventh in the high jump Saturday.

All-Time Meet of Champions Performance List
50-2 1/2 … Floyd Whitaker, Highland Regional, 2019
49-11 3/4 … Myles Hartsfield, Sayreville, 2014
49-11 1/2 … Devin Jones, Boonton, 2010
49-11 1/4 … Eric Bethea, Piscataway, 2015
49-7 1/4 … Dodley Thermitus, Elizabeth, 2016
49-7 ……… Whitaker, 2021 
49-4 3/4 … Tiquan Underwood, Notre Dame, 2005
49-4 ¼ … Chris Phipps, Lodi, 2008
48-10 … Devon Bond, Trenton, 2007
48-10 … Dominique Irons, Haddon Heights, 2013
48-10 … Adam Bergo, Westfield, 2008
48-9 1/2 … Khaliel Burnett, Delsea, 2017
48-9.25 … Richmond Shasha, Hamilton West, 2019

Whitaker is the 22nd South Jersey boy in the meet’s 52-year history to win the same event twice. Here’s a look at that star-studded list!

Isaac Samuels [Kennedy], Long Jump
1982 … 24-2
1983 … 24-8

Mark Murphy [Haddonfield]. Pole Vault
1984 … 14-6
1985 … 15-0

Kenny Reynolds [Willingboro], 100-Meter Dash
1985 … 10.8
1986 … 10.77

Russell Willit [Penns Grove], Discus
1985 … 175-10
1986 … 185-9

Terry Ferguson [Cherry Hill West], High Jump
1986 … 6-8
1987 … 6-10

Gerard Reynolds [Willingboro], 110-Meter Hurdles
1989 … 14.00
1990 … 13.59

Gerard Reynolds [Willingboro], Long Jump
1989 … 24-0
1990 … 23-5 1/2

Lamont Smith [Willingboro], 400-Meter Dash
1990 … 47.78
1991 … 46.62

Dwayne Robinson [Bridgeton], High Jump
1991 … 6-8
1992 … 6-10

Ray Wilks [Bridgeton], Shot Put
1994 … 60-7
1995 … 64-5

Ron Dayne [Overbrook], Discus
1995 …201-0
1996 … 215-1

William Spearman [Wilson], Long Jump
1995: 23-4 1/4
1996: 25-0

Murad Campbell [Overbrook], 3,200-Meter Run
1997 … 9:15.66
1998 … 9:07.10
1999 … 8:58.71

Robert Jordan [Millville], High Jump
1998 … 7-0
1999 … 7-2

Anthony Miles [Winslow] Long Jump
2002 … 24-11 1/4
2003 … 24-3 1/4

Mike Morrison [Willingboro], High Jump
2002 … 7-0
2003 … 7-0

Anthony Averett [Woodbury], Long Jump
2011 … 23-0 3/4
2012 … 22-10 3/4

Dominique Irons [Haddon Heights], Triple Jump
2011 … 48-10
2013 … 48-10

Cade Antonucci [Holy Spirit], Javelin
2016 … 205-8
2017 … 220-11

Jonathan Taylor [Salem], 100-Meter Dash
2016 … 10.76
2017 … 10.64

Khaliel Burnett [Delsea], Triple Jump
2017 … 48-9 1/2
2018 … 48- 2 1/4

Floyd Whitaker [Highland], Triple Jump
2019 … 50-2 1/2
2021 … 49-7

English Gardner fell just short in her bid to make the U.S. Olympic team in the 100-meter dash.

Gardner, an Eastern Regional graduate and 2016 Olympic gold medalist, ran her fastest time in five years with a 10.96 earlier Saturday at the U.S. Olympic Trials before placing sixth in the final in 11.16 into a 1.0 meters-per-second wind.

Gardner, who set her PR of 10.74 – No. 9 in world history – at the 2016 Trials on the same Hayward Field track in Eugene, Ore., finished just 13-100ths of a second out of third place.

It will be up to the U.S. coaching staff to decide whether to include Gardner in the relay pool. Based on her long, distinguished career, years of international experience and success and steady progression this spring and summer since a difficult battle with COVID, she certainly has the resume to be considered.

Rob Moseley of Go Ducks shared some comments from Gardner from after the 100 final:

Rancocas Valley juniors Masai Byrd and Herbert Quarterman and seniors James McGhee and Isaiah Arzu finished the season in style with a win in the 400-meter relay at the Meet of Champions.

R.V. edged Montclair (42.24) and Mount Olive (42.29), with Deptford fourth in 42.42. The Red Devils were the top seed with a 42.08 at states.

This is the second time Rancocas Valley has won the M-of-C 400-meter relay since the event was added in 2010. The 2015 team of JeSean Foster, Shaun Bradley, Dyson Scott, Sterling Pierce ran 42.03, the school record until Saturday at South Plainfield.

R.V. ran three loaded 4-by-1’s this year and ran them all in 42.11 or faster. Those wound up being the three-fastest times by any New Jersey schools this year.

South Jersey has dominated the race, winning nine of the 11 times it’s been contested. List below.

R.V.’s time is No. 2 in Burlington County history and fastest by any Burlington County school in 39 years, since Willingboro ran 41.69 in the Championship of America race at the 1982 Penn Relays, where they placed second to Camperdown of Jamaica, which ran 41.49. Lance Reed, George McKey, Damon Chambers and Derek Streater.

Meet of Champions 400-Meter Relay
2010 … Delsea, 42.22
2011 … Oakcrest, 41.83
2012 … Oakcrest, 42.09
2013 … Timber Creek, 41.50
2014 … Timber Creek, 41.45
2015 … Rancocas Valley, 42.03
2016 … Pennsauken, 41.85
2017 … Franklin Twp., 41.49
2018 … Deptford, 41.47
2019 … Nottingham, 41.71
2020 … Not held
2021 … Rancocas Valley, 41.99

English Gardner ran 10.96 – her first time under 11 seconds in five years – and advanced to the finals of the 100-meter dash at the U.S. Olympic Trials.

Gardner, who advanced to the semifinals with an 11.17 in Friday’s qualifying rounds, placed third in the second of two semifinal races, advancing automatically to the final later Saturday at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

The top three in each heat plus the next four-fastest will race in the final at 10:51 p.m. EST, with the top three finishers making the U.S. Olympic team.

Gardner’s 10.96 makes her the 5th-fastest qualifier for the final but only 13-100ths of a second out of the No. 2 spot.

Her time is No. 13 in the world this year.

The last time Gardner ran sub-11 was at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, where she placed seventh in the finals in 10.94. She ran a lifetime-best 10.74 earlier that summer when she won the 100 at the Olympic Trials on the same Hayward Field track in 10.74, 9th-fastest in world history. She won a Gold Medal as part of the U.S. 400-meter relay team in Rio.

Florence’s Curtis Thompson, the top-ranked U.S. javelin thrower, easily advanced to the finals Saturday in the qualifying round at the U.S Olympic Trials at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

The top 12 throwers from Friday’s qualifying rounds advanced to the final on Monday. That is considered a separate competition and marks made on Saturday do not carry over to Monday.

Thompson threw 250-1 on his first throw and after a foul threw 248-3 on his third attempt.

The cut-off for advancing to finals was 223-3. Only four throwers reached 240 feet.

Marc Anthony Minichello led all qualifiers with a 251-5 on his only attempt. Capers Williamson (249-2) and Michael Shuey (243-8) also hit 240 feet.

Thompson ranks No. 1 in the U.S. this year with a throw of 267-2, which he uncorked at the USATF Throws Festival in Tucson, Ariz., three weeks ago. That was his biggest throw in five years, since the 2016 Olympic Trials, also in Eugene, where he set a PR of 271-10. That throw is No. 16 in U.S. history.

Thompson was the 2016 NCAA champion for Mississippi State and 2018 U.S. national champion.

The 12 qualifiers will get six additional throws in the final, which begins at 7:15 p.m. EST on Monday.

Collingswood senior Fiona Basewitz became South Jersey’s fifth 12-foot pole vaulter Saturday and placed second at the Meet of Champions at South Plainfield.

Basewitz, who went into the Meet of Champions with an 11-4 PR, cleared 9-6, 10-0, 10-6, 11-0 and a PR of 11-6l, all on her first attempt. She got over the bar at 12-0 on her third attempt.

Randi Conroy, a senior at Northern Highlands in Allendale, Bergen County, cleared 12-0 – a PR for her also – on her first attempt, which gave her the victory.

But Basewitz now shares the No. 1 mark in New Jersey this year with Conroy and Montgomery sophomore Lauren Cashman. 

Her 12-0 extended her own Camden County record, which she took over with her 11-4 clearance last weekend at sectionals. It was previously held by Haddonfield’s Jennifer Scott at 11-3.

Seneca senior Julia Greeley also medaled, clearing 11-6 on her first attempt for fifth place overall.

Here’s a look at the all-time South Jersey top-10:

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
12- 0 … Fiona Basewitz [Collingswood], 2021
11-10 … Kaitlin Dermen [Millville], 2014
11- 9 … Julia Greeley [Seneca], 2021
11- 6 … Lauren Tauscher [Moorestown], 2007
11- 6 … Abby Boggs [Rancocas Valley], 2021
11- 4 … Melissa Gale [Millville], 2006

Haddonfield’s Lindsay Colflesh, Allison Colflesh, Payton Weiner and Olivia Stoner ran away with the 3,200-meter relay Saturday at the 52nd annual Meet of Champions.

Haddonfield, with three of their four runners doubling back, ran 9:10.24, winning by 60 meters over Westfield, which placed second in 9:21.35. Cherokee was third in 9:22.73.

Haddonfield is ranked No. 1 in New Jersey at 9:04.72 from a meet at Cherokee in May. That’s No. 2 nationally, a South Jersey record and No. 14 in state history.

It was Haddonfield’s first 4-by-8 win at the Meet of Champions since the event was added in 2010. Ridge had won the last five M-of-C 4-by-8 titles, from 2015 through 2019. The meet was not held last year.

The only previous South Jersey winner was Lenape, which ran 9:18.71 in 2011.

Allison Colflesh led off in 2:18,.35, followed by Weiner (2:19.91), Olivia Stoner (2:16.63) and Lindsay Colflesh {2:16.31).

The Lady Bulldogs will get a chance to race the best 4-by-8 teams in the country fresh at the Outdoor Nationals from June 30 through July 3 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

Egg Harbor senior Lauren Princz, edged for the win in the 100, bounced back with a commanding win in the 200 Saturday at the Meet of Champions.

Princz ran 24.22 to win the M-of-C 200 for the second time. She also won it as a freshman in the spring of 2018. Overall, this was her third M-of-C title. She also won the 55 indoors in 2020.

Overall, she’s had 10 top-3 finishes at the Meet of Champions in her brilliant career, and that’s with her junior year wiped out.

Princz ran away from the field on the turn at South Plainfield and won going away, finishing two meters ahead of second-place Azariah Grantham of Union, who ran 24.48. 

South Jersey sprinters have won the 200 at five consecutive Meet of Champions – Shakira Dancy of Winslow Township in 2016 and 2017, Princz in 2008 and Wilson’s Dennisha Page in 2019.

In the 100, Princz took second to Manchester Township senior Jada Ellis, who got a great start and ran 11.57. Princz was second in 11.66, well under her previous PR of 11.76, which she ran last month at the Atlantic County Championships at Buena.

That’s the 5th-fastest time ever run at the Meet of Champions by a South Jersey girl, behind Olympian English Gardner of Eastern (11.56}, Bria Mack of Williamstown (11.60 in the 2017 trials), Moorestown’s Amandi Rhett (11.61 in 2000) and Page (11.63 in 2019).

Her time is No. 7 in South Jersey history and lowers her own Atlantic County record. 

Eastern senior Jailya Ash, twice an indoor Meet of Champions winner, won her first outdoor Meet of Champions title Saturday, and she did it in dramatic fashion.

Ash ran 14.02 in the 100-meter hurdles to edge Union Catholic sophomore Ajanea Thompson by 1-100th of a second.

Ash lowered her PR from 14.10, which she ran to win the state Group 4 title last weekend.

Indoors, Ash won the 55 at the 2019 Meet of Champions at the Bubble and the high hurdles at the 2020 M-of-C at Ocean Grove.

Her 14.02 is No. 12 in South Jersey history and 7th-fastest by a South Jersey girl at the Meet of Champions.

She’s the second girl from Eastern to win an outdoor Meet of Champions title. Olympic gold medalist English Gardner won the 100 in 2007 and 2008 and the 200 in 2008.

Ash ran 14.44 in the trials, third-fastest of the eight hurdlers who advanced.

Ash came back to place seventh in the 100 about five minutes later and took seventh in 12.20.

Kingsway junior Kyle Rakitis ran 4:08.58 to win the 1,600 Saturday at the Meet of Champions at South Plainfield.

Rakitis led four runners under 4:10 and matched his PR that he set at sectionals two weeks ago.

He became the first South Jersey miler to win the Meet of Champions since Brett Johnson of Ocean City in 2008 and Kingsway’s first M-of-C winner also since 2008, when Robert Page won the 100 in 10.76.

His time is 5th-fastest in Meet of Champions history and fastest since Chris Marco of Toms River South ran a meet-record 4:07.31 to win the 2012 race. It’ fastest ever by a South Jersey runner, breaking the mark of 4:09.03 run by Johnson in 2008.

Rakitis, senior Edwin Klanka of St. Peter’s Prep and juniors Shane Brosnan of Union Catholic and Marco Langon of Bridgewater-Raritan all closed in under 60 seconds and all broke 4:10 in the fastest 1,600 or mile in Meet of Champions history.

Rakitis closed in 2:03.97 and 59.34 to hold off Klanke (4:09.42), Brosmnan (4:09.46) and Langon (4:09.47).

Klanka, Brosnan and Langon ran the 15th-, 16th- and 17th-fastest times in meet history.

It’s the first time ever four runners broke 4:09.50 in a Meet of Champions race.

Rakitis already ranked second in South Jersey history (and 23rd in state history) with his initial 4:08.58.

Here’s a look at all the sub-4:10 races (and converted miles) in meet history:

4:07.31 … Chris Marco [Toms River South], 2012 [1]
4:07.89 … Jim Rosa [West Windsor-Plainsboro North], 2010 [1]
4:08.11 … Liam Tansey [Morris Hills], 2009 [1]
4:08.28 … Steve Lewandowski [Mountain Lakes], 2012 [2]
4:08.58 … Kyle Rakitis [Kingsway], 2021 [1]
4:08.80 … Drew Maher [Shore Re. 2018 [1]
4:08.96 … Drake Anzano [CBA], 2016 [1]
4:09.03 … Brett Johnson [Ocean City], 2008 [1]
4:09.09 … George Kelly [CBA], 2012 [3]
4:09.14 … Sean Dolan [Hopewell Valley], 2019 [1]
4:09.19 … Elliot Gindi [Ocean Township], 2017 [1]
4:09.2c … Steve O’Connell [Millburn], 1976 [1]
4:09.20 … John Richardson [Ocean City], 2003 [1]
4:09.30 … Colin Baker Haddonfield], 2009 [2]
4:09.42 … Edwin Klanke [St. Peter’s]], 2021 [2]
4:09.46 … Shane Brosnan [Union Catholic], 2021 [3]
4:09.47 … Marco Langon [Bridgewater-Raritan], 2021 [4]
4:09.59 … Craig Forys [Colts Neck], 2007 [1]
4:09.62 … Blake Udland [Millburn], 2012 [4]
4:09.92 … Drew Maher [Shore Reg.], 2017 [2]