Penns Grove High graduate Avory Ransome, a freshman at George Mason, won the Atlantic 10 shot put title Sunday with an outdoor PR 50-7 1/2.

Ransome became the first George Mason thrower ever to win an A-10 shot put title indoors or outdoors.

Ransome had a very consistent series, averaging 48-7 3/4 with the 16-pound shot on his six throws at George Mason’s stadium in Fairfax, Va.

The Pedricktown native, seeded No. 3, opened at 49-5 1/2 to secure a spot in the finals, then finished the first round with a 47-10 3/4 and a 48-6 1/4.

In the finals, he opened with a 45-4 1/4 and was sitting in seventh place when he popped a 50-2 on his fifth throw to move into second. He then locked up the win with the 50-7 1/2 on his final throw, winning by 5 1/2 inches over Rhode Island’s Ryan Roger.

Ransome, fifth in the indoor A-10 meet in Kingston, R.I., surpassed his previous outdoor PR of 49-8. He threw 51-5 1/4 indoors at the Father Diamond Invite at GMU’s indoor facility.

Ransome also scored in the hammer throw this weekend, placing eighth with a personal-best 152-0. His previous best hammer was a 143-4 at a meet at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.

Ransome graduated from Penns Grove with a 4.0 GPA and was a member of the National Honor Society and the school’s salutatorian.

He threw 55-11 1/2 with the 12-pound ball at Penns Grove (where his name was generally spelled “A-V-E-R-Y”) and was twice a runner-up in the state Group 1 meet in the shot.

Timber Creek sophomore Tierra Hooker showed off her remarkable versatility this weekend with a terrific performance to win the pentathlon at the Rowan Open at Washington Township High School.

Hooker scored a meet-record 3,407 points to win the two-day, five-event pentathlon by nearly 600 points over another sophomore, Haddonfield’s Rachel Bonnet.

Hooker broke the meet record of 3,305 points set in 2007 by Priscilla Frederick of Paul VI, who grew up in Sicklerville and went on to become a three-time All-America high jumper for St. John’s and was seventh in the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials.

Let’s take a look at Hooker’s performance:

100-METER HURDLES: Hooker scored 834 points with a 15.06, fastest time this year in South Jersey and a big PR over her 15.46 at last year’s Olympic Conference meet. It’s also No. 7 in New Jersey this year and No. 3 among sophomores. Courtney James of Burlington Township had the second-fastest hurdles time in the meet at 15.75, but Hooker already led the field by 89 points. The open 100 hurdles Friday was won by Kassidy Mulrayne of Allentown in 15.10, so Hooker ran faster in the pentathlon hurdles than anybody in the open hurdles.

SHOT PUT: Hooker picked up 447 points by throwing 28-8, the third-best mark of the competition. Millville’s Hailey Holmes had the best throw of the day at 31-0 1/2. Hooker’s 447 points gave her 1,281 through two events and a lead of 204 points over James, who was second with 1,077 points after the shot.

HIGH JUMP: If there were any doubt who would win before the high jump there wasn’t after it. Hooker cleared 5-8 on her first attempt to score 891 big points for 2,172 through three events. Hooker passed the first 11 heights and then cleared 5-1 3/4 and 5-4 on her first attempt and 5-6 on her second. After clearing 5-8 she called it a day. Hooker’s 5-8 equals the No. 1 mark in New Jersey this year. She cleared 5-10 at last year’s Meet of Champions and this past indoor season at the Ocean Breeze Invite. Hooker’s 5-8 actually would have tied the meet record in the open high jump. Brianna Hunt of Delsea cleared 5-8 in 2010. Bonnet cleared 5-0 for 644 points and moved into second with 1,684 points after Day 1.

LONG JUMP: Day 2 begins with the long jump, where Hooker went 17-5 3/4 on her third and final attempt for 651 points to give her a four-event total of 2,823. Hooker is gifted in so many events she doesn’t long jump very often, but she did break her PR of 17-5 1/2, set at last year’s Camden County Championships at Haddon Township. Her mark is No. 5 in South Jersey this year. Holmes had the next-best jump at 16-6 for 567 points, but Bonnet remained in second place with 2,158 points.

800-METER RUN: Holmes led all the half-milers with a 2:27.72, but Hooker’s 2:39.07 earned her 584 points for a final total of 3,407, and Bonnet’s 2:32.64 gave her 660 points for 2,818 and second place, about 100 points ahead of third-place Carly Roche of Allentown.

FINAL SCORING
1. Tierra Hooker [Timber Creek] 3,407
2. Rachel Bonnet [Haddonfield] 2,818
3. Carly Roche [Allentown] 2,705
4. Hailey Holmes [Millville] 2,672
5. Courtney James [Burlington Twp.] 2,654
6. Darien Rinn [Middletown North] 2,623
7. Katelyn Reid [Middletown North] 2,483
8. Meghan McGonigle [Gloucester Catholic] 2,260
9. Mariss Logiudice [Bordentown] 1,889
10. Armanee DeBarry [Millville] 1,767

Stockton freshman Keith Holland cleared 15 feet for the first time in his life to win the pole vault at this weekend’s New Jersey Athletic Conference championships at The College of New Jersey in Ewing.

Holland surpassed his PR of 14-3 1/4, which he accomplished at a meet at his home track in Galloway Township last month.

Holland completed an indoor-outdoor NJAC double. He won the indoor title at 13-11 at Ocean Breeze back in February.

Holland’s best at Central Regional in Bayville was a 14-foot clearance at last year’s Ocean County Championships at Jackson Liberty, which he won.

He’s now the No. 8 freshman in NCAA Division 3.

Holland is the first to clear 15 feet at the NJAC meet since 2013, when Joe Oliveri of Ramapo won with a 15-3 clearance.

Pleasantville and Burlington Township ran the two-fastest sprint medleys of the year by South Jersey schools at the South Jersey Relays Saturday at Rancocas Valley.

Pleasantville won the small-school race by 90 meters over Oakcrest in 3:34.86, and Burlington Township won the large-school race by 45 meters over Millville in 3:35.57.

Pleasantville has run faster — 3:32.75 at the 2013 Woodbury Relays — but the time is believed to be a school record for Burlington Township (did the Falcons run slightly faster in the late 1960s with Rickey Jacques on the 800 or in the 1990s with Shaun Davis anchoring?)

Junior Quentin Bundy, sophomores Keon Henry and Gabriel Moronta and junior Sahmir Jones ran for Pleasantville.

Senior Daniel Mends, sophomores Semi Robertson and Donovan Wright and senior Jalen Jones ran for Burlington Township.

If you have splits, please share them!

 

Senior Justin Kelly moved up to fourth on the all-time Cherokee 3,200-meter list when he ran a 2018 New Jersey-best 9:16.61 Friday night at the 11th annual Holmdel Twilight Series Night of 3200s.

Kelly was fastest of about 300 boys who ran in a series of races at Holmdel’s Bob Roggy Memorial Stadium.

Kelly’s previous 3,200 PR was a 9:29.28 in a meet at Cherokee in April of last year.

Kelly went out in 4:44 and came back in 4:32, including 2:09 for his final 800. He finished 15 meters ahead of indoor 1,600 Meet of Champions medalist Sameer Das of West Windsor-Plainsboro South, who ran 9:18.58. Nobody else was under 9:25.

Also for Cherokee, sophomore Chris Spisak PR’d in fifth place in 9:28.41 and sophomore Ethan Wechsler PR’d in 10th place at 9:31.06. In a separate race, another Cherokee sophomore, Chase Miller, PR’d at 9:31.31.

Spisak, Wechsler and Miller are the top three sophomore two-milers in New Jersey this year, according to the Mile Split database.

Here is the all-time Cherokee top-10:

9:01.89 … Marc Pelerin, 2002 [Golden West]
9:04.05 … Shawn Wilson, 2013 [Meet of Champions]
9:15.08 … Nick Falk, 2017 [Holmdel Night of 3200s]
9:16.61 … Justin Kelly, 2018 [Holmdel Night of 3200s]
9:17.17 … Keith Krieger, 2003 [Meet of Champions]
9:19.44 … Jack Shea, 2017 [S.J. Group 4 Sectionals]
9:24.84 … Alex Yersak, 2008 [Meet of Champions]
9:26.06 … Joe Halin, 2000 [Easterns (indoors)]
9:28.6h  … Steve Burkholder, 2010 [Varsity Classic (indoors)]
9:29.89 … Tom Yersak, 2004 [State Group 4]

Monmouth freshman Danielle Steff, a graduate of Rancocas Valley, bombed a massive javelin PR Saturday at the MAAC Championships at Rider University in Lawrenceville.

Steff threw 160-7 on her final attempt of the competition, moving her less than four feet from the school record and Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference meet record of 164-4 set in 2014 by Kelsey Reese.

Steff won by more than 30 feet over Quinnipiac’s Emily Dryzgula, who threw 131-9 for second.

Faith Blamon, a Cinnaminson graduate, is the only other 160-foot thrower in Monmouth history.

Steff opened action Saturday with a 137-10, a foul and a 139-3. In the finals she fouled, threw 124-1 and then finished with her bomb on the final throw of the competition.

Steff’s previous PR was 156-0 last weekend at the Penn Relays.

I would love to tell you where Steff’s throw ranks in meet history, but the MAAC “digital program” is pathetic and doesn’t list any previous winners.

Monmouth went 1-3-6-8 for 20 team points in the javelin.

 

Haddonfield junior Derek Gess ran 1:55.13 Thursday night winning the 800 and PR’ing at the 26th annual South Jersey Invitational at Delsea.

It’s his second straight SJI 800 win after a 1:56.79 last year. He’s only the second half-miler to repeat in the quarter century of the SJI, the first in 13 years, since Bordentown’s national 800 champ Rob Novak in 2004 and 2005.

His time is fastest at the South Jersey Invite since Kevin Canfarini of West Deptford’s 1:55.13 in 2014 and matches the fastest since 2013, when LaQuan James of Vineland ran 1:53.98.

Gess broke his overall PR of 1:55.93 that he set when he placed fourth at Easterns this winter at the Armory, and he dipped more than 1 1/2 seconds below his previous outdoor PR of 1:56.66 set his freshman year at South Jersey Group 2 sectionals at Central Regional in Bayville.

Gess time is No. 1 in South Jersey this winter and No. 2 in the state, behind Luke Peralto of Passaic, who ran 1:50.62 to win the Dominican Republic National Championships last month in Santo Domingo.

Here’s a look at every runner in meet history who’s gone 1:56 or faster:

<strong>ALL-TIME SJI 800 PERFORMANCE LIST</strong>

1:53.2 Fred Sharpe (Paulsboro), 1997 [1st]

1:53.2 Rob Novak (Bordentown), 2005 [1st]

1:53.95 Ben Potts (Haddonfield), 2011 [1st]

1:53.98 LeQuan James (Vineland), 2013 [1st]

1:54.14 William Dolan (Clearview), 2013 [2nd]

1:54.18 Isaac Clark (Pleasantville), 2012 [1st]

1:54.22 Murad Campbell (Overbrook), 1998 [1st]

1:54.54 Jacob Clark (Pleasantville), 2012 [2nd]

1:54.9 Rondell Braxton (Highland), 1992  [1st]

1:54.9 Mark Davis (Highland), 1996  [1st]

1:54.92 Rob Novak (Bordentown), 2004 [1st]

1:55.03 Tivo Rivera (Kingsway), 2011[2nd]

1:55.13 Kevin Cianfarini (West Deptford), 2014 [1st]

1:55.13 Derek Gess (Haddonfield), 2018 [1st]

1:55.15 Wayne Riley (Willingboro), 1997[2nd]

1:55.20 Joe Lewis (Pleasantville), 1998[2nd]

1:55.25 Ishmael Muhammad (Oakcrest), 2013 [3rd]

1:55.3 Jaja Fisher (Cherokee), 1993  [1st]

1:55.3 John Keevey (Cinnaminson), 1992 [2nd]

1:55.53 Aaron Johnson (Oakcrest), 2009 [1st]

1:55.55 Ryan Garvin (Lenape), 2008 [1st]

1:55.5 Marc Pelerin (Cherokee), 2001 [1st]

1:55.7 Nelson Cresson (Delsea), 1995  [1st]

1:55.81 Robert Edwards (Bridgeton), 2002  [1st]

1:55.97 Ford Palmer (Absegami), 2008 [2nd]

1:56.0 Zach McBride (Lenape), 2001 [2nd]

And here’s a list of every winner in meet history:

<strong>ALL-TIME SJI 800 WINNER</strong>

2018: Derek Gess (Haddonfield) 1:55.13

2017: Derek Gess (Haddonfield) 1:56.79

2016: Jacob Tyndale (Rancocas Valley) 1:56.61

2015: Eric Barnes (Egg Harbor Twp.) 1:55.86

2014: Kevin Cianfarini (West Deptford) 1:55.13

2013: LeQuan James (Vineland) 1:53.98

2012: Isaac Clark (Pleasantville) 1:54.18

2011: Ben Potts (Haddonfield), 1:53.95

2010: Daniel Galeano (Absegami) 1:57.94

2009: Aaron Johnson (Oakcrest) 1:55.53

2008: Ryan Garvin (Lenape) 1:55.55

2007: Ford Palmer (Absegami) 1:58.57

2006: Casey Pinckney (Camden) 1:58.47

2005: Rob Novak (Bordentown) 1:53.2

2004: Rob Novak (Bordentown) 1:54.92

2003: Jon Anderson (Cinnaminson) 1:57.4

2002: Robert Edwards (Bridgeton) 1:55.81

2001: Marc Pelerin (Cherokee) 1:55.5

2000: James Holden (Bridgeton) 1:56.14

1999: Marvin Sewell (Pennsauken) 1:58.72

1998: Murad Campbell (Overbrook) 1:54.22

1997: Fred Sharpe (Paulsboro) 1:53.2

1996: Mark Davis (Highland) 1:54.9

1995: Nelson Cresson (Delsea) 1:55.7

1994: Nick Cavalarro (Paul VI) 1:57.1

1993: Jaja Fisher (Cherokee) 1:55.3

1992: Rondell Braxton (Highland) 1:54.9

Haddon Township graduate Brenna Smith, a senior at Liberty University, shattered the 160-foot barrier in the javelin at the Duke Invitational in Durham, N.C.

Smith improved her PR from 159-3, which she threw at the Florida State Relays in March, to 161-7 to break her own Liberty school record as well as the meet record (159-4 by Lauren Lubarski of East Carolina in 2017) and facility record at Duke’s Morris Williams Stadium (160-4 by Christine Rickert of High Point in 2015).

Smith’s mark is No. 33 in NCAA Division 1 this year. She’s one of three South Jersey throwers who have thrown at least 155 feet this spring. Junior Megan SaxvanderWeyden of Baylor through Pennsville has a 158-7 from a meet at Texas Christian, and Monmouth freshman Danielle Steff of Rancocas Valley threw 156-0 at the Penn Relays.

Liberty is off this weekend but will compete in the Big South Conference Championships at High Point next weekend. Smith will shoot for her second straight conference title after placing third as a freshman and as a sophomore, and Liberty will be seeking its fourth straight team title.

The meet record of 164-7, set last year by Rickert, is only three from Smith’s new PR.

Egg Harbor senior Ajae Alvarez-Tyler, the Easterns indoor 400 champ, ran her first serious outdoor 400 on Friday night and came through with a 1 1/2-second outdoor PR and first place in the Rowan Open, held at Washington Township High School this year.

Alvarez-Tyler ran 56.60, breaking her PR of 56.78 set at Easterns and her outdoor PR of 58.07, set at the 2016 Cape-Atlantic Championships at Bridgeton, when she was second to Tia DuPont of Our Lady of Mercy, a soccer star who had a brief track career.

Alvarez-Tyler’s time is No. 1 in New Jersey this year and fastest at the Rowan Invite since Faleesha Dowe of Penns Grove won the 2013 race in 56.25.

It’s also No. 5 in Atlantic County history and fastest in five years.

She won by a a step over sophomore Nylah Perry of Winslow, who was second in 56.99, a huge PR of her own.

Perry didn’t run track last year and her fastest indoor time was 1:01.47 at an early Bennett Center meet.

ALL-TIME ATLANTIC COUNTY 400 LIST
54.35 … Nijgia Snapp [Oakcrest], 2008
54.51 … Katrina Sye [Buena] 1998
55.78 … Andrea Olsen [Buena], 2013
56.05 … Marcene Jack [Mainland Reg.], 2004
56.60 … Ajae Alvarez-Tyler [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2018
56.61 … Joshonda Johnson [Absegami], 2016
56.94 … Ariyana Wilkes [Holy Spirit], 2017
57.28 … Orinthia Jones [Absegami], 1997
57.28 … Shalarese Mills [Oakcrest], 2002
57.85 … Juanita Caldwell [St. Joe’s-Hammonton], 2010

Atlantic City junior Claudine Smith, one of New Jersey’s most accomplished hurdlers, unleashed the No. 2 triple jump mark in South Jersey history Friday night, soaring 40-1 1/2 at the Rowan Open, held this year at Washington Township.

The only jumper in South Jersey history to jump farther is Northern Burlington’s Ashley Edwards, who went 40-10 1/4 at the 2014 New Balance Nationals.

Smith, the state Group 4 and Easterns hurdles champ indoors, broke the meet record of 38-3 set in 2009 by Adaobi Unachukwu of Marlboro and broke the Atlantic County record of 39-2 1/4 set two years ago by Absegami’s Mariah Hubbard, who went 39-2 1/4 at the Meet of Champions.

Smith’s previous PR was 37-0 1/2 at the Woodbury Relays last month.

Smith opened with a foul, then went 35-8 1/2, a PR 38-6 and the winning 40-1 1/2 and finished with a foul.

She is an accomplished hurdler (8.05 in the 55 highs indoors, runner-up last spring at states), sprinter (fourth at indoor states in the 55) and long jumper (18-5 1/2 at Woodbury).

Now she has another event and she’s already one of the best in state history — the 16th jumper in New Jersey history to surpass 40 feet.

Smith is Atlantic City’s first winner at the Rowan Open in 12 years, since Kimberly Warren won her second straight discus title in 2006.

Here’s a look at every 38-foot jumper in South Jersey history:

ALL-TIME S.J. TRIPLE JUMP LIST
40-10 1/4 … Ashley Edwards [Northern Burlington], 2014
40-1 1/2 … Claudine Smith [Atlantic City], 2018
39-7 1/2 … Zenee Gadson [Glassboro], 2012
39-7 1/4 … Shaya Wilkerson [Lenape], 2012
39-6 … Jessica Mills [Deptford], 2005
39-5 1/2 … Elizabeth Montague [Cherokee], 2014
39-3 … Genevieve Okoro [Eastern Reg.], 2010
39-2 1/4 … Mariah Hubbard [Absegami Reg.], 2016
38-11 … Rachel Montague [Cherokee], 2008
38-8 … Shameka Marshall [Oakcrest], 2001
38-8 … Javona Ford [Millville], 2010
38-6 … Monet Gist [Atlantic City], 2013
38-1 … Cidae’a Woods [Winslow Twp.], 2014
38-0 1/4 … Janell Rowe [Sterling], 2017
38-0 1/4 … Caleah Allen [Williamstown], 2012