From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Over the next few weeks, we’ll spotlight 30 athletes who excelled during the outdoor track season that we didn’t have a chance to write about extensively. We’d love to write about every athlete in South Jersey, but that’s not practical. But we will try to spotlight some who may have gotten overlooked over the past few months. We apologize in advance if we don’t get to you or your son or daughter or an athlete you coach.

Today: Yamilet Basarte-Cruz, Camden East Side

Yamilet Basarte-Cruz was one of only four 40-foot throwers in South Jersey this year, and her 42-2 ¼ at South Jersey Group 3 sectionals at Delsea was the best throw in South Jersey in 2024 and best by a Camden County girl in five years, since Cydney Thomas of Haddon Heights hit 43-11 at Group 2 sectionals – also at Delsea – in 2019.

Basarte-Cruz was a 1st-year junior last year and showed promise in all three throws, with 35-1 ½ in the shot, 98-10 in the javelin and 95-11 in the discus.

She improved to 38-4 ¾ indoors and won Group 3 sectionals with a 37-5 ¾ on her first attempt at the Bubble, becoming the first girl from Eastside / Wilson to win an indoor sectional title since Dennisha Page won the 55 and 400 in 2019.

Basarte-Cruz’s breakthrough in the shot came at Lenape Field Day, where she won with a PR 39-4 ½. She also threw 107-1 in the discus and 109-2 in the javelin in addition to her 42-2 ¼ in the shot. She medaled in all three at SJ-3 sectionals before taking 3rd at states in the shot put with a 40-6 ¾.

On the all-time Camden County shot put list, Basarte-Cruz trails only one girl from the 1980s, one from the 1990s and one from 2000 in addition to Thomas. So her 42-2 ¼ is 2nd-best throw by a Camden County girl in the last 23 years.

Throwers who can score on the sectional level in all three events are rare.  Basarte-Cruz this year was one of only five girls in all of New Jersey to throw 100 feet in the discus and javelin and 40 feet in the javelin and one of only two to place in the top eight at sectionals in all three throws.

All-Time Camden County Shot Put List
44-4 ¼ …. Dana White [Camden], 2000
43-11 … Cydney Thomas [Haddon Heights], 2019
43-6 ¾ … Angela Solomon [Overbook], 1989
43-2 ½ … Lacole Fields [Camden], 1996
42-2 ¼ … Yamilet Basarte-Cruz [East Side], 2024
41-10 ½ … Tisha Kerrin [Eastern], 1989
41-9 ¼ … Stephanie Scaramella [Bishop Eustace], 2006
41-4 …… Ciarra Johnson [Winslow Twp.], 2016
41-2 …… Bernadette McGowan [Paul VI], 2015
41-2 …… Alijah Caul [Sterling], 2019

Over the next few weeks, we’ll spotlight 30 athletes who excelled during the outdoor track season that we didn’t have a chance to write about extensively. We’d love to write about every athlete in South Jersey, but that’s not practical. But we will try to spotlight some who may have gotten overlooked over the past few months. We apologize in advance if we don’t get to you or your son or daughter or an athlete you coach.

Today: Marcus Hood, Deptford

As a sophomore, Marcus Hood’s best pole vault was an 11-6. He added almost four feet to that PR as a junior.

Hood was the No. 1 underclassman in South Jersey this spring with his 15-3 to win South Jersey Group 3 sectionals, and that made him the No. 3 underclassman ever in South Jersey, behind Delsea’s Morales twins, Nico, who cleared 15-7 in 2018, and Nico, who cleared 15-6 a few days earlier.

After a promising sophomore season, Hood extended his PR indoors to 13-0, which he cleared three times, but his big breakthrough came in April at Woodbury, where he cleared 14-6 and placed 2nd to eventual Meet of Champions winner Ryan Merlino of Oakcrest. He improved to 15-0 at the Delsea Field Meet before clearing that 15-3 at Delsea and then placed 2nd to Merlino at Meet of Champs.

With his 15-3 clearance, Hood is already No. 11 in South Jersey history with a full year to go. He’s No. 4 all-time in Gloucester County behind the Morales twins and Kingsway’s Dylan Altland, who cleared 15-6 in 2014.

Along the way, Hood broke the Deptford school record of 15-0 set by James Lynch when he won the state Group 3 title in Bayville.

Hood is one of three returning 15-footers in New Jersey next year. There are two other returning 14-footers in South Jersey – Cinnaminson junior Ed Frey cleared 14-6 at Group 2 states and Audubon junior Leo Davis cleared 14-0 at the Camden County Championships.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll spotlight 30 athletes who excelled during the outdoor track season that we didn’t have a chance to write about extensively. We’d love to write about every athlete in South Jersey, but that’s not practical. But we will try to spotlight some who may have gotten overlooked over the past few months. We apologize in advance if we don’t get to you or your son or daughter or an athlete you coach.

Today: Jordan Hadfield, Schalick

Jordan Hadfield showed great range from 800 meters to 3,200 and capped her season by sweeping the 1,600 and 3,200 at the state Group 1 meet in Somerset.

Hadfield became Schalick’s first individual state champion since Zyra Thomas won the shot put in 2018 and first double winner at states in 28 years – since Candyce DeLoatch swept the 100, 200 and 400 in 12.40, 24.98 and 55.84 at the 1996 state meet at South Plainfield (and also placed 2nd in the long jump).

She was also the first South Jersey girl to double the 1,600 and 3,200 at states in any group since Alyssa Aldridge of Mainland Regional in Group 4 in 2017. The last to do it in Group 1 was Haddonfield’s Erin Donohue back in 1999.

The top two Group 1 distance runners in New Jersey this year were Audubon sophomore Riley Fayer and Hadfield, a junior. They took turns pushing each other just about every weekend and both wound up with some fantastic times.

Fayer was a bit faster [2:17.40 to 2:18.61], 1,600 meters [5:04.02 to 5:07.66] and 3,200 meters [11:02.04 to 11:03.29] but at states Hadfield edged Fayer in both races. They are actually the two-fastest South Jersey Group 1 runners at 3,200 since Donohue in 1999. They’re No. 1 and No. 3 since Donohue at 1,600 meters, separated by Haddon Township’s Annika Merkh, who ran 5:07.19 in 2015.

Thanks in part to Hadfield’s two wins at states, Schalick placed 6th in the state Group 1 meet. Senior Grace O’Neill [3rd in the discus at 132-2, 3rd in the 400 hurdles in 1:07.30], senior Brooke West [5th in 100 hurdles at 15.87], plus points in the 4-by-1 [senior Zoe Jenkins, junior Gia Martellacci, junior Caileigh Schalick, senior Brooke Watt] and 4-by-4 [senior Alivia Klancic, O’Neill, Hadfield, Martellacci] also scored for the Cougars.

With another Olympic Trials and U.S. Nationals in the books, I thought it would be fun to look back and come up with a list of every South Jersey athlete that’s ever placed in the top eight since the inception of a U.S. National Championship meet in 1876.

I could very well be missing some early athletes just because it’s virtually impossible to find hometowns for medalists in the early meets, long before high school track became a thing.

Also, I haven’t been able to find complete results of discontinued events, such as the 220-yard hurdles and pentathlon. Still working on that.

Also, U.S. Nationals and the Olympic Trials were separate meets through 1988. Not all results for the Nationals meet are available up through the 1940s, so there could be some early people missing there, too.

And this is just outdoor Nationals. Maybe we’ll take a crack at Indoor Nationals next winter.

If you notice any omissions or errors, lemme know!

According to my quick count, athletes from 35 different South Jersey high schools have recorded a top-eight performance at nationals, including four this year – Florence’s Curtis Thompson won the javelin to make his 2nd Olympic team, Rancocas Valley’s Erika Kemp placed 8th in the 10,000, Cherokee’s Jessica Woodard was 8th in the shot put and Pleasantville’s Nia Ali 4th in the 100-meter hurdles.

Here’s a look at the high schools who have been represented at Nationals:

Absegami, Atlantic City, Bordentown, Bridgeton, Camden, Cherokee, Cherry Hill East, Clearview, Delran, Delsea, Deptford, Eastern, Edgewood, Haddon Heights, Hadonfield, Holy Cross, Florence, Lenape, Moorestown, Northern Burlington, Oakcrest, Palmyra, Paul VI, Paulsboro, Pemberton, Penns Grove, Pleasantville, Rancocas Valley, Shawnee, St. Augustine, Sterling, Timber Creek, Vineland, Winslow Township and Woodbury.

2024
Men
Curtis Thompson [Florence], 1st, Javelin [272-5]
Women
Erika Kemp [Rancocas Valley], 8th, 10,000-meter run [32:21.84]
Nia Ali [Pleasantville], 4th, 100-Meter Hurdles [12.37]
Jessica Woodard [Cherokee], 8th, Shot Put [60-3 ½]

2023
Men
Josh Awotunde [Delsea], 2nd, Shot Put [72-6]
Curtis Thompson [Florence], 1st, Javelin [265-5]
Women
Nia Ali [Pleasantville], 1st, 100-Meter Hurdles [12.37]
Jessica Woodard [Cherokee], 5th, Shot Put [60-3 1/4]

2022
Men
Josh Awotunde [Delsea], 3rd, Shot Put [70-6 3/4]
Curtis Thompson [Florence], 2nd, Javelin [264-0]
Women
Jessica Woodard [Cherokee], 3rd, Shot Put [63-7 3/4]

2021
Men
Josh Awotunde [Delsea], 5th, Shot Put [71-7 3/4]
Curtis Thompson [Florence], 1st, Javelin [271-7]
Women
English Gardner [Eastern], 6th, 100-Meter Dash [11.16]
Jessica Woodard [Cherokee], 7th, Shot Put [58-11 3/4]

2019
Men
Josh Awotunde [Delsea], 5th, Shot Put [68-9 1/2]
Curtis Thompson [Florence], 4th, Javelin [251-2]
Chris Mirabelli [Holy Cross], 8th, Javelin [234-1]
Women
English Gardner [Eastern], 2nd, 100-Meter Dash [11.25]
Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], 5th, 5,000-Meter Run [15:20.69]
Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], 5th, 5,000-Meter Run [32:14.41]
Nia Ali [Pleasantville], 2nd, 100-Meter Hurdles [12.55]
Jessica Woodard [Cherokee], 6th, Shot Put [57-10 3/4]

2018
Men
Josh Awotunde [Delsea], 7th, Shot Put [66-0]
Curtis Thompson [Florence], 1st, Javelin [249-3]
Tim Van Liew [Deptford], 5th, Javelin [236-4]
Women
Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], 2nd, 10,000-Meter Run [31:56.68]

2017
Men
Tim Van Liew [Deptford], 4th, Javelin [252-3]
Curtis Thompson [Florence], 6th, Javelin [238-7]
Chris Mirabelli [Holy Cross], 8th, Javelin [230-6]
Johnnie Jackson [Cherry Hill East], 2nd, Hammer [235-2]
Women
English Gardner [Eastern], 6th, 100-Meter Dash [11.16]
Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], 5th, 5,000-Meter Run [15:19.56]
Nia Ali [Pleasantville], 2nd, 100-Meter Hurdles [12.68]
Jessica Woodard [Cherokee], 8th, Shot Put [57-5 3/4]

2016
Men
Curtis Thompson [Florence], 2nd, Javelin [271-11]
Wemen
English Gardner [Eastern], 1st, 100-Meter Dash [10.74]
Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], 7th, 5,000-Meter Run [15:24.47]
Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], 3rd, 10,000-Meter Run [31:54.77]
Nia Ali [Pleasantville], 3rd, 100-Meter Hurdles [12.55]

2015
Men
Curtis Thompson [Florence], 6th, Javelin [237-8]
Women
English Gardner [Eastern], 2nd, 100-Meter Dash [10.86]
Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], 2nd , 5,000-Meter Run [15:06.45]

2014
Men
Ford Palmer [Absegami], 5th, 1,500-Meter Run [3:39.78]
Women
English Gardner [Eastern], 4th, 100-Meter Dash [11.37]
Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], 3rd, 5,000-Meter Run [15:12.8?]
Nia Ali [Pleasantville], 8th, 100-Meter Hurdles [13.16]

2013
Men
Reuben McCoy [Winslow Twp.], 7th, 400-Meter Hurdles [50.69]
Montez Blair [Timber Creek], T3rd, High Jump [7-4 1/2]
Women
English Gardner [Eastern], 1st, 100-Meter Dash [10.85]
Nia Ali [Pleasantville], 3rd, 100-Meter Hurdles [12.48]

2012Men
Montez Blair [Timber Creek], T7th, High Jump [7-0 1/2]
Women
English Gardner [Eastern], 7th, 100-Meter Dash [11.28]
Nia Ali [Pleasantville], 8th, 100-Meter Hurdles [13.02
Priscilla Frederick [Paul VI], T7th , High Jump [609 1/4]

2011
Women
Nia Ali [Pleasantville], 5th, 100-Meter Hurdles [12.86]
Priscilla Frederick [Paul VI], T7th , High Jump [6-0]
Shameka Marshall [Oakcrest], 7th, Long Jump [6.62w]

2010
Women
Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2nd, 1,500-Meter Run [4;13.87]
Shameka Marshall [Oakcrest], 4th, Long Jump [22-1 1/4]

2009
Women
Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 4th, 1,500-Meter Run [4:08.96]

2008
Men
Anwar Moore [Camden], 8th, 110-Meter Hurdles [16.64w]
Reuben McCoy [Winslow Twp.], 7th, 400-Meter Hurdles [49.18]
Women
Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2nd, 1,500-Meter Run [4:08.20]
Deirdre Mullen [Paul VI], 4th, High Jump [6-3]
Shameka Marshall [Oakcrest], 7th, Long Jump [21-5 3/4]

2007
Men
Anwar Moore [Camden], 5th, 110-Meter Hurdles [13.23]
Reuben McCoy [Winslow Twp.], 6th, 400-Meter Hurdles [50.08]
Women
Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 3rd, 1,500-Meter Run [4:08.22]
Shameka Marshall [Oakcrest], 6th, Long Jump [6.53]

2006
Women
Krista Ferrera [Vineland], 5th, 800-Meter Run [2:02.49]
Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 6th, 800-Meter Run [2:02.87]
Shameka Marshall [Oakcrest], 6th, Long Jump [6.52]

2005
Women
Shameka Marshall [Oakcrest], 5th, Long Jump [6.40]

2003
Men
Fred Sharpe [Paulsboro], 7th, 400-Meter Hurdles [50.41]

2002
Men
Fred Sharpe [Paulsboro], 6th, 400-Meter Hurdles [50.23]

2001
Men
Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 4th. 100-Meter Dash [10.07w]
Women
Shana Williams [Bridgeton], 4th, Long Jump [6.49w]

2000
Men
Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 8th. 100-Meter Dash [10.20]
Women
Michelle DiMuro [Shawnee], 8th, 800-Meter Run [2:05.62]
Shana Williams [Bridgeton], 3rd, Long Jump [6.87w]

1999
Men
Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 1st, 100-Meter Dash [9.97w]
Women
Michelle DiMuro [Shawnee], 5th, 800-Meter Run [2:03.40]
Shana Williams [Bridgeton], 3rd , Long Jump [6.71w]

1998
Men
Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 8th. 100-Meter Dash [DNS]
Jack Pierce [Woodbury], 5th, 110-Meter Hurdles [13.34]
Women
Michelle DiMuro [Shawnee], 6th, 800-Meter Run [2:02.09]
Laura Mason [Northern Burlington], 8th, 10,000-Meter Run [35:03.14]
Shana Williams [Bridgeton], 2nd, Long Jump [6.90w]

1997
Men
Mark Sivieri [St. Augustine], 5th, 1,500-Meter Run [3:47.58]
Jack Pierce [Woodbury], DNS, 110-Meter Hurdles [—]
Women
Michelle DiMuro [Shawnee], 5th, 800-Meter Run [2:03.25]
Shana Williams [Bridgeton], 4th, Long Jump [6.70w]

1996
Men
Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 1st, 100-Meter Dash [9.92]
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 8th, 100-Meter Dash [10.21]
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 5th, 200-Meter Dash [20.20]
Lamont Smith [Willingboro], 4th, 400-Meter Dash [44.30]
Mark Sivieri [St. Augustine], 8th, 1,500-Meter Run [3:45.35]
Jack Pierce [Woodbury], DNF, 110-Meter Hurdles [—]
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 3rd, Long Jump [8.30]
Women
Michelle DiMuro [Shawnee], 5th, 800-Meter Run [1:59.85]
Tonya Lee [Rancocas Valley], 7th, 400-Meter Hurdles [56.59]
Shana Williams [Bridgeton], 2nd, Long Jump [6.93]

1995
Men
Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 3rd, 100-Meter Dash [10.23]
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 6th, 100-Meter Dash [10.32]
Jack Pierce [Woodbury], 3rd, 110-Meter Hurdles [13.26w]
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 2nd, Long Jump [8.45]
Women
Tonya Lee [Rancocas Valley], 7th, 400-Meter Hurdles [57.61]
Shana Williams [Bridgeton], 4th, Long Jump [6.63w]

1994
Men
Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 1st, 100-Meter Dash [10.13]

1993
Men
Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 2nd, 100-Meter Dash [9.85w]
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 3rd, 100-Meter Dash [9.90w]
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 2nd, 200-Meter Dash [20.07w]
Lamont Smith [Willingboro], 8th, 400-Meter Dash [46.47]
Jack Pierce [Woodbury], 1st, 110-Meter Hurdles [13.19]
Women
Shana Williams [Bridgeton], 5th, heptathlon [5,641w]

1992
Men
Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 1st, 100-Meter Dash [10.09]
Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 7th, 100-Meter Dash [20.27]
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 6th, 100-Meter Dash [10.28]
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 4th, 200-Meter Dash [20.15]
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 2nd, Long Jump [8.53]

1991
Men
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 2nd, 100-Meter Dash [9.93]
Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 3rd. 100-Meter Dash [10.00]
Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 6th, 100-Meter Dash [20.69]
Jack Pierce [Woodbury], 2nd, 110-Meter Hurdles [13.33]
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 1st, Long Jump [8.64]
Women
Mindy Rowand [Sterling], 7th, 10,000-Meter Run [33:19.37]
Tonya Lee [Rancocas Valley], 8th, 400-Meter Hurdles [57.62]

1990
Men
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 1st, 100-Meter Dash [10.05]
Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 3rd, 100-Meter Dash [10.26]
Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 5th, 100-Meter Dash [20l.50]
Mike Pascuzzo [Lenape], T8th, High Jump [2.20]
Matt Rose [Bordentown], 8th, Long Jump [7.85]
Mike Labosky [Holy Cross], 1st, Javelin [79.63]

1989
Men
Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 2nd, 100-Meter Dash [10.03]
Jack Pierce [Woodbury], 2nd, 110-Meter Hurdles [13.38]
Mike Pascuzzo [Lenape], T5th, High Jump [2.26]
Women
Mindy Rowand [Sterling], 1st, 5,000-Meter Run [16:12.36]

1988 [Olympic Trials in Indianapolis
Men
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 1st, 100-Meter Dash [9.78w]
Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 2nd, 100-Meter Dash [9.86w]
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 2nd, 200-Meter Dash [20.01]
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 1st, Long Jump [28-9]
Women
Carol Lewis [Willingboro], 3rd, Long Jump [22-7]

1988 [U.S. Nationals in Tampa]
Men
Jack Pierce [Woodbury], 5th, 110-Meter Hurdles [13.63]
Women
Denise Mitchell [Edgewood], 7th, 400-Meter Dash [52.24]
Mike Pascuzzo [Lenape], 6th, High Jump [2.26]
Matt Rose [Bordentown], 7th, Long Jump [7.66]

1987
Men
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 2nd, 100-Meter Dash [10.05]
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 1st, 100-Meter Dash [20.12]
Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 7th. 100-Meter Dash [10.25]
Jack Pierce [Woodbury], 3rd, 110-Meter Hurdles [13.56w]
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 1st, Long Jump [8.65]
Women
Denise Mitchell [Edgewood], 6th, 400-Meter Dash [51.72
Carol Lewis [Willingboro], 4th, Long Jump [6.50]

1986
Men
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 1st, 100-Meter Dash [9.91w]
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 4th, 200-Meter Dash [20.30w]
Jack Pierce [Woodbury], 3rd, 110-Meter Hurdles [13.59]
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 2nd, Long Jump [8.09w]
Women
Carol Lewis [Willingboro], 1st, Long Jump [8.67w]

1985
Men
Darren Burton [Delran], 3rd, High Jump [2.27]
Women
Carol Lewis [Willingboro], 1st, Long Jump [6.92w]

1984 [Olympic Trials, Los Angeles]
Men
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 1st, 100-Meter Dash [10.08tmr]
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 1st, 200-Meter Dash [19.86]
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 1st, Long Jump [28-6 ¾]
Women
Carol Lewis [Willingboro], 1st, Long Jump [22-7 ¼]

1984 [U.S. Nationals, San Jose]
None

1983
Men
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 1st, 100-Meter Dash [10.27]
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 1st, 200-Meter Dash [19.75AR]
Jack Pierce [Woodbury], 6th, 110-Meter Hurdles [13.73]
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 1st, Long Jump [8.79mr]
Women
Carol Lewis [Willingboro], 1st, Long Jump [6.91mr]

1982
Men
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 1st, 100-Meter Dash [10.11]
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 1st, Long Jump [8.48]
Women
Carol Lewis [Willingboro], 1st, Long Jump [6.81]

1981
Men
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 1st, 100-Meter Dash [10.13]
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 1st, Long Jump [8.62mr]
Women
Michelle Glover [Willingboro], 9th, 100-Meter Dash [11.69]
Carol Lewis [Willingboro], 4th, 100-Meter Hurdles [13.73]
Carol Lewis [Willingboro], 3rd, Long Jump [6.54w]

1980 [Olympic Trials in Eugene]
Men
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 4th, 100-Meter Dash [10.32]
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 2nd, Long Jump [26-3 ½w]

1980 [U.S. Nationals in Walnut, Calif.]
Men
Jim Pringle [Moorestown], T5th, High Jump [2.18]

1979
Men
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 2nd, Long Jump [8.09w]
Women
Michelle Glover [Willingboro], 8th, 100-Meter Dash [11.59w]

1977
Men
Dave Reiss [Haddon Heights], 6th, Javelin [76.07

1976 [Olympic Trials, Eugene, Ore.]
Men
Dave Reiss [Haddon Heights], 5th, Javelin [76.60]

1976 [U.S. Nationals, Westwood, Calif.]
None

1975
Men
Dave Reiss [Haddon Heights], 5th, Javelin [78.87]

1974
Men
Dave Reiss [Haddon Heights], 6th, Javelin [74.98]

1971
Men
Herb Lorenz [Pemberton], 3rd, Marathon [2:19.16.8]

1968 [Olympic Trials, Echo Summit, Calif.]
None

1968 [U.S. Nationals, Sacramento, Calif.]
Men
Bill Gaines [Clearview], 7th, 100-Meter Dash [10.1]
Dave Reiss [Haddon Heights], 7th, Javelin [74.09]

1961
Men
Don Bragg [Penns Grove], 8th, Decathlon [5,693]

1959
Men
Don Bragg [Penns Grove], 1st, Pole Vault [4.65]

1958
Men
Don Bragg [Penns Grove], T2nd, Pole Vault [14-10 ½]
Charles Pratt [Palmyra], 4th, Decathlon [6,922]

1957
Men
Charles Pratt [Palmyra], 3rd, 120-Yard Hurdles [14.3]
Don Bragg [Penns Grove], 2nd, Pole Vault [4.53]
Charles Pratt [Palmyra], 1st, Decathlon [7,164]

1956 [Olympic Trials, Los Angeles]
Men
Charles Pratt [Palmyra], 5th, 120-Yard Hurdles [14.2]
Don Bragg [Penns Grove], 8th, Pole Vault [14-4]
Charles Pratt [Palmyra], 6th, Decathlon [6,808] [decathlon held in Crawfordsville, Ind.]

1956 [U.S. Nationals, Bakersfield, Calif.]
Men
Charles Pratt [Palmyra], 5th, 120-Yard Hurdles [13.89]
Don Bragg [Penns Grove], T2nd, Pole Vault [4.43]

1955
Men
Charles Pratt [Palmyra], 3rd, 120-Yard Hurdles [14.4]
Don Bragg [Penns Grove], T8th, Pole Vault [4.11]

1954
Men
Charles Pratt [Palmyra], 4th, 120-Yard Hurdles [14.66]

1953
Men
Don Bragg [Penns Grove], T3rd, Pole Vault [4.20]

1952 [Olympic Trials, Los Angeles]
Men
Browning Ross [Woodbury], 3rd, 3,000-Meter Steeplechase [9:08.3]
Browning Ross [Woodbury], 4th, 10,000-Meter Run [31:03.5] [held in Long Beach, Calif.]

1952 [U.S. Nationals, Long Beach, Calif.]
Men
Browning Ross [Woodbury], 5th, Steeplechase [9:39.8]

1950
Men
Browning Ross [Woodbury], 2nd, 3,000-Meter Steeplechase [9:46.7]

1949
Men
Browning Ross [Woodbury], 2nd, 3,000-Meter Steeplechase [9:35.5]

1948 [Olympic Trials in Evanston, Ill.]
Men
Browning Ross [Woodbury], 2nd, 3,000-Meter Steeplechase [9:21.0]

1948 [U.S. Nationals in Milwaukee]
Browning Ross [Woodbury], 3rd, 3,000-Meter Steeplechase [N/A]

1947
Men
Browning Ross [Woodbury], 5th, 3,000-Meter Steeplechase [N/A]

1946
Men
Browning Ross [Woodbury], 2nd, 3,000-Meter Steeplechase [N/A]

1941
Men
Archie Harris [Ocean  City], 4th, Shot Put [15.28]

1925
Women
Frances Ruppert [Palmyra], 3rd, 100-Yard Dash [N/A]

1924
Women
Frances Ruppert [Palmyra], 1st, 100-Yard Dash [12.0]

1923
Women
Frances Ruppert [Palmyra], 1st, 100-Yard Dash [12.0]

1913
Men
Mel Sherppard [Almonesson], 3rd, 880-Yard Run [N/A]

1912
Men
Mel Sherppard [Almonesson], 1st, 880-Yard Run [1:57.4]

1911
Men
Mel Sherppard [Almonesson], 1st, 880-Yard Run [1:54.2mr]

1910
Men
Mel Sherppard [Almonesson], 2nd, 880-Yard Run [N/A]

1908
Men
Mel Sherppard [Almonesson], 1st, 880-Yard Run [1:55.6]

1907
Men
Mel Sherppard [Almonesson], 1st, 880-Yard Run [1:55.2mr]

1906
Men
Mel Sherppard [Almonesson], 1st, 880-Yard Run [1:55.4mr]

Over the next few weeks, we’ll spotlight 30 athletes who excelled during the outdoor track season that we didn’t have a chance to write about extensively. We’d love to write about every athlete in South Jersey, but that’s not practical. But we will try to spotlight some who may have gotten overlooked over the past few months. We apologize in advance if we don’t get to you or your son or daughter or an athlete you coach.

Today: Abdulazeez Iyiola, Palmyra

South Jersey Group 1 was loaded this year with studs such as Jamir Brown, Malachi James, Damere Lassiter and Peyton Shute. And Palmyra senior Abdulaeez Iyiola was right in the middle of this unprecedented collection of Group 1 talent.

Iyiola finished the year with the No. 1 time in the state in Group 1 in the 400 hurdles and No. 4 in the high hurdles (but only 1-100th of a second behind 2nd) and never finished worse than 3rd in any intermediate hurdles race all year.

Iyiola won the Burlington County Open in 54.32, 4th-fastst in meet history and fastest in 25 years, since Harran Williams of Delran [53.7] edged Pemberton’s Napolean Suarez [53.8] in the 1997 race at Maple Shade. He became the first to win the Open 400IH in back-to-back years since Mike Williams of Lenape in 2012 and 2013.

He PR’d with a 54.27 for 3rd in a hot South Jersey Group 1 race and then dipped under 54 for the first time at states, where he ran 53.92 and took 2nd to Riverside’s Brown.

At the Meet of Champs, Iyiola ran another big PR, taking 3rd in 53.15. That broke the Palmyra school record of 53.71 set at 2006 Group 1 states at Egg Harbor by Will Brown, a national champ in the 110 highs. His 3rd-place finish was best by any Palmyra boy in any event at Meet of Champs since Brown won the highs in 14.13 at South Plainfield in 2006 and his time was fastest by any New Jersey Group 1 runner in the intermediates since legendary Fred Sharpe won the 1997 race in 51.62, also at South Plainfield.

Iyiola’s focus was the intermediates but he also had great success in the 110 highs, placing 2nd in the state Group 1 meet in 14.76 behind Brown’s 13.81.

Here’s the complete Burlington County sub-54 list
52.62 … Harran Williams [Delran], 1999
52.62 … Ian Moore [Lenape], 2001
52.71 … Mike Brown [Lenape], 1996
52.71 … Mike Morrison [Willingboro], 2003
52.89 … Devon Patton [Willingboro], 1990
52.96 … Tyler Davidson [Willingboro], 2016
53.01 … Shareef Muhammed [Willingboro], 2003
53.14 … Michael Bolling [Willingboro], 2000
53.15 … Abdulazeez Iyiola [Palmyra], 2024
53.31 … Mike Williams [Lenape], 2013
53.32 … Jamir Brown [Riverside], 2024
53.1h … Daryl Merriman [Willingboro], 1982
53.5h … Don Dmochowski [Riverside], 1982
53.71 … Will Brown [Palmyra], 2006
53.79 … Brandon Hill [Willingboro], 2011
53.86 … Kenny Brosier [Willingboro], 2015
52.2h … Dmochowski, 1982*

* – Unknown timing irregularity

Nia Ali ran the 3rd-fastest hurdles time of her life but missed making her 2nd Olympic team by 6-100ths of a second Sunday night in Eugene.

Ali ran 12.37 and placed 4th at the U.S. Olympic Trials at Hayward Field, finishing just behind 3rd-place finisher Grace Stark, who ran 12.31.

Ali, the 2016 silver medalist and 2021 World Champion, ran 12.30 in Monaco last July, and 12.34 in Qatar in 2019 when she won the World Championships.

Masai Russell won the race in 12.25 – 4th-fastest in world history – and Alaysha Johnson was 2nd in 12.31 – 11th-fastest in world history.

Only 18 women in world history have run faster than Ali ran Sunday night. Until Sunday night, only two women had ever run faster at the U.S. Trials – Gail Devers with 12.33 in Sacramento in 2000 and Brianna Rollins in Eugene in 2008.

Her time would have won the Trials in every other year.

Ali’s 12.37 is 5th-fastest in the world this year.

It’s the fastest 4th-place time in any hurdles ever held anywhere. The previous fastest 4th-place time was 12.44 by Brittany Anderson of Jamaica at the Van Damme Invitational at Boudewijnstadion in Brussels, Belgium, on Sept. 2, 2022. The previous fastest 4th-place time in a U.S. national championship was a 12.46 by Johnson last year, also in Eugene.

The fastest previous 4th-place time at an Olympic Trials was Gabbi Cunningham’s 12.53 in 2021.

Ali skipped the 2021 Trials to have her 3rd baby. She’s 35 years old and will be 39 when the 2028 Trials roll around. But she’s still one of the best in the world and showing no sign of slowing down.

Ali’s 12.30 last summer in Monaca is the fastest time ever run by a woman 34 or older. Her 12.37 Sunday is fastest ever by a woman 35 or older. Gail Devers ran 12.40 at 35 in Lausanne, Switzerland, in 2002.

This was Ali’s 9th hurdles final at nationals and her 4th consecutive finish among the top four. She won her first U.S. title last year in 12.37 – the same time she ran Sunday. She placed 5th in 2011, 8th in 2012, 3rd in 2013, 8th in 2014, 3rd in the 2016 Trials, 2nd in 2017 and 2nd in 2019.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll spotlight 30 athletes who excelled during the outdoor track season that we didn’t have a chance to write about extensively. We’d love to write about every athlete in South Jersey, but that’s not practical. But we will try to spotlight some who may have gotten overlooked over the past few months. We apologize in advance if we don’t get to you or your son or daughter or an athlete you coach.

Today: Leeya Joseph, Sterling

Between the 100, 200, 400 and long jump, Sterling sophomore Leeya Joseph sure kept busy this spring. What was her best event? Depends what day it is.

Joseph only ran the 100 a couple times but got her time as low as 12.66 at the Camden County Meet, she ran 24.81 in the 200, which made her the No. 3 sophomore in South Jersey, behind Sianni Wynn and Olivia Okaro (and No. 6 in New Jersey), and she only ran the 400 twice but got under 60 at the Nick Baker Invitational with a 59.10, which made her the 8th-fastest soph in South Jersey, even though she never ran it after May 16.

In the long jump, Joseph was the No. 2 soph in South Jersey behind Winslow All-America Ma’Syiah Brawner. Joseph PR’d with a 17-7 ¼ for 2nd place at South Jersey Group 2 sectionals behind only Haddonfield junior Nicolette Pinkerton.

Joseph’s 24.81 is only 9-100ths of a second off the school record of 24.72 set in 2016 by Aliya Harrison, and she’s not far from the school record in the long jump – 18-0 ½ by Janell Rowe in 2017.

At sectionals, Joseph focused on the 200 and long jump and took 6th in the 200 and 2nd in the long jump, and at states she was 4th at 200 and 8th in the long jump. She also ran on Sterling’s 3rd-place 4-by-1 and 4-by-4 teams at sectionals, joined by senior Aisha Garcia, sophomore Jordan Frazier and sophomore Jessiah Gamble on the 4-by-1 and Frazier, junior Elyse Simpson and senior Ayanna Brown on the 4-by-4.

At the Penn Relays, Joseph split 58.75 on Sterling’s 4:05.36 2nd-place 4-by-4 in the South Jersey Small School race. And at the Woodbury Relays she ran on the winning DMR and 4-by-2 and 2nd-place 4-by-4 as Sterling won the Group 2 team title.

Rancocas Valley graduate Erika Kemp recorded her best finish ever at an outdoor U.S. National Championship Saturday night by placing 8th in the 10,000-meter run at the Olympic Trials at Hayward Field in Eugene.

Kemp ran 32:21.84 in what was only her 4th track race since the 2021 Trials in Eugene.

She’s the first Rancocas Valley woman to place in the top eight at an outdoor U.S. Nationals since Tonya Lee was 7th in the 400-meter hurdles at the 1996 Olympic Trials in Atlanta.

Kemp races mainly on the roads these days and she won the 2021 U.S. title at 20 kilometers in New Haven, and she has road PRs of 15:25 for 5K, 32:18 for 10K, 1:09.10 for the half marathon and 2:33.57 in the marathon.

Her best previous finish in any U.S. meet on the track was an 8th in the two-mile indoors in 2019 at the Armory in New York.

Kemp is the 4th South Jersey woman to finish in the top eight in the 10,000 at U.S. Nationals.

Mindy Rowand of Sterling placed 7th in 33:19.37 in 1991, Laura Mason of Northern Burlington was 8th in 35:03.14 in 1998, Marielle Hall of Haddonfield was 3rd in 2016 in 31:54.77 and 2nd in 2018 in 31:56.68.

Kemp qualified for Trials with a PR 31:28.69 at Jserra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano in March. She’s run as fast as 15:10.10 on the track in the 5,000 and ran 15:20.29 earlier this month in Boston.

Cherokee’s Jessica Woodard placed 8th in the U.S. Olympic Trials shot put Saturday night in Eugene, extending her streak to 12 top-10 finishes in 12 lifetime U.S. national championship appearances.

Woodard surpassed 60 feet three times, with a best throw of 60-3 ½, just off her season best of 60-4 from the USATF Grand Prix at Icahn Stadium in New York earlier this month. Her best overall throw this year was a 60-11 indoors in February when she placed 4th at Nationals in Albuquerque.

Woodard had throws of 60-3 ½, 60-3 and 60-2 ½, the 29th, 30th and 31st 60-footers of her career. She fouled on three of her last four throws.

Woodard is No. 16 in U.S. history with her 63-7 ¾ in Eugene in June of 2022. She’s 24th in the world this year.

Jessica Woodard U.S. Championships History
2024 Outdoors [Eugene]: 7th, 60-3
2024 Indoors [Albuquerque]: 4th, 60-11 ¼
2023 Outdoors [Eugene]: 5th 60-3 ¼
2023 Indoors [Albuquerque]: 3rd, 57-11 ½
2022 Outdoors [Eugene]: 3rd, 63-7 ¾
2022 Indoors [Spokane], 3rd, 61-4 ¼
2021 Outdoors [Eugene], 7th, 57-11 ¾
2021 Indoors [cancelled]
2020 Outdoors [cancelled]
2020 Indoors [Albuquerque]: 6th, 57-10 ¾
2019 Outdoors [Des Moines]: 6th, 57-10 ¾
2019 Indoors [New York]: 7th, 57-11 ½
2018 Outdoors [Des Moines]: 9th, 58-0 ¾
2018 Indoors: DNC
2017 Outdoors [Sacramento]: 8th, 57-5 ½

Jessica Woodard All-Time 60-Foot Throws
63-7 ¾ … U.S. Championships, Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., June 26, 2022
62-7 … World Championships [qualifying], Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., July 15, 2022
62-3 ¾ … Tucson Elite Classic, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 20, 2021
61-10 ¼ … USATF Throws Festival, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 22, 2021
61-8 ¾ … NACAC Championships, Freeport Stadium, Grand Bahamas, Aug. 21, 2022
61-8 ¾ … Memorial van Damme, Boudewijnstadion, Brussels, Belgium, Sept. 7, 2023
61-7 ¾ … U.S. Championships, Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., June 26, 2022
61-7 ¾ … U.S. Championships, Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., June 26, 2022
61-7 … USATF Golden Games, Hilmer Lodge Stadium, Walnut, Calif., April 16, 2022
61-6 ½ … Ed Murphey Classic, Memphis, Tenn., July 30, 2022
61-5 ¼ … NACAC Championships, Freeport Stadium, Grand Bahamas, Aug. 21, 2022
61-5 ¼ … Diamond League Meeting de Paris, Stade Charléty, Paris, June 9, 2023
61-4 ¼ … Tucson Elite Classic, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 19, 2023
61-4¼i … U.S. Indoor Championships, Spokane, Wash., Feb. 26, 2022
61-3 ¾ … Ed Murphey Classic, Wolfe Track Complex, Memphis, Aug. 4, 2023
61-3 ½ … NCAA Championships, Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., June 7, 2018
61-3 … World Championships [final], Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., July 16, 2022
61-2 ¼ … Meeting International Mohammed VI d’Athletisme de Rabat, Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdellah, Rabat, Morocco, May 28, 2023
61-1 ¾ … Diamond League Meeting de Paris, Stade Charléty, Paris, June 9, 2023
61-1 ¼ … World Championships [final], Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., July 16, 2022
60-11 ¼ … U.S. Championships, Albuquerque Convention Center, Feb. 16, 2024
60-10 ¾ … Tucson Elite Classic, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 19, 2023
60-10i … U.S. Indoor Championships, Spokane, Wash., Feb. 26, 2022
60-10 … USATF Throws Festival, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 22, 2022
60-9 ½ … USATF Golden Games, Hilmer Lodge Stadium, Walnut, Calif., May 9, 2021
60-7 ¼ … USATF Golden Games, Hilmer Lodge Stadium, Walnut, Calif., May 9, 2021
60-7 ½i … Don Kirby Elite, Albuquerque (N.M.) Convention Center, Feb. 12, 2022
60-6 ¾ … Tucson Elite Classic, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 19, 2023
60-6 ½ … USATF Throws Fest, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 20, 2023
60-5 ¾ … Tucson Elite Classic, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 20, 2021
60-4 ¾ … USATF Throws Fest, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 22, 2021
60-4 ½ … USATF Throws Fest, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 20, 2023
60-4 ½ … USATF Golden Games, Hilmer Lodge Stadium, Walnut, Calif., April 16, 2022
60-4 … Goteborg Grand Prix, Goteborg, Sweden, Aug. 16, 2019
60-3 ¼ … U.S. Olympic Trials, Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., June 24, 2021
60-3 ¼ … U.S. National Championships, Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., July 8, 2023
60-3 ¼ … U.S. Olympic Trials, Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., June 29, 2024
60-3 … Big 12 Championships, Lawrence, Kans., May 13, 2017
60-3 … Ed Murphey Classic, Memphis, Tenn., July 30, 2022
60-3 … U.S. Olympic Trials, Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., June 29, 2024
60-3 … NACAC Championships, Freeport Stadium, Grand Bahamas, Aug. 21, 2022
60-2 ½ … U.S. Olympic Trials, Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., June 29, 2024
60-1 ¼ … Chula Vista High Performance #3, Elite Training Stadium, Chula Vista, Calif., May 2, 2021
60-0 ½ … Chula Vista High Performance #1, Elite Training Stadium, Chula Vista, Calif., April 3, 2021
60-0 ½ … Tucson Elite Classic, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 19, 2022

Nia Ali advanced to the 100-meter hurdles final Saturday night at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore.

Ali placed 3rd in the first of three semifinals in 12.55. Although only the first two in each semi advanced to the final automatically, the next three-fastest times also advanced, and Ali’s 12.55 was the fastest 3rd-place time – and 7th-fastest overall.

Ali, a Pleasantville grad, will race in the final at 8 p.m. Sunday.

She has now reached the finals at U.S. Nationals nine times. She was 5th in 2011, 8th in the 2012 Trials, 3rd in 2013, 8th in 2014, 3rd in the 2016 Trials, 8th in 2017, 2nd in 2019 and 1st last year.

Ali won the Olympic silver medal in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro and then won the world championships in Doha, Qatar, in October of 2019.

She’s now 35 but still among the fastest hurdlers in the world. She’s run as fast as 12.44 this year – in Gainesville in April – and has also run 12.47 and 12.48.

Alaysha Johnson, Tonea Marshall and Masai Russell – the three-fastest qualifiers – each ran 12.36 Saturday. Last time Ali ran sub-12.40 was last July in Monaco, when she PR’d with 12.30 – 9th-fastest in world history and 3rd-fastest ever by a U.S. woman.