From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

All four runners PR’d and Ocean City ran the 9th-fastest 4-by-8 in South Jersey history and placed 2nd at the Meet of Champions Wednesday at Pennsauken.

Maeve Smith, Chloe Care, Frankie Ritzel and Carly Godfrey ran 9:15.51 and placed 2nd to Hillsborough, which won the race in 9:15.15.

Ocean City broke the Cape May County Record of 9:15.61 set by the 2014 Ocean City team of Cierra Granger, Devin Grisbaum, Rachel Stremme and Bridget Flynn when the Red Raiders won the 2014 state Group 2 title at South Plainfield.

Smith led off with a 2:17.56 leg and Care split 2:17.53 before handing off to Ritzel, who ran 2:24.41. Godfrey anchored in 2:20.41.

All-Time South Jersey 4-by-8 List
9:00.51 … Haddonfield, 2021
9:05.62 … Lenape, 2012
9:05.83 … Lenape, 2008
9:06.30 … Haddonfield, 2008
9:10.32 … Haddonfield, 2000
9:12.30 … Haddonfield, 2019
9:14.25 … Cherokee, 2023
9:15.19 … Lenape, 2007
9:15.51 … Ocean City, 2024
9:15.61 … Ocean City, 2014
9:15.19 … Lenape, 2007
9:15.92 … Haddonfield, 2015
9:16.57 … Seneca, 2017
9:16.79 … Haddonfield, 1999
9:17.77 … Cherokee, 2022
9:18.22 … Kingsway, 2016
9:18.37 … Haddonfield, 2019
9:18.57 … Seneca, 2018
9:18.71 … Lenape, 2011
9:18.93 … Haddonfield, 2018
9:18.94 … Lenape, 2006
9:19.15 … Wilson, 2002
9:19.68 … Kingsway, 2017

All-Time Meet of Champions 4-by-8 List
9:01.69 … Freehold Township, 2014 [1]
9:03.19 … Ridge, 2018 [1]
9:06.81 … Ridge, 2016 [1]
9:08.15 … Southern Regional, 2016 [2]
9:08.75 … Ridge, 2019 [1]
9:10.06 … Southern Regional, 2014 [2]
9:10.24 … Haddonfield, 2021 [1]
9:10.69 … Freehold Township, 2013 [1]
9:11.48 … Ridge, 2015 [1]
9:11.81 … Ridge, 2017 [1]
9:13.70 … North Hunterdon, 2016 [3]
9:14.04 … Mountain Lakes, 2017 [2]
9:14.07 … West Windsor-Plainsboro South, 2014 [3]
9:14.48 … Mount St. Dominic, 2012 [1]
9:14.98 … West Windsor-Plainsboro South, 2015 [2]
9:15.15 … Hillsborough, 2024 [1]
9:15.16 … Haddonfield, 2019 [2]
9:15.19 … Southern Regional, 2017 [3]
9:15.51 … Ocean City, 2024 [2]
9:15.69 … Lenape, 2012 [2]
9:15.92 … Haddonfield, 2015 [3]

Pennsauken’s Premier Wynn earned a trip to Peru for the World Under-20 Championships Thursday with a 2nd-place finish at the USATF Under-20 Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

Wynn, running out of challenging Lane 9, ran a lifetime-best 50.58, taking 2nd to Vance Nilsson, a senior at Gilbert (Ariz.) High School, who won the race in 50.23.

The World Under-20 Championships will be held in Lima, Peru, Aug. 26-31. The top two finishers, provided they have a World Under-20 qualifying time – which both do – represent the U.S. in Peru.

Wynn’s previous PR was 50.72 when he placed 2nd at the MEAC Championships on his home track at Norfolk State University last month.

https://live.athletictiming.net/meets/38602/events/individual/1444268

His time is 6th-fastest ever by a South Jersey high school alumni and fastest since Winslow’s Reuben McCoy ran 50.07 in a meet in Clermont, Fla., in June 2014. Wynn’s PR is now 3-100ths of a second faster than Tucker, his high school teammate.

Wynn led most of the race, clearing the 10 hurdles in 5.81, 9.61, 13.49, 17.55, 21.84, 25.89, 30.32, 34.99, 39.73 and 44.54. Nilsson passed him between the 10th hurdle and finish line. Lane 9 is a very tough lane to race out of because the stagger doesn’t allow you to see anybody else in the race until well onto the backstretch.

Wynn’s high school teammate, Rutgers rising sophomore Bryce Tucker, placed 7th in 53.66, and Deptford’s Lathan Brown III, also a Rutgers rising soph, ran 53.91 but was DQ’d for violating rule 168.3a, which prohibits a hurdler from hooking his trail leg.

Click to access ONE-PAGE-Umpire-ASSIGNMENTS-with-TRACK-LAYOUTS-plus-Indoor-16Dec2019.pdf

48.37 … Reuben McCoy [Winslow Twp.], June 28, 2008, Eugene, Ore.
48.86 … Fred Sharpe [Paulsboro], May 18, 2003, Knoxville, Tenn.
49.50 … Dwight Ruff [Camden], June 12, 2003, Sacramento
50.04 … Mike Brown [Lenape], June 12, 2002, Holmdel, N.J.
50.52 … Martin Booker [Camden], May 12, 1984, Philadelphia
50.58 … Premier Wynn [Pennsauken], June 13, 2024, Eugene, Ore.
50.61 … Bryce Tucker [Pennsauken], May 12, 2024, Ann Arbor, Mich.
50.65 … Aaron Younger [Delsea], May 28, 2010, Greensboro, N.C.
50.69 … Danyne Brown [Camden], May 30, 2003, Fairfax, Va.
50.84 … Nick Brown [Bridgeton], July 16, 2005, New York

Hammonton junior Anthony Liakhnovich surpassed the 180-foot barrier Wednesday and placed 2nd in the discus at the Meet of Champions at Pennsauken.

Liakhnovich, who had a PR of 149-0 last year, capped a fantastic season with a throw of 181-3, snapping his PR of 178-0 at the Delsea Crusader Invitational in April. Liakhnovich surpassed 170 feet five times this year and placed 2nd in his first Meet of Chapions to Benjamin Shue of Bergen Catholic, the West Philly Nationals runner-up last year as a sophomore. Shue threw a PR 205-4, No. 3 in meet history.

Liakhnovich had four 170-foot throws in his series, and his 181-3 on his 4th attempt is No. 1 in South Jersey history and No. 3 in Atlantic County history, behinde Egg Harbor Township’s James Plummer [197-0 in 2013] and St. Augustine’s Franklin Simms [191-11 in 2022].

Bishop Eustace senior Shawn Brady was 3rd with a 179-7 on his final attempt. He threw at least 172 feet on all six throws and averaged 175-2 per throw.Bordentown’s Brock Schenck was 8th with a 166-2, giving South Jersey three of the top eight placers.

Six of the top 18 throwers in South Jersey history have come in the last three years.

All-Time South Jersey Discus list
216-11 … Ron Dayne [Overbrook], 1996
199-6 … Braheme Days Jr. [Bridgeton], 2013
197-0 … James Plummer [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2013
192-5 … Josh Awotunde [Delsea], 2013
191-11 … Franklin Simms [St. Augustine], 2022
189-7 … Ray Wilks [Bridgeton], 1995
185-11 … John Mooers [Middle Twp.], 2015
185-10 … Russ Willett [Penns Grove], 1985
185-7 … Matt Huckabee [Timber Creek], 2010
185-6 … Kamron Kobolak [Cinnaminson], 2018
185-5 … Ken Manahan [Deptford], 1976
184-8 … Damere Lassiter [Glassboro], 2023
184-4 … Adam Hunt [Collingswood], 2017
183-9 … Jason Nwosu [Delsea], 2022
183-4 … Janier Armstead [Penns Grove], 2023
181-10 … Jason Winrow [Cumberland Reg.], 1989
181-10 … Shawn Brady [Bishop Eustace], 2024
181-3 … Anthony Liakhnovich [Hammonton], 2024
180-3 … Howard Clark [Pennsauken], 1998

Incredible performance by Delsea’s Hannah Nuhfer at the Meet of Champions with the 2nd-best discus throw in state history by a sophomore.

Nuhfer threw 152-6 on her 1st attempt at Pennsauken and placed 2nd to Layla Giordano of Old Tappan, who had three throws over 166, including the winning 171-7 on her final throw. Giordano is all-time New Jersey No. 3 with her 172-2 at North 1 Group 3 sectionals at Vernon.

Nuhfer’s 152-6 is No. 12 in state history and No. 6 all-time in South Jersey and just 10 inches short of the state sophomore class record of 153-4 set by Alyssa Wilson of Donovan Catholic at the 2015 Parochial A sectionals at Donovan Catholic in Toms River. Wilson was a multiple NCAA All-America at Texas State and Olympic Trials finalist in the hammer and discus.

Nuhfer’s previous PR was a 149-2 at the Delsea Crusader Field Meet last month. Her 152-6 is the 7th-best mark in meet history and the best non-winning mark. The previous-best non-winning throw was a 144-0 by Casey Sullivan of Demarest in 2022.

Nuhfer is still a newcomer to the discus. She only threw in one meet last year – a 113-1 at the Delsea Crusader Field Meet – and opened this year with three meets at 115 or below. She had a breakthrough at the South Jersey Elite with a 130-3 and then bombed that 149-2 just three weeks ago.

The only superior performers in Gloucester County history are also from Delsea – Jocelyn White threw 172-2 in 2004 and Jamine Moton 161-1 in 1997.

The No. 3 sophomore in state history is another current Gloucester County 10th grader, Glassboro’s Sunsarai Moore, who placed 3rd Wednesday with a 143-0, just off her lifetime-best 143-10 two weeks ago at South Jersey Group 1 sectionals, also at Pennsauken. She’s No. 9 in South Jersey history

Moore’s 143-0 is the best 3rd-place throw in meet history and No. 7 among South Jersey throwers. The best previous 3rd-place throw was 141-3 by Sarah Slowikowski of Demarest in 2022.

There’s more!

Winslow junior Brook-lynn Roberts also surpassed 140 feet with a 142-2 on her 2nd attempt for 4th place. That’s the best 4th-place throw in meet history, surpassing a 140-2 by Kelly Enterline of Southern Regional, also in 2022.

So the top three returning discus throwers in 2025 will all be from South Jersey.

And let’s not forget versatile Schalick senior Grace O’Neill, a state medalist in the intermediate hurdles, who popped a PR 134-3 for 8th place in the discus.

All four South Jersey medalists are entered in the discus at West Philly Nationals at Franklin Field. The discus final is scheduled for 4 p.m. Saturday. Nuhfer and Roberts are also entered in the shot.

All-Time New Jersey 150-Foot Discus List
182-0 … Alyssa Wilson [Donovan Catholic], 2017
172-2 … Jocelyn White [Delsea], 2004
172-2 … Layla Giordano [Old Tappan], 2024
168-10 … Jessica Woodard [Cherokee], 2013
161-11 … Helene O’Connell [Jackson], 1977
161-7 … Jessica Oji [Livingston], 2024
161-1 … Jamine Moton [Delsea], 1997
155-7 … Jada Mia Puryear [Union Catholic], 2022
153-6 … Tisha Kerrin [Eastern], 1989
153-3 … DeAnne Hahn [Brick Twp.], 2008
153-2 … Sylvia Galarza [Millville], 2004
152-6 … Hannah Nuhfer [Delsea], 2024
152-4 … Kirsten Batts [Marlboro], 2007

All-Time South Jersey 140-Foot Discus List
172-2 … Jocelyn White [Delsea], 2004
168-10 … Jessica Woodard [Cherokee], 2013
161-1 … Jamine Moton [Delsea], 1997
153-6 … Tisha Kerrin [Eastern], 1989
153-2 … Sylvia Galarza [Millville], 2004
152-6 … Hannah Nuhfer [Delsea], 2024
149-3 … Tara Daniels [Kingsway], 2013
147-7 … Brook-lynn Roberts [Winslow Twp.], 2024
146-5 … Kim Warren [Atlantic City], 2006
143-10 … Sunsarai Moore [Glassboro], 2024
143-3 … Mercedes Hicks [Atlantic City], 2006
143-2 … Najeaya Singleton [Vineland], 2017
140-6 … Typhanie Bates [Williamstown], 1995
140-1 … Melinda Boykin[Bridgeton], 1997
140-0 … Geri Riley [Millville], 1987

All-Time Meet of Champions Discus List
171-1 … Layla Giordano [Old Tappan], 2024 [1]
168-1 … Alyssa Wilson [Donovan Catholic], 2017 [1]
161-1 … Jess Woodard [Cherokee], 2013 [1]
159-7 … Layla Giordano [Old Tappan], 2023 [1]
158-1 … Jocelyn White [Delsea], 2004 [1]
155-7 … Jada Mia Puryear [Union Catholic], 2022 [1]
152-6 …….. Wilson, 2016 [1]
152-6 … Hannah Nuhfer [Delsea], 2024 [2]
151-10 …….. Woodard, 2012 [1]
150-6 … Alyssa Wilson [Donovan Catholic], 2015 [1]
147-11 … Sarah Herskee [Mendham], 1999 [1]
147-8 … Sue Piekarz [Clifton], 1987 [1]
147-1 … Jamine Moton [Delsea], 1996 [1]
145-11 … Jocelyn White [Delsea], 2003 [1]
145-5 …….. Moton, 1997 [1]
144-0 … Casey Sullivan [Demarest], 2022 [2]
143-10 … Abby Nonneberg [Wall Twp.], 2019 [1]
143-4 … Jenn Flinchum [Demarest], 1999 [2]
143-2 … Najeaya Singleton [Vineland], 2017 [2]
143-0 … Sunsarai Moore [Glassboro], 2024 [3]
142-5 …….. Woodard, 2011 [1]
142-2 … Brook-lynn Roberts [Winslow Twp.], 2024 [4]
142-0 … Tammy Pellien [Jackson], 1996 [2]
141-8 … Karen Anderson [Toms River East], 1982 [1]
141-3 … Sarah Slowikowski [Demarest], 2022 [3]
140-8 … Jessica Fazekas [Demarest], 2002 [1]
140-2 … Tara Hollowell [Trenton], 1995 [1]
140-2 … Kelly Enterline [Souther Reg.], 2022 [4]

Oakcrest senior Ryan Merlino cleared 16 feet to win the Meet of Champions pole vault, but he really won it at 15 feet.

Merlino and Cade Zeolla of West Morris Central locked up in a tight battle Wednesday at Pennsauken, with both clearing 16 feet – 3rd-best in meet history – and then missing three tries at 16-6.

Both cleared 14-6 on their 1st attempt and both cleared 15-6 on their 1st try. But Merlino got over the bar on his 1st attempt at 15-0 and Zeolla made it over on his 3rd attempt. When there’s a tie for 1st, you go back to the last height to break the tie, and because Merlino needed fewer attempts at 15-0, he’s the winner.

Merlino’s only defeat this year came at the Penn Relays, where he placed 4th but 1st among New Jersey vaulters, so he hasn’t lost to a New Jersey athlete all year.

This was Zeolla’s first 16-0 clearance and Merlino’s 3rd. He’s tied for the South Jersey record with Bob Green of Haddon Heights, who cleared 16-0 in 1992.

Merlino is the first South Jersey vaulter to win the Meet of Champions since Delsea’s Jarrod Brovero in 2016 and Oakcrest’s 1st MoC winner since Ishmael Muhammad won the 800 in 1:48.52 in 2014.

Merlino is entered in the pole vault at West Philly Nationals at Frankllin Field at 2 p.m. Saturday, as are Zeolla and Deptford junior Marcus Hood, who cleared 15-3 to win the South Jersey Group 3 meet. That’s No. 11 in South Jersey history.

South Jersey Meet of Champions Pole Vault Winners
Mark Murphy [Haddonfield], 1984 [14-6]
Mark Murphy [Haddonfield], 1985 [15-0]
Marv Forchion [Willingboro], 1986 [14-6]
Jason King [Lenape], 1993 [15-4]
Josh Moline [Gateway], 2000 [14-6]
Michael Hulme [Eastern], 2003 [15-0]
Devon Purves [Haddonfield], 2006 [15-0]
Dan Batdorf [West Deptford], 2007 [14-6]
Jarrod Brovero [Delsea], 2016 [14-6]

Oakcrest Meet of Champions winners
Carnelius Cruz [Oakcrest], 1994 [211-5]
Desmond Powell [Oakcrest], 1994 [14.08]
Oakcrest, 2011 [41.83]
Oakcrest, 2012 [42.09]
Fabian Santiago [Oakcrest], 2012 [10.59]
Fabian Santiago [Oakcrest], 2012 [21.52]
David Jefferson [Oakcrest], 2012 [6-6]
Ishmael Muhammad [Oakcrest], 2014 [1:48.52]

Moorestown senior Rece Englehart capped an undefeated season in the triple jump Wednesday with a dramatic win at the Meet of Champions at Pennsauken.

North Brunswick junior Zachary Jefferson jumped 47-6 on his 1st attempt to take the leadbut Englehart jumped 47-7 ¼ on his 3rd attempt – 1 ¼ inches farther – to move back in front.

Jefferson’s best jump the rest of the way was a 45-11 ½ and Englehart became the 3rd Moorestown Quaker to win a Meet of Champions title. His winning jump was recorded with a legal 0.2 meters-per-second wind.

Moorestown’s other winners were Mike Coffey, who won the javelin with a 209-6 at the 1975 meet at Rutgers, and Brandon Outlaw, 1st in the 400 in 2017 at Northern Burlington.

Englehart had a best of 45-3 ¼ last year and placed 7th at the Meet of Champions at 44-9 ¾. But he hit 47 feet or better consistently this year, including a PR of 48-4 ½ when he won the state Group 3 title at Delsea last weekend. That’s No. 5 in South Jersey history and broke the 43-year-old Burlington County record of 47-9 ¼ set by Pemberton’s Marcus Edghill in 1981 when he won the Penn Relays.

Englehart also placed 2nd in the long jump with a personal-best 23-11 ¾, a quarter of an inch beyond his 23-10 ½ at the South Jersey Elite meet at Delsea last month. Englehart’s long jump was also legal with a 1.2. Junior Liam Paneque popped a meet-record 25-2 on his 2nd attempt with a legal 1.0 wind. Previous meet record was 25-0 by Wilson’s William Spearman in 1995.

His 23-11 ¾ is No. 12 in South Jersey history and the best jump by a Burlington County athlete since Mike Morrison’s 24-5 back in 2003.

Englehart is the only horizontal jumper in New Jersey history to hit both 23-11 and 48 feet. He’s entered in West Philly Nationals at Franklin Field in the long jump at 10 a.m. Friday and the triple jump at 3 p.m. Saturday.

South Jersey Meet of Champions Triple Jump Winners
Josh Butler [Delsea], 2006 [48-0]
Evan Chance [Glassboro], 2009 [47-7 ½]
Dominique Irons [Haddon Heights], 2011 [48-4]
Dominique Irons [Haddon Heights], 2013 [48-10]
Khaliel Burnett [Delsea], 2017 [48-9 ½]
Khaliel Burnett [Delsea], 2018 [48-2 ¼]
Floyd Whitaker [Highland], 2021 [49-7]
Rece Englehart [Moorestown], 2024 [47-7 ¼]

Former Pennsauken teammates Bryce Tucker and Premier Wynn as well as Deptford’s Lathan Brown III all advanced to tomorrow’s final of the 400-meter hurdles at the USATF Under-20 Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

So South Jersey has three of the eight qualifiers for the final.

The top three in each of two sections plus the next-three-fastest times advanced to the final.

Tucker, the Big Ten champ last month as a freshman at Rutgers, ran 52.09 and placed 3rd in the 1st section. Wynn, the MEAC runner-up, ran 52.36 and placed 3rd in the 2nd section. And Brown, who also just finished his freshman year at Rutgers, ran a near-PR 52.25, the 2nd-fastest “small-Q” qualifying time.

Tucker has a lifetime-best 50.61 from the Big Ten meet, Wynn has a PR of 50.72 from the MEAC meet and Brown has a PR of 52.16 from a meet in Tampa in April.

The final is scheduled for 8:52 p.m. EST Thursday. The top two finishers will have the opportunity to represent the U.S. at the World Athletics Under-20 Championships Aug. 26-31 in Lima, Peru.

In the final, Brown will be in Lane 2, Tucker in Lane 4 and Wynn in Lane 9.

Moorestown junior Hannah Byrd-Leitner recorded the 3rd-best pole vault clearance in New Jersey history Wednesday and shattered the New Jersey junior class record in winning her first Meet of Champions title.

Byrd-Leitner cleared 13-2 at Pennsauken, just one inch off the South Jersey outdoor record of 13-3 set by Shawnee’s Danielle O’Reilly at the 2004 Olympic Conference Meet, also held at Pennsauken. O’Reilly cleared a then-national-record 13-5 indoors in 2004 at the Ridgewood Varsity Classic at the Armory.

Her 13-2 clearane is 3 ¼ inchers off the meet record and state record of 13-5 ¼ set by Hayley Horvath of Notre Dame at the 2018 Meet of Champions at Northern Burlington.

Byrd-Leitner broke the state junior class record of 12-8 set by Leah Saifi of Governor Livingston at the 2016 East Coast Relays at Randolph.

Byrd-Leitner’s previous PR was 12-7 from her win at the state Group 3 meet at Delsea last weekend.

She’s the 6th 13-foot vaulter who attended high school in South Jersey:

14-0 ¾ … Stephanie Maugham [Shawnee], April 6, 2002, Fresno, Calif.
13-8 ¼ … Kaitlyn Dermen [Millville], July 29, 2023, Basking Ridge, N.J.
13-8 … Anna Heim [Moorestown], May 13, 2010, Springfield, Mass.
13-5i … Danielle O’Reilly [Shawnee], Feb. 9, 2004, New York
13-3 ¾ … Ashley Preston [Delsea], April 17, 2021, Philadelphia
13-2 … Hannah Byrd-Leitner [Moorestown], June 12, 2004, Pennsauken

Byrd-Leitner is the 3rd South Jersey girl to win the Meet of Champions pole vault. O’Reilly won in 2003 and 2004 with 11-6 clearances both years, and Seneca’s Brittany Raffo won in 2016 with a 12-0 clearance.

On Wednesday, Byrd-Leitner passed at 10-0 and then cleared 10-6 and 11-0 on her 1st attempt and 11-6 on her 2nd. At that point, three other vaulters were clean, so Byrd-Leitner was in 4th place as the bar went up to 12 feet. But she and Ella Karolewski of Hillsborough both cleared 12-0 on their 1st attempts and missed 12-6 on their first two tries.

That meant if both missed on their 3rd attempt, there would be a jump-off because they had identical series up to that point. But Karolewski missed and Byrd-Leitner got over the bar, clinching the title and making her the first Moorestown Meet of Champions winner since Amandi Rhett won the 100 and 200 in 2000 at South Brunswick.

But Byrd-Leitner was just getting started. She had the bar moved up to 12-9, which she cleared on her 1st attempt, and then 13-0, which she also cleared on her 1st try.

Then she had the bar moved up to 13-2, which she cleared on her 3rd attempt and 13th vault of the competition. She finished with tries at a state-record 13-5 ½. (The official results show her clearing 13-5 ½ on her 3rd attempt, but that’s incorrect).

Haddon Heights senior Quin Zacamy, the state Group 2 champ, placed 5th with a 12-0 clearance, and Haddonfield junior Rebecca Hoover, who’s No. 3 in South Jersey history with a 12-8 clearance last month at the Camden County Championships, tied for 7th at 11-6.

Byrd-Leitner is entered in the vault at West Philly Nationals this weekend at Franklin Field. She’s scheduled to compete at 10 a.m. Saturday.

All-Time New Jersey Outdoor 13-Foot Club
13-5 ¼ … Hayley Horvath [Notre Dame], 2018
13-3… Danielle O’Reilly [Shawnee], 2004
13-2 … Hannah Byrd-Leitner [Moorestown], 2024
13-0 … Emma Keating [Pompton Lakes], 2023
13-0 … Caroline Dannenbaum [Pingry School], 2018

All-Time New Jersey Combined 13-Foot Club
13-5 ¼ … Hayley Horvath [Notre Dame], 2018 [o]
13-5 … Danielle O’Reilly [Shawnee], 2004 [i]
13-2 … Hannah Byrd-Leitner [Moorestown], 2024 [o]
13-0 ¾ … Sydney Woods [Demarest], 2018 [i]
13-0 … Emma Keating [Pompton Lakes], 2023 [o]
13-0 … Caroline Dannenbaum [Pingry School], 2018 [o]
13-0 ½ … Leah Saifi [Governor Livingston], 2017 [i]

All-Time South Jersey Outdoor Pole Vault List
13-3… Danielle O’Reilly [Shawnee], 2004
13-2 … Hannah Byrd-Leitner [Moorestown], 2024
12-8 … Rebecca Hoover [Haddonfield[, 2024
12-7 ½ … Ashley Preston [Delsea], 2018
12-0 … Jessica Kloss [Moorestown], 2005
12-0 … Brittney Raffo [Seneca], 2016
12-0 … Fiona Basewitz [Collingswood], 2021
12-0 … Quin Zacamy [Haddon Heights], 2024
11-10 … Kate Derman [Millville], 2014
11-9 … Julia Greeley [Seneca], 2021

All-Time South Jersey Combined Pole Vault List
13-5… Danielle O’Reilly [Shawnee], 2004 [i]
13-2 … Hannah Byrd-Leitner [Moorestown], 2024 [o]
12-8 … Rebecca Hoover [Haddonfield[, 2024 [o]
12-7 ½ … Ashley Preston [Delsea], 2018 [o]
12-7 … Hannah Byrd-Leitner [Moorestown], 2024 [o]
12-0 … Jessica Kloss [Moorestown], 2005 [i, o]
12-0 … Brittney Raffo [Seneca], 2017 [o]
12-0 … Fiona Basewitz [Collingswood], 2021 [o]
12-0 … Quin Zacamy [Haddon Heights], 2024 [o]
11-10 … Kate Derman [Millville], 2014 [o]
11-9 … Julia Greeley [Seneca], 2021 [o]

All-Time Meet of Champions Pole Vault List
13-5 ¼ … Haley Horvath [Notre Dame], 2018 [1]
13-2 … Hannah Byrd-Leitner [Moorestown], 2024 [1]
13-0 … Emma Keating [Pompton Lakes], 2023 [1]
12-6 … Kelly Burke [Cranford], 2010 [1]
12-6 … Emily Urciuoli [Clifton], 2010 [2]
12-6 …….. Urciuoli, 2009 [1]
12-6 … Nicole Pompei [Hanover Park], 2008 [1]
12-6 … Jen Holly [Barnegat], 2008 [2]
12-6 … Leah Saifi [Governor Livingston], 2017 [1]
12-6 … Michelle Rubinetti [Northern Valley], 2017 [2]
12-6 … Jessica Ippolito [Fair Lawn], 2017 [3]
12-6 … Caroline Dannenbaum [Pingry School], 2018 [2]
12-6 … Melissa Purcell [Pascack Valley], 2018 [3]
12-6 …….. Purcell, 2017 [4]
12-6 … Ashley Preston [Delsea], 2018 [4]

South Jersey Meet of Champions Pole Vault Champions
Danielle O’Reilly [Shawnee], 2003 [11-6]
Danielle O’Reilly [Shawnee], 2004 [11-6]
Brittany Raffo [Seneca], 2016 [12-0]
Hannah Byrd-Leitner [Moorestown], 2024 [13-2]

Yashahya Brown capped an undefeated season in the high hurdles Wednesday with one of the fastest performances in Meet of Champions history.

Brown, a Washington Township senior, won the final in 13.56, leading a 1-2-3-4 South Jersey finish, after a 13.53 in the trials. Both performances were made with a legal wind.

Brown’s 13.53 is 3rd-fastest in meet history and 2nd-fastest with legal wind. Nathaniel Rayan of Scotch Plains-Fanwood set the meet record of 13.42 in the trials last year before a 13.48 in the final. The other hurdler to run faster at a MoC is Notre Dame’s Todd Matthews, with a wind-aided 13.52 in 1988.

The fastest previous time by a South Jersey hurdler is a 13.59 by Willingboro’s Gerard Reynolds in 1990.

Brown set the South Jersey record of 13.43 at the state Group 4 meet last weekend. That’s just 3-100ths of a second off Rayan’s state record of 13.40, which he ran at USATF Under-20’s last year in Eugene, Ore.

Brown is the first South Jersey hurdler to win the 110 highs at the Meet of Champions since Edwin Alston of Winslow Township in 2015 and only the 3rd in the last 25 years. Will Brown of Palmyra won in 2006.

Brown is the 4th Washington Township boy to win a Meet of Champions title. Sal Fiorentino won the javelin in 1974, Todd Dutch the 100 in 2002 and Devon Carter the 400-meter intermediates in 2010.

Brown is entered in the 110-meter high hurdles at West Philly Nationals, with the qualifying heats scheduled for 11:04 a.m. Saturday at Franklin Field and the final at 12:33 p.m. Sunday. Brown is 5th-fastest in the U.S. this year, according to the MileSplit national database.

Riverside senior Jamir Brown placed 2nd in 13.71, Willingboro senior Eric Foster 3rd in 13.88 and Williamstown senior Alexander Hollimon 4th in 13.96.

It was the first 1-2-3-4 sweep in any event for South Jersey since the 2015 high jump, with Bridgeton’s Markquese Bell, Williamstown’s Devin Bradham, Camden’s Dustin Singleton and Delsea’s Ameer Banks.

Here’s a look at all the South Jersey hurdlers who’ve won the 110-meter highs at the Meet of Champions:

Al Rich [Rancocas Valley], 1969 [15.0y,h]
Keith Curtis [Camden], 1975 [14.0y,h]
Dave Still [Pennsauken], 1977 [13.8y,h]
Jon Dickey [Penns Grove], 1985 [14.0h]
Gerard Reynolds [Willingboro], 1989 [14.00]
Gerard Reynolds [Willingboro], 1990 [13.59]
Vince Rawlins [Easern], 1992 [14.04]
Desmond Powell [Oakcrest], 1994 [14.08]
Sultan Tucker [Delsea], 1995 [13.91]
Nate Harley [Pleasantville], 1996 [13.76]
Danyne Brown [Camden], 1999 [13.63]
Will Brown [Palmyra], 2006 [14.13]
Edwin Alston [Winslow Twp.], 2015 [13.90]
Yashahya Brown [Washington Twp.], 2024 [13.56]

Here’s the all-time Meet of Champions top-10 regardless of wind conditions:
13.42q … Nate Rayan [Scotch Plains-Fanwood], 2023q
13.52 … Todd Matthews [Notre Dame].1998
13.53 … Yashahya Brown [Washington Twp.], 2024
13.55 … Jaheem Hayles [Roselle], 2019
13.59 … Gerard Reynolds [Willingboro], 1990
13.63 … Danyne Brown [Camden], 1996
13.65 …… Matthews, 1997
13.66 … Emmanuel Daux [Linden], 2001
13.66 … Sultan Tucker [Delsea], 1997
13.67 … Jermaine Collier [Trenton], 2012
13.67 … Chris Stephens [Plainfield], 2000

Very few athletes even attempt the 400-intermediates double because the two races are usually so close together and they’re just very challenging races.

Eastern sophomore Natalie Dumas not only attempted the double. She won both races. With all-time top-10 times in New Jersey history.

And then anchored the winning 1,600-meter relay team.

Dumas turned in one of the greatest performances in state history Wednesday at the 45th annual Meet of Champions at Pennsauken.

Dumas is South Jersey’s first triple winner at the Meet of Champions in 40 years.

She started out with a historic win in the 400-meter hurdles, winning in 58.98, 7th-fastest in state history, 2nd-fastest in South Jersey history, 3rd-fastest ever by a New Jersey sophomore and 3rd-fastest in meet history.

After a short break, she followed that up with a blazing win in the flat 400, winning in 53.16, also 7th-fastest in state history as well as 2nd-fastest in South Jersey history, 3rd-fastest by a New Jersey sophomore and 3rd-fastest in meet history. She’s the second straight South Jersey sophomore to win the MoC Meet of Champions. Pennsauken’s Sianni Wynn won it last year in 54.56. She won the 100 and 200 this year.

Dumas finished her electrifying triple win with a 52.57 anchor leg on Eastern’s 1,600-meter relay team, which ran 3:49.01. She moved the Vikings up from 5th to 1st with the fastest split in the race. Lomaria Tengbeh, Eva Sprewell and Samantha Osei-Kyei also ran for Eastern, with all four legs under 60 seconds and Osei-Kyei – another sophomore – splitting 56.52.

Other Meet of Champions triple winners in South Jersey history include Willingboro’s Michelle Glover in 1980 [100, 200, 400-meter relay], teammate Carol Lewis in 1980 and 1981 [hurdles, long jump, 400-meter relay] and Pemberton’s Lillian Rivera in 1984 [shot, discus, javelin]