From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Paul VI sophomore Grace Gutowski, junior Claire Magee, freshman Peyton Blake and junior Macy Huber ran the fastest distance medley by a South Jersey school this year Wednesday evening in West Philly.

Paul VI edged Upper Dublin by 2-100ths of a second to win the DMR at the La Salle Winter Series Girls Relay Night at the Ott Center. That’s about four inches.

Their time is No. 9 all-time on the Camden County performance list and No. 25 on the all-time South Jersey list. According to the MileSplit national database, it’s No. 12 in the U.S. this year.

Paul VI broke its school record of 12:30.53 set by Blake, senior Madison Eli, Gutowski and Huber at the state Parochial A meet at the Bubble last month.

Thanks to PVI coach Vin Cieslik for correcting the order of runners listed in the official results: Gutowski ran a 3:45.33 leadoff for 1,200 meters, Magee split 58.75 for 400 meters, Blake ran 2:26.33 on the 800-meter leg and Huber anchored in 5:09.23, holding off Upper Dub anchor Faith Castronuovo at the line. Castronuovo just ran a 5:03.02 full mile on the same track two weeks ago and she split 5:04.72 for 1,600 meters on her anchor leg.

All-Time South Jersey Girls DMR List
11:43.94 … Haddonfield, 2014
11:54.63 … Lenape, 2013
11:55.90 … Lenape, 2012
11:57.64 … Haddonfield, 2017
11:57.91 … Cherokee, 2022
11:58.92 … Lenape, 2010
12:02.51 … Ocean City, 2014
12:03.40 … Haddonfield, 2015
12:04.45 … Haddonfield, 2009
12:04.62 … Sterling, 2017
12:04.9h ….. Lenape, 2015
12:05.28 … Mainland Reg., 2024
12:10.07 … Cherokee, 2023
12:10.59 … Haddonfield, 2024
12:11.47 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2020
12:12.22 … Ocean City, 2005
12:13.46 … Washington Twp., 2011
12:14.48 … Haddonfield, 2013
12:15.60 … Lenape, 2014
12:16.71 … Highland, 2004
12:16.72 … Cherokee, 2024
12:17.11 … Kingsway, 2017
12:17.40 … Lenape, 2017
12:19.53 … Clearview, 2023
12:19.62 … Paul VI, 2025
12:19.81 … Lenape, 2009
12:20.11 … Shawnee, 2017
12:20.4h … Woodrow Wilson, 2002

All-Time Camden County Girls DMR List
11:43.94 … Haddonfield, 2014
11:57.64 … Haddonfield, 2017
12:03.40 … Haddonfield, 2015
12:04.45 … Haddonfield, 2009
12:04.62 … Sterling, 2017
12:10.59 … Haddonfield, 2024
12:14.48 … Haddonfield, 2013
12:16.71 … Highland, 2004
12:19.62 … Paul VI, 2025
12:20.4h … Woodrow Wilson, 2002
12:20.4h … Woodrow Wilson, 2002
12:23.52 … Timber Creek, 2017
12:24.05 … Bishop Eustace, 2011
12:25.19 … Highland, 2004
12:26.30 … Bishop Eustace, 2019

Seneca graduate Julia Greeley tied the Lafayette pole vault record with a lifetime-best clearance at Ocean Breeze over the weekend.

Greeley, a Lafayette senior from Southampton, cleared 12-11 ½ at the Fastrack National Invite. That tied the record set by Elise Buffinton when she won the 2014 ECAC Championship at Boston University.

It’s No. 1 in the Patriot League.

Greeley’s previous indoor PR was a 12-5 ½ in a meet at Moravian University in Bethlehem last January.

Buffinton set Lafayette’s outdoor record of 12-5 ½ at the 2013 Penn Relays and matched it in 2014 at meets in Bethlehem and Annapolis, Md. Greeley is No. 2 on the Lafayette outdoor list with her 12-2 from a home meet in Easton last April.

At Seneca, Greeley won the 2020 state Group 2 championship indoors and had PRs of 11-0 indoors and 11-9 outdoors.

Rider senior Mariah Stephens, a graduate of Egg Harbor Township, popped the 2nd-best long jump in school history and nearly broke the school record in a meet over the weekend at Ocean Breeze.

Stephens PR’d with a 19-7 ½ on her final jump of a terrific series at the Fasttrack National Invite. That’s No. 7 in NCAA Division 1 Mid-Atlantic Region.

Afer opening with a foul, Stephens jumped 19-5 ¾, 19-2 ¼, fouled again, then hit 19-5 ¾ again before finishing with the 19-7 ½. She had the four-best jumps of the competition.

Stephens’ previous PR was an outdoor wind-legal 19-3 ¾ to win the long jump at the MAAC Championships last May in Lawrenceville. Her previous indoor PR was 19 1 ¼ at last year’s indoor MAAC meet at the Armory. So she recorded the four-best indoor jumps of her life in one meet.

The Rider school record is held by another former Atlantic County athlete, Holy Spirit graduate and Pleasantville native Asia Young. She jumped 19-8 ¾ at the 2018 indoor MAAC Championships, also at the Armory.

Rider’s outdoor record is 20-1 ¼ set by Raisa Thunig or Raisa Palleija – she’s listed in various places with two different last names – at a home meet in Lawrenceville in March 2023. Stephens is No. 3 on the all-time Rider outdoor list, behind Thunig / Palleija and Young, who jumped 19-5 ¾ at the 2018 outdoor MAAC meet at Lawrenceville.

Stephens is No. 1 on the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference performance list in the long jump – nobody else is over 19 feet – and she’s also No. 2 in the 60-meter hurdles at 8.80, No. 3 in the triple jump (38-6) and No. 11 in the 60-meter dash (7.85)

A remarkable high school penathlon debut for Pleasantville freshman Isabella Alvarez at Ocean Breeze earlier this month.

Alvarez scored 3,266 points at the 10th annual Ocean Breeze Invitatioal on Staten Island, the 5th-highest pentathlon score in South Jersey history and the highest score in New Jersey history by a freshman.

Alvarez opened up with a 9.51 in the 60-meter hurdles (through 55 meter hurdles in 8.65) for 806 points, then cleared 5-3 on her 1st attempt for 736 points in the high jump and threw 34-2 ¾ for 558 points in the shot. She finished with a 17-4 ¼ long jump for 640 points and finished with a 2:44.16 in the 800, good for 526 points.

She PR’d in all but the long jump and high jump. She’s done 17-4 ¾ and 5-4 this year. Alvarez is No. 1 in Atlantic County this year in the long jump, high jump, shot put and hurdles. She’s No. 2 in South Jersey in the high jump, No. 5 in the long jump, No. 9 in South Jersey in the shot put and No. 10 in South Jersey in the hurdles. She’s the No. 1 freshman in New Jersey in the high jump and long jump, No. 2 in the shot put and No. 2 in the hurdles.

Her 5-4 is No. 3 on the all-time Atlantic County performance list, and her 17-4 ¾ is No. 6. She’s got Atlantic County freshman records in the hurdles, high jump, long jump and shot put.

According to the MileSplit database, Alvarez’s 3,266 is highest by any freshman in the U.S. this year and 4th-highest in the last 10 years.

Teaneck’s Fiona Carter had the previous New Jersey freshman record of 2,793 points in a meet at the Armory in 2019.

Millville’s Bryanna Craig set a national scholastic freshman heptathlon record of 4,958 points at Greensboro Nationals in the spring of 2019 but she never competed in a multi indoors as a freshman. Craig current competes for Purdue.

All-Time New Jersey Pentathlon List
3674 … Tia Livingston [Union Catholic], 2016
3584 … Bryanna Craig [Millville], 2020
3570 … Tonya Lee [Rancocas Valley], 1988
3548 … Anne Bansemir [Nutley], 1986
3546 … Amber Williams [Roxbury], 2001
3528 … Josefine Kvist [Ridge], 2006
3521 … Ahsley Newby [Columbia], 2007
3514 … Helen Wilks [Bridgeton], 1994
3511 … Bridgette Ingram [Columbia], 1998
3438 … Danya Spoor [Oak Knoll School], 2025
3421 … Jessica Creedon [Ridge], 2017
3378 … Lindsey Walsh [Lenape], 2008
3368 … LaShonda Carter [Rahway], 2006
3344 … Charisse West [Notre Dame], 1985
3329 … Kennedee Cox [Paramus Catholic], 2019
3322 … Shelley Mitchell [Lakewood], 1988
3292 … Jenna Rogers [Rutherford], 2020
3266 … Isabella Alvarez [Pleasantville], 2025
3265 … Aiyanna Burton [Columbia], 1995
3262 … Tierra Hooker [Timber Creek], 2020
3240 … Tessa Hughes [Peddie School], 2025
3232 … Jamie Lilien [Pascack Valley], 2000
3224 … Brittney Jackson [Columbia], 2010

Another big breakthrough race for Sincere Rhea, who has now recorded two hurdles PRs since transferring to Texas Tech.

Rhea, a Maurice River Township native and St. Augustine Prep graduate, ran 7.64 in the 60-meter highs in a meet in Lubbock after PR’ing at 7.74 a week earlier.

Rhea now ranks 15th in NCAA Division 1, and his time is 6th-fastest ever by a New Jersey hurdler, 3rd-fastest by a South Jersey hurdler and fastest since Camden’s Anwar Moore ran 7.50 back in 2008. His time is No. 5 in the Big 12 Conference and No. 4 in the NCAA Division 1 Mountain Region.

Rhea Rhea began his college career at Penn State and ran 7.76, No. 2 in school history behind Guy Rose of Wayne Hills, who ran 7.69 in 2001. He ran that 7.73 at Miami, No. 3 in school history behind Trenton’s Devin Hill [7.55] and Artie Burns [7.68]. He didn’t race last spring.

I mentioned before how lame the Texas Tech men’s track web site is and how their “top 10” isn’t a top performers list but a useless top-10 performances list. But using stats from the TFRRS site I did my best to come up with an all-time Texas Tech sub-7.70 list, and it shows Rhea tied for No. 5 in school history.

All-Time Texas Tech 60-Meter Hurdles List
7.52 … Antoine Andrews, 2025 [Corky Classic, Lubbock, Texas]
7.52 … Caleb Dean, 2023 [Big 12 Championships, Lubbock, Texas]
7.54 … Malachi Snow, 2025 [Corky Classic, Lubbock, Texas]
7.60 … Omo Osaghae, 2010 [NCAA Championships, Fayetteville, Ark.]
7.64 … Chris Caldwell, 2015 [NCAA Championships, Fayetteville, Ark.]
7.64 … Sincere Rhea, 2025 [Stan Scott Invite, Lubbock, Texas]
7.66 … Vashaun Vascianna, 2022 [New Mexico Classic, Albuquerque]
7.68 … Shawon Harris, 2008 [NCAA Championships, Fayetteville, Ark.]

All-Time New Jersey Alumni 60-Meter Hurdles List
7.46 … Jeff Porter [Franklin Twp.], Feb. 1, 2014, Mondeville, France
7.50 … Renaldo Nehemiah [Scotch Plains-Fanwood], March 10, 1989, Madrid, Spain
7.50 … Anwar Moore [Camden], Feb. 24, 2008, Boston
7.52 … Jack Pierce [Woodbury], Feb. 25, 1995, Fairfax, Va.
7.55 … Devon Hill [Trenton], March 10, 2012, Nampa, Idaho
7.64 … Sincere Rhea [St. Augustine], Jan. 25, 2025, Lubbock, Texas
7.66 … Cory Poole [East Orange], Feb. 14, 2020, Clemson, S.C.
7.69 … Guy Rose [Wayne Hills], Feb. 24, 2001, State College, Pa.
7.71 … Chris Serrao [East Brunswick], Jan. 11, 2025, Philadelphia
7.72 … Isaac Williams [Willingboro], Jan. 9, 2015, Houston
7.72 … Jamir Brown [Riverside], Dec. 6, 2024, Staten Island
7.73 … Todd Matthews [Notre Dame], Feb. 17, 2001, Blacksburg, Va.

Pennsauken junior Sianni Wynn is still relatively new to hurdling, but she’s now one of the fastest in state history.

Wynn won the hurdles Monday afternoon at the South Jersey Track Coaches Association meet at Ocean Breeze in 7.99, which is 7th-fastest in South Jersey history, 16th-fastest on the all-time state list and 2nd-fastest by a New Jersey girl this winter. It’s also No. 12 nationally according to the MileSplit U.S. database.

Wynn has never run the highs outdoors and she only ran them indoors once last year, in a low-key meet at the Bubble the first week of the season. She ran 8.75 that day, but has steadily dropped her PR this winter, to 8.52 then 8.38 then 8.29 and 8.27 and then 8.26 and 8.10 to win sectionals before dropping a 7.99 on Monday on the fast track at Ocean Breeze.

Her time is fastest by a South Jersey hurdler since Winslow’s Tiona Tobias ran 7.98 at 2019 Easterns at the Armory.

Wynn is the state record holder at 60 meters with her 7.32 at the Ott Center earlier this month and the 200 with a 23.60 on the same track late last month and she’s run 54.27 in the 400.

Along the way Monday she broke the school record of 8.03 set in 2000 by Alethia Jenkins when she won 2000 Easterns at the Armory.

The race was a final by time. There were no trials.

All-Time South Jersey Sub-8 Hurdles List
7.89 … Ste’yce McNeil [Winslow Twp.], 2012
7.89 … Nia Ali [Pleasantville], 2006
7.92 … Carol Lewis [Willingboro], 1981
7.94 … Lenaami Morton [Camden], 2017
7.98 … Nichole Belcher [Woodrow Wilson], 1992
7.98 … Tionna Tobias [Winslow Twp.], 2019
7.99 … Sianni Wynn [Pennsauken], 2025

All-Time New Jersey Sub-8 Hurdles List
7.53 … Taylor Cox [Union Catholic], 2025
7.60 … Sydney McLaughlin [Union Catholic], 2015
7.71 … Charmaine Walker [Plainfield], 1997
7.75 … Grace O’Shea (Ramapo), 2019
7.81 … Dawn Bowles [Neptune], 1988
7.89 … Ste’yce McNeil [Winslow Twp.], 2012
7.89 … Nia Ali [Pleasantville], 2006
7.90 … Quaycian Davis [East Orange], 2023
7.92 … Carol Lewis [Willingboro], 1981
7.93 … Wendy Vereen [Trenton], 1984
7.94 … Lenaami Morton [Camden], 2017
7.95 … Abigail Davis [Old Tappan], 2024
7.96 … Porsche Dobson [Kent Place], 2003
7.98 … Nichole Belcher [Woodrow Wilson], 1992
7.98 … Tionna Tobias (Winslow Twp.), 2019
7.99 … Racquel Vassal [East Orange], 2007
7.99 … Patricia Dziekonska [West Windsor-Plainsboro North], 2014
7.99 … Sianni Wynn [Pennsauken], 2025

Highland’s Jayden DeLeon recorded the No. 5 high jump clearance in the U.S. this year Friday at sectionals in Toms River.

DeLeon cleared 6-10 ¼ on his 3rd attempt at the South Jersey Group 3 sectionals at the Bubble. DeLeon broke the overall New Jersey sectional record of 6-10 set by Mark Jones of Summit at the 2010 Central Jersey Group 2 meet.

DeLeon’s mark is the best by a South Jersey jumper indoors or outdoors since Mike Morrison set the state indoor record of 7-4 ¼ at the Varsity Classic at the Armory in 2003.

It’s the highest clearance by any New Jersey jumper in seven years, since Jadon Watson of Kennedy High in Paterson at 2018 Armory Nationals.

It’s also No. 2 on the all-time Camden County indoor list, behind Terry Ferguson of Cherry Hill West, who cleared 7-0 in 1987. But it’s not an overall school record. Reggie Williams cleared 7-0 at the 1997 outdoor Meet of Champions at South Plainfield.

All-Time New Jersey Indoor High Jump List
7-4 ¼ … Mike Morrison [Willingboro], 2003
7-2 ¼ … Milt Goode [Monmouith], 1979
7-2 … Eric Taylor-Perry [Montclair], 1990
7-2 … Derrick Ponton [Montclair], 1995

7-0 ¼ … Mark Jones [Summit], 2011
7-0 … Terry Ferguson [Cherry Hill West], 1987
7-0 … Mike Loftin [North Hunterdon], 1991
7-0 … Adam Bergo [Westfield], 2008

6-11 … Mike Pascuzzo [Lenape], 1980
6-11 … Kijana Corbin [Columbia], 1997
6-10 ¾ … Paul Klemic [Mainland Reg.], 1999
6-10 ¾ … Darius Pemberton [Hackensack], 1993
6-10 ¾ … Jadon Watson [JFK-Paterson], 2018
6-10 ¼ … VIn Reilly [St. Joe’s-Metuchen], 1977
6-10 ¼ … Jayden DeLeon [Highland], 2025
6-10 ¼ … Glenn Scheidler [Randolph], 2009

New Jersey Indoor/Outdoor All-Time List
7-4 ½ … Paul Klemic [Mainland Reg.], 2000 [o]
7-4 ¼ … Mike Morrison [Willingboro], 2003 [i]
7-3 ¾ … Robert Jordan [Millville], 1999 [o]
7-2 ¼ … Milt Goode [Monmouith], 1979 [i]
7-2 … Eric Taylor-Perry [Montclair], 1990 [i]
7-2 … Derrick Ponton [Montclair], 1995[i]
7-1 … Drew Kanz [Seneca], 2009 [o]
7-1 … David Njoku [Cedar Grove], 2014 [o]
7-0 ¼ … Mark Jones [Summit], 2011 [i]
7-0 … Terry Ferguson [Cherry Hill West], 1987 [i]
7-0 … Mike Loftin [North Hunterdon], 1991 [i]
7-0 … Reggie Williams [Highland], 1997 [o]
7-0 … Raffael Craig [Millville], 1999 [o]
7-0 … Adam Bergo [Westfield], 2008 [i]

7-0 … Montez Blair [Timber Creek], 2008 [o]
6-11 … Mike Pascuzzo [Lenape], 1980 [i]
6-11 … Kijana Corbin [Columbia], 1997 [i]
6-11 … James Bell [Newark West Side], 2019 [o]
6-10 ¾ … Darius Pemberton [Hackensack], 1993 [i]
6-10 ¾ … Cory Hubert [St. John Vianney], 1997 [o]
6-10 ¾ … Zachary Davis [Pope John XXIII], 2013 [o]
6-10 ¾ … Jadon Watson [JFK-Paterson], 2018 [i]
6-10 ¼ … VIn Reilly [St. Joe’s-Metuchen], 1977 [i]
6-10 ¼ … Juan Cave [Voorhees], 2005
6-10 ¼ … Glenn Scheidler [Randolph], 2009 [i, o]
6-10 ¼ … Damarion Potts [South Brunswick], 2023 [o]
6-10 ¼ … Jayden DeLeon [Highland], 2025 [i]

South Jersey Indoor High Jump List
7-4 ¼ … Mike Morrison [Willingboro], 2003
7-0 … Terry Ferguson [Cherry Hill West], 1987
6-11 … Mike Pascuzzo [Lenape], 1980
6-10 ¾ … Paul Klemic [Mainland Reg.], 1999
6-10 ¼ … Jayden DeLeon [Highland], 2025
6-10 … Raffael Craig [Millville], 1999
6-10 … Devin Bradham [Williamstown], 1999
6-10 … Ameer Banks [Delsea], 2015
6-9 … Andrew Athias [Cherry Hill East], 2011
6-8 ¼ … Mike Murawski [Holy Cross], 2003
6-8 … Barry Anderson [Rancocas Valley], 1977
6-8 … Chris Walsh [Shawnee], 1983
6-8 … Derek King [Cumberland Reg.], 1983
6-8 … Scott Harrison [Willingboro], 1984
6-8 … Kerry Vivett [Edgewood], 1985
6-8 … Ed Malone [Gloucester], 1986
6-8 … Jim Bowles [Rancocas Valley], 1986
6-8 … J.C. Slocum [Bordentown], 1989, 1990
6-8 … Jamal Sanders [Bridgeton], 1994
6-8 … Desmond Powell [Oakcrest], 1994
6-8 … Ryan O’Connell [Mainland Reg.], 1994
6-8 … Victor Mallory [Penns Grove], 1995
6-8 … Ernesto Colon [Pleasantville], 1995
6-8 … Jamal Ames [Vineland], 2004
6-8 … Uchenna Njoku [Cherry Hill East], 2009
6-8 … Ed Kramer [Cherokee], 2010
6-8 … Jeffrey-Jon Tucker [Eastern], 2013
6-8 … Larry Russell [Timber Creek], 2014
6-8 … Tariq Adams [Pleasantville], 2015
6-8 … Nate Robertson [Willingboro], 2020

Eastern junior Natalie Dumas shattered the South Jersey record for 300 meters Saturday at the 117th annual Millrose Games.

Dumas ran 38.19 over the 200-meter banked track at the Armory and trimmed nearly a second off the South Jersey mark of 39.16, set by Winslow Township’s Krystal Cantey at the 2006 Archbishop Malloy Stanner Games at the Armory.

That’s 25.46 pace for 200 meters over an extra half lap for Dumas, the national champ in the intermediate hurdles last spring with a 58.32 – 4th-fastest in state history.

Her 300 is 5th-fastset in state history, behind two Olympic gold medalists – Sydney McLaughlin and Athing Mu – as well as Taylor Aska of Union Catholic, who ran 37.79 earlier this year at the Armory, and Lawrenceville School’s Sofia Swindell, who ran 37.79 Saturday at Millrose.

Timber Creek senior Ryan Jennings ran 38.71 in the same race, and that’s now No. 2 in South Jersey history ahead of Cantey, and No. 9 in state history.

Dumas and Jennings now rank 9th and 16th in the U.S. this year on the MileSplit national performance list. Dumas is No. 2 among juniors.

Dumas is now No. 38 among U.S. women this winter and Jennings is No. 57. She’s No. 7 among U.S. juniors and No. 10 on the world junior list.

All-Time New Jersey Girls 300-Meter Sub-40 List
36.82 … Sydney McLaughlin [Union Catholic], 2017
37.36 … Athing Mu [Trenton], 2020
37.79 … Taylor Aska [Union Catholic], 2025
38.08 … Sofia Swindell [Lawrenceville School], 2025
38.19 … Natalie Dumas [Eastern], 2025
38.41 … Gina Certo [Academy of the Holy Angels], 2025
38.59 … Rhia Randolph [Union Catholic], 2024
38.66 … Sianni Wynn [Pennsauken], 2024
38.71 … Ryan Jennings [Timber Creek], 2025
38.73 … Olivia Baker [Columbia], 2014
38.79 … Wendy Vereen [Trenton], 1984
39.16 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow Twp.], 2006
39.28 … Myasia Jacobs [Paramus Catholic], 2012
39.33 … Sydney Chadwick [Union Catholic], 2024
39.34 … Olivia Okaro [Winslow Twp.], 2024
39.1h … Janine Davis [Queen of Peace], 2004
39.40 … Arianna Sharpe [Clayton], 2022
39.42 … Aliyah Taylor [Rancocas Valley], 2018
39.44 … Racquel Vassell [East Orange], 2007
39.47 … Mariah Fede [Paramus Catholic], 2020
39.51 … Stephanie Saleem [Neptune], 1985
39.52 … Naylah Jones [Timber Creek], 2024
39.3h … Mikele Barber [Montclair], 1998
39.3h … Tawana Watkins [Paterson Kennedy], 2002
39.85 … Chidumga Nkulume [Union Catholic], 2020
39.9h … Melisa Barber [Montclair], 1998
39.94 … Dominique Booker [Immaculate Conception], 2008
39.94 … Chloe Jones [Timber Creek], 2023

All-Time South Jersey Girls 300-Meter Top 10
38.19 … Natalie Dumas [Eastern], 2025
38.71 … Ryan Jennings [Timber Creek], 2025
39.16 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow Twp.], 2006
39.17 … Sianni Wynn [Pennsauken], 2023
39.34 … Olivia Okaro [Winslow Twp.], 2024
39.40 … Arianna Sharpe [Clayton], 2022
39.42 … Aliyah Taylor [Rancocas Valley], 2018
39.52 … Naylah Jones [Timber Creek], 2024
40.13 … Jasmine Still [Woodrow Wilson], 2006
40.15 … Amirah Sharpe [Clayton], 2021

Pleasantville’s Gabriel Moronta shattered the University of South Florida indoor 400-meter dash record Saturday at the Bruce Lehane Scarlet and White Invitational at Boston University.

Moronta, a senior, won the race in 46.04 and broke the school record of 46.35 set by Nathan Metelus last February at the American Conference Championships in Birmingham, Ala.

Moronta’s previous indoor 400 PR was a 46.24 in February of 2023 at Clemson in his final meet for Mississippi State before transferring to South Florida. His outdoor PR is 45.81 at the American Conference Championships this past May in San Antonio.

In the same race, Rutgers sophomore Bryce Tucker from Pennsauken ran an indoor collegiate 400 PR of 47.53 in 6th place. That’s No. 7 on the all-time Rutgers indoor performance list. He ran 47.88 last January in a meet in Boston (on a different track). Tucker ran 3-100ths of a second faster as a Pennsauken senior, a 47.50 at the 2023 Meet of Champions at Ocean Breeze. Deptford’s Lathan Brown, also a Rutgers sophomore, ran a indoor-outdoor lifetime-best 48.02 for 9th in the race. Tucker and Brown are both intermediate hurdles in the spring.

Moronta and Tucker also went head-to-head on the 1,600-meter relay. Both ran the second leg. Moronta split 45.88 and Tucker 47.45.

South Florida won in 3:07.59 and Rutgers was 2nd in 3:10.68. Brown ran leadoff for R.U. in 47.98.

For the first time in 22 years, the Willingboro girls are Millrose Games champions.

Kaila Speight, Nester Wea, Jaden Murry and Maya Bolden teamed up to win the Suburban 1,600-Meter Relay Saturday at the 117th annual Millrose Games at the Armory.

The Chimeras ran 3:55.04, winning by 30 meters over Nyack High of Upper Nyack, N.Y., which placed 2nd in 3:59.56. Splits were posted on the results site earlier but have since disappeared for reasons I don’t understand.

This is the 5th time Willingboro has won Millrose but the first since 2003, when Chanel Hamilton, Halimah Bashir, Rhea Mann and Okechi Ogbuokiri won in 4:04.19 despite Mann getting tripped and falling to the track on the third leg.

Willingboro also won in 1998 in 3:56.66 with Latasha Taylor, Takia Canty, Kendra Brown and Shakirah Rutherford, in 1999 in 3:57.47 with Taylor, Danielle Myricks, Canty and Rutherford and in 4:01.11 in 2002 with Hamilton, Bashir, Mann and Ogbuokiri.

This is the 4th straight year a different South Jersey school has won the suburban relay. Rancocas Valley won in 2022, Timber Creek in 2023 and Winslow Township last year.

Other South Jersey schools to win the girls race: Camden in 1995, the first year it was contested, Seneca in 2009 and Winslow in 2017 and 2018.

Willingboro’s time is 9th-fastest in Burlington County history.It’s 2nd-fastest in New Jersey this year, behind Winslow’s 3:46.87 at Ocean Breeze last week.

All-time South Jersey 1,600-Meter Relay List
3:45.37 … Willingboro, 2003
3:46.87 … Winslow Twp., 2025
3:47.95 … Willingboro, 2002
3:49.07 … Camden, 1995
3:49.50 … Winslow Twp., 2024
3:49.59 … Timber Creek, 2024
3:51.49 … Winslow Twp., 2017
3:52.37 … Willingboro, 2000
3:52.55 … Wilson, 2006
3:53.61 … Willingboro, 1998
3:53.81 … Paul VI, 2020
3:53.82 … Timber Creek, 2023
3:53.6h … Willingboro, 1999
3:53.97 … Rancocas Valley, 2019
3:54.38 … Camden, 2009
3:54.59 … Willingboro, 2024
3:54.4h … Eastern, 2003
3:54.62 … Rancocas Valley, 2020
3:54.69 … Eastern, 2023
3:54.82 … Millville, 2008
3:54.99 … Winslow Twp., 2018
3:55.04 … Millville, 2019
3:55.04 … Willingboro, 2025
3:55.28 … Rancocas Valley, 2017
3:55.40 … Winslow Twp., 2019
3:55.94 … Winslow Twp., 2020
3:55.8h … Wilson, 2002