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: Miles Acchione, Lenape

For a guy who didn’t even throw 170 feet in the javelin as a junior, this was a magical season for Lenape senior Miles Acchione.

His PR last spring was 167-10 but that went by the wayside in his 2024 opener, a 178-3 in CBA’s Penn Relays Qualifier in Lincroft. He improved to 182-6 at the Don Danser Relays at Rancocas Valley and then 187-1 in a dual meet against Eastern. At the South Jersey Elite at Delsea, he popped his first 190-foot throw, a 190-1.

Acchione remained undefeated with wins at the Burlington County Open, Olympic Conference Championships, South Jersey Group 4 sectionals and the state Group 4 meet.

He was the first Lenape thrower to win a county title since Lyman Bozarth in 2005 and the first to win a conference title since Adam Mignogna in 2010. His 188-9 was the best winning throw at the Olympic Conference since Cherry Hill East’s Stephen Benigno threw 195-0 in 2014.

Acchione became Lenape’s first sectional javelin winner since Ryan Wilson in 1995 and then won states with a 187-7, which made him Lenape’s first state champion – in any event – since intermediate hurdler Mike Williams in 2013 and first ever in the javelin (or any field event).

His 195-10 for 2nd place at the Meet of Champions ranks 6th in Burlington County history and 14th in South Jersey history with the new javelin, which has been in use since 2003.

His 2nd-place finish at the MoC was best by a Lenape boy in any event at a Meet of Champions in 24 years, since Mohamad Kanu ran 48.24 and placed 2nd to Kurt Forsythe of Summit in the 2000 MoC at South Brunswick.

Acchione’s brother Quin plays baseball at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

All-Time Burlington County New Javelin List
227-10 … Nick Mirabelli [Rancocas Valley], 2017
224-10 … Curtis Thompson [Florence], 2014
216-6 … Chris Mirabelli [Holy Cross], 2014
204-4 … Kevin Burr Jr. [Rancocas Valley], 2023
201-1 … Sean Biehn [Burlington City], 2006
195-10 … Miles Acchione [Lenape], 2024
192-6 … Matt Rafferty [Northern Burlington], 2012
192-3 … Shane McDevitt [Cinnaminson], 2014
191-6 … Robert Marks [Rancocas Valley], 2016
187-8 … Jerry Fusco [Holy Cross], 2016

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: Mitra Sampson, Hammonton

In a normal year, a sophomore throwing 130 feet in the discus would be big news. In South Jersey history before this year, only nine girls had thrown 130 feet as sophomores, including Winslow’s Brook-lynn Roberts with a 137-0 last year.

But this wasn’t a normal year. Delsea’s Hannah Nuhfer set a South Jersey sophomore class record with her 152-6 at the Meet of Champions, and Glassboro’s Sunsarai Moore threw 143-10 when she won Group 1 sectionals, the 2nd-best mark ever by a South Jersey sophomore.

Then there was Hammonton’s Mitra Sampson, whose 130-8 from the Meet of Champions ranks 10th in South Jersey history among sophomores and was the best throw by an Atlantic County soph in 20 years, since Atlantic City’s Kim Warren threw 132-2 at the 2004 state Group 4 meet at Egg Harbor. So the 2024 season produced three of the top-10 sophomores in South Jersey history.

This was the first time ever three New Jersey sophomores surpassed 130 feet in the discus, and they were all from a 20-mile circumference in South Jersey.

Sampson actually had more success as a freshman with the shot put than the disc. She was the top 9th-grader in the state in 2023 with a PR of 37-9 for 2nd place at Group 3 sectionals at Delsea but only had a discus PR of 74-7. She improved in the shot this past indoor season to 38-2 ½, but her discus improvement was remarkable. She PR’d in her 2024 opener with a 97-3 at the Don Danser Relays, hit 100 feet for the first time at South Jersey Elite with a 100-3, then had a breakthrough when she threw 115-10 to win the Atlantic County Championships at Buena.

She extended that to 119-9 at sectionals and then bombed a 130-6 to place 5th at Group 3 states, where she was the top sophomore and No. 2 South Jersey thrower, behind only Roberts, who placed 2nd at 140-0.

Then she PR’d again at the Meet of Champions, placing 11th overall with a 130-8 throw and finishing as the No. 3 sophomore, behind Nuhfer – who was 2nd – and Moore – who was 3rd.

Sampson’s 130-8 ranks 4th in Atlantic County history, behind Atlantic City’s Kim Warren [146-5] and Mercedes Hicks [143-3] in 2006 and Egg Harbor Township’s Michaela Pomatto [130-9 in 2021]. She broke the school record of 128-11 set in 2022 by Emma Peretti.

Sampson will be the No. 9 returner in the state next year and No. 4 in South Jersey, behind Nuhfer, Moore and Roberts.

She also continued to improve in the shot this spring. Her 38-8 was No. 4 in the state among sophs and No. 2 in South Jersey, behind Nuhfer’s 39-4. That’s also the top mark by an Atlantic County soph since Warren’s 39-10 in 2004. She won titles at the Atlantic County and Cape-Atlantic meets, took 4th at sectionals and 7th at states. She’ll be the No. 13 returner in New Jersey in the shot next year and No. 4 in South Jersey, behind Roberts [41-2 ¼], Washington Township’s Ella Karp [40-3 ¼] and Nuhfer.

All-Time South Jersey Sophomore Discus List
152-6 … Hannah Nuhfer [Delsea], 2024
143-10 … Sunsarai Moore [Glassboro], 2024
142-7 … Jamine Moton [Delsea], 1995
142-6 … Jessica Woodard [Cherokee], 2011
139-8 … Najeaya Singleton [Vineland], 2016
137-0 … Brook-lynn Roberts [Winslow Twp.], 2023
132-2 … Kim Warren [Atlantic City], 2004
131-7 … Ashleigh Weems [Millville], 2011
130-11 … Jennifer Frank [Delsea], 2003
130-8 … Mitra Sampson [Hammonton], 2024
130-4 … Cydney Thomas [Haddon Heights], 2018
130-1 … Jocelyn White [Delsea], 2002

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: David Godbolt, Rancocas Valley

David Godbolt broke a long-standing Rancocas Valley high jump record, won his first state title and was also one of South Jersey’s top long jumpers as a Red Devil senior.

Godbolt first made his presence known as a sophomore when he won indoor Easterns at the Armory with his first lifetime 6-foot clearance. He improved to 6-2 as a junior indoors and added the triple jump [44-3] and long jump [21-6 ¾] to his arsenal.

Last year, Godbolt cleared 6-6 for the first time, winning South Jersey Group 4 sectionals, and his senior indoor season he had four 6-6 clearances and placed 2nd at the Meet of Champions.

Then this spring, Godbolt cleared 6-8 ¼ to win sectionals. That’s No. 12 in Burlington County history and broke the school record set by Barry Anderson in 1977 at the Greater Philadelphia Invitational at Frnaklin Field and matched by Jim Bowles at the 1986 state Group 3 meet at Rutgers in Piscataway.

It also equalled the best jump by a Burlington County high jumper since Seneca’s Drew Kanz hit 7-1 at the 2009 County Open at Maple Shade. Cherokee’s Ed Kramer also cleared 6-8 ¼ in 2010 at the old East Coast Relays at Morristown.

Anderson was a state champ indoors, but Goldbolt became Rancocas Valley’s first outdoor state champ in the high jump since John Stroud won Group 3 in 1961 at Merchantville High. Rancocas Valley was known as Mount Holly High School back then.

Godbolt also picked up high jump wins at the West Deptford Relays, Burlington County Open and Olympic Conference Championships and placed 6th at the Penn Relays.

In the long jump, Godbolt’s 22-6 makes him No. 3 all-time at Rancocas Valley, behind Tai Matlock [23-1 in 2019] and Iverson Clement [23-0 ½ in 2017]. He was 5th at the Burlington County Open, 2nd in the Olympic Conference meet and 2nd at sectionals.

Godbolt will join a large South Jersey contingent at Monmouth in the fall.

All-Time Burlington County High Jump List
7-3 ¼ ..… Mike Morrison [Willingboro], 2003
7-1 ………. Drew Kanz [Seneca], 2009
7-0 ………. Marc Holland [Willingboro], 1978
7-0 …..….. Todd Lowber [Delran], 2001
6-10 …….. Scott Landers [Northern Burlington], 1980
6-10 …….. Troy Saunders [Bordentown], 1983
6-10 …….. Pat Collier [Willingboro], 1983
6-9 ………. Marvin Bass [Palmyra], 1994
6-8 ½ … Rocky Harrison [Woodbury], 1975
6-8 ½ … Ben Kendall [Bordentown], 1980
6-8 ½ … Mike Pascuzzo [Lenape], 1980
6-8 ¼ … Ed Kramer [Cherokee], 2010
6-8 1/4 … David Godbolt [Rancocas Valley], 2024

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: Madeline Meder, Cherokee

Madeine Meder is the latest in a long line of outstanding Cherokee distance runners, and she enjoyed a big breakthrough season this spring.

Meder had PRs of 2:20.19, 5:15.82 and 11:14.98 coming into her sophomore year but dropped to 2:18.84, 5:01.52 and 11:08.77 this spring as well as doing some outstanding relay work for Cherokee along the way.

Meder’s 2:18.84 at the South Jersey Elite made her the No. 5 sophomore in South Jersey, her 5:01.52 at the Meet of Champions made her the No. 5 soph in New Jersey and No. 1 in South Jersey and her 11:08.77 ranked No. 11 in the state among 10th-graders and No. 3 in South Jersey, behind Riley Fayer of Audubon [11:02.14] and Giovanna Mantuano of Paul VI [11:07.24].

The only other South Jersey girl to run sub-2:20, sub-5:05 and sub-11:10 this spring was Northern Burlington junior Liliah Gordon [2:17.65, 4:51.84, 10:22.20].

Meder placed in all three races at South Jersey Group 4 sectionals at Pennsauken and then ran the 1,600 at Meet of Champions, placing 10th overall with that 5:01.52 and 2nd among South Jersey runners, behind only Ocean City junior Maeve Smith [7th in 4:58.66] and 3rd among sophomores, behind only Wall’s Cali Buxbaum [2nd in 4:55.60] and Toms River North’s Jessica Abbott [7th in 4:58.66].

Meder’s 5:01.52 puts her 4th-fastest on the all-time Cherokee list, behind Nicole Clifford [4:48.82 converted mile in 2022], Megan Lacy [4:55.66 in 2012] and Lisa Burkholder [5:00.14 in 2003].

Meder earned All-America honors as a freshman for her leg on Cherokee’s 6th-place 4-mile relay team at West Philly Nationals. Media, Megan Niglio, Kelsey Niglio and Kerry O’Day ran 21:03.39, 3rd-fastest in South Jersey history.

Indoors, Meder ran the 800 leg on Cherokee’s winning distance medley at Easterns at the Armory, with junior Megan Niglio, senior Madison Van Haren and O’Day.

She finished her sophomore season with a 5:01.66 anchor on Cherokee’s 12th-place DMR at West Philly Nationals, with Niglio, Van Haren and Brooke Hibbs also running. Cherokee ran 12:05.01, No. 8 in South Jersey history.

Sincere Rhea, a national high school hurdles champ and Big Ten champion at Penn State, has resurfaced at Texas Tech, his 3rd college since he graduated from St. Augustine.

Rhea said on social media he’s transferring from Miami to Texas Tech for what will presumably be his final year of competition.

Rhea, a native of Maurice River Township, Cumberland County, graduated from St. Augustine in the spring of 2019 after winning Armory Nationals in the 60-meter hurdles indoors and then placing 2nd in in Greensboro Nationals outdoors.

He spent the 2020 and 2021 indoor seasons and 2021 outdoor seasons at Penn State, missing 2020 outdoors when the season was wiped out because of COVID. He won the Big Ten title in the 60-meter highs over the 42-inch hurdles in February 2021 in Geneva, Ohio, and raced at NCAAs indoors and outdoors in 2021.

He didn’t compete indoors in 2022 and resurfaced at Miami in the spring of 2022 and competed in Coral Gables through this past indoor season. He ran his PR of 13.48 in the prelims of the ACCs last spring in Raleigh, N.C., and placed 4th in the final. That made him the 20th-ranked U.S. hurdler in 2023.

His last meet was ACC indoors the weekend of Feb. 22-24, and he didn’t compete outdoors. He’s competed in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 indoors but because of COVID may have a 5th year of indoor eligibility. If he’s pursuing his masters at Texas Tech that would also give him a 5th year of eligibility. He’s only competed in 2021, 2022 and 2023 outdoors so will have at least one remaining year of outdoor eligibility and possibly two? Nobody really knows the rules so we’ll just have to wait and see.

Rhea ranks 2nd in Penn State history in the 60-meter hurdles at 7.76 behind only Guy Rose of Wayne Hills, who ran 7.69 in 2001, and he ranks 6th in the 110 highs at 13.89. He ranks 3rd in Miami history indoors at 7.73 and 2nd outdoors with that 13.48, trailing only Devon Hill of Trenton, who ran 13.35 in 2012.

Rhea’s 13.48 was under the qualifying mark for the U.S. Olympic Trials but came five weeks before the qualifying window opened, and Rhea elected not to chase a qualifier after the 2023 season ended.

Rhea is the 4th-fastest hurdler ever from South Jersey, behind Olympic bronze medalist Jack Pierce [12.94 in 1996], Camden’s Anwar Moore [13.12 in 2007] and Willingboro’s Isaac Williams [13.43 in 2016].

Texas Tech school records are 7.52 at 2023 indoor Big 12s in Lubbock, Texas, by current Red Raider Caleb Dean and 13.23 by Omo Osaghae at the 2011 Texas Relays in Austin.

Dean, the first hurdler in history to win NCAA titles in both the 60-meter highs and 400-meter intermediates, reached the finals of the Olympic Trials in the 400 hurdles two weeks ago. He’s ranked 4th in the world at 47.23, 6th in U.S. history. He’ll be a senior at Texas Tech if he doesn’t turn pro.

Rhea will join another former Cape-Atlantic Conference star in Lubbock. Millville graduate Leah Howard was the 9th-ranked freshman javelin thrower in NCAA Division 1 this past spring for the Red Raiders at 164-4, 3rd-best in school history. She ranked 7th among American women Under 20.

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: Julian Conigliaro, Delsea

When two of the fastest sprinters in the country go to school within a few miles, it’s easy to get overlooked. Even when you’re a pretty darn good sprinter yourself. That’s what happened this year with Julian Conigliaro.

Conigliaro was 11th-fastest in New Jersey and 5th-fastest in South Jersey at both 100 meters and 200 meters and capped an outstanding season by placing 3rd in both dashes at the state Group 3 meet on his home track at Delsea.

The only other South Jersey sprinters to run as fast as Conigliaro at both 100 meters and 200 meters – 11.66 and 21.56 – were Malachi James of Burlington City and Ajani Dwyer of Washington Township.

Conigliaro never broke 11.17 or 22.15 as a junior, but he made his presence known early on this spring, with PRs of 10.66 and 21.63 at the South Jersey Elite.

He took 2nd in the 100 at Group 3 sectionals with a 10.74, just behind Winslow’s Jayden Poteat’s 10.69, and placed 3rd in the 200 as well, Poteat winning in 21.67, teammate Christian Langston 2nd in 21.73 and Conigliaro 3rd in 21.76.

Conigliaro ran 10.67 and a PR 21.56 at states and then placed 6th in the Meet of Champions 100, where he was the 2nd South Jersey finisher, behind James’ state-record 10.28.

He’s No. 12 in Gloucester County history at 100 meters and No. 6 in the 200.

Conigliaro also did some terrific relay work. At states, he teamed up with Xavier Wyatt, Dante McGrenehan and Langston to win the 4-by-1 in 42.07, and at the East Brunswick Sprint Series, he teamed with Langston, McGrenehan and Wyatt to win the 4-by-2 in 1:27.19, 2nd-fastest in New Jersey this year, a Gloucester County record and 5th-fastest in South Jersey history.

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: Sydney Greenidge, Riverside

Riverside’s Sydney Greenidge had a historic junior year, breaking school records in the 100 and 200, becoming Riverside’s first sectional sprint winner ever and becoming the Rams’ first sectional double winner in more than two decades.

Greenidge came into the season with a PRs of 12.86 and 27.28 from sophomore year, but those quickly went by the wayside. She ran 12.36 at the South Jersey Elite at Delsea the first weekend of May and 25.76 in her first 200, at the BCSL Freedom Division meet at Pennsauken.

She ran well at 200 meters, but her main focus was the 100, and after taking 3rd in a very fast Burlington County Open race in 12.35, she won at the BCSL meet and Cherokee Last Chance Meet before a big 12.06 PR to win the South Jersey Group 1 meet, also at Pennsauken.

That’s 8th-fastest in Burlington County history – and only 6-100ths of a second out of 5th – and fastest ever by a South Jersey Group 1 sprinter, just ahead of Rageana Marigna’s 12.15 for Palmyra in 2008.

She also won the 200 at the South Jersey Group 1 meet in 25.80, becoming the first Riverside girl to double at sectionals since Rose Perry won the shot [43-4 ¼] and discus [122-6] in 2003 at Egg Harbor Township and the first to double on the track in 30 years, since Jen Rafferty won the 1,600 [5:27.7] and 3,200 [11:38.1] at Bridgeton in 1994.

She just missed the FAT meet record in the 100 of 12.03, set in 2002 by Clayton’s Arianna Sharpe, and she became the first Riverside girl to ever win a sectional title at 100 or 200 meters.

Greenidge went on to place 2nd to Ridgefield senior Kylie Castillo in both the 100 and 200 at states. She ran both sprints at Meet of Champions and PR’d in the 200 with a 25.67

Greenidge will be the No. 6 returner in South Jersey in the 100, behind rising juniors Sianni Wynn of Pennsauken [11.36] and Olivia Okaro of Winslow [11.98] and rising seniors Ryan Jennings of Timber Creek [11.33], Jonnelle Lewis of Kingsway [11.90] and Willingboro’s Nester Wea [12.02].

She’s the top returner in New Jersey in Group 1 at both 100 and 200 meters.

Greenidge also ran 61.38 in her only 400 race, long jumped 16-2 and triple jumped 33-2.

11.42 … Michele Glover [Willingboro], 1981
11.61 … Amandi Rhett [Moorestown], 2000
11.82 … Annie Johnson [Shawnee], 2012
11.95 … Aliyah Taylor [Rancocas Valley], 2017
12.00 … Andrea Conway [Bordentown], 1986
12.02 … Nester Wea [Willingboro], 2024
12.05 … Anu Ward [Moorestown], 2000
12.06 … Sydney Greenidge [Riverside], 2024
12.07 … Maya Bolden [Willingboro], 2024
12.08 … Kim Hargrove [Willingboro], 1996
12.11 … Michelle Brown [Seneca], 2009
12.11 … Nia Lawrence [Pemberton], 2012
12.15 … Rageana Marigna [Palmyra], 2008

Moorestown native Kevin Mc’Donnell, who in May became the first American in 30 years to win the Broad Street Run, ran 14:37 Thursday to win the Marlton 4th of July 5K.

That’s a road 5K PR for O’Donnell, who ran 15:01 in Boston in 2022.

O’Donnell finished more than a minute ahead of former Cherokee and The College of New Jersey runner Michael Zurzolo, who was 2nd in 15:47.

Ocean City graduate Nick Scarangelli of Egg Harbor was 3rd in 16:01. Scarangelli placed 2nd in the Peach Belt Conference indoor championships in Gainesville in the mile with a PR 4:16.40 in February.

Highland graduate Mason Wassell placed 4th in 16:32 and former Cherokee runner Conor Jacob was 5th in 17:07. Wassell was the South Jersey Group 3 champion at 3,200 meters indoors this past year. Jacob placed 21st at the Meet of Champions XC in the fall of 2022, when Cherokee placed 3rd.

In the women’s race, Emily Hansell of Philadelphia ran 20:33 for the win. Hansell ran for Owen J. Roberts in South Conventry Township, Chester Township, and graduated from Delaware, although it appears she didn’t compete for the Blue Hens. County Open XC and 3,200 mecdalist Paige Cline – who’s entering her senior year at Shawnee this fall – was 2nd in 21:22.

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.