From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

It was the greatest discus competition in New Jersey sectional history, and it happened Saturday afternoon at Pennsauken.

Glassboro junior Damere Lassiter and Penns Grove senior Janier Armstead became the first duo in New Jersey sectional track history to both throw 180 feet in the same competition.

Full series aren’t available – thanks for nothing, “EliteFeats” – but Lassiter won the South Jersey Group 1 meet with a throw of 184-8, and Armstead was 2nd with a 183-4.

Both were well beyond the previous South Jersey Group 1 meet record of 171-8 set by Pennsville’s John Clark at the 2007 meet at Egg Harbor and they are the 2nd- and 3rd-best throws ever in any Group 1 sectional behind a 187-8 throw by Giovanni Gutierrez of Saddle Brook in the 2017 North 1 Group 1 meet at Randolph.

The best previous 2nd-place performance behind a 180-foot winning throw in state sectional history came in 1995 at West Deptford. Overbrook’s Ron Dayne, who five years later would be the 11th pick in the NFL draft, won the discus at 187-4 and Jackson’s Jay Ziemack was 2nd with a 171-7.

Lassiter and Armstead popped the two-best throws ever by South Jersey Group 1 athletes and they’re No. 3 and 4 in the state this year, behind Southern’s Fabian Gonzalez [203-2 at Penn] and Bergen Catholic’s Ben Shue [200-10 in a meet at Demarest last month].

The only New Jersey Group 1 throwers in at least 20 years to throw farther than Lasster and Armstead are Hopatcong’s Phil Smith [189-4 at the 2005 state Group 1 meet at Egg Harbor] and Gutierrez in 2017.

Lassiter’s 184-8 is No. 12 in South Jersey history, best ever by a Group 1 thrower and No. 2 in Gloucester County history, behind Delsea’s Josh Awotunde, the World Championships bronze medalist last year, who threw 192-5 at the state Group 3 meet at South Plainfield, and Deptford’s Ken Manhana, who threw a then-South Jersey-record 185-5 at the 1976 Gloucester County Championships at Woodbury. Armstead is No. 15 in South Jersey history and No. 2 in Salem County history, behind school record holder Russ Willett, who threw 185-10 at the 1985 Bridgeton Relays.

They are No. 8 and 12 in South Jersey sectional history in any group:

198-0 … Ron Dayne [Overbrook], 1995 [Group 4]
187-4 … Ron Dayne [Overbrook], 1994 [Group 4]
186-7 … Dan Gilligan [Toms River East], 2016 [Group 3]
185-11 … John Mooers [Middle Twp.], 2015 [Group 2]
185-9 … Fabian Gonzalez [Southern Reg.], 2022 [Group 4]
185-6 … James Plummer [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2013 [Group 4]
185-0 … Braheme Days Jr. [Bridgeton], 2013 [Group 2]
184-8 … Damere Lassiter [Glassboro], 2023 [Group 1]
184-5 … Ray Wilks [Bridgeton], 1995 [Group 3]
184-3 … Kamron Kobolak [Cinnaminson], 2018 [Group 2]
183-6 … Todd Stueber [Toms River South], 2017 [Group 3]
183-4 … Janier Armstead [Penns Grove], 2023 [Group 1]
182-0 … Fabian Gonzalez [Southern Reg.], 2021 [Group 4]
180-0 … Kevin Benson [Toms River North], 2015 [Group 4]

Lassiter, whose best throw last year was 149-5, had a PR of 159-7 going into sectionals from the Delsea Crusader Field Meet a week earlier. Armstea’’s best was a 177-3 from the Woodbury Relays, where he finished 2nd to Southern’s Gonzalez.

Lassiter is the top underclassman in South Jersey since Days [190-3] and Awotunde [186-9] in 2012. His 184-8 appears to be the best throw ever by a Group 1 junior in New Jersey.

Here’s an updated look at the all-time South Jersey 180-foot 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
180- 3 … Howard Clark [Pennsauken], 1998

Sophomore Leila Ortiz and junior Maylisa Bluford won two events each to help Clayton roll to its 3rd straight South Jersey Group 1 title.

Clayton goes to the state Group 1 meet at Franklin High with a chance to score some pretty big points. Both relays are top-seeded as is Bluford in the discus and junior Alana Woolfolk in the high jump.

Bluford is No. 2 seed in the shot, sophomore Rainelle Blocker is 3rd seeded in the javelin, Ortiz is No. 2 seed in the 400, No. 4 in the 100 and No. 6 in the 200 and senior Kelsey Thomas is No. 2 seed in the 400.

Clayton outscored 2nd-place Haddon Township 126-67 at Pennsauken, with Schalick [54 ½], Audubon [53] and Salem [50] all fighting for 3rd place.

The Clippers also won the 2021 title 113-95 over Schalick at Washington Township and won last year 129-93 over Haddon Township at Buena.

Let’s start with Ortiz, who won the 100 in 12.89, won the 400 in a PR 58.39 placed 3rd in the 200 with a PR 26.42 and ran on one of Clayton’s winning relays – we don’t know which because she’s listed on both but could only have raced on one.

Bluford PR’d with a 129-5 in the discus, breaking the South Jersey Group 1 record of 127-3 set by Cydney Thomas of Haddon Heights in 2018 at Washington Township, and won the shot by 4 ½ feet with a 36-11 ¾. Bluford is the first Clayton girl to double the shot and discus at sectionals in 42 years, since Emma Painter won the Group 1 shot [36-9 ½], discus [115-8] and javelin [140-2] at Cherokee in 1981.

Woolfolk won the high jump at 5-4 before shutting down without a mis. This is Woolfolk’s 3rd straight sectional title, including Group 2 as a Delsea freshman.

Senior Kelsey Thomas had a huge weekend, with 2nd-place finishes in both the 200 [26.38] and 400 [PR 59.90] as well as anchor legs on both winning relay teams – the 4-by-100 ran 49.72 and the 4-by-4 4:06.24.

Sophomore Rainelle Blocker PR’d at 102-1 to win the javelin, Clayton’s first sectional javelin winner since Portia Poole in 2004.

And soph Miyana Johnson placed 2nd in the high jump, matching her PR of 5-0, and 4th in the 200 with a 27.02. She also led off the 4-by-1.

Junior Josephine Connolly placed 2nd in the javelin at 98-0 and senior Rayael Marshall took 6th in the 100-meter hurdles in 17.73.

Senior Erica Thomas ran legs on both relay teams, freshman Deondria Simon ran the 2nd leg on the 4-by-4.

Clayton will be shooting for its 3^rd straight state title this weekend. The Clippers outscored Shore Regional 89-48 in 2021 and defeated Hasbrouck Heights 101 ½-60 last year, all with the Sharpe sisters, who are now at Auburn.

Winslow and Timber Creek, two of the top programs in New Jersey, squared off in South Jersey Group 3 over the weekend, and the meet went just how you’d expect.

Winslow and Timber Creek took turns recording spectacular performances in a back-and-forth weekend, and when the dust had settled Winslow had 104-98 victory, and both programs are sending a huge contingent to the state Group 3 meet at Delsea next weekend.

Winslow won eight SJ-3 titles in a row from 2013 through 2021 (there was no 2020 meet) before Timber Creek ended their streak 101-86 last spring.

This is a fantastic rivalry between two deep, talented, well-coached teams that cover just about every event. Here’s a look at how this weekend went for these two mighty Camden County rivals located just seven miles apart:

100 [Timber Creek 24, Winslow Twp. 1]: A huge 1-2-3 Timber Creek sweep Friday behind junior Naylah Jones [PR 11.79], sophomore Ryan Jennings [PR 12.01] and junior Chloe Jones [PR 12.31]. I wrote about this race on Friday: https://sjtrackblog.com/2023/06/02/naylah-jones-leads-1-2-3-timber-creek-sweep-with-11th-fastest-100-in-south-jersey-history/. Winslow junior Dominique Clement ran a PR 12.44 for 6th place in a very fast race. How fast? Clement was 6th in South Jersey Group 3 but she’s the No. 10 seed in the entire state in Group 3. Timber Creek’s trio is seeded 1st, 2nd and 7th.

200 [Timber Creek 24, Winslow Twp. 3]: Another Timber Creek sweep with Naylah Jones winning in 24.92, Chloe Jones 2nd in 25.53 and Jennings 3rd in 25.60. Winslow advanced both Clement [5th in 25.93] and senior Janelle Marshall [6th in 26.47].

400 [Timber Creek 17, Winslow Twp. ]: Timber Creek opened Saturday’s schedule with a 1-3-6 finish in the 400. Junior Naylah Jones ran a blazing 55.83 for the win, junior Chloe Jones was 3rd in 56.05 and sophomore Ryan Jennings took 6th in 57.57. All are PRs. That’s 65 of a possible 72 points in the 100, 200 and 400 for Timber Creek.

800 [Winslow Twp. 1, Timber Creek 0]: Winslow senior Alana Henry, in only her 2nd 800 of the spring, PR’d at 2:24.26 for 6th place.

1,600 [Timber Creek 0, Winslow Twp. 0]: One of just three events where neither Timber Creek nor Winslow scored.

3,200 [Timber Creek 0, Winslow Twp. 0]: Another event with no points from either the Eagles or Chargers.

110 Hurdles [Winslow Twp. 24, Timber Creek 5]: A Winslow sweep with Marshall winning in 15.10 followed by freshman Ma’Syiah Brawner in 15.91 and senior Kamryn Holness with a PR 15.92. Timber Creek went 4-6 with sophomore Billie Frazier running 16.18 for 4th and junior Guerlande Pierre – in her first meet in two months – 6th in 16.55.

400 Hurdles [Timber Creek 8, Winslow Twp. 1]: Frazier PR’d with a 1:04.46 for 3rd place, and Nyla Jones was 5th in 1:06.68. Winslow senior Ciara Wiltshire PR’d with a 1:07.19 in 6th place.

High Jump [Winslow Twp. 8, Timber Creek 0]: Brawner picked up 2nd with a 5-2 clearance.

Long Jump [Winslow Twp. 11, Timber Creek 0]: Brawner picked up her first sectional title with a PR 18-10, and freshman teammate Chintina Walker PR’d at 17-7 for 6th place. Brawner is the No. 1 seed at states.

Triple Jump [Winslow Twp. 12, Timber Creek 0]: Brawner shattered the New Jersey freshman record with her 39-5 ½ for 2nd to Ocean City’s Sophia Curtis, and Walker also PR’d with a 36-1 for 4th place. Here’s more on Brawner’s historic performance: https://sjtrackblog.com/2023/06/02/winslows-masyiah-shatters-new-jersey-freshman-triple-jump-record-in-electrifying-competition-with-all-time-n-j-5-sophia-curtis/ Curtis and Brawner will be the top two seeds at states.

Pole Vault [Timber Creek 0, Winslow Twp. 0]:

Shot Put [Timber Creek 2, Winslow Twp. 0]: Pierre picked up a couple points for Timber Creek with a 5th-place finish in the shot with a 35-4 ½ on her first throw.

Discus [Winslow Twp. 10, Timber Creek 0]: A monster performance by Winslow sophomore Brook-lynn Roberts, who won by nearly 20 feet with a huge PR of 137-0. You can read lots more about her performance here: https://sjtrackblog.com/2023/06/02/winslow-soph-brook-lynn-roberts-pops-astonishing-discus-pr-wins-sectionals-with-2-throw-in-camden-county-history/

Javelin [Winslow Twp. 10, Timber Creek]: Roberts picked up her second win of the weekend in the closest imaginable competition with Delsea senior Ava Reardon. Both threw 110-0, so it came down to 2nd-best throws, and Roberts’ was 107-8 to Reardon’s 107-7. Great competition.

400 Relay [Timber Creek 10, Winslow Twp. 8]: Timber Creek and Winslow went 1-2 to open the meet, with freshman Samiyah Puckett, Jennings, Nyla Jones and Naylah Jones running 47.32 for Timber Creek, which equals their own No. 2 New Jersey No. 2 and No. 9 in South Jersey history. That’s also a meet record for all South Jersey sectionals – Delsea had the SJ-3 record at 47.78 from 2017 and Egg Harbor had the overall S.J. mark at 47.60 from 2018 – and 2nd-fastest ever run at any sectional meet, behind Piscataway’s 47.14 in 2014. Winslow was 2nd in 48.85 with Marshall leading off, followed by junior Dominique Clement, Sierra Handy and Briyel Brown. They’re the top two seeds at states.

1,600 Relay [Winslow Twp. 10, Timber Creek 8]: Not surprisingly, the meet ended with Winslow and Timber Creek up front in the 4-by-4. Winslow wound up winning in 3:55.91 behind Clement [59.47], Alana Henry [59.86], Holness [57.33] and Marshall [59.26], and Timber Creek was 2nd in 3:58.09 with Frazier [59.49], Adiat Olaogun-Dickson  [1:02.55], Nylah Jones [1:00.39] and Chloe Jones [55.67]. Winslow will be top-seeded at states and Timber Creek is No. 3.

3,200 Relay [Winslow Twp. 4, Timber Creek 0]: Wiltshire, sophomore Ava Millner, freshman Olivia Okaro and Henry picked up a 4th place for the Eagles in 10:05.95.

Delsea and Deptford have both bounced back and forth between Group 2 and Group 3 in recent years.

In 2019 and 2021, Delsea won South Jersey Group 2 and Deptford won Group 3. Last year, Delsea won Group 3 and Deptford was 3rd in Group 2

But this year – for the first time since 2018 – the two Gloucester County powerhouse programs both found themselves in the same section – South Jersey Group 3 – and they battled down to the wire over the weekend on Delsea’s track before Delsea emerged with a hard-fought closely-contested 82-74 sectional win. Mainland [66], Timber Creek [63], Highland [55] and Winslow [51] were all also in the mix.

In 2017, Delsea and Deptford were both in Group 3, and they went 1-2 in SJ-3, Delsea with 113 points and Deptford with 92. Same with 2018, when Delsea scored 140 and Deptford was 2nd with 76.

In all, they’ve combined for eight sectional titles in the last six years the meet has been held. Last time neither won a sectional title was 2016, when Delsea was 3rd in Group 2 and Deptford was 4th in Group 3.

Delsea has won six straight titles. In South Jersey sectional history, only Penns Grove [10 straight from 1977 through 1986] and Woodbury [nine straight from 1969 through 1977] have had longer streaks.

The only other schools state-wide with longer sectional streaks are Metuchen [16 straight in Central Jersey Group 1 from 1993 through 2008] and Somerville [eight straight from 2001 through 2008 in Central Jersey Group 2].

In all, Delsea now has nine titles – all since 2006. The Crusaders won SJ-3 in 2006, 2007, 2017, 2018, 2022 and 2023 and SJ-2 in 2010, 2019 and 2021.

Let’s take a closer look at this weekend’s competition:

100 [Delsea 3, Deptford 0]: Juniors Julian Conigliaro [11.20] and Xavier Wyatt [PR 11.22] placed 5th and 6th in the 100 final.

200 [Deptford 10, Delsea 6]: Triple winner Lathan Brown ran a PR 22.32 to win the 200 for the Spartans, and Coniglario got six points for Delsea with a 3rd-place finish in 23.29. This was the only individual event on the track where both teams scored.

400 [Deptford 11, Delsea 0]: Brown won in a PR 48.76 – fastest in New Jersey Group 3 this year – and junior Darryl Wayman was 6th in a PR 50.72 for Deptford.

800 [Deptford 2, Delsea 0]: Deptford junior Abu Jabbie ran 2:01.89 for 5th place.

1,600 [Delsea 2, Deptford 0]:Crusaders freshman Matthew Littlehales ran 4:32.05 for 5th place.

3,200 [Delsea 8, Deptford 0]: Littlehales PR’d with a 9:34.94 for 2nd place and eight big points. That makes him the No. 2 freshman in New Jersey and No. 1 among all public school runners.

110 Hurdles [Deptford 10, Delsea 0]: First-year senior Micky Nelson picked up a win for Deptford in 15.68.

400 Hurdles [Deptford 10, Delsea 0]: Brown won the intermediates in 55.40, becoming Deptford’s 1st triple individual winner at sectionals in at least 40 years.

High Jump [Delsea 4, Deptford 2]: Junior Wayne Adair placed 4th at 6-2 for Delsea and senior Sammy Sanford took 5th for Deptford, also at 6-2.

Long Jump [Delsea 4, Deptford 0]: Junior Christian Langston jumped an 11-inch PR 21-4 ½ for 4th place for the Crusaders.

Triple Jump [Deptford 3, Delsea 0]: Seniors Robert Long [42-5 ¾] and Sanford [42-0 ¾] took 5th and 6th for Deptford.

Pole Vault [Delsea 6, Deptford 2]: Sophomore Henry Cifaloglio placed 4th at 11-6, and junior teammate Carlos Reyes 5th, also at 11-6, for Delsea. Deptford’s scorer was senior Aidan Doerr, 6th and also at 11-6.

Shot Put [Delsea 24, Deptford 0]: Sophomore Jonathan Harris popped a 56-4 ½ for the win, the top public school mark by a New Jersey soph this year, with junior Greg Masso 2nd at 52-10 ¼ and junior Tyler Habersham-Agbemenu 3rd at 51-1 ¼.

Discus [Delsea 14, Deptford 0]: Harris threw a 13-foot PR 153-6 and senior Luke Maxwell 152-8 for 2nd and 3rd place for Delsea.

Javelin [Delsea 0, Deptford 0]: The only event neither school scored.

400 Relay [Deptford 10, Delsea 2]: Senior Kevin Mosley, Wayman, sophomore Kamari Brown and Lathan Brown won the 4-by-1 in 42.51, the No. 1 mark in New Jersey Group 3 going into states. Junior Domenic Teti, Conigliaro, Langston and junior Xavier Wyatt took 5th for Delsea in 43.13.

1,600 Relay [Delsea 10, Deptford 8]: The Crusaders and Spartans went head-to-head in the final event of the meet and were separated by less than a second. Wyatt, junior Dante McGrenehan, Coniglario and Langston ran 3:26.92 for the win, and junior Christian Berry, Long, sophomore Sean Nieves and Weyman ran 3:27.89 for 2nd place.

3,200 Relay [Deptford 4, Delsea 0]: Jabbie, Nieves, sophomore Lucius Davis and freshman Anthony Schilling ran 8:18.21 for 4th place for the Spartans.

The formula for Eastern was a simple one. Lots of the Dumas sisters, a big-time hurdler in Johnay Stilley and huge points from the throwers.,

It added up to a championship in the South Jersey Group 4 meet at Pennsauken.

Senior Kadence Dumas picked up a 1st and two 2nds, freshman sister added a 1st and a 4th, Johnay Stilley won the hurdles and the throwing team – led by Savana Dodd – scored a whopping 31 points as the Eastern girls won their first sectional title since 2002 this weekend at Pennsauken.

Eastern outscored Toms River North 94-78 to win a four-team battle, with Rancocas Valley [72] and Washington Township [63] also in the mix. Eastern’s only previous title came in 2002, when the Vikings outscored Southern Regional 71-53 ½ at Buena.

Kadence Dumas dropped a second off her 800 PR and won in a school-record 2:13.52, holding off Toms River North freshman Jessica Abbott by 1-10th of a second and becoming the first Eastern half-miler ever to win a sectional title.

Her time is No. 7 in Camden County history:

2:07.33 … Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], 2009
2:08.87 … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2001
2:11.45 … Sydney Coppolino [Sterling], 2017
2:11.80 … Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 2016
2:12.85 … Greta Feldman [Haddonfield], 2008
2:13.34 … Holly Cosnett [Haddonfield], 2000
2:13.52 … Kadence Dumas [Eastern], 2023
2:13.72 … Lindsay Colflesh [Haddonfield], 2021
2:13.74 … Briana Roberts [Pennsauken], 2016
2:14.08 …Lindsay Thomas [Wilson], 2003
2:14.0h … Sue Handlan [Haddonfield], 1976
2:14.0h … Kathy Ezell [Sterling], 1982

She also ran a hot lifetime-best 55.90 in the 400, finishing 2nd to Pennsauken freshman Sianni Wynn’s 54.01. The versatile Dumas also took 2nd to Abbott in the 1,600 with a 5:09.39.

Here’s a look at the all-time Camden County 400 list, which added three names this weekend:

53.00 … English Gardner [Eastern], 2007
54.01 … Sianni Wynn [Pennsauken], 2023
54.36 … Shakira Dancy [Winslow Twp.], 2018
54.41 … Dennisha Page [Woodrow Wilson], 2019
54.93 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow Twp.], 2004
55.11 … Nichole Bartley [Highland], 1992
55.21 … Avionne Sloan [Camden], 2006
55.24 … Jasmine Still [Wilson], 2005
55.2h … Loretta Thompson [Camden], 1980
55.5h … Denise Mitchell [Edgewood], 1983
55.65 … Jade Pope [Pennsauken], 2018
55.83 … Naylah Jones [Timber Creek], 2023
55.90 … Kadence Dumas [Eastern], 2023
55.97 … Nylah Perry [Winslow Twp.], 2019

Younger sister Natalie made it 40 points from one family with a win in the 400-meter hurdles and a 4th in the flat 400. Natalie Dumas ran 1:04.01 in the 400IH and 56.53 in the 400, both personal bests.

Senior Johnay Stilley, competing for the first time in two months, gave Eastern a huge win in the 100-meter hurdles with a PR 14.82 in her first 100 hurdles race since last year’s Meet of Champions.

Eastern also took 4th in the 400-meter relay in 49.59 and 2nd in the 4-by-4 in 3:54.99 and we finally have names to go with these relays!

Natalie Dumas led off both relays, followed by Stilley, sophomore Johnna Gonter and junior Lomaria Tengbeh on the 4-by-1 and by sophomore Samantha Osei-Kyei, senior Mackenzie James and Kadence Dumas on the 4-by-4.

As for the throwers, senior Savana Dodd was huge, with 2nd-place finishes in both the shot [37-5] and discus [117-8], junior Zoe Goldberg threw 132-2 for 2nd in the javelin and 104-5 for 6th in the discus and junior Aniyah Smith placed in all three throws. She was 5th in the shot at 33-4, 4th in the disc at 116-6 and 4th in the javelin at 109-4.

Scoring 82 of 83 points in the sprints, hurdles and relays, Pennsauken raced to its third sectional championship this weekend on their home track.

Pennsauken outscored Southern Regional 83-65 to win South Jersey Group 4, the most competitive sectional in New Jersey.

The Indians scored 36 points in the 100, 200 and 400, 26 points in the hurdles and 20 in the relays.

Their previous sectional titles came in South Jersey Group 4 in 2005 and Central Jersey Group 3 in 2021.

Once again, the peerless duo of seniors Bryce Tucker and Premier Wynn was the key to the Indians’ success.

Tucker won the 400-meter hurdles in 51.40, No. 8 in New Jersey history – you can read about that race here – and placed 2nd in the 110-meter highs [14.42] and 3rd in the 400 [49.37] – and Wynn won the 400 in a monster 47.39, fastest in any South Jersey sectional in 19 years, and took 2nd in both the 200 [22.48] and intermediates [53.82]. More on Wynn’s 400 soon.

Wynn also anchored the winning 4-by-1, and Tucker anchored the winning 4-by-400.

Junior Elijah Jennings also had a big day with a 2nd place in the 100 in 11.10 and a 5th in the 200 in 22.61 and legs on the winning 4-by-1 and 4-by-4 teams, and freshman KaRon Ali added a 5th place in the 49.39 and ran on the 4-by-4.

Robert Byard and Bronze Whitmore joined Jennings and Wynn on the 4-by-1, and Ladanian McGrath joined Jennings, Ali and Tucker on the 4-by-4.

Pennsauken’s one point in the field came from junior Jayden Farmer, who placed 6th in the shot put with a PR 48-7.

Juniors Cartrell Moore, Elijah Whitaker, Desmond Vassell, Damere Lassiter and Maddox Wilson combined for 75 points and Glassboro won its first South Jersey title in 14 years this weekend at Pennsauken.

Glassboro outscored Woodbury by one point, winning 102-101 in the South Jersey Group 1 competition.

Moore won the 400 in a PR 49.59 – by 2-100ths of a second – placed 2nd in the intermediates with a 54.97, 3rd in the triple jump at 43-6 and 4th in the 200 in 23.02, Whitaker ran 2nd in the 1,600 in a PR 4:31.02 and 3rd in the 3,200 at 10:07.16, Vassell was 1st in the high hurdles and 6th in the intermediates, Lassiter won the disc with a 184-8 bomb – more on that later – and took 2nd with a 49-8 ¼ in the shot and Wilson won the javelin at 156-9.

Glassboro won its only other sectional title in 2009 in Group 1 with a meet-record 181 ½ points.

Woodbury gave its Gloucester County rival all it could handle. Junior Peyton Shute swept the 800, 1,600 and 3,200, soph Marquis Taylor won the 200, Jabron Solomon won the long jump (22-5) and the Thundering Herd’s 4-by-1, 4-by-4 and 4-by-8 relays all finished 1st (no names available, thanks to the joke of a timing company).

But Glassboro was one point better.

In addition to Moore, Whitaker, Vassell, Lassiter and Wilson, junior Brysheen Ferguson was 4th in the 100 [11.32], junior Caron Wright placed 4th in the long jump [20-11] and junior Charles Graves took 6th in the long jump [20-8 ¼]. Also, Glassboro’s 4-by-1 placed 3rd [names not available].

How close was this meet?

Moore edged Clayton sophomore Alexander Osayemi in the 100 by 2-100ths of a second. If that finished is reversed, Glassboro finishes with 100 points and Woodbury wins the sectional title.

The Haddonfield girls, led by double winner Ava Thomas, scored the most points in South Jersey sectional history over the weekend, winning their 5th straight Group 2 title and 15th the last 22 times the meet has been contested.

Thomas led a 1-2-3 sweep in the 1,600 and a 1-2 finish in the 3,200, and Haddonfield scored in every event other than the triple jump and shot put, piling up at least 10 points in eight events.

The Bulldogs finished with 154 points, breaking the South Jersey Group record of 148 set by Sterling in 2017 and breaking the all-group mark of 148 ½ set in 2013 by Winslow Township in Group 3.

Haddonfield scored all those points with only Thomas as an individual winner. The Bulldogs averaged 8.6 points per event.

Overall, Haddonfield now has a South Jersey-record 22 sectional titles – 1983, 1984, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1998 and 1999 in Group 1 and every year other than 2002, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016 and 2017. There was no meet in 2020.

Their current streak of five straight titles is 3rd-longest in South Jersey history behind Winslow [eight straight in Group 3 from 2013 through 2021] and Woodbury [seven straight from 1976 through 1982.

Here’s a look at how they did it:

AVA THOMAS: Thomas, a junior, won the 1,600 in 5:07.81 and the 3,200 in 10:59.52. Despite racing unpressed in both, she ran within 3 ½ seconds of her 1,600 PR and four seconds of her 3,200 PR.

CHLOE KAMP: Kamp, also a junior, was very busy, running the 2nd leg on the winning 400-meter relay team, which ran 49.19, placing 3rd in the 400 with a PR 59.12, taking 3rd in the 200 with a PR 25.95 and adding a six points with a 3rd in the 100 with another PR of 12.38.

HELENE USHER: Usher, a senior, took 2nd in the 3,200 in 11:08.97 and 3rd in the 1,600 with a 5:13.48 for 14 points.

AUDREY ADAMS: Adams, another member of Haddonfield’s deep sophomore class, took 4th in the intermediates in 1:06.72, 4th in the high jump with a PR 5-2 and 5th in the high hurdles in 16.86.

THEA SPELLMEYER: One of Haddonfield’s few seniors, Spellmeyer placed 4th in the 800 in 2:23.07, ran 3rd leg on the winning 4-by-8 – they ran 9:55.97 – and the 2nd leg on the 4-by-4, which placed 3rd in 4:11.69.

SABRINA MILLER: Miller, a senior, placed 2nd in the 800 in 2:20.20 and ran led off the 3rd-place 1,600-meter relay team.

RILEY SLOOTSKY: Slootsky, a junior, ran 5:13.07 for 2nd place in the 1,600 behind Thomas.

REBECCA HOOVER: A sophomore, Hoover PR’d at 10-0 for second place in the pole vault.

GRACE MALCARNEY: Malcarney, a senior, placed 3rd in the 400 intermediates in 1:06.70 and ran the 3rd leg on Haddonfield’s 4-by-4.

MOLLY MINOR: Another sophomore, Minor led off the winning 400-meter relay team, which ran 49.19, and anchored the 3rd-place 4-by-4.

NICOLETTE PINKERTON: Pinkerton, also a 10th-grader, anchored the winning 4-by-1 and took 3rd in the long jump with a 16-10 jump.

ANNA STOLARICK: Placed 3rd in the 800 with a 2:20.99 and ran the 2nd leg on the winning 4-by-8 team. Stolarick is a junior.

MOIRA GEIGER: Geiger, another senior, threw 95-8 for 3rd place in the javelin.

SARAH FETTER: A junior, Fetter led off the winning 4-by-800 team.

EMALIE STANILLA: Soph PR’d with a 101-2 for 4th place in the discus.

AVA POLIAFICO: Sophomore ran the 3rd leg on the winning 400-meter relay team.

MAYA CAREY: Carey, a senior, anchored Haddonfield’s winning 4-by-800.

MIA BOMPENSA: Junior vaulter cleared 10-0 for 3rd place.

EMILY TURNAGE: Turnge placed 4th in the javelin with a 92-8 throw.

ALL-TIME S.J. SECTIONAL TEAM SCORING
154 … Haddonfield, 2023
148 ¾ … Winslow Twp., 2013
148 … Sterling, Group 2, 2017
148 … Penns Grove, Group 1, 2013
141 … Sterling, Group 2, 2016
141 … Winslow Twp., Group 3, 2018
140 … Winslow Twp., Group 3, 2014
134 … Haddonfield, Group 2, 2012
133 … Lenape, Group 4, 2015
132 ½ … Woodbury, Group 1, 2007
132 … Haddonfield, Group 2, 2014
131 … Camden, Group 2, 2009
130 … Haddonfield, Group 2, 2022
130 … Haddonfield, Group 2, 2021
129 … Clayton, Group 1, 2022
129 … Haddonfield, Group 2, 2013
128 ½ … Penns Grove, Group 1, 2014
127 … Winslow Twp., Group 3, 2019
127 … Bridgeton, Group 2, 2005
120 … Winslow Twp., Group 3, 2017

Monster 400 race by Sianni Wynn Saturday morning at the South Jersey Group 4 sectionals on her home track at Pennsauken.

Wynn ran 54.01, which moves her into the No. 7 spot in South Jersey history and No. 15 in state history and just 1-100th of a second off the South Jersey freshman class record of 54.00 set at 2007 Nike Outdoor Nationals in Greensboro by Olympic gold medalist English Gardner of Eastern. Gardner’s 54.00 is also the Camden County record.

Wynn won a fast race, with Eastern senior Kadence Dumas 2nd in 55.90, Rancocas Valley senior Kasey White 3rd in 56.20 and Eastern freshman Natalie Dumas also under 57 at 56.53.

Wynn smashed the South Jersey Group 4 meet record of 54.90 set in 2009 by Nijgia Snapp of Oakcrest at Egg Harbor. The only faster winning time in any South Jersey sectional came last year, when Arianni Sharpe of Clayton ran 53.49 in Group 1. Bridgeton’s Nadia Davy ran a hand-timed 54.0 to win Group 2 in 1999 and Wilson’s Dennisha Page ran 54.41 to win SJ-3 in 2019. Also under 55: Shakeema Martin of Lakewood [hand-timed 54.5 in SJ-3 in 2002].

On Friday, Wynn won the 100 in 11.90. Coming into the meet, her PRs were 12.16 and 56.69. She had only run one previous open 400 outdoors – in the BCSL meet also at Pennsauken two weeks ago. She ran 56.10 at the Armory indoors to win Easterns.

Wynn’s 54.01 qualifies her for the USATF Under-20 Championships in Eugene next month. According to MileSplit’s database, she’s 4th-fastest freshman in the U.S. this spring.

51.87 … Sydney McLoughlin [Union Catholic], 2016
51.98 … Athing Mu [Trenton], 2019
52.46 … Olivia Baker [Columbia], 2014
52.56 … Mikele Barber [Montclair], 1998
52.91 … Michelle Brown [Seneca], 2009
53.12 … Julia Jackson [Scotch Plains-Fanwood], 2022
53.0h … Stephanie Saleem [Neptune], 1985
53.49 … Arianna Sharpe [Clayton], 2022
53.51 … Dana Burnett [Williamstown], 1996
53.60 … Amirah Sharpe [Clayton], 2022
53.64 … Nijgia Snapp [Oakcrest], 2008
53.66 … Giselle Harris [Shabazz], 1986
53.84 … Drexel Long [Monmouth], 1991
54.00 … English Gardner [Eastern], 2007
54.01 … Sianna Wynn [Pennsauken], 2023
54.04 … Nadia Davy [Bridgeton], 1998
54.04 … Ajee’ Wilson [Neptune], 2012
54.0h … Natalie Jordan [Paterson East Side], 1984
54.19 … Okechi Ogbuokiri [Willingboro], 2003
54.20 … Emile Cowan [Columbia], 2015
54.21 … Jennifer Edobi [Union], 2014
54.1h … Donithy Jones [Montclair], 1981
54.23 … Symone O’Connor [Franklin Twp.]. 2007
54.31 … Tawana Watkins [JFK-Paterson], 2000
54.33 … Victoria Vanriel [Governor Livingston], 2019
54.34 … Tiffany Grant [Ocean Township], 2019
54.36 … Shakira Dancy [Winslow Twp.], 2018
54.41 … Dennisha Page [Woodrow Wilson], 2019
54.23 … Symone O’Connor [Franklin Twp.]. 2007
54.3h … Regina Trotter [Weequahic], 1981
54.48 … Julia Jackson [Scotch Plains-Fanwood], 2021

54.51 … Katrina Sye [Buena], 1998
54.62 … Audrey Wilson [Deptford], 2008
54.75 … Faleesha Dowe [Penns Grove], 2014
54.93 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow Twp.], 2004

52.91 … Michelle Brown [Seneca], 2009
53.49 … Arianna Sharpe [Clayton], 2022
53.51 … Dana Burnett [Williamstown], 1996
53.60 … Amirah Sharpe [Clayton], 2023
53.64 … Nijgia Snapp [Oakcrest], 2008
53.00 … English Gardner [Eastern], 2007
54.01 … Sianni Wynn [Pennsauken], 2023
54.04 … Nadia Davy [Bridgeton], 1998
54.19 … Okechi Ogbuokiri [Willingboro], 2003
54.36 … Shakira Dancy [Winslow Twp.], 2018
54.41 … Dennisha Page [Woodrow Wilson], 2019
54.51 … Katrina Sye [Buena], 1998
54.62 … Audrey Wilson [Deptford], 2008
54.75 … Faleesha Dowe [Penns Grove], 2014
54.93 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow Twp.], 2004

Cinnaminson senior Joel Blamon continued his remarkable progression Friday with the best jump this spring by a South Jersey long jumper.

Blamon leaped 22-8 ½ on his final attempt – his 3rd jump over 22 feet – and placed 2nd in the South Jersey Group 2 sectional at Delsea.

That’s the best jump by a Cinnaminson boy in 35 years, since John Meekins Sr. went 23-5 ½ at the 1988 South Jersey Group 2 sectionals at Moorestown.

Blamon placed 2nd to Manchester Township’s Al-Mubaraq Aderogba, who jumped 23-0 ½ on his final attempt and also had an earlier 23-0 ¼.

Blamon moved into the No. 1 spot in South Jersey this year, half an inch ahead of Egg Harbor senior Ahmad Fogg – who went 22-8 at the South Jersey Elite at Delsea – and Mainland senior William Murray – who went 22-8 at the Atlantic County Championships at Stockton.

Fogg and Murray both compete in South Group 4, which was postponed Friday night because of lightning before the long jump began.

Blamon has to be one of the most improved athletes in South Jersey. His PR as a junior and a 1st-time long jumper last year was just 19-6 ½ and he didn’t even hit 18 feet at last year’s sectional meet, where he placed 19th out of 29 entries.

Blamon didn’t surpass 20 feet until the County Open three weeks ago, where he was 7th at 20-2 ½. He added a foot to his PR at the Delsea Crusder Field Meet last week, where he was 2nd at 21-3, then PR’d again – by nearly a foot and a half – at sectionals.

So in the span of 10 days, he improved his PR from 20-2 ½ to 22-8 ½ – some 30 inches.

Blamon opened with a PR 22-3 ¾ Friday and then hit 22-1 ¼ on his second jump. After a couple fouls he added a 21-9 ¾ before finishing with his 22-8 ½.

He averaged 22-2 ¾ on his four legal jumps – so his average jump was about a foot beyond his PR coming into the meet.

Meekins – the indoor Easterns champ at 22-9 ¾ in 1987 – set the South Jersey Group 2 meet record with his 23-5 ½ in 1988. It was broken two years later by Burlington City’s Mike Boone, who jumped 24-1 ¼ in 1990 (and went on to become an NCAA Division 3 javelin national champion).

The only other 23-footers in South Jersey Group 2 since Boone are Kingsway’s Benny Liles [23-10 ¼ in 1992], Kevin Hester of Manchester Township [23-1 ¼ in 1998], Nick Brown of Bridgeton [23-5 in 1999] and Syteek Farrington of Camden [23-11 ½ in 2009].

Meekins’ son John jumped 22-3 to place 5th at the 2019 state Group 2 meet in Bayville and was 2019 Burlington County Open 400 champ.