From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Former Hammonton runner Shawn McBride, who now lives in Collingswood, placed 33rd out of more than 50,000 runners Sunday morning at the New York Marathon.

McBride, 33, ran 2:27.24 and was the 15th American finisher and top New Jersey runner.

McBride graduated from Hammonton in 2007. He shows no performances of note on his MileSplit page. He ran 18:57 and placed 71st at the 2007 South Jersey Group 3 sectionals at Delsea. But he has clearly improved dramatically in the last 16 years.

He averaged 6:07 per-mile for 5,000 meters in his best known race in high school and averaged 5:38 per-mile over 26 miles, 385 yards this weekend.

McBride placed 30th among 28,436 runners in the 30-34 age group.

He was out in 16:58 for the first 5,000, then ran 16:57 for his next 5,000, 16:46 from 10,000 to 15,000, then averaged 17:03 for his next two 5,000s, reaching 25K in 1:24.44. His sixth 5,000 took 17:07 and then he was at 18:08 for 1:59.59 through 35,000 meters and 19:19 for his final full 5K. He covered the final 1.3K in 8:17.

According to his World Athletics page, McBride set a marathon lifetime best of 2:25.09 in Berlin on Sept. 24, so this was his second marathon in about six weeks.

Erik Reitinger of Mt. Laurel, 39, placed 111th with a time of 2:36.17 and was 59th among U.S. finishers. His fastest marathon appears to be a 2:30.37 in Sacramento in December, 2021. Reitinger graduated from Shawnee in 2002. He placed 9th in the South Jersey Group 4 cross country championships at Williamstown in 2001.

Mark Roddy was the first South Jersey finisher in the first Meet of Champions.

Roddy, a senior at Lenape, placed 7th in the 1972 Meet of Champions. Roddy ran 12:34 over 2 1/2 miles in the 1972 race, which was actually held at Ocean County Park in Lakewood before settling for good at Holmdel in 1976

Willie Marino of Williamstown, Cherry Hill West’s Jay Vickery and Marty Ludwikowski and Collingswood’s Ed Donahue also placed in the top 25 that first year, and a year later Gateway’s Greg Stremmel became South Jersey’s first Meet of Champions winner, covering the 2.9-mile course at Bridgewater-Raritan West in 14:22.

In 1974, Ludwikowski – the Millrace Games mile winner from that legendary race against Bergen Catholic sophomore Kevin Byrne in 1975 – ran 14:42 to win at Buccleuch Park in New Brunswick.

The 1975 meet was held at Pennsauken, and ironically, the only MoC ever held in South Jersey is the only MoC where no South Jersey runners finished in the top 25. Paul VI’s Dave Tahan was the first S.J. finisher, in 26th place.

South Jersey runners will be all over the place Saturday morning at the 53rd annual Meet of Champions, which will be held at Holmdel County Park for the 48th time (there was no race in 2020).

Here’s a look at every South Jersey boy that’s ever placed in the top 25 at a Meet of Champions going back to that first race more than half a century ago.

TOP-25 BOYS
2022
2. Patrick Ditmars [Cherokee], 15:39
3. George Andrus [Haddonfield], 15:40
4. *Nick Kuenkel [Cherokee], 15:41
11. *Peyton Shute [Gateway], 16:05
21. Conor Jacob [Cherokee], 16:25
24. Ryan Smith [Rancocas Valley], 16:30

2021
6. Seth Clevenger [Haddonfield], 15:36
8. Dennis Fortuna [Triton], 15:46
16. *George Andrus [Haddonfield], 15:58
17. **Peyton Shute [Woodbury], 16:08
18. Patrick Ditmars [Cherokee], 16:08

2020
Not held

2019
2. Kevin Antczak [Mainland Regional] 15:29
4. Ethan Wechsler [Cherokee] 15:41
5. Oliver Adler [Cherry Hill East] 15:48
8. Martin Riddell [Haddonfield] 15:58
13. *Anas Bensaoud [Clearview] 16:12
21. Chase Miller [Cherokee] 16:18
22. Austin Gabay [Cinnaminson] 16:18

2018
4. *Ethan Wechsler [Cherokee] 15:56
8. *Kevin Antczak [Mainland Reg.] 16:01
13. *Austin Gabay [Cinnaminson] 16:10
14. *Martin Riddell [Haddonfield] 16:10
15. Greg Eisenhower [Haddonfield] 16:10
16. Connor Melko [Bishop Eustace] 16:11
19. Colin Kane [Delsea] 16:23
20. Richard Castaneda [Camden Catholic] 16:23
21. Kieran Burns [Kingsway] 16:24

2017
13. **Martin Riddell [Haddonfield] 16:15
17. Joe Grandizio [Kingsway] 16:17
21. *Kieran Burns [Kingsway 16:20
22. Jonathan Connor [Kingsway] 16:22

2016
6. Jack Shea [Cherokee] 15:58
15. Robert Abrams [Cherry Hill West] 16:17
23. *Justin Kelly [Cherokee] 16:28

2015
1. Joshua Clark [Highland] 15:33
3. Aaron Groff [Cherry Hill East] 15:39
6. *Jack Shea [Cherokee] 15:46
22. Owen Long [Haddon Twp.] 16:17

2014
1. Luke Petela [Haddon Twp.] 15:40
3. Shawn Hutchinson [Bishop Eustace] 15:43
6. Dominick Munson [Timber Creek] 15:56
7. Aaron Groff [Cherry Hill East] 16:00
11. Sean Macpherson [Sterling] 16:02
14. Josh Clark [Highland] 16:12
23. *Justin Branco [Delsea] 16:19
24. Noah Culbreath [Kingsway] 16:20

2013
3. Louis Corgliano [Hammonton] 15:35
5. Steve Maine [Highland] 15:42

2012
6. Kyle Kirk [Camden Catholic] 15:56
11. Steve Maine [Highland] 15:59
16. Greg Halla [Haddonfield] 16:06
17. *Louis Corgliano [Hammonton] 16:07
21. Ryan Magnus [Kingsway] 16:15

2011
5. Shawn Wilson [Cherokee] 15:45
17. Connor Herr [Shawnee] 16:07

2010
6, Ben Potts [Haddonfield] 15:43
8. Paul Szulewski [Williamstown] 15:55
10. *Connor Herr [Shawnee] 15:58
13. Matt Nussbaum [Haddonfield] 16:01
21. Miles Schoedler [Ocean City] 16:09
24. *Peter Murray [Shawnee] 16:14
25. Greg Malloy [Cherokee] 16:14

2009
5. Jonathan Vitez [Haddonfield] 15:42
10. *Paul Szulewski [Williamstown] 15:57
25. David Forward [Shawnee] 16:19

2008
4. Brett Johnson [Ocean City] 15:56
8. *David Forward [Shawnee] 16:02
14. Michael Rankin [Paul VI] 16:17

2007
5. *Brett Johnson [Ocean City] 16:03
9. Mike Sheehan [Holy Cross] 16:09
12. **Jonathan Vitez [Haddonfield] 16:12
21. Mickey Borsellino [Haddon Heights] 16:23
25. Ryan Birchmeier [Ocean City] 16:28

2006
8. John Fennekohl [Ocean City] 16:02
14. Matt Poskus [Cinnaminson] 16:12
20. **Brett Johnson [Ocean City] 16:21
21. Kevin Cronin [Mainland Reg.] 16:23
22. *Alex Yersak [Cherokee] 16:23
25. Michael Keebler [Holy Spirit] 16:29

2005
13. Steve Grabowski [Cinnaminson] 16:07
21. Greg Bredeck [Cherokee] 16:18

2004
10. Tom Yersak [Cherokee] 16:13
12. Anthony Kelhower [Lenape] 16:15
22. *Greg Bredeck [Cherokee] 16:26

2003
2. Greg Hughes [Mainland Reg.] 15:39
4. Jon Anderson [Cinnaminson] 15:51
10. James Wyner [Mainland Reg.] 16:06
15. Carmen Cavella [Washington Twp.] 16:19
17. Brian Goldberg [Haddonfield] 16:20
18. Joseph Masters [Mainland Reg.] 16:22
24. Spenser Popeson [Mainland Reg.] 16:29

2002
2. Keith Krieger [Cherokee] 15:48
5. Robert Edwards [Bridgeton] 15:59
7. *Greg Hughes [Mainland Reg.] 16:10
8. *Jon Anderson [Cinnaminson] 16:10
11. *James Wyner [Mainland Reg. ]16:20
12. John Richardson [Ocean City] 16:21
13. Dan Deichert [Eastern] 16:21
16. Chris Platt [Haddonfield] 16:24
22. Andrew Riviello [Eastern] 16:35
24. *Brian Goldberg [Haddonfield] 16:39

2001
1. Marc Pelerin [Cherokee] 15:43
2. *Chris Platt [Haddonfield] 15:48
5. Skip Stiles [Haddonfield] 15:54
6. Breton Bonnette [Haddonfield] 15:55
7. *Dan Deichert [Eastern] 16:04
11. Keith Krieger [Cherokee] 16:20
14. Robert Lacovara [Highland] 16:27
16. **Jon Anderson [Cinnaminson] 16:29
17. *John Richardson [Ocean City] 16:29
21. *Andrew Riviello [Eastern] 16:33
23. **Greg Hughes [Mainland Reg.] 16:34
24. Matt Mueller [Cherokee] 16:34

2000
1. Mike Myers [Eastern] 15:50
2. *Marc Pelerin [Cherokee] 16:01
6. Adam Ambrus [Shawnee] 16:13
7. **Dan Deichert [Eastern] 16:15
9. Chad Lyons [Overbrook] 16:16
14. Matt Mueller [Cherokee] 16:26
17. **Keith Krieger [Cherokee] 16:30
18. **Chris Platt [Haddonfield] 16:33

1999
3. Brian Skelly [Washington Twp.] 16:13
6. *Adam Ambrus [Shawnee] 16:25
11. Mark Weems [Washington Twp.] 16:36
13. Joe Halin [Cherokee] 16:39
18. Adam Driscoll [Washington Twp.] 16:46]
20. *Mike Ritchie [Paul VI] 16:50
21. **Marc Pelerin [Cherokee] 16:51

1998
1. Nate Miller [Highland] 15:57
7. Bill Mason [Cinnaminson] 16:18
8. *Bryan Skelly [Washington Twp.] 16:19
11. Joe Halin [Cherokee] 16:34
14. Dan Christensen [Shawnee] 16:36
15. Aaron Boucher [Cherokee] 16:37
22. Randy Wetzel [Oakcrest] 16:47
25. Robert Hewitt [Washington Twp.] 16:48

1997
2. *Murad Campbell [Overbrook] 16:15
4. Mike Fulton [Maple Shade] 16:20
8. *Bill Mason [Cinnaminson] 16:35
11. Dave DeJong [Shawnee] 16:40
13. Ray Tomczuk [Delran] 16:41
24. Tom Cresong [Paul VI] 16:51

1996
6. **Murad Campbell [Overbrook] 16:22
16. Karl Savage [Eastern] 16:39
22. Michael McGowan [Bishop Eustace] 16:48
25. Matt Ruhl [Triton] 16:52

1995
2. Scott Keyser [Mainland Reg.] 16:06
6. Jay Wassell [Highland] 16:15
15. Pat Ryan [Glassboro] 16:38
16. *Karl Savage [Eastern] 16:40
18. Ryan Anderson [Paul VI] 16:41
19. Eric Bonnette [Haddonfield] 16:43
21. Nick Noguer [Highland Reg] 16:48
23. Mark Freund [Eastern] 16:51
24. Aaron Kinsley [West Deptford] 16:51

1994
2. John Williams [Paul VI] 16:21
6. Joe DiGiacomo [Paul VI] 16:32
10. Carmen Mastrando [Eastern] 16:41
11. *Jay Wassell [Highland] 16:44
14. Kurt Wayton [Mainland Reg.] 16:49
17. Alex Totten-Lancaster [Shawnee] 16:54
22. *Eric Bonnette [Haddonfield] 17:01
25. Brian Bach [Paul VI] 17:02

1993
5. Phil Magee [Atlantic City] 16:28
6. Geoff Wayton [Mainland Reg.] 16:34
10. *Joe DiGiacomo [Paul VI] 16:43
16. Pat Nocito [Vineland] 16:57
21. John Buttil [Paul VI] 17:00
24. Matt Marcini [Millville] 17:03
25. Chuck Nolte [Maple Shade] 17:04

1992
9. John Salisbury [Haddon Heights] 16:27
10. *Phil Magee [Atlantic City] 16:27
11. Aaron Totten-Lancaster [Shawnee] 16:34
12. Geoff Wayton [Mainland Reg.] 16:37
14. Matt Feeley [Cinnaminson] 16:41
18. David Cox [Woodrow Wilson] 16:44
21. Scott Teske [Shawnee] 16:45
23. Brian Gallagher [Sterling] 16:47

1991
3. Tom Keefer [Paul VI] 16:09
7. Keith O’Brien [Shawnee] 16:20
9. Ted Callinan [Gloucester Catholic] 16:22
11. Pete Fixler [Vineland] 16:24
21. John Keevey [Cinnaminson] 16:48
22. John Salisbury [Haddon Heights] 16:50

1990
2. Ray Beyer [Absegami] 16:09
4. Pete Dougherty [Paul VI] 16:16
7. *John Keevey [Cinnaminson] 16:26
11. Kevin Underwood [Haddonfield] 16:32
15. *Ted Callinan [Gloucester Catholic] 16:41
18. Jerry Franks [Highland] 16:43
25. Eric Bayles [Paul VI] 16:52

1989
3. Joe Cranston [Paul VI] 16:13
4. Albert Donowa [Camden] 16:15
9. *Pete Dougherty [Paul VI] 16:32
10. Matt Martin [Haddon Twp.] 16:35
11. *Jerry Franks [Highland] 16:35
14. Mark Sivieri [St.Augustine] 16:45
19. Tim Shanahan [Haddonfield] 16:52
20. Steve Stanley [Cinnaminson] 16:52
22. Vin Cieslik [Paul VI] 16:53

1988
1. Jason DiJoseph [Paul VI] 15:33
3. Urie Ridgeway [Bridgeton] 15:47
6. Lance Hess [Bridgeton] 16:11
8. Jason Fiscus [Haddon Twp.] 16:17
11. Terrance Armstrong [Camden] 16:23
12. Mike Tobey [Audubon] 16:24
13. David Donohue [Haddon Twp.] 16:24
14. Matt Cieslik [Paul VI] 16:24
20. *Vin Cieslik [Paul VI] 16:32

1987
1. *Jason DiJoseph [Paul VI] 15:58
5. *Urie Ridgeway [Bridgeton] 16:23
6. Joe Shanahan [Haddonfield] 16:24
10. Eric Lorenz [Holy Cross] 16:41
11. Chris Creighton [Holy Cross] 16:42
13. Bob Scott [Clearview] 16:44
15. *Lance Hess [Bridgeton] 16:47
19. Dave Zamiechelli [Cinnaminson] 16:50
21. Joe Margre [Paul VI] 17:00
23. *Matt Cieslik [Paul VI] 17:03
25. Tim Ackerman [Absegami] 17:06

1986
3. **Jason DiJoseph [Paul VI] 16:15
8. **Urie Ridgeway [Bridgeton] 16:34
19. Pat Gallaher [Haddon Twp.] 16:49
22. Dan Gough [Haddonfield] 16:50
23. Evan Driscoll [Haddonfield] 16:53
25. Pat Fogerty [Collingswood] 16:55

1985
1. Ron Faith [Paul VI] 16:10
7. *Dan Gough [Haddonfield] 16:36

1984
6. *Ron Faith [Paul VI] 16:07
9. Jeff Davis [Cumberland Reg.] 16:09
10. Kevin Pumphrey [Highland] 16:13
11. Chris Hageman [Paul VI] 16:18
12. George Steinhoff [Paul VI] 16:21
20. Tom Metzger [Paul VI] 16:33
25. Bill Shea [Eastern] 16:38

1983
9. Tom Farrell [Holy Cross] 16:18
11. Ken Picciano [Pennsauken] 16:21
13. *George Steinhoff [Paul VI] 16:24
20. Bill Stewart [Cherry Hill East] 16:35
21. **Ron Faith [Paul VI] 16:35
25. *Jeff Davis [Cumberland Reg.] 16:39

1982
15. Jeff Boyer [Overbrook] 16:16
16. Steve Keen [Cinnaminson] 16:18
17. Bill Stewart [Cherry Hill East] 16:19

1981
17. Bruce Miller [Cherry Hill East] 16:39
19. John Hageman [Paul VI] 16:41
23. Jeff Boyer [Overbrook] 16:45

1980
4. Don Deckert [Oakcrest] 16:06
6. Dan Owens [Absegami] 16:16

1979
1. Jim Smith [Haddonfield] 16:09
10. Tom Milligan [Delsea] 16:39
13. Don Deckert [Oakcrest] 16:40

1978
3. *Jim Smith [Haddonfield] 16:09
8. Al Harden [Millville] 16:31
22. Terry Delaney [Moorestown] 16:46
23. Ken Noddin [Gateway] 16:48

1977
3. Mike Mantini [Gateway] 15:27

1976
24. Jeff Lane [Haddon Twp.] 15:42

1975
None

1974
1. Marty Ludwikowski [Cherry Hill West] 14:42
25. Dennis Driscoll [Northern Burlington] 15:27

1973
1. Greg Stremmel [Gateway] 14:22
9. Joe Germano [Pennsauken] 14:43
19. Jay Ravel [Eastern] 15:04

1972
7. Mark Roddy [Lenape] 12:34
11. Willie Marino [Williamstown] 12:42
14. Jay Vickery [Cherry Hill West] 12:53
15. **Marty Ludwikowski [Cherry Hill West] 12:54
20. Ed Donahue [Collingswood] 12:59

Eight girls and seven boys from South Jersey have been added to the Meet of Champions fields as individual wild-cards along with the Cherokee and Cherry Hill East boys and girls as wild-card teams.

The 53rd annual Meet of Champions is scheduled for Saturday at historic Holmdel County Park, where the hilly 5,000-meter course has been used for every Meet of Champions ever held.

The Haddonfield and Bishop Eustace boys teams were auto qualifiers, Haddonfield by winning the Group 2 state title and Eustace by winning Parochial B. The Cherokee boys had the 2nd-lowest score (behind Ridgewood) and Cherry Hill East was 7th in a merge that didn’t include the six state champions, so they got the 2nd  and 7th team wild card berths. (I apologize for omitting Cherry Hill East initially.)

Haddonfield’s girls were also an auto-qualifier as the state Group 2 champs, and the Cherokee girls were added to the field as the 4th-fastest non-winner in the girls merge.

South Jersey boys who made the Meet of Champions with top-10 finishes from teams that didn’t qualify:

Elijah Whitaker [Glassboro], 1st Group 1 [16:07]
Aiden Williams [Audubon], 2nd Group 1 [16:22]
Ty Blackman [Glassboro], 3rd Group 1 [16:37]
Elijah Forest [Collingswood], 3rd Group 2 [16:22]
Peyton Shute [Woodbury], 1st Group 3 [15:47]
Aziz Muhammad-Kane [Highland], 5th Group 3 [16:23]
Will Mrozinski [Paul VI], 8th Parochial A [16:18]
Isaac Linden [Moorestown Friends], 4th Parochial B [17:42]

And here are the South Jersey boys who qualified with one of the 30-fastest times among runners not on qualifying teams:

Dylan Saber [Williamstown], 16:14
Ryan Duffy [Kingsway], 16:19
Matt Hoffman [Ocean City], 16:43
Ethan Buck [Ocean City], 16:45
Mason Wassell [Highland], 16:46
Peter Simpson [Moorestown], 16:46
Dominic Burgio [Williamstown], 16:56

Here’s a look at all the South Jersey girls from non-qualifying teams who advanced to Saturday with top-10 finishes in one of the six state meets:

Jordan Hadfield [Schalick], 1st Group 1 [19:20]
Macie McCracken [Wildwood], 5th Group 1 [20:19]
Jonalee Adams [Sterling], 7th Group 2 [19:59]
Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 1st Group 3 [18:14]
Maeve Smith [Ocean City], 3rd Group 3 [18:33]
Sofia Day [Mainland Regional], 4th Group 3 [19:01]
Gillian Lovett [Mainland Regional], 7th Group 3 [19:35]
Alyssa Boucher [Williamstown], 8th Group 4 [19:37]
Shaelan McNally [Paul VI], 5th Parochial A [19:17]
Anya Kazemi [Bishop Eustace], 2nd Parochial B [19:55]

And South Jersey girls who qualified with one of the top-30 times from teams that didn’t qualify:

Michaela Schlemo [Egg Harbor Twp.], 19:47
Nilaa Ponnappan [Camden Catholic], 20:07
Allison Roes [Clearview], 20:15
Sophia Aldridge [Williamstown], 20:18
Shaelea Conaway [Cherry Hill East], 20:19
Giovanna Mantuano [Paul VI], 20;20
Cate Feudtner [Cherry Hill East], 20:22
Anna Marino [Cinnaminson], 20:25

The girls race is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday and the boys race at noon.

Woodbury senior Peyton Shute cruised to his first state cross country title Saturday with a dominating performance in the Group 3 race at Holmdel.

Shute, 2nd to Rahway’s Micah Lawson last year, ran 15:47 – 7th-fastest among all six state championship races. He finished 115 meters ahead of Summit senior Nate Roberts, who placed 2nd in 16:10.

He’s Woodbury’s first state cross country champion in 81 years, since Browning Ross won the 1942 overall public school race in 13:29.5 over 2 1/2 miles in Elizabeth. Ross finished 100 meters ahead of John Serrie of Bayonne.

Shute ran 15:43 at Shore Coaches, which broke the Gloucester County best at Holmdel County Park. Mike Mantini of Gateway won the 1978 Group 2 race in 15:54.2, edging Haddonfield’s Jim Smith.

The state title is Shute’s 4th overall. He won the 3,200 last winter at the indoor state Group 1 meet at the Bennett Center in Toms River and the 800 and 3,200 at the outdoor state meet at Franklin.

Shute returns to Holmdel Saturday for the Meet of Champions. He placed 11th last year in 16:05.

Highland senior Aziz Muhammad-Kane placed 5th in 16:23 to punch his ticket to the Meet of Champions.

Ocean City placed 4th with 131 points with senior Matt Hoffman 16th in 16:43 and junior Ethan Buck 18th in 16:45.

Two-time javelin Olympian Curtis Thompson closed out his 2023 season Saturday with a win in at the Pan Am Games in Santiago, Chile.

Thompson threw 261-3 – matching his 2nd-best throw this year – to win the competition at Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos, the largest stadium in Chile.

Thompson, a Florence native, won by about four feet over Pedro Henrique Rodrigues of Brazil, who placed 2nd with a best throw of 257-4. Series information is not listed in the results.

He’s the first U.S. thrower  to win the Pan Am Games javelin in 36 years, since Duncan Atwood won the 1987 event with a throw of 258-5 at the 1987 Pan Am Games in Indianapolis.

The Pan Am Games have been held every four years since 1951

This was Thompson’s first competition since mid-September and only his second since he competed at the World Championships in Budapest in August. In July, Thompson won his 3rd U.S. Championship with a season-best 265-5 on his final throw. He’s one of only three American men to win three national javelin titles in the last 50 years.

Thompson will finish the 2023 season ranked No. 1 among Americans.

Here’s a look at all of Thompson’s known 260-foot throws [79.248 meters]:
287-9 … American JavFest, East Stroudsburg [Pa.] South High School, July 9, 2022 [2nd throw]
276-4 … NACAC, Freeport Stadium, Grand Bahamas, Bahamas, Aug. 20, 2022 [3rd throw]
274-11 … Athletissima, La Pontaise, Lausanne, Switzerland, Aug. 26, 2022 [1st throw]
273-4 … American JavFest, East Stroudsburg [Pa.] South High School, July 9, 2022 [1st throw]
271-11… Olympic Trials, Hayward Field, Eugene, July 4, 2016 [1st throw]
271-10 … Spitzen Leichtathletik, Luzern, Switzerland, Aug. 30, 2022 [3rd throw]
271-7 … Olympic Trials, Hayward Field, Eugene, June 21, 2021 [6th throw]
270-3 … Kamila Skolimowska Memorial Invitational, Silesian Stadium, Chorzów, Poland, Aug. 6, 2022 [2nd throw]
269-7 … American JavFest, East Stroudsburg [Pa.] South High School, July 9, 2022 [3rd throw]
269-4 … Weltklasse, Letzigrund, Zürich, Switzerland, Sept. 8, 2022 [2nd throw]
268-1 … Oregon Relays, Hayward Field, Eugene, April 23, 2022 [1st throw]
268-1 … World Athletics Championships [qualifying], Hayward Field, Eugene, July 21, 2022 [1st throw]
267-4 … World Athletics Championships [qualifying], Hayward Field, Eugene, July 21, 2022 [2nd throw]
267-2 … USATF Throws Festival, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 22, 2021 [2nd throw]
266-6 … USATF Throws Festival [2nd], Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 21, 2022 [1st throw]
266-2 … Spitzen Leichtathletik, Luzern, Switzerland, Aug. 30, 2022 [4th throw]
265-10 … American JavFest [2nd], East Stroudsburg [Pa.] South High School, July 17, 2021 [5th throw]
265-10 … Florida State Relays [1st], Mike Long Track, Tallahassee, Fla., March 25, 2016 [2nd attempt]
265-7 … Victoria Track Classic [1st], Centennial Stadium, Victoria, British Columbia, June 15, 2022 [unknown]
265-5 … U.S. Championships [1st], Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., July 8, 2023 [6th throw]
264-8 … USATF Throws Festival, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 21, 2022 [2nd throw]
264-1 … USATF Championships [2nd], Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., June 26, 2022 [5th throw]
264-0 … Athletissima, La Pontaise, Lausanne, Switzerland, Aug. 26, 2022 [5th throw]
263-11 … 94th annual Clyde Littlefield Relays, Mike A. Myers Stadium, Austin, Texas, March 25, 2022 [6th throw]
263-7 … Olympic Trials, Hayward Field, Eugene, June 21, 2021 [1st throw]
262-8 … Olympic Trials, Hayward Field, Eugene, June 21, 2021 [4th throw]
262-3 … Spitzen Leichtathletik, Luzern, Switzerland, Aug. 30, 2022 [1st throw]
261-6 … Kamila Skolimowska Memorial Invitational, Silesian Stadium, Chorzów, Poland, Aug. 6, 2022 [3rd throw]
261-3 … Kuortane Games, Kuortaneen Keskusurheilukenttä, Kuortane, Finland, June 17, 2023 [4th throw]
261.3 … Pan American Games, Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos, Santiago, Chile, Nov., 4, 2023 [unknown throw]
260-11 … American JavFest, East Stroudsburg [Pa.] South High School, July 30, 2016 [2nd throw]
260-11 … Kuortane Games, Kuortaneen Keskusurheilukenttä, Kuortane, Finland, June 17, 2023 [3rd throw]
260-10 … Mt. SAC Relays, Hilmer Lodge Stadium, Walnut, Calif., April 14, 2023 [4th throw]
260-4 … Kuortane Games, Kuortaneen Keskusurheilukenttä, Kuortane, Finland, June 17, 2023 [6th throw]
260-4 … Olympic Trials, Hayward Field, Eugene, June 21, 2021 [3rd throw]
260-3 … USATF Throws Festival, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 20, 2023 [5th throw]
260-2 … Paavo Nurmi Games, Paavo Nurmi Stadium, Turku, Finland, June 13, 2023 [3rd throw]
260-1 … NACAC Under-23 [1st], San Salvador, Estadio Jorge “Mágico” González, June 17, 2016 [2nd throw]
260-1 … NACAC, Freeport Stadium, Grand Bahamas, Bahamas, Aug. 20, 2022 [2nd throw]
260-1 … 95th annual Clyde Littlefield Relays [3rd], Mike A. Myers Stadium, Austin Texas, April 1, 2023 [2nd throw]

Schalick junior Jordan Hadfield continued her historic season Saturday with an impressive win in the Group 1 race at the state cross country championships at Holmdel County Park.

Hadfield became Schalick’s first state XC champion ever and she recorded the fastest time at Holmdel County Park by a South Jersey Group 1 runner in 24 years.

Hadfield ran 19:20, the 17th-fastest time of the six state championship races Saturday and the fastest at Holmdel by any South Jersey Group 1 runner since Olympian Erin Donohue – during Haddonfield’s brief foray from Group 2 to Group 1 – ran 18:44 at the 1999 Meet of Champions. Haddonfield was back in Group 2 the next year.

The only other South Jersey Group 1 runners with faster times than Hadfield at Holmdel are Glassboro’s Ruth Lockbaum, who ran 19:12 when she placed 2nd in the 1984 state Group 1 meet behind only Karen Ahearn of Bernards; and Jamie Weisgerber of Woodstown, who ran 18:50 to win the state Group 1 race in 1994 in a 1-2 South Jersey finish with Northern Burlington’s Colleen Sunderland, who was 2nd in 19:20.

Hadfield won by 60 meters over Delena Einreinhofer of Walkill Valley, who placed 2nd in 19:34. The first seven finishers were all juniors. Among them was Wildwood’s Macie McCracken, who placed 5th in 20:19.

Next for Hadfield is the Meet of Champions back on the same course on Saturday.

As for Hadfield, a 1st-year cross country runner, she has now won five consecutive major meets since placing 6th at Shore Coaches, where she ran her previous Holmdel best of 20:18. That includes wins in the South Jersey Open, Salem County Championships, Tri-County Showcase, Group 1 sectionals and states.

Hadfield’s 19:20 is the fastest winning time in the state Group 1 meet since 2014, when Metuchen’s Rachel Suss ran 19:05.

Glassboro senior Elijah Whitaker ran away from Audubon senior Aiden Williams to win the state Group 1 title Saturday at Holmdel County Park.

Whitaker ran 16:07, fastest time by a Gloucester County runner at Holmdel in 13 years – Williamstown’s Paul Szulewski ran 15:55 and Washington Township’s Anthony Dentino 16:00, both in 2010 – and fastest winning time in the Group 1 state meet since Walkill Valley’s Craig Corti ran 15:40 in 2014.

Williams placed 2nd in 16:22 and Whitaker’s teammate, Glassboro junior Ty Blackman, made it a 1-2-3 South Jersey finish by placing 3rd in 16:37.

Whitaker ran 16:14 at Shore Coaches in September, which stood as fastest race ever by a Glassboro runner at Holmdel until he broke his own record Saturday.

Whitaker is Glassboro’s third state XC champion and first in 28 years. Tom Horne won the 1993 Group 1 race in 16:28 and Pat Ryan was 1st in the 1995 race in 17:05.

Last spring, Whitaker placed 3rd in the 1,600 and 5th in the 3,200 at the state Group 1 track championships with PRs of 4:29.39 and 9:53.04.

This fall, he’s won four consecutive major weekend invitationals – Gloucester County Championships, Tri-County Showcase, sectionals and states. His time Saturday was 18th-fastest among every runner in the six state championship meets. He’ll race next Saturday back at Holmdel in the Meet of Champions.

Whitaker, Williams and made up the first South Jersey 1-2-3 finish in a state meet since 2019, when Austin Gabay of Cinnaminson won the Group 2 race and Haddonfield’s Martin Riddell and Andrew Gostovich were 2nd and 3rd.

Last time it happened in Group 1 was in 1993 and oddly enough Glassboro runners placed 1st and 3rd in that race as well. Horn won the race, Maple Shade’s Chuck Nolte placed 2nd in 17:10 – leading the Wildcats to the team title – and Glassboro’s Tim Graves took 3rd in 17:22.

Northern Burlington junior Liliah Gordon became the 9th-fastest South Jersey runner ever at Holmdel County Park Saturday in winning her second straight state title.

Gordon won Group 3 last year in 18:57 after placing 2nd to Lilly Shapiro of Colts Neck and currently of North Carolina as a freshman in 2021. On Saturday, she ran 18:14 – 3rd-fastest of all six state championship meets – and won by 60 meters over Middletown South senior Rosemary Shay, the Meet of Champions runner-up last spring at 3,200 meters.

Her time is fastest by a South Jersey girl over the historic 5,000-meter layout in seven years, since Mainland’s Alyssa Aldridge ran 17:55 to win the 2016 Meet of Champions.

The only faster runner ever from Burlington County is Cherokee’s Megan Lacy, whose fastest Holmdel time was a 17:55 at the 2010 state Group 4 meet.

Gordon’s fastest previous time at Holmdel was an 18:18 at Shore Coaches in September. Gordon hasn’t lost to a New Jersey runner this year. Her only defeat came at the Great American XC Festival in Cary, N.C., where she placed 17th in a field of more than 300 of the nation’s top runners.

Freehold Township senior Emma Zawatski, who won Group 4 in 18:00, and Union Catholic freshman Paige Sheppard, who won Parochial A in 18:09, were the only faster girls in the various state meets Saturday.

South Jersey runners took three of the top four spots in the Group 3 race, with Ocean City junior Maeve Smith 3rd in 18:33 and Mainland Regional junior Sofia Day 4th in 19:01.

Smith’s 18:33 makes her 3rd-fastest in Ocean City [and Cape May County] history, behind Brittany Sedberry [18:12 at 2004 Meet of Champions] and Devon Grisbaum [18:20 at 2014 Meet of Champions].

Smith’s time makes her the 18th-fastest performer from South Jersey at Holmdel County Park and 6th-fastest time heading into the Meet of Champions on Saturday.

Gordon is the 10th South Jersey girl to win consecutive state XC championships. Erin Donohue and Vanessa Wright of Haddonfield won four each, and Briana Gess of Haddonfield and Mainland’s Alyssa Aldridge won three apiece (although Gess’s three were not consecutive).

Janet Rue [Pitman], Group 1 [1990, 1991]
Kari Vigerstol [Holy Cross], Parochial A [1993, 1994]
Abby Hartman [Ocean City], Group 3 [1995, 1996]
Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], Group 1 [1997, 1998 in Group 1, 1999, 2000 in Group 2]
Vanessa Wright [Haddonfield], Group 2 [2002, 2003, 2004, 2005]
Brittany Sedberry [Ocean City], Group 3 [2003, 2004]
Megan Lacy [Cherokee], Group 4 [2010, 2011]
Briana Gess [Haddonfield], Group 2 [2013, 2015, 2016]
Alyssa Aldridge [Mainland Regional], Group 3 [2015, 2016, 2017]
Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], Group 3 [2022, 2023]

All-Time South Jersey holmdel Top-20
17:27.83 … Megan Venables [Highland Reg.], 2010
17:40 … Michelle Rowen [Washington Twp.], 1982
17:44 … Chelsea Ley [Kingsway], 2008
17:45 … Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 2013
17:55 … Alyssa Aldridge [Mainland], 2016
17:55 … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2010
18:08 … Holly Bischof [Bishop Eustace], 2010
18:12 … Brittany Sedberry [Ocean City], 2004
18:13 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2023
18:16 … Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], 2009
18:18 … Theresa Cattuna [Cherry Hill East], 2006
18:20 … Devin Grisbaum [Ocean City], 2014
18:22 … Vanessa Wright [Haddonfield], 2004
18:25 … Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 2015
18:27 … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2000
18:28 … Grace Yoon [Cherry Hill East], 2016
18:29 … Rachel Vick [Kingsway], 2016
18:33 … Maeve Smith [Ocean City], 2023
18:38 … Casey Doyle [Shawnee], 2007
18:40 … Mindy Rowand [Sterling], 1984
18:40 … Dina Iacone [Washington Twp.], 2011

 

Led by senior Liam Dougherty, junior Bennett Wright and sophomore Ryan Gibson all in the top 10, Haddonfield won its 21st state cross country championship – and 6th in a row – Saturday at Holmdel County Park.

Haddonfield packed its five scorers in a ridiculous 18 seconds and raced past Bernards 39-68 in a showdown of the top-two small-school programs in New Jersey history.

Bernards and Haddonfield have won the most state championships by any public schools in state history – 23 for Bernards and now 21 for Haddonfield. Only CBA, with 32 (including the one they’ll win later today), has won more.

Since 2000, Haddonfield has won nearly twice as many state Group 2 titles [15] as every other team combined [8]. The meet wasn’t held in 2020.

Bernards sophomore Brody Watt won the race in 16:19, but Dougherty, Wright and Gibson all finished ahead of Bernards’ 2nd runner.

Sophomore Benjamin Andrus placed 11th in 16:52 and sophomore Luke Andressen 14th in 16:54. Senior 6th man Matthew Sullivan ran 17:13 for 22nd place, and senior Reid Gervasi made it seven Haddonfield runners in the top 35 with a 17:32.

Haddonfield won its first state championship in 1978 and also won Group 2 in 1980 before moving down to Group 1, where the Bulldogs won in 1985, 1987, 1989 and 1990 before returning to Group 2. They’ve since won Group 2 in 2000, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Collingswood senior Elijah Forrest ran 16:22 for 3rd place and was the top South Jersey finisher in the race. Haddon Heights junior Reggie Hernandez finished 19th in 17:03.

Sophomore Riley Austin and seniors Ava Thomas and Riley Slootsky all finished in the top 10 and led the Haddonfield girls to their 3rd straight state Group 2 cross country championship and 12th overall.

Austin ran 19:20 for 3rd place, Thomas 19:49 in 6th and Slootsky 20:03 for 8th in her first race in a month, and Haddonfield Colonial Conference rival Sterling 40-84. More on Sterling a little later.

Only Red Bank Catholic [20] and Bernards [12] have won more state titles than Haddonfield.

Senior Anna Stolarick placed 15th in 20:32, junior Dylan Melcher was 26th in 21:04 and 6th runner Harper Benjamin, a freshman, took 29th in 21:09.

Haddonfield won its first state titles in Group 1 in 1990, 1993 and 1998 before moving up to Group 2 and winning in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2016, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Haddonfield’s 40-point total is 7th-lowest ever recorded in Group 2. Haddonfield is responsible for four of the eight-lowest scores ever recorded in Group 2.

29 … Bernards [Group 2], 1985
33 … Haddonfield [Group 2], 2005
34 … Voorhees [Group 2], 2012
36 … Haddonfield [Group 2], 2022
39 … Moorestown [Group 2], 2001
39 … Hopewell Valley [Group 2], 2002
40 … Haddonfield [Group 2], 2023
44 … Haddonfield [Group 2], 2021

Haddonfield scored 44 points to win Group 2 in 2021 and 36 to win last year. They’re only the second school in the meet’s 47-year history to score 45 or fewer points in three straight meets. Bernards did it six straight years, winning Group 1 from 1981 through 1984 with 28, 15, 23 and 21 points, then Group 2 in 1985 with 29 and 33 back in Group 1 in 1986.

Sterling had junior Jonalee Adames, senior Cara Coppolino and junior Kaysie Luna all in the top 20. Adames ran 19:59 for 7th place, Coppolino 17th in 20:47 and Luna 18th in 20:49.

The Haddonfield-Sterling 1-2 finish was the first by two South Jersey schools at states since Delsea and Haddonfield went 1-2 in Group 2 in 2009, Delsea winning by 81-112.

Also in the top 20 were Cinnaminson senior Anna Marino [13th in 20:25], West Deptford freshman Taylor Siertzega [14th in 20:29] and West Deptford senior Isabella Mackey [20th in 20:51].