From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Kingsway senior Kyle Rakitis earned All-America honors for the second time in 24 hours and ran the 3rd-fastest mile in South Jersey history Saturday at Ocean Breeze Nationals.

Rakitis, who anchored Kingsway’s winning sprint medley team Friday, placed 2nd in the mile in 4:12.79, the equivalent of 4:11.32 for 1,600 meters.

Junior Wesley Shipsey of Central Catholic High in Portland, Ore., won the race in 4:11.42.

The performance moves Rakitis behind two Ocean City runners on the all-time South Jersey mile list – Miles Schoedler ran 4:11.42 in 2011 and Brett Johnson 4:12.49 in 2009. It’s also No. 26 in state history.

Shipsey and Rakitis separated from the pack by the time they finished the first lap. Rakitis led early, but Shipsey moved into the lead on the second lap, and they stayed together the rest of the race. Three times Rakitis moved even with Shipsey and tried to regain the lead, but Shipsey responded each time.

Rakitis came through the quarter in 63.74 and hit the half in approximately 2:07.2 (split not listed, so that’s off the video). He closed in 61.19 for his final quarter. Shipsey closed in 29.8 for his final 200.

Rakitis’s previous indoor PR was a 4:12.55 for the slightly shorter 1,600 meters in the Meet of Champions at the Bubble. That’s the equivalent of a 4:14.01 full mile. He’s run 4:08.58 outdoors – twice, actually. At Group 4 sectionals at Washington Township last spring and when he won the Meet of Champions at South Plainfield.

All-time South Jersey 1,600 list
4:09.96y … Miles Schoedler [Ocean City], 2011
4:11.03y … Brett Johnson [Ocean City], 2009
4:11.32 … Kyle Rakitis [Kingsway], 2022
4:11.89y … Luke Petela [Haddon Twp.], 2015
4:11.93y … Greg Pelose [Haddonfield], 2016
4:13.68y … Marc Pelerin [Cherokee], 2002
4:13.87y … Stone Caraccio [Kingsway], 2020
4:14.1y … Marty Ludwikowski [C.H. West], 1975
4:15.2y … Jim Smith [Haddonfield], 1980
4:15.52 … Bill Dolan [Clearview], 2014
4:16.0y … Greg Stremmel [Gateway], 1974
4:16.02 … Erik Johnson [Ocean City], 2012
4:16.3y … Rich Caton [Woodbury], 1979
4:16.61y … Jon Anderson [Cinnaminson], 2004
4:16.71y … Dave Forward [Shawnee], 2009
4:16.85 … Ben Potts [Haddonfield], 2011
4:16.9y … Bob Marino [Williamstown], 1974
4:17.1y … Mike Mantini [Gateway], 1978
4:17.33y … Carmen Cavella [Washington Twp.], 2004
4:17.51y … Connor Melko [Bishop Eustace], 2019
4:17.67 … Derek Gess [Haddonfield], 2018
4:17.67y … Sebastien Reed [Pitman], 2020
4:17.98 … Seth Clevenger [Haddonfield], 2022
4:18.21y … Xavier Fraction [Washington Twp.], 2009
4:18.22 … Jacob Clark [Pleasantville], 2013
4:18.48 … Justin Kelly [Cherokee], 2018
4:18.50 … Shawn Wilson [Cherokee], 2013
4:18.53y … Chris Platt [Haddonfield], 2001
4:18.4y … Al Harden [Millville], 1979
4:18.4h … Mike Myers [Eastern], 2001
4:18.70y … Ethan Wechsler [Cherokee], 2019
4:18.73 … Jacob Cobb [West Deptford], 2022
4:18.74 … George Andrus [Haddonfield], 2022
4:18.80y … Austin Gabay [Cinnaminson], 2020
4:18.83 … Tyler Jackson [Cherokee], 2020
4:19.03 … Noah Culbreath [Kingsway, 2014
4:19.40 … Justin Branco [Delsea], 2015
4:19.7y … Chris Hageman [Paul VI], 1985
4:19.96 … Robert Rawls [Triton], 2011
4:19.97 … Steve Burkholder [Cherokee], 2010

Northern Burlington freshman Liliah Gordon capped her phenomenal indoor season by lowering her South Jersey freshman record, running the No. 2 time in Burlington County history and earning All-America honors Saturday in the two-mile run at Ocean Breeze Nationals.

Gordon placed 5th in the Championship race in 10:49.55, which lowers her own South Jersey freshman record of 10:56.77 over the slightly shorter 3,200 meters from the Meet of Champions last week, where she placed 7th.

Gordon’s time trails only Cherokee’s Megan Lacy [10:31.06] on the all-time Burlington County indoor list. Lacy last week placed 13th in the U.S. 15,000-meter road championships in Jacksonville.

Gordon was out very fast, hitting the half in 2:37.60 and the mile in 5:18.48 – less than seven seconds off her mile PR of 5:11.62 (converted from 1,600 meters). But she ran strong over her second mile, coming back with a 5:31.07.

For performance list purposes, Gordon’s time converts to 10:45.78 for 3,200 meters. That makes her No. 14 in South Jersey history.

Here’s the all-time Burlington County list:
10:31.06 … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2012
10:45.78 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2022
10:46.63 … Erika Kemp [Rancocas Valley], 2013
10:55.58 … Nicole Clifford [Cherokee], 2022
11:00.7y … Deanna Germano (Shawnee), 1986
11:06.32y … Colleen Sunderland (Northern Burlington), 1995
11:08.85 … Nina Bendixen, [Shawnee], 2015
11:09.91 … Liliah Gordon [Northrn Burlington], 2022
11:10.88 … Caitlin Orr [Lenape], 2009
11:12.32 … Mara Schiffhauer [Seneca], 2014

All-Time S.J. Girls Indoor 3,200 Top-50
10:15.71 … Brittany Sedberry [Ocean City], 2006
10:23.49 … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2011
10:29.90 … Chelsea Ley [Kingsway], 2009
10:33.95 … Alyssa Aldridge [Mainland Reg.], 2016
10:38.11 … Megan Venables [Highland], 2011
10:38.90 … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2001
10:40.03 … Dina Iacone [Washington Twp.], 2012
10:40.80 … Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 2017
10:42.06 … Holly Bischof [Bishop Eustace], 2012
10:42.22 … Theresa Cattuna [Cherry Hill East], 2007
10:43.2y … Michelle Rowen [Washington Twp.], 1983
10:45.20 … Devon Grisbaum [Ocean City], 2015
10:45.40 … Julianna Catania [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2016
10:45.78 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2022
10:46.63 … Erika Kemp [Rancocas Valley], 2013
10:48.78 … Shelby Cain [Haddonfield], 2014
10:49.12 … Madison Coppolino [Sterling], 2017 [3]
10:49.46 … Alyssa Condell [Timber Creek], 2016
10:52.05 … Amanda Goetschius [Delsea], 2007
10:52.53 … Allie Pierontoni [Kingsway], 2020
10:53.4h … Christin Bettis [Hammonton], 2012
10:53.89y … Sarah Naticchia [Haddonfield], 2020
10:55.29y … Ann Klocke [Bishop Eustace], 1996
10:55.58 … Nicole Clifford [Cherokee], 2022
10:56.77 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 2022
10:57.95 … Katy Storti [Bishop Eustace], 2019
10:59.02 … Catherine Van Horn [Triton], 2005
10:59.04 … Maria Ruiz [Williamstown], 2009
10:59.13 … Vickie Ajimoko [Williamstown], 2013
10:59.90 … Aubrey Pierontoni [Kingsway], 2022

Junior Premier Wynn’s blistering 21.22 anchor led Pennsauken to 3rd place in the 800-meter relay at Ocean Breeze Nationals.

The team of juniors Bryce Tucker and Kahlil Ali, senior Nadir Paige and Wynn ran 1:29.81, fastest in New Jersey this year, and placed 3rd behind Hardin Valley Academy of Knoxville, Tenn. [1:28.76] and Cathedral High School of San Diego [1:29.12].

With a top-six finish, Pennsauken earned all-America honors.

Pennsauken’s previous fastest 4-by-200 this year was a 1:32.46 at the Group 3 state relays at the Bubble in Toms River back in January.

It’s also fastest by any South Jersey school in five years, since Rancocas Valley ran
1:29.29 to win Easterns at the Armory in 2017.

They’re the only New Jersey 4-by-2 to go under 1:30 this year. Their time is No. 16 in South Jersey history just 7-100ths of a second off the school record of 1:29.74 set by a 2016 Pennsauken team that included Stephen Elam, Marquan Jones, Briheem Whitfield and Nahzir Russell and placed 3rd at Easterns at the Armory.

Here’s the all-time South Jersey sub-1:30 list

1:26.90 … Camden, 2004
1:27.60 … Vineland, 2004
1:28.0h … Edgewood, 2001
1:28.45 … Camden, 2002
1:28.46 … Lenape, 2000
1:28.48 … Camden, 2007
1:28.91 … Camden, 2000
1:29.06 … Oakcrest, 2012
1:29.17 … Camden, 2001
1:29.29 … Rancocas Valley, 2017
1:29.52 … Vineland, 2003
1:29.57 … Camden, 1997
1:29.61 … Camden, 1999
1:29.72 … Timber Creek, 2013
1:29.74 … Pennsauken, 2016
1:29.81 … Pennsauken, 2022
1:29.87 … Timber Creek, 2016
1:29.92 … Deptford, 2017
1:29.92 … Deptford, 2018
1:29.97 … Pleasantville, 2008

Junior Premier Wynn’s blistering 21.22 anchor led Pennsauken to 3rd place in the 800-meter relay at Ocean Breeze Nationals. 

The team of juniors Bryce Tucker and Kahlil Ali, senior Nadir Paige and Wynn ran 1:29.81, fastest in New Jersey this year, and placed 3rd behind Hardin Valley Academy of Knoxville, Tenn. [1:28.76] and Cathedral High School of San Diego [1:29.12].

With a top-six finish, Pennsauken earned all-America honors. 

Pennsauken’s previous fastest 4-by-200 this year was a 1:32.46 at the Group 3 state relays at the Bubble in Toms River back in January.

It’s also fastest by any South Jersey school in five years, since Rancocas Valley ran
1:29.29 to win Easterns at the Armory in 2017.

They’re the only New Jersey 4-by-2 to go under 1:30 this year. Their time is No. 16 in South Jersey history just 7-100ths of a second off the school record of 1:29.74 set by a 2016 Pennsauken team that included Stephen Elam, Marquan Jones, Briheem Whitfield and Nahzir Russell and placed 3rd at Easterns at the Armory.

Here’s the all-time South Jersey sub-1:30 list

1:26.90 … Camden, 2004
1:27.60 … Vineland, 2004
1:28.0h … Edgewood, 2001
1:28.45 … Camden, 2002
1:28.46 … Lenape, 2000
1:28.48 … Camden, 2007
1:28.91 … Camden, 2000
1:29.06 … Oakcrest, 2012
1:29.17 … Camden, 2001
1:29.29 … Rancocas Valley, 2017
1:29.52 … Vineland, 2003
1:29.57 … Camden, 1997
1:29.61 … Camden, 1999
1:29.72 … Timber Creek, 2013
1:29.74 … Pennsauken, 2016
1:29.81 … Pennsauken, 2022
1:29.87 … Timber Creek, 2016
1:29.92 … Deptford, 2017
1:29.92 … Deptford, 2018
1:29.97 … Pleasantville, 2008

Lumberton’s Greg Foster continued his monster weekend Saturday with the No. 14 long jump performance in U.S. scholastic history.

Foster, who broke the state record and won the triple jump at Ocean Breeze Nationals on Friday, leaped 25-4 ½ to win the long jump Saturday.

That’s No. 2 in state history, one inch behind eight-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis of Willingboro, who jumped 25-5 ½ at 1979 Easterns at Princeton’s Jadwin Gym, where Foster will be competing starting next year.

Like he did in the triple jump, Foster saved his best for last.

He opened the competition with jumps of 22-3 ½, 23-10 ¾ and 23-4 in the trials, then fouled on his first attempt of the finals before hitting 24-3 on his fifth attempt and his first 25-foot jump on his sixth.

Micah Larry of Montverde (Fla.) Academy was second with a 24-2 ½ jump on his fifth attempt.

Foster was already No. 1 in the U.S. with his 24-8 at the Mercer County Championships at the Bubble in Toms River in January.

Foster’s official high school PR before this indoor season was 21-6 at the Mid-Atlantic Prep League Championships at Peddie School this past May, although he did hit 23-6 at a summer meet at Peddie in August.

This was Foster’s first long jump competition since he won the Millrose Games at the Armory in January with a 23-5 ½.

According to the IAAF performance lists, Foster is now ranked No. 85 in the world, No. 29 among U.S. men and No. 2 on the U.S. Under-20 list and No. 3 on the World Under-20 list.

Foster is scheduled to run the 60-meter hurdles final at 5:04 p.m. Saturday.

Foster’s mark is No. 3 in meet history:
26-0 1/4 … Rayvon Grey [Beacon, N.Y.], 2016 [1]
25-7 1/4 … Ja’Mari Ward [Cahokia, Ill.], 2015 [1] 
25-4 1/2 … Greg Foster [Lawrenceville, N.J.], 2022 [1]
25-3 1/4 … Marquis Dendy [Middletown, Del.],. 2011 [1]
25-0 3/4 … Nate Moore [Castro Valley, Calif.], 2014 [1]

Here’s a look at all the 25-foot indoor jumpers in U.S. history:
26-6 ½ … Dion Bentley [Penn Hills, Pittsburgh], 1989
26-2 … Jerry Proctor [Muir, Pasadena, Calif.], 1967
26-0 ¼ … Rayvon Grey [Beacon, N.Y.], 2016
25-11 ½ … Grant Holloway [Grassfield, Chesapeake, Va.], 2016
25-9 ½ … Marquis Dendy [Middletown, Del.], 2011
25-9 ¼ … Mike Newell [Potomac, Dumfries, Va.], 1998
25-7 ¾ … Marvin Forde [Uniondale, N.Y.], 1993
25-7 ¼ … Ja’Mari Ward [Cahokia, Ill.], 2015
25-6 ¾ … Christian Taylor [Sandy Creek, Tyrone, Ga.], 2008
25-5 ¾ … Keith Holley [Bayside, Virginia Beach, Va.], 1988
25-5 ¾ … Devin Fields [Lancaster, Texas], 2012
25-5 ½ … Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 1979
25-5 ¼ … Eric Metcalf [Bishop O’Connell, Arlington, Va.], 1985
25-4 ½ … Greg Foster [Lawrenceville School], 2022
25-3 ¼ … Travonn White [Mountain Pointe, Phoenix, Ariz.], 2013
25-3 ¼ … Ron Dickerson [State College, Pa.], 1989
25-1 ¼ … Marquise Goodwin [Rowlett, Garland, Texas], 2009
25-0 ¾ … Nate Moore [Castro Valley, Calif.], 2014
25-0 … Kenneth Wei [Mt. Sinai, N.Y.], 2019
25-0 … Jaden Price-Whitehead [Upper Dublin, Fort Washington, Pa.],
25-0 ¼ … Robert Rands [Bellevue East, Neb.], 2005

And here’s the all-time New Jersey list:
25-5 ½ … Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 1979
25-4 ½ … Greg Foster [Lawrenceville School], 2022
24-6 ¼ … Gerard Reynolds [Willingboro], 1990
24-3 3/4 … Hanif Kendrick [Franklin]. 2007
24-3 1/4 … Kaelen Mitchell [Piscataway], 2021
24-2 ½ … Isaac Samuels [Kennedy], 1983
24-0 ¾ … Mike Morrison [Willingboro], 2003
24-0 1/4 … Justes Nance [Blair Academy], 2016
24-0 ½ … William Spearmon [Wilson], 1996

The Deptford quartet of Manny Perdue, Gursharan Singh, George Rodgers and Lathan Brown earned All-America honors Saturday with a 5th-place in the shuttle hurdles at Armory Nationals.

Deptford ran 33.04 in the 4-by-55-meter version of the indoor shuttles. The Spartans actually ran a fraction faster at the Group 1-4 SJTCA meet at the Bubble in January with their 32.87.

Four of the 14 teams entered in the competition were DQ’d, all for one of their legs leaving too early.

Archbishop Carroll of Radnor Township, Delaware County, Pa., won the race in 30.84 seconds.

Deptford also placed 5th in the “Rising Stars” division of the 800-meter relay with a season-best 1:32.96, and Brown ran 50.26 in the open 400.

The Willingboro boys ran their fastest 800-meter relay in 11 years Friday at Armory Nationals in New York.

Seniors Miles Allen and Geordan Collins, sophomore Jackson Murry and senior Jaylen Young ran 1:30.96 – 2nd-fastest in New Jersey this year – in the prelims and although they didn’t qualify for the final, their time was 14th-best overall and the Chimeras’ fastest since the 2011 team ran 1:30.58 at the 2011 Marine Corps Holiday Classic, also at the Armory.

That 1:30.96 is No. 6 in Burlington County history and No. 4 on the all-time Willingboro list. It’s also 2nd-fastest in New Jersey this year, behind only St. Benedict’s of Newark, who ran 1:30.38 to win Easterns at the Armory earlier this month.

Here’s the all-time Burlington County sub-1:32 list
1:28.46 … Lenape, 2000
1:29.29 … Rancocas Valley, 2017
1:30.58 … Willingboro, 2011
1:30.63 … Willingboro, 2007
1:30.7y … Willingboro, 1988
1:30.96 … Willingboro, 2022
1:31.07 … Willingboro, 1995
1:31.29 … Willingboro, 2005
1:32.2h … Willingboro, 1998
1:31.36 … Willingboro, 2006
1:31.4h … Lenape, 1998
1:31.66 … Lenape, 2014
1:31.7h … Willingboro, 1990
1:31.8h … Willingboro, 1982
1:31.92 … Rancocas Valley, 2020
1:31.93 … Rancocas Valley, 2022

And here’s the all-time South Jersey sub-1:31 list
1:26.90 … Camden, 2004
1:27.60 … Vineland, 2004
1:28.0h … Edgewood, 2001
1:28.45 … Camden, 2002
1:28.46 … Lenape, 2000
1:28.48 … Camden, 2007
1:28.91 … Camden, 2000
1:29.06 … Oakcrest, 2012
1:29.17 … Camden, 2001
1:29.29 … Rancocas Valley, 2017
1:29.52 … Vineland, 2003
1:29.57 … Camden, 1997
1:29.61 … Camden, 1999
1:29.72 … Timber Creek, 2013
1:29.74 … Pennsauken, 2016
1:29.87 … Timber Creek, 2016
1:29.92 … Deptford, 2017
1:29.92 … Deptford, 2018
1:29.97 … Pleasantville, 2008
1:30.06 … Buena, 2001
1:30.08 … Camden, 2006
1:30.09 … Camden, 2018
1:30.12 … Delsea, 2007
1:30.16 … Camden, 2005
1:30.20 … Edgewood, 2000
1:30.36 … Winslow Twp., 2003
1:30.38 … Winslow Twp., 2008
1:30.40 … Delsea, 2009
1:30.42 … Vineland, 2002
1:30.47 … Vineland, 2005
1:30.51 … Woodrow Wilson, 1993
1:30.51 … Woodrow Wilson, 1996
1:30.58 … Willingboro, 2011
1:30.60 … Delsea, 2008
1:30.62 … Winslow Twp., 2005
1:30.63 … Eastern, 2002
1:30.63 … Willingboro, 2007
1:30.71 … Winslow Twp., 2004
1:30.7y … Willingboro, 1988
1:30.87 … Woodrow Wilson, 1995
1:30.89 … Vineland, 2001
1:30.96 … Willingboro, 2022
1:30.97 … Vineland, 2008

Cherokee’s Maddie Van Haren, Alison Cooke, Kelsey Niglio and Nicole Clifford earned All-America honors Friday with a 2nd-place finish in the sprint medley at Armory Nationals.

The Chiefs, racing as Tub Gator Track Club, ran 4:04.27, No. 3 in South Jersey history and fastest in 19 years. It’s also No. 14 in New Jersey history.

Van Haren led off with a 27.01 split out the hole, and Alison Cooke split 26.40 to set up Kelsey Niglio, who split 58.84 and anchor Nicole Clifford, who covered 800 meters in 2:11.95. Cherokee finished second to only Oak Park (Mich.), which ran 3:59.51.

Cherokee’s previous school record was a 4:10.45 at the Group 4 State Relays at the Bubble in January. Before this year, the school’s best was a 4:11.93 at 2012 Armory Nationals with Alicia Green, Courtney Foster, Elizabeth Montague and Megan Lacy.

The 2nd-place finish continues a dream season for the Cherokee girls, who won sectional, state and regional XC titles, won the state relays indoors and the 3,200-meter relay at the Meet of Champions and now have All-America honors at nationals.

Cherokee will be back in action 25 miles south of the Armory at Ocean Breeze Nationals for the distance medley Saturday evening and the 3,200-meter relay Sunday afternoon.

All-time South Jersey indoor SMR list
4:01.41 … Willingboro, 2003
4:03.93 … Haddonfield, 2001
4:04.27 … Cherokee, 2022
4:04.38 … Washington Twp., 2010
4:08.21 … Lenape, 2015
4:08.60 … Lenape, 2012
4:09.27 … Millville, 2008
4:10.01 … Willingboro, 2004
4:10.17 … Camden, 1995
4:10.18 … Willingboro, 2005
4:10.22 … Lenape, 2016
4:10.36 … Lenape, 2013
4:10.43 … Kingsway, 2013
4:10.51 … Lenape, 2007
4:11.02 … Lenape, 2006
4:11.19 … Woodrow Wilson, 2005
4:11.61 … Millville, 2009
4:11.66 … Willingboro, 2006
4:11.93 … Cherokee, 2012
4:11.94 … Kingsway, 2010
4:12.35 … Delsea, 2014
4:12.51 … Rancocas Valley, 2004
4:13.00 … Cherokee, 2013
4:13.0h … Lenape, 2008
4:13.11 … Winslow Twp., 2003
4:13.25 … Washington Twp., 2011
4:13.26 … Buena, 1999
4:13.33 … Camden, 2009
4:13.58 … Seneca, 2016
4:13.72 … Overberook, 2001

All-Time New Jersey Sprint Medley List
3:57.19 … Columbia, 2014
3:58.46 … Union Catholic, 2019
4:00.33 … Neptune, 2011
4:01.41 … Willingboro, 2003
4:03.13 … Sparta, 2010
4:03.18 … Columbia, 2010
4:03.22 … Columbia, 2013
4:03.14 … Westfield, 2014
4:03.57 … Piscataway, 2008
4:03.69 … Pope John XXIII, 2007
4:03.85 … Hopewell Valley, 2005
4:03.93 … Haddonfield, 2001
4:04.27 … Cherokee, 2022
4:04.36 … Columbia, 1983
4:04.38 … Washington Twp., 2010
4:04.47 … Neptune, 2009
4:04.49 … Hunterdon Central, 2015
4:04.81 … Union Catholic, 2017
4:05.83 … Union Catholic, 2016
4:06.22 … Ramapo, 2019
4:07.07 … Pope John XXIII, 2019
4:07.87 … Southern Regional, 2007
4:07.95 … South Brunswick, 2011
4:07.98 … Immacuate Heart Academy, 2010

Kyle Rakitis ran a 1:54.17 anchor to lead Kingsway to first place in the Ocean Breeze National Championships Friday.

Rakitis got the baton 12 meters behind Seton Hall Prep anchor Nicholas Devita, but edged him at the line by 15-100ths of a second, delivering the national title to Woolwich Township.

Damon Dukes and Evan Corcoran led off with the 200 legs for the Dragons, and Jeffrey Heineman split 51.2 to set up Rakitis’s anchor leg.

Kingsway’s time is No. 4 in South Jersey history and fastest in 13 years, since Washington Township ran 3:29.07 – the Gloucester County record – to win the 2009 National Scholastic Indoor at the Armory.

The time is also No. 15 in state history. One of the 14 faster times was also recorded Friday in New York. Westfield won the Armory Nationals in 3:28.49.

All-time South Jersey sprint medley list
3:27.60 … Vineland, 2003
3:29.07 … Washington Twp., 2009
3:30.01 … Cherokee, 2002
3:30.35 … Kingsway, 2022
3:30.45 … Lenape, 2001
3:31.73 … Vineland, 2004
3:32.36 … Rancocas Valley, 2016
3:32.90 … Washington Twp., 2010
3:33.22 … Pleasantville, 2012
3:33.99 … Pleasantville, 2007
3:34.12 … Absegami, 2010
3:34.52 … Pleasantville, 2002 [3:34.64?]
3:34.86 … Rancocas Valley, 2017
3:34.88 … Vineland, 2002
3:34.96 … Bordentown, 2005
3:35.0 ….. Edgewood, 1986

All-time New Jersey sprint medley list
3:25.88 … St. Benedict’s, 2012
3:26.16 … Union Catholic, 2014
3:27.11 … Pascack Valley, 2012
3:27.60 … Vineland, 2003
3:28.49 … Westfield, 2022
3:28.59 … Notre Dame, 2007
3:28.99 … East Orange, 2018
3:29.01 … Pope John XXIII, 2013
3:29.03 … Christian Brothers, 2013
3:29.07 … West Orange, 2012
3:29.07 … Washington Twp., 2009
3:29.31 … St. Benedict’s, 2005
3:29.6y … St. Benedict’s, 1971
3:30.01 … Cherokee, 2002
3:30.35 … Kingsway, 2022
3:30.45 … Lenape, 2001
3:30.6y … Seton Hall Prep, 1971
3:30.91 … Union, 2022
3:31.10 … Ridgewood, 2000
3:31.5y … St. Joe’s-Metuchen, 1972
3:31.68 … Christian Brothers, 2002
3:31.73 … Vineland, 2004
3:31.79 … Trenton, 1997
3:31.80 … Franklin Twp., 2004

Millville native Bryanna Craig, who now lives in Louisiana, won her second national multi-event title Friday, and she did it closing with a monster 800 PR at Ocean Breeze Nationals.

Craig, who now attends Ruston High School in Louisiana, scored 3,780 points, the 6th-highest pentathlon total in U.S. scholastic track history.

Craig had 2,930 points and a 164-point lead going into the 800, the final event. Her PR going in was 2:21.24 outoors and 2:21.32 indoors.

As it turned out, she could have run 2:40 and still won. But she ran 2:18.06 – more than a three-second PR – for 850 big points to increase her total close to 3,800.

Nobody else in the field was under 2:29 in the 800 on the banked 200-meter track at Ocean Breeze. U.S. No. 2 Elise Dobson of Nolensville, Tenn., finished second with 3448 points.

Because she didn’t compete in indoor nationals as a freshman and COVID cancelled the indoor and outdoor national meets her sophomore year at Millville and the indoor meet her junior year at Lubbock Coronado, Craig had only competed in two national championship meets before Friday.

She won outdoor nationals her freshman year with a national freshman-record 4,958 points (which she broke at USATF Under 20s with a 5,094) and was 2nd at outdoor nationals as a junior with a PR 5,138 points.

Here’s a look at all the 3,700-point performers in U.S. indoor track history:

4,302 … Anna Hall [Valor Christian, Highlands Ranch, Colo.], 2019
4,068 … Kendell Williams [Kell, Marietta, Ga.], 2013
3,976 … Sterling Lester [Marietta, Ga.], 2018
3,924 … Shana Woods [Poly, Long Beach, Calif.], 2006
3,823 … Ryann Krais [Methacton, Norristown, Pa.,], 2008
3,780 … Bryanna Craig [Ruston, La.], 2022
3,765 … Annika Williams [College Station, Tex.], 2018
3,740 … Chloe Royce [Collège Durocher Saint-Lambert, Montreal], 2019
3,738 … Alex Harmon-Thomas [Free State, Lawrence, Kans.], 2013
3,717 … Katherine Sherman [Dennis-Yarmouth, Yarmouth, Mass.], 2004
3,711 … Loren Leaverton [Naaman Forest, Garland, Tex.], 1998
3,709 … Gayle Hunter [North, Riverside, Calif.], 2004
3,706 … Shaina Burns [South, Lakeville, Minn.], 2014
3,700 … Felecia Majors [South County, Lorton, Va.], 2013

✔ Craig started off Friday morning by running 9.08 over the 60-meter hurdles, earning 891 points and giving her a 37-point lead over Dobson after one event.

✔ In the second event of the morning, Craig cleared 5-8 in the high jump, earning 854 points, giving her 1,782 points and building her lead over Dobson to 145 points. Craig passed up through 5-2 and got a clearance there on her first attempt before passing again at 5-3 ¼. She got over the bar at 5-5 ¾ on her second attempt and 5-6 ¾ on her third before the 5-8 clearance on her second try. She took three jumps at 5-9 ¼, which gave her 12 attempts at the bar overall.

✔ Then it was off to the shot put, where she had three 30-foot throws, including a best of 30-10 ½ – an indoor PR and only 15 inches shy of her outdoor best of 32-1 ½. That was good for 491 points. Dobson threw 32-7 ¾ and closed to within 110 points of Craig.

✔ It wasn’t her best day in the long jump, but Craig did get off a 17-6 ½ on her final attempt to earn another 657 points and give her 2,930 through four events. With only the 800 left, her lead over Dobson was now 164 points. Craig has an pentathlon PR of 3,678 from earlier this year in a meet in in Birmingham, which meant she needed 748 points in the 800 to set a PR. A 2:25.71 equals 748 points.

✔ In the closing 800, Craig went out hard in 32.30 and came through 400 meters in 66.84, then closed in 71.22 for 850 points and a final score of 3,780.