From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Clayton senior Thomas Hampton ran the fastest 100-meter dash by a Gloucester County sprinter in 10 years Friday night, winning the South Jersey Group 1 title in 10.60 at Washington Township.

That’s third-fastest in meet history, behind only Glassboro’s Brown (10.47 in 2009) and Current Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor of Salem (10.55 in 2015, 10.49 in 2016).

Hampton lowered his PR from 10.75 from in the trials of the South Jersey Invitational earlier this month.

He became the first Clayton boy in at least 30 years to win a sectional title in the same event in two straight years. His time is No. 4 in Gloucester County history and No. 14 in South Jersey history.

ALL-TIME GLOUCESTER COUNTY 100-METER LIST
10.2h .. Bill Gaines [Clearview], 1966
10.47 … James Brown [Glassboro], 2009
10.53 … Todd Dutch [Washington Twp.], 2001
10.60 … Robert Page [Kingsway], 2008
10.60 … Shawney Kersey [Woodbury], 2009
10.60 … Thomas Hampton [Clayton], 2019
10.4h … Flipper Anderson [Paulsboro], 1983
10.65 … Dorian Bryant [Kingsway], 2003
10.66 … Bruce Owens [Deptford], 2004
10.70 … Jared Nicholas [Williamstown], 2016
10.73 … Sean McPherson [Delsea], 2010
10.75 … Thomas Hampton [Clayton], 2019
10.76 … A.J. Bunton [West Deptford], 2006
10.78 … Shai Mumford [West Deptford], 2014
10.78 … Khion Smith [Deptford], 2018
10.79 … Donovan Clement [Deptford], 2019

S.J. ALL-TIME 100-METER DASH LIST
10.35 … Jamar Ervin [Camden], 2000
10.36 … Damiere Byrd [Timber Creek], 2010
10.2h .. Bill Gaines [Clearview], 1966
10.2h .. Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 1983
10.45 … James Townsend [Holy Cross], 2003
10.47 … James Brown [Glassboro], 2009
10.49 … Jonathan Taylor [Salem], 2017
10.53 … Todd Dutch [Washington Twp.], 2001
10.54 … Fabian Santiago [Oakrest], 2010
10.55 … Todd Dutch [Washington Twp.], 2002
10.57 … Jamil Benjamin [Cumberland Regional], 2006
10.57 … Geoff Navaro [Absegami], 2008
10.58 … Anthony Miles [Winslow Twp.], 2003
10.60 … Robert Page [Kingsway], 2008
10.60 … Marquis Bonds [Millville], 2007
10.60 … Shawney Kersey [Woodbury], 2009
10.60 … Thomas Hampton [Clayton], 2019
10.62 … Kashif Moore [Burlington Twp.], 2007
10.63 … John Stone [Mainland Reg.], 1997
10.63 … Sabli Gonnet [Eastern], 2007
10.64 … Jeremy Cooper [Mainland Reg.], 1997
10.64h … Israel Cook [Cumberland Reg.], 1981
10.64h … Mike Parker [Salem], 1981
10.64h … Flipper Anderson [Paulsboro], 1983
10.64h … Chuck Carter [Eastern], 1985
10.65 … Dominique Irons [Haddon Heights], 2013
10.65 … Rocco Ordille [St. Joe’s-Hammonton], 2015
10.65 … Dorian Bryant [Kingsway], 2003
10.65 … Mar-quel Davis [Deptford], 2017
10.66 … Bobby Orro [Pemberton], 1993
10.66 … Bruce Owens [Deptford], 2004
10.67 … Antraye Miles [Winslow Twp.], 2003
10.67 … T.J. Johnson [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2009
10.67 … Kashif Miller [Haddon Heights], 2014
10.67 … Martin Booker [Pennsauken], 2017
10.68 … Marquis Bonds [Bridgeton], 2007
10.68 … Tim Athill [Pleasantville], 1998
10.68 … Antonio Tarantino [Paul VI], 2017
10.69 … Robert Darby [Pennsauken], 2006
10.69 … Charles Fields [Wildwood Catholic], 2018
10.69 … Darnell Charles [Oakcrest], 2012

What an incredible day for Dennisha Page!!!!!

The Woodrow Wilson senior destroyed the South Jersey Group 3 meet records in both the 100- and 400-meter dashes Friday at Delsea and raced her way into the top 10 in South Jersey history in both races!

Page won the 100 with in 11.69 after a meet-record and personal-best 11.68 in the trials. She won the 400 in a PR and meet-record 54.41.

She now ranks No. 6 in South Jersey history in the 100 and No. 8 in the 400. On the all-time state list, she’s now No. 14 in the 100 and No. 24 in the 400!

Page is only the fifth girl in state history to run sub-11.70 and sub-55. The others are Regina Trotter of Weequahic (11.68 and 54.3 in 1991), Olivia Baker of Columbia (11.64 in 2013 and 52.46 in 2014), Shavon Greaves of Lakewood (11.61 and 54.73 in 2007) and Olympic gold medalist English Gardner of Eastern.

In the 100, Page broke the S.J. Group 3 meet record of 11.75, set in 2017 by Winslow Township’s Shakira Dancy. She tied the overall South Jersey fully automatic record of 11.68 set in 2016 by Williamstown’s Bria Mack.

In the 400, Page broke the S.J.-3 record of 54.5 set in 1996 by Dana Burnette of Williamstown and matched in 2002 by Shakeema Martin of Lakewood.

Her previous 100 best was an 11.90 when she was second in last year’s Meet of Champions, and her previous 400 best was a 55.70 at the Camden County Championships earlier this month.

Oh yeah … Page also long jumped 17-7 1/4, another personal best, and took third behind two of the state’s best – Tierra Hooker of Timber Creek (18-9 1/2) and Tionna Tobias of Winslow Township (18-7). It was the first major meet this year she’s longed jumped. Her previous PR was 17-2 1/4 last year.

Bring on the 200!!!!!

ALL-TIME S.J. 100-METER DASH LIST
11.42 … Michele Glover (Willingboro), 1981
11.49 … English Gardner (Eastern), 2008
11.57 … Patti Dunlap (Camden), 1979
11.58 … Bria Mack (Williamstown), 2017
11.61 … Amandi Rhett (Moorestown), 2000
11.68 … Dennisha Page (Woodrow Wilson), 2019
11.70 … Assante Johnson (Camden), 2007
11.71 … Shakira Dancy (Winslow Twp.), 2017
11.73 … Torie Robinson (Winslow Twp.), 2014
11.77 … Aisha Morgan (Schalick), 1998
11.78 … Shameka Speed (Bridgeton), 2003
11.80 … Fametta Lewis (Woodrow Wilson), 2007
11.81 … Denise Liles (Kingsway), 1984
11.81 … Lauren Princz (Egg Harbor Twp.), 2018
11.81 … Audrey Wilson (Deptford), 2008
11.82 … Annie Johnson (Shawnee), 2012
11.84 … Robin Taylor (Deptford), 1980
11.85 … Dana Burnett (Willamstown), 1996
11.88 … Denis Mitchell (Edgewood), 1983
11.89 … Cecelia Gerstenbacher (Delsea), 2017
11.90 … Jamie Walker (Haddon Heights), 2007
11.91 … Aliya Harrison (Sterling), 2017
11.94 … Emily Carson (Haddonfield), 2013
11.95 … Aliyah Taylor (Rancocas Valley), 2017
11.96 … Jamillah Nock (Woodrow Wilson), 2004
11.96 … Jailya Ash (Eastern), 2019
11.98 … Kiara Lester (Deptford), 2014
11.98 … Ciera Ismail (Schalick), 2013
12.00 … Andrea Conway (Bordentown), 1986
12.00 … Aisha Morgan (Schalick), 1998

ALL-TIME S.J. 400-METER LIST
52.91 … Michelle Brown [Seneca], 2008
53.51 … Dana Burnett [Williamstown], 1996
53.64 … Nijgia Snapp [Oakcrest], 2008
53.98 … English Gardner [Eastern], 2007
54.04 … Nadia Davy (Bridgeton), 1998
54.19 … Okechi Ogbuokiri [Willingboro], 2003
54.36 … Shakira Dancy [Winslow Twp.]
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
55.13 … Aliyah Taylor [Rancocas Valley], 2018333
55.0h … Nichole Bartley [Highland], 1992
55.06 … Shameka Speed [Bridgeton], 2003
55.2h … Loretta Thompson [Camden], 1979
55.21 … Avionne Sloan [Camden], 2006
55.24 … Jasmine Still [Wilson], 2005
55.3h … Lori Lewis [Woodbury], 1978
55.50 … Sabrina Burrell [Delsea], 2014
55.51 … Mandie Dulin [Shawnee], 1996
55.4h … Carla Hunt [Holy Cross], 1976
55.65 … Jade Pope [Pennsauken], 2018
55.67 … Shelby Whetstone [Lenape], 2017
55.70 … Dennisha Page [Woodrow Wilson], 2019

ALL-TIME N.J. 100-METER LIST
11.42 … Michele Glover (Willingboro), 1981
11.44 … Myasia Jacobs (Paramus Catholic), 2010
11.49 … English Gardner (Eastern), 2008
11.50 … Wendy Vereen (Trenton), 1984
11.57 … Patti Dunlap (Camden), 1979
11.57 … M’elisa Barber (Montclair), 1998
11.58 … Bria Mack (Williamstown), 2017
11.61 … Amandi Rhett (Moorestown), 2000
11.61 … Shavon Greaves (Lakewood), 2007
11.62 … Cathy Crawford (Perth Amboy), 1977
11.64 … Olivia Baker (Columbia), 2013
11.65 … Aleah Williams (Montclair), 1999
11.65 … Ogechi Nwaneri (Columbia), 2008
11.68 … Dennisha Page (Woodrow Wilson), 2019
11.68 … Regina Trotter (Weequahic), 1991

ALL-TIME N.J. 400-METER LIST
51.87 … Sydney McLaughlin (Union Catholic), 2016
52.46 … Olivia Baker (Columbia), 2014
52.56 … Mikele Barber (Montclair), 1998
52.91 … Michelle Brown [Seneca], 2008
53.0h … Stephanie Saleem (Neptune), 1985
53.51 … Dana Burnett [Williamstown], 1996
53.64 … Nijgia Snapp [Oakcrest], 2008
53.66 … Giselle Harris (Shabazz), 1986
53.98 … English Gardner [Eastern], 2007
54.0h … Natalie Jordan (Paterson East Side), 1984
54.04 … Nadia Davy (Bridgeton), 1998
54.04 … Ajee’ Wilson (Neptune), 2012
54.1h … Donithy Jones (Montclair), 1981
54.12 … Athing Mu (Trenton), 2018
54.19 … Okechi Ogbuokiri [Willingboro], 2003
54.20 … Emile Cowan (Columbia), 2015
54.21 … Jennifer Edobi (Union), 2014
54.21 … Tawana Watkins (JFK-Paterson), 2000
54.23 … Symone O’Connor (Franklin Twp.), 2007
54.3h … Regina Trotter (Weequahic), 1991
54.33 … Victoria Vanriele (Governor Livingston), 2019
54.34 … Tiffany Grant (Ocean Township), 2005
54.36 … Shakira Dancy [Winslow Twp.], 2016
54.4h … Tiffany Weatherford (Newark Science), 1990
54.41 … Dennisha Page (Woodrow Wilson), 2019
54.5h … Tracey Carter (Plainfield), 1982
54.5h … Dana Riley (Teaneck), 1993
54.5h … Shakeema Martin (Lakewood), 2002
54.51 … Katrina Sye [Buena], 1998
54.56 … Brionna Pettus (Piscataway), 2014
54.6h … Porscha Dobson (Kent Place), 2003
54.62 … Audrey Wilson [Deptford], 2008
54.70 … Amari Onque-Shabazz (Union Catholic), 2016
54.70 … Janine Davis (Queen of Peace), 2003
54.73 … Shavon Greaves (Lakewood), 2007
54.75 … Faleesha Dowe [Penns Grove], 2014
54.78 … Kaira Brown (Kent Place), 2018
54.93 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow Twp.], 2004
54.97 … Vanessa Lewis (Morris Catholic), 1995
54.97 … Jenna Harris (Franklin Twp.), 2003
54.98 … Reanda Richards (West Essex), 2017

Eastern sophomore Jailya Ash blazed a personal-best 11.96 to win the 100-meter dash Friday night at South Jersey Group 4 sectionals at Washington Township.

Ash, the indoor Meet of Champions 55 winner, lowered her PR from 11.99 at the Camden County Championships and remained unbeaten this year in the 100.

Ash’s time is No. 21 in South Jersey history and No. 2 in Eastern history, behind of course Olympic gold medalist English Gardner, who ran 11.49 in 2008.

The only girls in meet history to run faster than Ash are Williamstown’s Bria Mack, who won in 2016 in 11.68 and in both 2015 and 2017 in 11.95, and Gardner, who won in 2007 in 11.74 and 2008 in 11.78. Kim Hargrove of Willingboro (1996) and Beth Kalwinsky of Toms River North (1997) ran hand-timed 11.8, but a fully automatic 11.96 is intrinsically faster.

Ash is the sixth girl from Eastern to win the South Jersey Group 4 100 since 2002. Bethany Wright won it in 2002, Jennifer Jackson in 2003 and Gardner in 2007, 2008 and 2010.

ALL-TIME SOUTH JERSEY 100-METER DASH LIST
11.42 Michele Glover (Willingboro), 1981
11.49 English Gardner (Eastern), 2008
11.57 Patti Dunlap (Camden), 1979
11.58 Bria Mack (Williamstown), 2017
11.61 Amandi Rhett (Moorestown), 2000
11.71 Shakira Dancy (Winslow Twp.), 2017
11.73 Torie Robinson (Winslow Twp.), 2014
11.77 Aisha Morgan (Schalick), 1998
11.78 Shameka Speed (Bridgeton), 2003
11.81 Denise Liles (Kingsway), 1984
11.81 Audrey (Wilson (Deptford), 2008
11.82 Amandi Rhett (Moorestown), 1999
11.82 Annie Johnson (Shawnee), 2012
11.84 Robin Taylor (Deptford), 1980
11.85 Dana Burnett (Willamstown), 1996
11.88 Denis Mitchell (Edgewood), 1983
11.89 Cecelia Gerstenbacher (Delsea), 2017
11.91 Aliya Harrison (Sterling), 2017
11.94 Emily Carson (Haddonfield), 2013
11.95 Aliyah Taylor (Rancocas Valley), 2017
11.96 Jamillah Nock (Woodrow Wilson), 2004
11.96 Jailya Ash (Eastern), 2019
11.98 Kiara Lester (Deptford), 2014
11.98 Ciera Ismail (Schalick), 2013

Meredith Updike won her second straight South Jersey Group 2 sectional title Friday in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles, running a personal-best 1:02.66 at Delsea.

She’s the first to repeat in SJ-2 since Helena Leyrer of Buena in 2011 and 2012, and her time is fastest in SJ-2 since Leyrer ran 1:01.54 in 2012.

Updike’s previous PR was 1:02.71 when she won states last year. She moved up to No. 12 in Burlington County history and lowered her own school record.

Updike’s 1:02.66 is the 7th-fastest winning time in South Jersey Group 2 sectional history:

1999 Katrina Sye (Buena) 1:01.2
2012 Helena Leyrer (Buena) 1:01.54
2003 Kristina Keegan (H’field) 1:01.6
2009 Victoria Clark (Camden) 1:02.08
1995 Natalie Edwards (P’ville) 1:02.0
2010 Vanessa Arientyl (W’boro) 1:02.24
2019 Meredith Updike (Cinnaminson) 1:02.66

ALL-TIME BURLINGTON COUNTY 400IH LIST
59.03 … Tonya Lee (Rancocas Valley), 1988
59.66 … Mandie Dulin (Shawnee), 1997
1:00.1h … *Danielle Myricks (Willingboro), 2000
1:01.14 … Okechi Ogbuokiri (Willingboro), 2003
1:01.25 … Carly Pettipaw (Lenape), 2015
1:01.49 … *Mary Bohi (Seneca), 2009
1:01.99 … Evann Thompson (Lenape), 2012
1:02.24 … Vanessa Arientyl (Willingboro), 2010
1:02.33 … Rhea Mann (Willingboro), 2003
1:02.54 … Emily Kulcyk (Cherokee), 2010
1:02.60 … Nia Hinds (Burlington Twp.), 2016
1:02.66 … Meredith Updike (Cinnaminson), 2019
1:02.84 … Natasha Marshall (Palmyra), 2001
1:02.86 … Maddie Hummel (Holy Cross), 2012
1:02.86 … Brianna Snowden (Rancocas Valley), 2019
1:02.7h … Angela Williams (Pemberton), 1981
1:02.85 … Rachel Jochem (Seneca), 2006

South Jersey dominated the NCAA Division 1 East Preliminary javelin competition Friday in Jacksonville, with Florence graduate Curtis Thompson, Holy Cross graduate Chris Mirabelli and Holy Spirit’s Cade Antonucci all advancing to the finals next month in Jacksonville.

Three of the 12 qualifiers from the entire eastern half of the United States are South Jersey natives.

Thompson, the former U.S. and NCAA champion, placed third with a throw of 241-3 on his third and final attempt, behind teammates Anderson Peters (262-8) and Tyriq Horsford (PR 258-5).

Mirabelli finished ninth with a 219-5, also on his final attempt, and Antonucci took 11th with a 217-3 on his second throw.

The top 12 throwers advanced to the NCAA Championships in Austin June 5-8. The javelin final, which will also include the top 12 throwers from the West Prelims in Sacramento, is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. on June 5.

Nick Mirabelli, a Texas A&M freshman out of Rancocas Valley and Chris Mirabelli’s younger brother, was getting ready to throw in the third and final flight in Sacramento. Both javelin competitions begin at noon, but since Sacramento is three hours behind Jacksonville it started three hours later.

Deptford grad Tyler Garland easily advanced to the 110-meter hurdles final Thursday at the NCAA Division 3 Championships outside Cleveland.

Garland, a sophomore at Rowan, ran 14.38 in the second of three qualifying rounds, finishing in a near dead heat with Eddie Mahana, a junior at St. John Fisher College in Rochester.

With only the winner of each of three heats advancing automatically, their times were taken to 1,000th-of-a-second, and Mahana was credited with a 14.372 with Garland in 14.380.

But Garland was safely among the six wild-card qualifiers. His 14.38 ranked second among the non-winners, behind only Mason Plant of Mount Union in Gambier, Ohio, who ran 14.31.

Overall, Garland’s time was fourth-fastest of 20 qualifiers, but he’s considered the fifth seed since he was the second-fastest non-winner.

https://results.deltatiming.com/ncaa/tf/2019-ncaa-d3-outdoor-championships/190523P016

The final is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio.

Garland has a PR of 14.28 from the trials of the All-Atlantic Regionals at Cortland, N.Y., earlier this month.

Garland hasn’t lost a high hurdles final since the Widener Invitational in mid-April, when he was second to Mahana. He’s the NJAC and All-Atlantic champion.

Rancocas Valley graduate Danielle Steff threw a personal-best 164-2 in the javelin Thursday and advanced in the NCAA Division 1 track championships.

Steff, a sophomore at Monmouth, was among 12 women who advanced out of the NCAA East Preliminary Round at Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville. They’ll be joined by 12 women from the West Preliminary Round at the NCAA Championships in Austin next month.

Steff came in with a PR of 163-1 a meet at Moravian last month. After throwing 143-11 and 151-4 on her first two attempts, she was sitting in 22nd place going into her third and final throw and needed to throw at least 162-5 to advance.

She not only hit 162-5, she popped a PR and came within two inches of the Monmouth school record of 164-4, set in 2014 by Kelsey Reese.

Steff moved up from No. 4 on the all-time Monmouth list to No. 2, passing Burlington Township graduate Faith Blamon, who threw 162-7 in 2017.

Steff’s 164-2 was 10th-best in the East and 17th-best including the throwers from the NCAA Division 1 West Preliminary Round in Sacramento.

Nationals run from June 5-8 at Mike A. Myers Stadium at the University of Texas in Austin. The javelin is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. that Thursday, June 6.

Schalick graduate Samuel Gerstenbacher on Thursday advanced to the steeplechase finals at the NCAA Division 3 track championships outside Cleveland.

Gerstenbacher, a junior at Elizabethtown, ran 9:16.38 in the 3,000-meter race, advancing to the final at 11:45 a.m. on Saturday at SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio.

The top five finishes from each of two semifinal races advanced automatically and the next four fastest runners also advanced. Gerstenbacher was seventh in the second race, which made him the second-fastest non-auto qualifier.

Gerstenbacher closed in 70.9 seconds after running his six previous full laps in 73.5, 74.1, 74.3, 74.9, 75.2 and 74.9.

This is Gerstenbacher’s second NCAA Championships. He didn’t qualify for the final last year. Gerstenbacher ranks fourth in NCAA Division 3 with his school-record 9:00.21 in a last-chance meet at Swarthmore earlier this month.

The top 12 seeds all moved on along with the No. 15 and 17 seeds.

Cherokee graduate Matt Gross, who never won a sectional, county or conference title during his high school track career, earned All-America status in the javelin Thursday.

Gross, a sophomore at Rutgers-Camden, placed sixth in the javelin at the NCAA Division 3 Championships at SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio.

Gross, seeded 12th, threw a personal-best 199-4, surpassing his previous PR of 197-0 set last week when he won the ECAC Division 3 title in New Haven. He’s now thrown between 195 and 199 feet in five meets this year.

At Cherokee, Gross only exceeded 165 feet in the javelin once, with a 177-9 when he placed second to RV’s Robert Marks at sectionals as a senior in the spring of 2016. He improved to 191-6 1/2 last year and is now an All-America in an event in which he had a PR fo 142-9 going into his senior year of high school.

For more on his background, click here.

On Thursday, Gross went into his fifth throw sitting in ninth place with a best throw of 193-1. But he passed three throwers with his 199-4, moving into sixth. He fouled on his final attempt.

Junior Jordan Entwistle of U. Mass-Dartmouth won the event at 210-10. Rowan sophomore Dan McAleavey, a sophomore from Howell and the NJAC champion, placed eighth at 197-7, less than two feet off his own PR of 199-6 set at a meet at The College of New Jersey last month.

Another Rowan athlete, freshman Julio LeBron from Memorial of West New York, placed 19th with a 172-3 on his third throw of the trials. He was one of only three freshmen in the competition.

 

The Rowan women ran a season-best 47.22 and advanced to the finals of the 400-meter relay Thursday at the NCAA Division 3 Championships outside Cleveland.

The team of sophomore Sidney McLeod-Whitener of Friends Central, junior Aaniyah Robinson of Passaic County Tech, sophomore Myiah Sturdivant of Timber Creek and junior Darielle Cross of Matawan takes the seventh-fastest time in the finals, scheduled for 12:05 p.m. Saturday at the SPIRE Institute track in Geneva, Ohio.

Rowan’s best previous time this year was a 47.40 at a meet at Widener last month with a slightly different lineup — freshman Kierston Johnson, McLeod-Whitener, Robinson and Cross.

Emory led all qualifiers at 46.55. The top two placers in each of two heats advanced automatically, along with the next five-fastest times. Rowan placed fifth in the second heat, which produced all the non-auto qualifiers.

Emory (46.55), Rhode Island College of Providence (46.77) and Loras College of Dubuque, Iowa (46.90) broke 47 seconds and then there were five schools between 47.15 and 47.31.