From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

The latest Austin Gabay-Ethan Wechsler showdown certainly lived up to expectations!

Cinnaminson’s Gabay and Cherokee’s Wechsler, two of the top junior distance runners in New Jersey, locked up in an epic race over 1,600 meters Saturday at the Burlington County Open, and when it was over just 3-100ths of a second separated them.

The whole field was out fast, with Wechsler leading a pack of five runners that came through the 400 between 62.4 and 62.9. Everybody predictably slowed down on a slow second lap, and at the bell lap four runners had gapped the field — Wechsler came through in 3:19.80, Cherokee junior David Jackson in 3:19.92, Gabay in 3:20.05 and Cherokee junior Chase Miller in 3:20.18.

That group stuck together until the the first turn on the final lap, when Gabay, Wechsler and Miller took off, and at the start of the backstretch, Gabay and Wechsler began hammering side by side, Wechsler on the inside, Gabay on the outside.

Gabay built a two-meter lead coming off the final turn, but Wechsler caught him with 40 meters to go and pulled just ahead with 20 meters to go before Gabay used one final surge to inch ahead at the line.

Gabay closed in 60.8 for a 4:20.86 and Wecchsler closed in 61.1 for a 4:20.89. Miller was third in 4:26.87 and Jackson, in his first serious mile ever, took fourth in 4:31.23.

Gabay warmed up for the 1,600 by splitting 1:55.1 on Cinnaminson’s 3,200-meter relay team, which won in 8:08.02. Gabe Saint Elien, Zach Walton and Chad Howard also ran for Cinnaminson. That’s fourth-fastest this year by a South Jersey school and No. 2 by a Group 2 school. It’s also fifth-fastest in meet history.

The Gabay-Wechsler race was the fifth-fastest 1,600 or mile in the meet’s more than 50-year history behind these four memorable battles:

1978: 1) Bob Mann (Willingboro) 4:17.9, 2) Mark Strucko (Rancocas Valley) 4:19.3
1979: 1) Bob Mann (Willingboro) 4:19.3, 2) Mark Strucko (Rancocas Valley) 4:19.4
2004: 1) Jon Anderson (Cinnaminson) 4:16.05, 2) Ian Waterhouse (R.V.) 4:16.93
2017: 1) Mark Miller (Shawnee) 4:18.13, 2) Jack Shea (Cherokee) 4:19.36

Gabay’s PR is 4:17.79 from last year’s state Group 2 meet. The 4:20 was a big PR for Wechsler, who had a 4:24.40 to his credit from indoor sectionals.

Wechsler edged Gabay when they met at the Holmdel Night of 3200’s earlier this month, with both PR’ing — Wechsler with 9:10.90 and Gabay with 9:15.13.

But Gabay edged Wechsler by less than 1 1/2 seconds to win the County Open XC title at Mill Creek, both going under 16 minutes. Miller was third in that race, too. They met again at the XC Meet of Champs, where Wechsler ran 15:56 for fourth at Holmdel and Gabay was 13th in 16:10.

Gabay and Wechsler rank No. 21 and 22 in the state in the 1,600 and No. 6 and 7 among juniors. They’re No. 2 and 3 in South Jersey, behind only Camden Catholic senior Matt Coffey (4:18.53 at S.J. Invite).

In the 3,200, they’re No. 8 and 14 in the state and No. 3 and 7 among juniors. They’re ranked No. 2 and 4 in South Jersey, with Connor Melko (9:06.52) and Martin Riddell (9:12.43) at No. 1 and 3.

Video of that race is here: https://nj.milesplit.com/videos/379918

Videos from all the races Saturday at Rancocas Valley can be found at NJ MileSplit.

 

Ashley Preston, a Delsea graduate, continued her remarkable freshman year at Villanova Saturday by winning the Big East Conference pole vault title with a personal-best 13-2 1/4 at Icahn Stadium in New York.

That’s the fourth-best performance in Villanova history either indoors or out.

Preston’s previous-best was 12-9 1/2, which she cleared just three weeks ago in a meet at Widener.

Preston had a high school PR of 12-7 1/2, which she hit at last year’s Penn Relays. She went on to win the state Group 3 title and place third at the Meet of Champions, both at 12-6. She ranks No. 3 in state history and No. 2 in South Jersey history, behind Shawnee’s Danielle O’Reilly, who set what was then the national indoor high school record of 13-5 at the 2004 Varsity Classic at the Armory in New York.

This past winter, Preston matched her PR of 12-7 1/2 when she won the Big East indoor title at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio, then beat it at Widener.

On Saturday, she entered the competition at 11-8 and cleared 11-8, 12-2 and 12-6 each on her second attempt.

With the bar going up beyond her PR, to 12-10, she trailed Marquette’s Rachel Seraphine, who had cleared 12-6 on her first attempt.

But Preston, needing a PR just to stay in contention for the conference title, soared over the bar at 12-10 on her first attempt, and Seraphine was unable to clear 12-10, giving Preston the title.

Preston then had the bar raised to 13-2 1/4, which she cleared that on her second attempt. She took three tries at 13-5 1/4, her 10th, 11th and 12th vaults of the day.

Here’s a look at the all-time Villanova top-5, including indoor and outdoor marks:

13-10 … Alexandra Wasik, 2015
13-5 3/4 … Ashlyn Llerandi, 2010
13-3 3/4 … Kathleen McPhillips, 2015
13-2 1/4 … Ashley Preston, 2019
12-11 1/2 … Amanda McNelis, 2018

Villanova went 1-4-5-6-8 in the vault, accounting for a whopping 23 team points. That helped Villanova win the team title 217-159 over DePaul, the Wildcats’ second straight Big East title, fourth in the last six seasons and 12th overall. The Villanova track and XC program has won six straight Big East titles under coach Gina Procaccio.

Jailya Ash and Dennisha Page are at it again!

Ash, the Eastern sophomore, and Page, a senior at Wilson, put on a remarkable display of sprinting and hurdling in the large-school division of the Camden County meet Saturday at Haddon Township.

Page won the 200 in 24.42, took second to Ash in the 100 in 12.07 and won the 400 with a huge PR of 55.70.

All Ash did was win the 100 in a personal-best 11.99, win the high hurdles in a huge PR 14.19 and place second to Page in the 200 in 24.80, a time that only Page has surpassed in New Jersey this year.

Ash and Page rank No. 1 and 2 in New Jersey this year in the 100 at 11.99 and 12.02.

Page and Ash rank No. 1 and 2 in New Jersey this year in the 200 at 24.17 and 24.70.

Additionally, Page is now No. 3 in the state in the 400, and Ash is No. 3 in the state in the high hurdles.

Page and Ash keep racing each other, they keep pushing each other and they keep going faster.

What a rivalry!

Ash and Page now rank 19 and 27 in South Jersey history in the 100. Additionally, Page is No. 5 in South Jersey history in the 200, Ash is now No. 15 in S.J. history in the high hurdles and Page is in the top-25 all-time in the 400.

And here’s the best part of it: They’ll go at it again at the Olympic Conference Championships, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday at Washington Township!

Lists! We have lists!

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
11.71 … 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 … Lauren Princz (Egg Harbor Twp.), 2018
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
11.90 … Dennisha Page (Woodrow Wilson), 2018
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
11.98 … Kiara Lester (Deptford), 2014
11.98 … Ciera Ismail (Schalick), 2013
11.99 … Jailya Ash (Eastern), 2019
12.00 … Andrea Conway (Bordentown), 1986
12.00 … Aisha Morgan (Schalick), 1998

ALL-TIME S.J. 100-METER HURDLES LIST
13.65 … Nia Ali (Pleasantville), 2006
13.72 … Nichole Hill (Oakcrest), 1997
13.79 … Ste’yce McNeil (Winslow), 2012
13.84 … Lenaami Morton (Camden), 2016
13.85 … Carol Lewis (Willingboro), 1980
13.88 … Zonya Cross (Edgewood), 1983
13.98 … Cidae’a Woods (Winslow), 2014
13.99 … Imani Gilliam (Pennsauken), 2004
14.04 … Claudine Smith [Atlantic City], 2019
14.04 … Jasmine Staten (Lenape), 2016
14.05 … Jasmine Waddell (Kingsway), 2011
14.07 … Sherese Price (Pleasantville), 1998
14.07 … Tionna Tobias [Winslow Twp.], 2018
14.09 … Nichole Belcher (Wilson), 1992
14.14 … Jailya Ash (Eastern), 2019
14.17 … Samantha Sharper (Wilson), 2008
14.20 … Sarah Jones (Bishop Eustace), 2017
14.20 … Alethia Jenkins (Pennsauken), 1999

ALL-TIME S.J. 200-METER DASH LIST
23.69 … Michele Glover [Willingboro], 1981
23.85 … Shakira Dancy [Winslow Twp.], 2017
23.90 … Denise Liles [Kingsway], 1984
23.90 … Lauren Princz [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2018
23.99 … Dennisha Page [Woodrow Wilson], 2018
24.01 … Amandi Rhett [Moorestown], 2000
24.04 … English Gardner [Eastern], 2008
24.11 … Denise Mitchell [Edgewood], 1983
24.12 … Nia Ali [Pleasantville], 2006
24.17 … Michelle Brown [Seneca], 2008
24.19 … Patti Dunlap [Camden] 1978
24.19 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow Twp.]
24.19 … Bria Mack [Williamstown], 2017
24.21 … Audrey Wilson [Deptford], 2006
24.23 … Nichole Hill [Oakcrest], 1997
24.31 … Morgan Gordon [Rancocas Valley], 2009
24.32 … Kiara Lester [Deptford], 2015
24.42 … Dana Burnett [Williamstown], 1996
24.45 … Cecelia Gerstenbacher [Delsea], 2017
24.46 … Feleesha Dowe [Penns Grove], 2014
24.47 … Nadia Davy [Bridgeton], 1999
24.47 … Aisha Morgan [Schalick], 1998
24.48 … Avionne Sloan [Camden], 2003
24.49 … Annie Johnson [Shawnee], 2012
24.50 … Laia Mortimore [Atlantic City], 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 … Sbhakira Dancy [Winslow Twp.]
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

For full results of the Camden County Championships click here.

It was freshman Ravin Hood who had the honor of not only winning the discus Saturday at the Burlington County Open but also putting Rancocas Valley over the top in the Red Devils’ chase to break the meet scoring record.

Hood, an R.V. freshman, won the discus with a throw of 110-8, and those 10 points gave Rancocas Valley 165 for meet, which broke the meet record of 162 scored by Lenape in 2015.

Lenape’s coach at the time, Jack Walsh, is now the meet director of the County Open, so he was there to congratulate the R.V. coaches and team on their terrific performance.

Rancocas, the host school, scored in every event other than the 1,600.

Sophomore Sheriyah Nutt had a hand in 38 points, with wins in the 100 (12.34, 12.32 in trials) and 200 (PR 25.36), second in the 400 (58.02) and an anchor leg on R.V.s winning 1,600-meter relay team.

There was no team scoring last year, when most of the meet was cancelled because of rain, but Rancocas Valley has now won two straight county titles — 2017 and 2019 — after never previously winning one.

R.V. won by 109 points over second-place Shawnee, which had its highest place since taking second in 2004.

The 109-point margin of victory is also a meet record. The previous largest scoring margin was was 107 1/2, Lenape’s margin over Seneca in 2015.

Here’s a glance at how R.V. got to 165:

100-METER DASH: Senior Brianna Snowden (PR 12.73) joined Nutt on the medal stand.
200-METER DASH: Nutt (25.36), Snowden (25.81) and freshman Anabella Chin (25.91) made it a 1-2-3 R.V. sweep.
400-METER DASH: Nutt and freshman Anabella Chin (58.51) scored 14 points with their 2-3 finish.
800-METER RUN: Sophomore Alyssa Leak (2:21.90) and senior Bethany Biggi (2:24.58) ran 2-4 for the Red Devils.
3,200-METER RUN: Senior Paige Hammond placed fourth in the 3,200 in 11:57.86.
100-METER HURDLES: Chin ran a PR 15.33 for third and senior Rachel Flanagan (15.77) and Jaeda Butler (15.93) took fifth and sixth.
400-METER HURDLES: Snowden ran a PR 1:02.86, fifth-fastest in meet history, and became the first R.V. girl to win the 400IH since Tonya Lee won her fourth straight in 1988. Her time is also No. 2 in South Jersey this year, behind only the 1:02.42 run Saturday at the Camden County meet by Aliya Rae Garozzo of Paul VI. Freshman Sanai Jenkins placed sixth in 1:12.37.
400-METER RELAY: Senior Makiah Warren and juniors Kristina Tossas, Ta’Shay Bertino and Breacain McClenahan won in 49.80.
1,600-METER RELAY: Leak, junior Maya Primas, senior Darynn Minus-Vincent and Nutt won in 4:05.42.
3,200-METER RELAY: The team of senior Bethany Biggi and freshmen Abigail Cifaldi, Logan Shaw and Aaliyah Thompson ran 10:09.67 for second.
HIGH JUMP: Biggi cleared 5-0 for second.
LONG JUMP: Tossas went 16-10 1/2 on her final jump for the win.
TRIPLE JUMP: Tossas also took fourth in the triple jump at 34-10 1/4, and Warren (33-4 1/2) and freshman Anaya Young (33-3 3/4) placed fifth and sixth.
POLE VAULT: Sophomore Abigail Boggs cleared 10-0 and tied for third.
SHOT PUT: Hood threw 34-9 1/4 for fourth.
DISCUS: Hood had six throws of 104-4 or better, including the winner at 110-8.
JAVELIN: Junior Antoinette Halpin threw 96-1 on her final throw to take fourth.

HIGHEST GIRLS MEET POINT TOTALS BURLCO OPEN HISTORY
165 ….. Rancocas Valley, 2019
162 ….. Lenape, 2015
147 ….. Willingboro, 2004
146 ….. Lenape, 2008
144 ….. Lenape, 2010
138 ….. Lenape, 2014
134 ….. Rancocas Valley, 2017
130 ….. Lenape, 2007
127 ….. Shawnee, 1997
124.3 … Lenape, 2016
123 ….. Willingboro, 1992
121 ….. Lenape, 2017
121 ….. Cherokee, 2012
114 ….. Lenape, 2011
113 ….. Shawnee, 1995
108 ….. Shawnee, 1998
107 ….. Shawnee, 1996
107 ….. Willingboro, 1996
106 ….. Willingboro, 2003
101 ….. Lenape 2009
101 ….. Willingboro, 2005
100 1/3 … Lenape, 2012

Sterling senior Jah’mere Beasely ran the fastest 200 in the state this year, tearing up half a lap on the Haddon Township track in 21.50.

Beasely swept the 100 and 200 in the large-school division of the Camden County meet Saturday, winning the 100 in 10.98 and the 200 by nearly a full second.

His 200 time is No. 14 in South Jersey history and No. 8 on the all-time Camden County list.

Beasely’s previous PR was a 21.69 when he won the Group 2 state title last spring. He didn’t run indoors, and this was his first major race of the outdoor season, so it was really his first big race since last year’s Meet of Champions, when he placed fourth in 21.71 (and seventh in the 100).

Beasely’s 10.98 in the 100 is not far off his PR of 10.91 from last year’s M-of-C.

He was second to Paul VI’s Antonio Tarantino in both the 100 and 200 at last year’s Camden County meet.

ALL-TIME S.J. 200 LIST
20.53 … Antonio Tarantino [Paul VI] 2018
21.06 … Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 1984
21.14 … Reuben McCoy [Winslow Twp.], 2004
21.30 … T.J. Johnson [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2010
21.39 … Martin Booker [Pennsauken], 2017
21.40 … Rob Gary [Lenape], 1998
21.40 … Todd Dutch [Washington Twp.], 2001
21.40 … Jamaad Muse [Timber Creek], 2012
21.41 … Dorian Bryant [Kingsway], 2002
21.43 … Barry Cephas [Winslow Twp.], 2008
21.46 … Sabli Gonnet [Eastern], 2007
21.46 … Brondon Jenkins [Delran], 1994
21.47 … Curtis McIntyre [Bridgeton], 1992
21.50 … Jah’mere Beasely [Sterling], 2019
21.52 … Fabian Santiago [Oakcrest], 2012
21.53 … Robert Hargrove [Vineland], 1996
21.53 … A.J. Bunton [West Deptford], 2006
21.53 … Jonathan Taylor [Salem], 2017
21.54 … Derek Ward [Kingsway], 1992
21.55 … Anthony Maturano [Hammonton], 2015
21.56 … Ron Hillian [Eastern], 2002
21.56 … Bruce Owens [Deptford], 2005
21.56 … Darrell Bush [Woodbury], 2011
21.57 … Mar-Quel Davis [Deptford], 2017
21.58 … Antray Miles [Winslow Twp.], 2003
21.59 … John Stone [Mainland Reg.], 1997
21.60 … Juwan Johnson [Glassboro], 2013

The Millville girls scored 238 points Thursday in the Cumberland County. That’s a lot in any meet, even one with just four teams.

Now imagine if they used the typical 10-8-6-4-2-1 scoring system instead of 8-6-4-2-1.

Millville would have been over 300 points.

It was an impressive tuneup for Millville, which heads into the championship portion of the season with a deep, talented, balanced team that covers every event on the track and in the field.

Millville won every event, went at least 1-2 in 10 events and swept the top three spots in six events.

Let’s take a quick look at Millville’s performance Thursday at Vineland:

100-METER DASH: Senior Malea Broome, junior Zaniah Bowman and freshman Ja’Nasia Febry swept the top three spots for 18 points, and all three broke 13 seconds.

200-METER DASH: Broome, Bowman and junior Ciera Bowman swept the top three spots, with Broome running 25.81.

400-METER DASH: Broome dipped under a minute with a 59.97 win, and Febry was third in 1:02.00.

800-METER RUN: Senior Raelynne Miller ran 2:26.89 to lead a 1-2-3 sweep with senior Jahnaya Farnville and freshman Tanya Smith in the second and third for the Thunderbolts.

1,600-METER RUN: Smith and freshman Cassidy Blough went 1-2.

3,200-METER RUN: Miller and Blough ran 1-2 for Millville.

100-METER HURDLES: Freshman Bryanna Craig led a 1-2-3 sweep with a personal-best 14.52, with senior Briona Patterson and freshman Leah Ellis in second and third.

400-METER HURDLES: Bryanna Craig won in 1:03.76.

1,600-METER RELAY: Febry, Patterson, Farnville and Miller ran for Millville, which ran 4:07.46.

HIGH JUMP: Craig cleared 5-4, junior Kenny’a Dunns an outdoor PR 5-2 and Ellis a PR 5-0 for another 1-2-3 Millville sweep.

LONG JUMP: Ellis sailed an outdoor-best 17-7 1/4, Zaniah Bowman jumped 16-10 and sophomore Asia Holland 16-0 1/2 for the top-three sweep.

TRIPLE JUMP: Ciera Bowman jumped 34-1 1/2 and sophomore Alaysia Coursey 32-10 1/2 for first and second.

POLE VAULT: Senior Malayshia Andrews cleared 9-0 for the win.

DISCUS: Juniors Fatimah Owens (105-8), Tereana Parker (103-5) and Kira Parsons (95-9) led the 1-2-3 Millville sweep.

SHOT PUT: Parker threw 40-1 1/2 for a personal best, and Owens was second at 35-2 1/2.

JAVELIN: Parsons threw a season-best 131-3, just two feet off her PR, for the win.

Big day for Shaikyi Hannah, who doubled the 100 and 400 at the Gloucester County Championships Thursday and ran a leg on the winning relay team AND turned in the fastest time in South Jersey this year in the 400.

Hannah, a Delsea junior, won the 100 in 11.46, but he really turned it on in the 400, which he won in 49.14 on his home track in Franklinville.

His time is No. 1 in South Jersey this year and No. 9 in the state. It’s also No. 2 state-wide in Group 2, behind only Zach Hall of Matawan, who ran 48.72 yesterday at the Monmouth County meet at Middletown North.

Hannah, who spent his freshman year at Buena, was pushed throughout by Kingsway junior Michael Williams, who ran 49.29, a personal-best of his own.

Hannah’s previous PR was a 50.20 last week at the South Jersey Invitational. Before this month his 400 best was a 50.38 this past winter at indoor Easterns at the Armory. He placed fifth at Group 2 indoor states with a 50.96 and was No. 4 in South Jersey indoors.

This is the third straight year a Delsea runner has won the 400 at the Gloucester County meet. Michael Szwed won it in 2017 and 2018.

The Hannah and Williams times are the two-fastest at the Gloucester County Championships in seven years, since Derrell Manhertz of Kingsway ran 48.92 to win the 2012 race.

Williams’ time is fastest by a Kingsway runner since 2013, when Manhertz ran 48.71.

Williams is No. 3 in South Jersey now, behind only Hannah and Holy Spirit’s Ahmad Brown, who ran a PR 49.26 Thursday at the Atlantic County meet at Buena.

Four others broke 51 seconds in a very fast Gloucester County race – Makye Sawyer-Smith of West Deptford (50.52), Williamstown senior Geoff Hammond (50.53), Deptford junior Khion Smith (PR 50.62), Clayton senior Thomas Hampton (PR 50.75) and Delsea’s junior Damir Lomax (PR 50.75).

The top two milers in South Jersey so far this spring are from Haddonfield, and they’re both sophomores, and they both enjoyed big breakthrough races at Rowan this past weekend.

Sarah Naticchia won the 1,600-meter race in 5:06.95, just ahead of teammate Payton Weiner, who ran 5:07.89.

Shawnee junior Isabella Turner (5:09.35), Cherokee junior Kate Rathman (5:09.68) and Delsea sophomore Carly Nicholson (5:10.07) all also ran 5:10 or faster.

Naticchia’s previous PR was 5:13.84 indoors at the state Group 2 meet at the Bennett Center in February. She didn’t compete last year, and this was her first major outdoor 1,600.

Weiner’s previous PR was 5:17.61 three weeks ago at Lenape. Before that it was 5:25.05 indoors.

So that’s a combined … 16.61 seconds in PRs for the Haddonfield teammates at the Rowan Invitational in Glassboro.

Nicholson’s 5:10.07 is also a big PR. She ran 5:16.83 indoors at sectionals. Their times are No. 3 and 5 among all New Jersey sophomores so far this spring.

I may be missing someone, but it looks like Naticchia and Weiner are the 10th and 11th Haddonfield girls to run sub-5:10. It’s a list that includes some pretty accomplished runners, including two Olympians (Erin Donohue and Marielle Hall).

4:41.16 … Erin Donohue, 2000
4:45.97 … Briana Gess, 2014
4:48.73 … Marielle Hall, 2010
5:05.42 … Kaitlyn Bonnet, 2014
5:06.95 … Sarah Naticchia, 2019
5:07.44 … Shelby Cain, 2014
5:07.85 … Vanessa Wright, 2005
5:07.89 … Payton Weiner, 2019
5:08.53 … Susie Cook, 1998
5:08.80 … Elizabeth Sikkema, 2008
5:09.50 … Mia Spinelli, 2009

Naticchia joined Donohue (4:54.0 in 2000), Wright in 2004 (5:05.92) and Gess (5:00.16 full mile in 2014, 4:39.38 1,500 in 2015) as the fourth winner of the four-lap race at the Rowan Invitational.

Unlike the Rowan women, the Rowan men were in a position this weekend where they didn’t have to double or triple (or in some cases quad) their athletes to win a close team title.

For the Rowan men, most athletes competed in only one event, and the ones who did double did it in less strenuous events.

Even with just six athletes scoring in two events — and none in three — Rowan easily won its fifth straight title after The College of New Jersey had won 17 in a row. Rowan previously won titles in 1984 through 1992 as Glassboro State and also from 1994 through 1997.

Rowan dominated the sprints and hurdles, outscoring Stockton 95-5 in the 100, 200, 400, highs and intermediates.

Here’s a look at Rowan’s top point scorers over two days at Stockton University’s Larry James Stadium in Galloway Township.

JOHN OWENS, SOPH., WEST WINDSOR-PLAINSBORO NORTH: Placed third in the 400 intermediates (55.18), not far off his 55.07 PR, and took second in the long jump at 22-4 1/2, for 14. big points.

TYLER GARLAND, SOPH., GLASSBORO: Garland won the high hurdles in 14.37, not far off his wind-aided PR of 14.30, and also took sixth in the intermediates in 56.93 and also led off Rowan’s winning 400-meter relay team, which ran 42.01.

DAYQUAN MURRAY, FRESHMAN, HAMMONTON: Murray placed second in the 200 in 22.49 and fifth in the 100 in 11.27 and ran the third leg on Rowan’s 400-meter relay team.

EARNEST DANIEL, SOPH., KINGSWAY: Daniel cleared 6-2 for second in the high jump and jumped 42-6 3/4 for fifth in the triple jump.

ZAIRE WEAVER, SOPH., PASSAIC COUNTY TECH: Weaver placed in both horizontal jumps, with 42-11 3/4 for third and 21-9 1/2 for sixth.

FRANKIE RICHARD, SOPH., NORTHERN HIGHLANDS: Richard also placed in both horizontals, with 42-10 3/4 for fourth and 21-11 1/2 for fifth.

CHRIS MESIANO, SOPH., SCHALICK: Mesiano, No. 4 nationally in Division 3 at 52.96, won the intermediates in 54.91 and anchored the winning 1,600-meter relay team.

MATT RUSSO, JUNIOR, WESTFIELD: Russo only entered one event and won the steeplechase by more than a minute with a 9:31.30, less than two seconds off his PR.

RAKIM COYLE, FRESHMAN, WILDWOOD CATHOLIC: Coyle won the long jump and smashed his PR with a 23-6, No. 17 in the nation.

DAN MCALEAVEY, SOPH., HOWELL: McAleavey missed his PR by one inch but won the javelin competition with a 199-5. He’s thrown 199-5 or better in three meets, so 200 feet is just a matter of time.

CAM DALEY, SENIOR, CANTON, CT.: Won the decathlon by more than 500 points. Daley posted the No. or No. 2 marks in nine of 10 events, all but the closing 1,500, which he knew he could jog while still easily winning. Daley’s marks: 12.14 for 100, 18-10 1/2 in the long jump, 35-6 3/4 in the shot, 5-8 3/4 in the high jump, 53.86 in the 400, 17.81 high hurdles, 103-1 in the discus, 11-7 3/4 in the pole vault, 150-3 in the javelin and 5:30.70 in the 1,500.

JULIAN PRATT, JUNIOR, CAMDEN: Pratt ran 10.91 to win the 100 and ran the second leg on the winning 4-by-100.

SHAI MUMFORD, SENIOR, WEST DEPTFORD: Led Murray on a 1-2 finish, crossing the line 1-100th of a second in front of his teammate, and also anchored the 4-by-1.

JUSTIN BISHOP, SOPHOMORE, MAINLAND REG.: Bishop led a 1-2-3 400 finish in 49.31 and ran the third leg on the winning 4-by-4.

Rowan got contributions from a bunch of others, including freshman Airrion Scott from Ewing (second in 400, 49.72, leadoff on 4-by-4), sophomore Vincent Delle of Old. Ridge (50.22, third in 400, second leg on 4-by-4), senior Andrew Fitch Henry of Clearview (3:59.38, second in 1,500), freshman Kevin Lauer of Lenape (third in 1,500, 3:59.88), freshman Cyril Harvey from Old Bridge (second in 5,000, 15:20.43), freshman Cheo King of Woodbury (third in long jump) and freshman Julio Lebron of Memorial West New York (third in javelin).

Rowan goes to Swarthmore for a last-chance qualifier Monday and then competes in the All-Atlantic Championships at SUNY Cortland in Cortland, N.Y., next Wednesday and Thursday as a final warm-up for NCAA Division 3 nationals later this month in Geneva, Ohio.

Rowan is ranked No. 2 in the NCAA Division 3 Atlantic Region behind Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute of Hartford, Conn., by the USTFCCCA and No. 13 nationally.

 

What a day for Arianna Smith!

The Pennsville senior won four gold medals with two PRs Tuesday at the Salem County Championships on her home track.

Let’s take a look at her performance:

—> Smith won the 100-meter hurdles with a personal-best 14.44. Her previous best was a 14.64 in the trials of the 2017 Meet of Champions. That’s fastest this year in Group 1 and No. 5 in South Jersey. The Salem County record is a hand-timed 14.1 by Ruth Dickey of Penns Grove in 1983. Smith’s 14.44 is the fastest FAT time on the all-time Salem County list.

—> Smith won the long jump at 17-6 1/4, just over her previous PR of 17-6, which she hit at Group 1 states last year. Her jump is the best this year by a Group 1 girl in New Jersey

—> Smith won the intermediate hurdles in 1:04.22. Her PR is 1:02.76, her winning time at states last year, and she has run 1:02.97 this year, No. 3 in New Jersey

—> Smith teamed up with sophomore Hanna Johnston, freshman Kaitlyn Samuels and freshman Taylor Burchfield to win the 1,600-meter relay in 4:09.25. Audubon and Pennsville rank No. 1 and No. 2 this year among New Jersey Group 1 schools at 4:06.20 and 4:06.39, both from Penn.

Woodstown outscored Schalick, 115-97, to win the girls title.

Junior Madeline Hunt, the SJ-1 high jump champ indoors, had a big day, winning the high jump (4-10), pole vault (9-6) and triple jump (36-0 1/4) for Woodstown

Senior Leah Gibson (12.86 100), junior Indian Norman (25.99 200), junior Annika Hantho (106-8 discus) and sophomore Kara Knorr (97-9 javelin) were other Woodstown winners. Hantho led a 1-2-3 Woodstown discus weep with senior Carmen Santiago and junior Alexis Marini.