From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

The Deptford boys won the state Group 3 400-meter relay title and in the process established themselves as favorites for the Meet of Champions.

Deptford ran 41.71, matching Salem for the top time in New Jersey this year and moving into a tie for the No. 11 spot in South Jersey history.

Sophomores Khion Smith and Tyriq Bundy and seniors Jaythan Vereen and Mar-Quel Davis, a medalist in the 100, ran for Deptford, which lowered its own Gloucester County record of 41.89 set in April at the Penn Relays.

Six other schools ran sub-42.8 at the various state meets, led by Perth Amboy (41.96), Neptune (42.05), Pennsauken (42.07) and Rancocas Valley (42.12). Franklin Township (42.25) and Salem (42.55) were next-fastest.

Deptford’s time is No. 11 in South Jersey history but No. 16 in state history, which tells you how much South Jersey has dominated the race over the years.

All-Time New Jersey 400-Meter Relay List
40.92 .. Winslow, 2003
41.0h … Plainfield, 1980
41.09 … Camden, 2000
41.2h … Weequahic, 1972
41.25 … Camden, 2004
41.25 … Camden, 2001
41.45 … Timber Creek, 2014
41.46 … Franklin Twp., 2016
41.50 … Timber Creek, 2013
41.52 … Plainfield, 1998
41.54 … Camden, 2002
41.62 … Camden, 2003
41.64 … Winslow Twp., 2004
41.65 … Trenton, 1999
41.69 … Willingboro, 1991
41.71 … Edgewood, 2000
41.71 … Salem, 2017
41.71 … Deptford, 2017
41.71 … Teaneck, 2010
41.72 … Plainfield, 1998
41.74 … Rahway, 1985
41.5h … Westfield, 1978
41.80 … Oakcrest, 2012
41.82 … Neptune, 2009
41.83 … Camden, 1997
41.83 … Westfield, 1977
41.83 … Camden, 1997
41.83 … Oakcrest, 2011
41.85 … Pennsauken, 2016
41.86 … Pennsauken, 2017
41.6h … Montclair, 1984
41.6h … Montclair, 1972
41.91 … Irvington, 2005
41.7h … Camden, 1996
41.7h … Edgewood, 2001
41.96 ,.. Perth Amboy, 2017
41.98 … Plainfield, 2000

All-Time South Jersey 400-Meter Relay List
40.92 … Winslow, 2003
41.09 … Camden, 2000
41.25 … Camden, 2004
41.25 … Camden, 2001
41.45 … Timber Creek, 2014
41.50 … Timber Creek, 2013
41.54 … Camden, 2002
41.62 … Camden, 2003
41.64 … Winslow Twp., 2004
41.69 … Willingboro, 1991
41.71 … Edgewood, 2000
41.71 … Salem, 2017
41.71 … Deptford, 2017
41.80 … Oakcrest, 2012
41.83 … Camden, 1997
41.83 … Camden, 1997
41.83 … Oakcrest, 2011
41.85 … Pennsauken, 2016
41.86 … Pennsauken, 2017
41.7h … Camden, 1996
41.7h … Edgewood, 2001

 

Winslow sophomore Tionna Tobias, who’s been knocking on the door of 19 feet since an 18-9 at Easterns in the winter of her freshman year, finally surpassed the 19-foot barrier Saturday as part of a double win at states.

Tobias won the long jump with a 19-3 and also won the high jump at 5-4. Her previous long jump PR was an 18-10 3/4 at last year’s Woodbury Relays, which actually only got her second behind Asia Young’s 19-2 1/4 for Holy Spirit.

She moved into the No. 7 spot in South Jersey history and No. 22 in state history.

Tobias’s season best before Saturday was 18-10 two weeks ago to win the Olympic Conference American Division title.

Tobias helped Winslow roar to the state Group 3 title, doubling up second-place West Essex by a 76-38 margin.

The title is Winslow’s sixth in school history and fifth in a row in Group 3, with the 2015 championship shared with Northern Highlands. Winslow also won Group 4 in 2004.

Only seven schools have won more state girls titles — Notre Dame (12), Pope John XXIII (12), Columbia (10), Glen Rock (seven), Haddonfield (seven), Pingry (seven) and Red Bank Catholic (seven).

Here’s the latest all-time state long jump performance list:

21­-7 ¾ …… Carol Lewis (Willingboro), 1980
20-11 ¾ … Keturah Orji (Mount Olive), 2014
20­-9 ………. Clair Connor (Rahway), 1984
20-2 ………. Keturah Orji (Mount Olive), 2013
20­-0 ½ ….. Teneacia Smith (Cherry Hill East), 1992
20­-0 ½ ….. Cassandra Grant (Passaic), 1980
20-0 ……… Caitlyn Salisbury (Hawthorne), 2016
19-9 ¼ ….. Cidae’a Woods (Winslow Twp.), 2013
19­-8 ¾ ….. Demeika Tweedy (Plainfield), 1993
19­-6 ………. Sharon Johnson (Newark Central), 1982
19-5 ¾ …… Tatiyanna Sanders (Paramus Catholic), 2014
19-5 ¼ …… Mariah Browne (South Brunswick), 2010
19-5 ………. Essence Mayers (Lakewood), 2010
19-5 ……… Nyamekye Opoku-Agyemang (Union), 2017
19­-4 ¾ ….. LaShonda Carter (Rahway), 2006
19-4 ¾ ….. Gabrielle Farquharson (Williamstown), 2011
19­-4 ………. Jen McDermott (Ridgewood), 1989
19-4 ………. Linda Hayes (Monmouth), 1985
19-4 ………. Emily Carson (Haddonfield), 2012
19-3 ¾ …….Hannah Taylor (Montgomery), 2016
19­-3 ½ ….. Celeste Holder (Parisppany), 2005
19-3 ………. Tionna Tobias (Winslow Twp.), 2017
19-2 ¾ …….Asia Young (Holy Spirit), 2016
19-2 ½ ……Gabrielle Bennett (Winslow Twp.), 2015
19-2 ¼ ……Chino Anukwuem (Hanover Park), 2016
19­-2 ………. Robin Taylor (Deptford), 1980
19-1 ¾ …… Timia Joseph (Morris Knolls), 2016
19­-1 ½ ……. Carlene Cummings (Englewood), 1997
19-1 ¼ ……. Kelsey Viera (Hillsborough), 2015
19-1 ¼ …….Sydney McLaughlin (Union Catholic), 2015
19­-1 ……….. Nena Moore Cherry Hill W), 1995
19­-1 ………. Alaina Alfano (Hanover Park), 2005
19-1 ………. Yvonne Wolef (Middle Twp.), 2012
19-1 ………. Tiffany Bautista (Paramus Catholic), 2017
19­-0 ¾ …… Jen Schweizer (Morris Knolls), 1989
19-0 ¼ ….. Morgan McLaughlin (Union Catholic), 2012
19-0 ¼ …… Jasmine Staten (Lenape), 2016
19­-0 ………. Leticia Beverly (Newark Central), 1984
19-0 ………. Adriene Davis (Newark Central), 1988
19-0 ………. Danielle Grady (Notre Dame), 1996

Bishop Eustace sophomore Connor Melko trimmed more than four seconds off his personal-best and placed fourth in the 1,600-meter run at the state Non-Public A meet this weekend at Egg Harbor.

Melko ran 4:17.99, fastest by a South Jersey sophomore in eight years!

The last soph to run faster was Ben Potts of Haddonfield, who ran 4:14.14 back in 2009.

Melko’s previous PR was a 4:22.04 at the Camden County meet last month at Haddon Township.

Previous Eustace school record was 4:19.91 by Anthony Morelli at a meet at Holmdel in May of 2014.

Melko placed fourth in the Non-Public A race behind David Rosas of Don Bosco [4:15.35] and CBA’s Drake Anzano [4:16.64] and Noah Yuro [4:16.84].

His time is 14th-fastest from all the state meets over the weekend and second-fastest among sophomores. The only faster sophomore was Devin Hart of Point Pleasant Beach, who won the state Group 2 title in a ridiculous 4:09.49.

Melko, who won the 1,600 and 3,200 at the state non-Public B indoor meet, ranks No. 2 in South Jersey this year, behind only Shawnee senior Mark Miller, who has a 4:16.86 to his credit. Miller was also the only South Jersey miler to run faster than Melko at states. He was fourth in Group 4 with a 4:17.36.

 

Here are links to full results for the six meets held this weekend at Egg Harbor:

Boys Group 2: Click here.
Boys Group 3: Click here.
Boys Non-Public B: Click here.

Girls Group 2: Click here.
Girls Group 3: Click here.
Girls Non-Public B: Click here.

Team scores: Click here.

The Rancocas Valley girls broke their school record set earlier this year and won a state title in the 400-meter relay Saturday at Egg Harbor.

R.V. ran 47.83, which is No. 16 in South Jersey history but only 8-100ths of a second off the top-10.

The previous school record was 48.18 at the Penn Relays in April.

Even without Aliyah Taylor, who is hurt, Rancocas Valley out-raced second-place Piscataway, which ran 48.14.

Seniors Marissa Francis, Jonise Ledbetter and Sydne Nance and sophomore Maryann Minus-Vincent recorded the first state title for the R.V. girls program since Erika Kemp won the 3,200 in 2013.

It was the first relay title ever for the Rancocas Valley girls, who finished sixth in team scoring with 22 points.

Here’s the all-time South Jersey 400-meter relay list:

46.87 … Eastern, 2003
46.9h … Willingboro, 1980
47.05 … Winslow Twp., 2017
47.18 … Winslow Twp., 2013
47.3h … Willingboro, 1981
47.45 … Willingboro, 1994
47.54 … Winslow Twp., 2003
47.4h … Camden,, 1978
47.4y … Camden, 1979
47.75 … Eastern, 2002
47.76 … Winslow Twp., 2005
47.76 … Winslow Twp., 2012
47.78 … Delsea, 2017
47.8h … Willingboro, 2003
47.82 …Moorestown, 2000
47.83 … Rancocas Valley, 2017
47.85 … Deptford, 2015
47.87 … Winslow Twp., 2011
47.9h … Willingboro, 1995
47.94 … Camden, 2000
48.0h … Camden, 1995
48.0h … Wilson, 2008
48.03 … Penns Grove, 2014
48.07 … Camden, 2006
48.08 … Winslow Twp., 2004
48.08 … Willingboro, 2009
48.09 … Lakewood, 2000
48.1h … Willingboro, 1979
48.12 … Washington Twp., 2001
48.14 … Camden, 1997
48.23 … Wilson, 2006
48.23 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2015
48.24 … Camden, 2008

Here are links to full results for the six meets held this weekend at Egg Harbor:

Boys Group 1: Click here.
Boys Group 4: Click here.
Boys Non-Public A: Click here.

Girls Group 1: Click here.
Girls Group 4: Click here.
Girls Non-Public A: Click here.

Team scores: Click here.

Hammonton junior Alexa Gardner, coming off offseason ACL surgery on her knee, bombed a nine-foot personal-best 142-1 to win the state Group 3 javelin title at Northern Burlington on Saturday.

Gardner’s previous best was a 134-3 to win last year’s Tri-County Conference meet. Her best this year had been a 132-3 to win this year’s Tri-County meet.

She had thrown 122-0 at sectionals and was the No. 3 seed at states but joined the elite 140-foot club to win her first state title. She was fourth last year.

Gardner’s throw makes her the No. 3 performer in Atlantic County history, behind only Jill Shaner of Egg Harbor Township, who threw 152-4 in 2009, and Brielle Smith of Oakcrest, who threw 145-0 this year.

She moved into the No. 7 spot in South Jersey history with the current javelin, which has been in use since 2002. Here’s the all-time South Jersey list, with everybody at 130 feet or better:

• 160-  8 … Maria Jimenez (Vineland), 2012
• 152-  9 … Katherine Johnston (Haddonfield), 2012
• 152-  4 … Jill Shaner (Egg Harbor Twp.), 2009
• 148-  8 … Caitlin Cielo (Eastern), 2002
• 146-  7 … Victoria Imbesi (Our Lady of Mercy), 2008
• 145-  0 … Brielle Smith (Oakcrest), 2017
• 142-  1 … Alexa Gardner (Hammonton), 2017
• 141-  6 … Lindsay Minch (Pennsville), 2010
• 141-  5 … Kelly Yanucil (Bordentown), 2013
• 141-  1 … Tumelo Nwanma (Vineland), 2016
• 141-  0 … Jocelyn McRae (Millville), 2006
• 140-  8 … Julianna Foering (Rancocas Valley), 2017
• 140-  1 … Caitlin Ciello (Eastern), 2002
• 140-  0 … Melissa Lake (Cherokee), 2011
• 139-  9 … Heather Juhring (Kingsway), 2011
• 138-  8 … Kaela Schrier (Cherokee), 2016
• 138-  4 … Megan Saxvanderweyden (Pennsville), 2015
• 137-  6 … Mercedes Glover (Burlington Twp.), 2010
• 137-  6 … Alyssa Whipkey (Pennsville), 2015
• 137-  4 … Danielle Steff (Rancocas Valley), 2016
• 137-  1 … Ayana Culhane (Absegami), 2016
• 136-  0 … Shamire Rothmiller (Glassboro), 2008
• 135-10 … Mary Wilks (Bridgeton), 2007
• 135-  6 … Danielle Still (Bishop Eustace), 2002
• 135-  2 … Nicolette Burns (Kingsway), 2013
• 134-  0 … Niyah Cosme (Vineland), 2016
• 133-  4 … Leah Braidi (Sacred Heart), 2010
• 133-  3 … Javona Ford (Millville), 2010
• 132-10 … Nicole Bayer (Delran), 2014
• 132-  4 … Kelse Reese (Paul VI), 2011
• 131-  9 … Jeanne Berry (Delsea), 2012
• 131-  7 … Emily HIgbee (Holy Spirit), 2013
• 130-  9 … Lynn Brown (Buena), 2015
• 130-  0 … Angela Garofalo (Mainland Reg.), 2006

Kingsway senior Rachel Vick followered her record-setting win in the 1,600 Friday with another personal-best Saturday.

Vick ran away with the state Group 4 title at 3,200 meters with a PR 10:29.28 Saturday at Egg Harbor. Earlier Saturday, Vick ran a PR 2:12.28 in the 800 for second place. She also anchored Kingsway’s third-place 3,200-meter relay team, which ran 9:19.68.

With PRs of 2:12.28, 4:49.26 and 10:29.28, she’s only of only five girls in STATE HISTORY to run sub-2:13, sub-4:50 and sub-10:30 in a high school career.

The others are flat-out legends: Michelle Rowen of Washington Township and Jodie Bilotta of North Hunterdon in the mid-1980s, Olympic Erin Donohue in 2000 and 2001 and Melanie Thompson of Voorhees in 2008 and 2009.

Vick lowered her 3,200 PR Saturday from 10:32.53 to 10:29.28, which ranks No. 6 in South Jersey history and No. 27 in state history.

Will she go 1,600 at the Meet of Champions or take on Alyssa Aldridge of Mainland in the 3,200? Vick told track guru Jim Lambert after the race she’s not sure yet. Either way, it’s going to faaaaaaaaaast!!!

Here’s the updated all-time South Jersey 3,200-meter list, with converted two-mile times:

ALL-TIME S.J. 3,200-METER RUN LIST
10:12.8h ….. Michelle Rowen (Washington Twp.), 1983
10:19.31 … Chelsea Ley (Kingsway), 2009
10:22.02 … Megan Lacy (Cherokee), 2012
10:27.44 … Alyssa Aldridge (Mainland Reg.), 2017
10:28.6h….. Erin Donohue (Haddonfield), 2001
10:29.28 … Rachel Vick (Kingsway), 2017
10:30.57 … Dina Iacone (Washington Twp.), 2012
10:32.4h….. Mindy Rowand (Sterling), 1985
10:33.22 … Holly Bischof (Bishop Eustace), 2012
10:33.25 … Megan Venables (Highland), 2011
10:34.79 … Theresa Cattuna (Cherry Hill East), 2007
10:35.59 … Amanda Goetschius (Delsea), 2007
10:37.47 … Meghan McGlinchey (West Depford), 2009
10:37.53 … Vanessa Wright (Haddonfield), 2005
10:39.15 … Devon Grisbaum (Ocean City), 2015
10:40.24 … Katie Van Horn (Triton), 2005
10:40.80i … Brianna Gess (Haddonfield), 2014
10:40.95 … Erika Kemp (Rancocas Valley), 2013
10:42.22 … Jenn Rawls (Highland), 2009
10:43.3h….. Deanna Germano (Shawnee), 1985
10:44.23 … Brittany Sedberry (Ocean City), 2004
10:45.40 … Julianna Catania (Egg Harbor Twp.), 2016

ALL-TIME STATE 3,200-METER RUN LIST
10:12.8h … Michelle Rowen [Washington Twp.], 1983
10:13.44 … Ashley Higginson [Colts Neck], 2007
10:15.02 … Sarah Disanza [High Point Reg.], 2013
10:17.18 … Melanie Thompson [Voorhees], 2008
10:17.28 … Katy McCafferty [Oak Knoll], 2008
10:18.0h … Jodie Bilotta [North Hunterdon], 1987
10:18.24 … Mackenzie Barry [Mendham], 2012
10:18.7h … Janet Smith [North Edison], 1983
10:19.31 … Chelsea Ley [Kingsway], 2008
10:20.40 … Dana Giordano [Bernards], 2012
10:21.46 … Grace Dwyer [Nottingham], 2015
10:22.02 … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 2012
10:22.87 … Courtney Thompson [St. John Vianney], 2014
10:25.33 … Megan Curham [Villa Walsh], 2013
10:26.14 … Elyssa Gensib [Princeton], 2012
10:26.1h … Christi Constantin [Kittatinny], 1988
10:26.47 … Katy Trotter [Red Bank], 2003
10:26.56 … Eve Glasergreen [North Hunterdon], 2014
10:26.59 … Colette Richter [Mountain Lakes], 2012
10:27.44 … Alyssa Aldridge [Mainland Reg.], 2017
10:27.74 … Colette Whitney [Voorhees], 2010
10:28.11 … Amanda Trotter [Red Bank], 2003
10:28.25 … Kaitlyn Mooney [Southern Reg.], 2016
10:28.35 … Kelly Janokowicz [Hillsborough], 2012
10:28.6h … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 2001
10:28.80 … Caroline Kellner [West Windsor-Plainsboro South], 2012
10:29.28 … Rachel Vick [Kingsway], 2017
10:29.79 … Sarah Pagano [Immaculate Heart], 2008
10:29.97 … Carleen Jeffers [Ridgewood], 2015
10:30.57 … Dina Iacone [Washington Twp.], 2012
10:30.75 … Sam Halvorsen [Ridgewood], 2016
10:31.6h … Cate Guiney [Middletown South], 1999
10:31.6h … Lindsay VanAlstine [Hawthorne Christian], 2003
10:31.93 … Jenn Ennis [Roxbury], 2006
10:32.51 … Shannon Goria [River Dell], 2016
10:32.4h … Mindy Rowand [Sterling], 1985
10:32.86 … Nicol Traynor [Ridge], 2007
10:33.09 … Ciara Roche [Freehold Twp.], 2015
10:33.21 … Dana Klein [Gill-St. Bernard], 2014
10:33.22 … Holly Bischof [Bishop Eustace], 2011
10:33.25 … Megan Venables [Highland], 2010
10:33.9h … Jenna Rogers [Ridgewood], 1994
10:34.04 … Katie Kellner [West Windsor-Plainsboro South], 2009
10:34.60 … Catherine Pagano [Northern Highlands], 2014
10:34.5h … Patti Mileski [Ridgewood], 1983
10:34.5h … Sandra Tignor [Princeton], 1988
10:34.79 … Theresa Cattuna [Cherry Hill East], 2007
10:34.92 … Sierra Castaneda [West Morris Central], 2015

Ken Karcher finished off a wild and extremely rare Group 1 triple Saturday by winning the 200-meter dash at the state Group 1 championships at Egg Harbor.

He’s only the second boy to record an individual triple in the state Group 1 meet in the last 17 years.

And he’s the first South Jersey boy to record a triple win in the state Group 1 meet since Kevin White of Haddon Heights, who in 1992 won the 100 in 11.56, 200 in 22.76 and 110 hurdles in 14.52.

With his 30 points, Maple Shade placed fourth in the state in team scoring, behind only Boonton (51), Schalick (42) and Shore Regional (36).

Karcher becomes the first Burlington County boy to triple in any state meet since Delran’s Todd Lowber won the 100 in 10.93, 200 in 22.16 and high jump at 7-0 in Group 2 in 2001.

He’s the first Burlington County boy to record a Group 1 state triple since Matt Rose of Bordentown won the 200 (22.7), 400 (49.7) and long jump (22-9 1/2) in 1984 — that’s 33 years ago!!!

Karcher won the 200 in 22.03 a day after winning the 400 in 48.75 and the intermediates in 55.03.

Karcher is only the second Group 1 athlete to win three individual events since 2000. The other is Raymond Clark of Abraham Clarke, who won the 110 hurdles, 400 and intermediates just two years ago (14.23, 48.57, 53.35).

Before that, the last Group 1 triple was turned in by Brad Becker of Spotswood, who won the Group 1 800, 1,600 and 3,200 in 1999 with times of 1:58.10, 4:22.72 and 9:39.70.

Karcher is also the second runner to sweep the two one-lap races in the state Group 1 meet in the last 20 years, with Clark obviously the other one.

Before that, you have to go back to Tyrone Ross of Metuchen, who ran 48.61 and 54.14 in the 1996 meet.

Only three other boys have ever won state titles for Maple Shade – Rich Gerke won the mile in 4:25.4 in 1976, Mike Fulton won the 3,200 in 1997 (9:41.90) and the 1,600 in 1998 (4:26.47) and James Buinicky won the 3,200 in 2004 (9:44.86) and swept the 1,600 and 3,200 in 2006 (4:27.32, 9:46.36).

Karcher joins the tremendous program at Monmouth next year.