From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Eastern freshman Jewel Ash, competing in her first sectional meet, won the 400 in 56.23 and the 400 intermediates in 1:02.30 on Day 1 of the South Jersey Group 4 meet at Egg Harbor Friday.

Ash’s 1:02.30 is fastest by a South Jersey freshman since Krystal Cantey of Winslow ran 1:00.74 as a freshman in 2006 when she won the Meet of Champions. The 56.23 is fastest by a South Jersey freshman since Ste’yce McNeil of Winslow ran 56.06 in 2012.

In the intermediates, only two New Jersey freshmen have run faster than Ash since Cantey, both in 2014 — Jenna Reid of Middletown North ran 1:02.29 and future Olympian Sydney McLaughlin ran a national freshman record 55.63.

Ash is the first freshman girl to even place in the top six in the South Jersey Group 4 intermediates since Carly Pettipaw of Lenape was fourth back in 2012.

Her time is 13th-fastest in South Jersey Group 4 sectional history and she becomes the No. 10 performer:

1:00.12 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow], 2005 [1st]
1:00.6h … Mandie Dulin [Shawnee], 1998 [1st]
1:01.23 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow], 2006 [1st]
1:01.49 … Carly Pettipaw [Lenape], 2015 [1st]
1:01.58 … Thaila Cooper [Kingsway], 2014 [1st]
1:01.8h … Tynisha Revels [Camden], 1996 [1st]
1:01.9h … Krystal Cantey [Winslow], 2003 [1st]
1:01.9h … Medea Ashton [Wash. Twp], 1999 [1st]
1:02.0h … Kemelia Campbell [Jackson], 1998 [2nd]
1:02.03 … Jackie Dim [Wash. Twp.], 2008 [1st]
1:02.1h … Mandie Dulin [Shawnee], 1997 [1st]
1:02.29 … Halima Diawara [Toms River North], 2014 [2nd]
1:02.30 … Jewel Ash [Eastern], 2017 [1st]
1:02.45 … Thaila Cooper [Kingsway], 2015 [2nd]
1:02.49 … Krystal Cantey [Wislow], 2004 [1st]
1:02.6h … Amanda Radminski [Wash. Twp.], 2003

Ash’s 56.23 in the 400 is fastest in the South Jersey Group 4 meet since Olympic gold medalist English Gardner, also from Eastern High, ran 55.29 in 2010.

Here’s the all-time SJ-4 performance list in the 400, with Ash trailing only four runners:

54.90 … Nijgia Snapp [Oakcrest], 2009 [1st]
55.15 … Nijgia Snapp [Oakcrest], 2008 [1st]
55.29 … English Gardner [Eastern], 2010 [1st]
55.5h … Mandie Dulin [Shawnee], 1996 [1st]
55.79 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow], 2006 [1st]
55.73 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow], 2005 [1st]
56.16 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow], 2004 [1st]
56.23 … Jewel Ash [Eastern], 2017 [1st]
56.3h … Beth Kalwinsky [Toms River North], 1997 [1st]
56.59 … Chelsea Cox [Southern], 2010 [2nd]
56.70 … Marlene Jack [Mainland Reg.], 2004 [2nd]
56.80 … Brittany Kott [Millville], 2008 [2nd]
56.85 … Olivia Jamison [Pennsauken], 2014 [1st]
56.88 … Shaquando Meylor [Pennsauken], 2005 [2nd]
56.8h … Krystal Cantey [Winslow], 2003 [1st]

Moorestown senior Brandon Outlaw dipped under the 47-second barrier Friday for the first time, moving into the No. 5 spot in South Jersey history with a 46.82 at the Central Jersey Group 3 meet at Bernards High School.

Outlaw, who hadn’t run a serious 400 yet this spring, broke his PR of 47.60 set at last year’s BCSL meet at Northern Burlington.

Outlaw’s time is only 20-100ths of a second off the Burlington County record of 46.62 set 26 years ago by Olympic gold medalist Lamont Smith. It’s just 80-100ths off the South Jersey mark of 46.02 set in 1984 by another Olympic gold medalist, Edgewood’s Dennis Mitchell.

Here’s the updated all-time South Jersey list:

• 46.02 … Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 1984
• 46.62 … Lamont Smith [Willingboro], 1991
• 46.67 … Jamaad Muse [Timber Creek], 2014
• 46.77 … Reuben McCoy [Winslow Twp.], 2004
• 46.82 … Brandon Outlaw [Moorestown], 2017
• 46.90 … Antonio Abney [Willingboro], 2007
• 46.95 … Darrell Bush [Woodbury], 2012
• 47.03 … Royce Reed [Bridgeton], 1994
• 47.1h … Darron Outler [Lenape], 1984
• 47.2h … Levin Handy [Vineland], 1969
• 47.2h … Brian Bennett [Edgewood], 1985
• 47.48 … Ron Hillian [Eastern], 2002
• 47.3h … Curtis Mcintyre [Bridgeton], 1992
• 47.59 … Jade Smith [Camden], 2002
• 47.4h … Ken Moore [Overbrook], 1984
• 47.4h … Chuck Carter [Eastern], 1985
• 47.4h … Barry Douglas [Willingboro], 1993
• 47.64 … Keith Griffith [Florence], 2010
• 47.30 … Rob Gary [Lenape], 1998
• 47.76 … Carl Smith [Camden], 2005
• 47.88 … Shawney Kersey [Woodbury], 2009
• 47.88 … Damiere Byrd [Timber Creek], 2011

Outlaw moved into the No. 14 spot on then all-time New Jersey list, just 14-100ths of a second out of the top 10. Here is the full sub-47-second list!

• 45.71 … Clayton Parros [Seton Hall Prep], 2009
• 46.02 … Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 1984
• 46.28 … Zyaire Clemes [Trenton], 2013
• 46.34 … Ray Williams [Scotch Plains-Fanwood], 2002
• 46.3h … Ron Freeman [Jefferson], 1965
• 46.43 … Najee Glass [St. Peter’s], 2011
• 46.62 … Gary Satterwhite [Rahway], 1985
• 46.62 … Lamont Smith [Willingboro], 1991
• 46.67 … Jamaad Muse [Timber Creek], 2014
• 46.68 … Lance Wigfall [East Orange], 2003
• 46.77 … Reuben McCoy [Winslow Twp.], 2004
• 46.81 … Andrew Valmon [Manchester Twp.], 1983
• 46.81 … Taylor McLaughlin [Union Catholic], 2014
• 46.82 … Brandon Outlaw [Moorestown], 2017
• 46.84 … Kevin Lyles [Franklin], 1991
• 46.87 … Ty Adams [Monmouth Reg.], 1993
• 46.88 … Shaquan Brown [JFK Paterson], 2005
• 46.90 … Antonio Abney [Willingboro], 2007
• 46.94 … Bryant McCombs [Old Bridge], 2005
• 46.95 … Darrell Bush [Woodbury], 2012
• 46.95 … Adian Sanderson [Ewing], 2003
• 46.95 … Charles Cox [Monmouth Reg.], 2007
• 46.8h … Darrell Jeffress [Trenton], 1978

His time is No. 17 in the U.S. this year, with eight of the 16 faster times coming out of either Florida or Texas.

Outlaw won the CJ-3 race last year in 48.07. He was third as a sophomore with a 50.27 in the South Jersey Group 3 meet. As a freshman at St. Augustine, he placed eighth in the non-Public A sectional at Monsignor Donovan in 51.25.

Outlaw broke the Central Jersey Group 3 and overall Central Jersey sectional meet record of 46.95 set by Charles Cox of Monmouth in 2007.

The only faster 400 ever run in any sectional race was Mitchell’s hand-timed 46.4 at the 1984 South Jersey Group meet.

 

Cinnaminson recorded a rare 1-2-3 sweep  Friday, taking the top three spots in the South Jersey Group shot put at Delsea, with all three throwers surpassing 50 feet.

Junior Kamron Kobolak won the event, extending his PR from 54-3 to 55-6. Senior Mateus Medeiros was second at 50-9, improving on his PR of 48-7 by more than two feet. And senior Frank Stepnowski, who has already thrown as far as 53 feet, placed third at 50-2.

That’s 24 points in one event for the Pirates!

This is the seventh straight year Cinnaminson has had at least one medalist in the sectional shot put competition. Here are their medalists the last six years.

2016: Kamron Kobolak, 2nd [50-5]
2015: Ryan Addlesberger, 1st [55-11 3/4]
2014: Ryan Addlesberger, 3rd [50-11]
2013: Ryan Addlesberger, 4th [49-5 1/2]
2012: Sam Ekwonike, 5th [49-10 3/4]
2011: Ryan DiPascale, 6th [48-1 1/2]

And here’s a list of all the sectional shot put champions Cinnaminson has produced:

2017: Kamron Kabolak [55-6]
2015: Ryan Addlesberger [55-11 3/4]
2003: Duane Sanders [50-8]
1992: Craig Turner [51-1 1/2]

Oklahoma junior Jessica Woodard bombed a personal-best 185-10 on her third and final attempt in the discus at the NCAA West Regional preliminaries in Austin on Friday.

She is now the ONLY U.S. woman to throw 60-plus feet in the shot put and 185-plus feet in the discus this year!

WOW!!!!!

Woodard, a 2013 Cherokee High School graduate, was already sitting in ninth place and appeared to be heading to Eugene in the disc after two throws, but she made sure of it on her final attempt, adding nearly six feet to her previous PR of 179-11, set earlier this month at the Big 12 championships.

Woodard, the No. 15 seed, finished sixth. The top 12 qualify for nationals next month at Hayward Field. Woodard will compete in the shot put on Saturday.

Woodard just missed the school record of 186-1, set in 2010 by Brittany Borman at a meet in Denton, Texas.

Her mark is No. 17 among all U.S. women this year. Since nobody in the East Regional threw 170 feet, she’ll go into NCAAs as the No. 6 seed in the discus.

Woodard was sitting in sixth place after opening with a 176-2 throw, not far off her PR, and dropped to ninth place after fouling on her second throw. As it turned out, the 176-2 would have advanced her as the 11th-place finisher.

Woodard is ranked seventh among U.S. women in the shot with her PR of 60-3 at Big 12s.

Rowan junior David Benjamin from Freehold Township and senior Chase Tolliver from Oakcrest lead all qualifiers into the finals of the 110-meter high hurdles at the NCAA Division 3 track championships.

Benjamin ran 14.23 and Toliver 14.27 during Friday’s semifinals. No other hurdlers ran under 12.40. Benjamin ran within 1-100th of a second of his PR of 14.22, and Toliver lowered his PR from 14.34. The wind was a legal 2.0 meters per second – the limit for a race to be considered wind-legal.

This is the first time two hurdlers from the same school have gone under 14.30 at Division 3 nationals since 1997, when Tyrone Watkins and Alonzo Wiggins of Lincoln University in Oxford Township, Chester County, ran 13.95 and 14.16 for a 1-2 finish in the finals in LaCrosse, Wisc.

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

In addition to the top two seeds in the 110 highs final, Rowan has the No. 1 seed in the intermediate hurdles finals in Anthony Salemo, the No. 3 seed in the 4-by-4, the No. 6 seed in the 4-by-1 final and the No. 6 seed in the 3,000 steeplechase in Kevin Veltre.

 

Junior Anthony Salemo posted the fastest qualifying time in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles to lead a solid Rowan University contingent into the finals at the NCAA Division 3 track and field championships at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio.

Salemo ran 52.22 to win the second of three sections and lead all qualifiers into Saturday’s finals.

Salemo also ran a leg on Rowan’s 1,600-meter relay team, which ran a season-best time and posted the third-fastest qualifying time.

In the 1,600-meter relay, Salemo, Marquis Tabb, Walter Victor and Jamil Jackson ran 3:12.67. Their previous fastest time this year was a 3:13.96.

Rowan’s 400-meter relay team ran 41.23 to advance to Saturday’s finals. The team of Dior Hightower, Jonathan Ramirez, Shai Mumford and David Benjamin posted the sixth-fastest qualifying time. The Profs’ time is only 5-100ths off their season-best of 41.18.

Junior Kevin Veltre easily got through to the steeplechase final with a 9:20.58 for third in the second section and an automatic qualifier. The top five in each of two races plus the next four-fastest advanced to Saturday’s championship race.

For a detailed look at Rowan’s competitors on Friday and Saturday, click here.

Curtis Thompson of Mississippi State and Chris Mirabelli of Rutgers, rivals since they were freshmen at nearby Burlington County high schools, both easily advanced through NCAA Eastern Regionals and earned spots in the javelin at next month’s NCAA Track Championships in Eugene.

Thompson threw 240-3 and Mirabelli 227-0, and they finished as the second and third qualifiers behind Michael Shuey of Penn State, who threw 242-5 on his final attempt. Shuey was second to Mirabelli at the Penn Relays.

Mirabelli, a 2014 graduate of Holy Cross, opened with a 223-1 and followed that with a 227-0. He fouled on his third attempt

Thompson, a 2014 graduate of Florence, opened with a 219-11, then threw 218-7 before popping his 240-3, less than three feet off his season best.

The top 12 finishers from each of two regional competitions Thursday advanced to the NCAA Championships at Hayward Field. The javelin is scheduled for June 7.

Thompson won the NCAA title last year with a 254-9 throw and was third in 2015 at 247-5. Mirabelli has competed in NCAAs in each of the last two seasons as well but has not yet placed higher than 17th.

Mirabelli has a season-best and career-best 251-6 from this year’s Penn Relays and entered regionals ranked No. 2 in the country.

Thompson had a season-best of 243-0 from the Florida Relays in March, seventh-best in NCAA Division 1 this year, but set a career-best of 271-11 in placing second at the U.S. Olympic Trials last year. He’s No. 11 in collegiate history and No. 17 on the all-time U.S. list.

 

 

You can peruse or download a *.pdf of the NJSIAA’s official sectional meet program by clicking here!

The program lists updated meet records for all public and non-public sectionals, records of best marks from all groups within each section, lists of most team champions, lists of all team champions in meet history, lists of most consecutive team titles, sectional rosters for all schools and much more!

 

The Rowan men head to the NCAA Division 3 championships with a loaded roster and a chance at winning the program’s first national title in 33 years!

Under legendary coach Bill Fritz, the Profs won five straight national titles from 1980 through 1984 after placing second twice in a row in 1978 and 1979.

This year’s Rowan team is ranked No. 1 by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

Here’s a look at where Rowan will try to score this weekend at the SPIRE Institute facility in Geneva, Ohio:

200-METER DASH (trials 3:45 p.m. Thursday, final 2:50 p.m. Saturday): West Deptford graduate Shai Mumford, a Rowan sophomore, shares the No. 8 seed at 21.32, but seeds three through 16 are separated by only 15-100ths of a second — from 21.23 to 21.38. Mumford is the only Prof entered in a flat race this weekend.

3,000-METER STEEPLECHASE (trials 4:30 p.m. Thursday, final 11:45 a.m. Saturday): Kevin Veltre, a junior out of Brick Memorial, is the No. 16 seed at 9:09.85, although the gap separating seeds 4 through 20 is only eight seconds.

110-METER HIGH HURDLES (trials 2:30 p.m. Friday, final 1 p.m. Saturday): A good chance for big points here. Junior David Benjamin of Freehold Township and senior Chase Tolliver out of Oakcrest are seeded third and sixth at 14.22 and 14.36.

400-METER INTERMEDIATE HURDLES (trials 3:15 p.m. Thursday, final 2:25 p.m. Saturday): Another huge scoring opportunity. Junior Anthony Salemo out of Ramsey ran 51.33 earlier this month to earn the No. 1 seed and sophomore Chris Mesiano out of Schalick is also a scoring threat as the No. 8 seed with a 52.89. Salemo was eighth last year.

HIGH JUMP (1:30 p.m. Friday): Rowan brings two of the top Division 3 high jumpers in the country to Geneva, juniors Jeffrey Jon Tucker of Eastern and Harrison Escoffery of Hackensack both with season bests of 6-10 1/2. So they share the No. 2 seed with two other jumpers. A real chance for huge points here. Tucker was fourth last year.

LONG JUMP (1:15 p.m. Thursday): Tucker is also No. 4 seed in the long jump at 24-10 and will be joined by senior teammate Justyce Pollyte from St. Augustine, who has gone 23-10 1/4. He was fifth last year.

TRIPLE JUMP (10:30 a.m. Saturday): Escoffery is the No. 14 seed at 48-1 1/4.

DISCUS (1 p.m. Thursday): Glenn Kohles, a senior from Toms River East, is No. 5 seed with a 170-1 earlier this year.

JAVELIN (5 p.m. Thursday): Sophomore Ryan Gebhardt out of Walkill Valley and Newfoundland, N.J., in Sussex County, threw 207-11 this year and is the No. 7 seed

400-METER RELAY (trials 2 p.m. Thursday, final 12:15 p.m. Saturday): The Profs are seeded fifth at 41.18 and will likely race with a lineup of Dior Hightower, Jonathan Ramirez, Mumford and Benjamin. The same four runners placed fourth last year in 40.92.

1,600-METER RELAY (trials 5:15 p.m. Thursday, final 4 p.m. Saturday): Senior Marquis Tabb (Pemberton), Ramirez, junior Jamil Jackson (Highland) and Salemo are seeded eighth with a 3:13.96.

Rowan also has a number of women headed to Geneva. For more information on the women headed to nationals, click here.

For a full listing of entrants in each event, click here.

For a history of NCAA Division 3 track, click here.

Where are South Jersey’s schools heading this weekend? Here’s everything you need to know about this weekend’s sectional meets!

First, a look at where all the South Jersey schools will be competing. These lists do not include Central Jersey schools competing in the South Jersey sections!

At Bernards High School
Set GPS to: 25 Olcott Ave, Bernardsville, NJ 07924
Order of Events:
Group 2 boys
Group 3 boys
Group 2 girls
Group 3 girls
Central Jersey Group 3
Burlington Twp.
Moorestown
Northern Burlington
Pemberton
Pennsauken
Central Jersey Group 2
None

At Hillsborough High School
Set GPS to: 466 Raider Blvd, Hillsborough Township, NJ 08844
Order of Events:
Group 1 boys
Group 4 boys
Group 1 girls
Group 4 girls
Central Jersey Group 4
None
Central Jersey Group 1
Burlington City
Florence
New Egypt
Palmyra
Riverside

At Delsea High School
Set GPS to: 242 Fries Mill Rd, Franklinville, NJ 08322
Order of Events:
Group 2 boys
Group 3 boys
Group 2 girls
Group 3 girls
Non-Public B boys
Non-Public B girls
South Jersey Group 3
Absegami
Bridgeton
Gloucester Twp. Tech
Cherry Hill West
Cumberland
Delsea
Deptford
Highland
Mainland
Ocean City
Pinelands
Seneca
Timber Creek
Triton
Winslow Twp.
Woodrow Wilson
South Jersey Group 2
Barnegat
Bordentown
Camden
Cedar Creek
Cinnaminson
Collingswood
Delray
Haddonfield
Lower Cape May
Middle Twp.
Oakcrest
Pleasantville
Sterling
West Deptford
Willingboro
Non-Public South B
Gloucester Catholic
Holy Cross
Our Lady of Mercy
St. Joe’s – Hammonton
Wildwood Catholic

At Egg Harbor Township
Set GPS to: 24 High School Dr, Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234
Order of Events:
Group 1 boys
Group 4 boys
Group 1 girls
Group 4 girls
Non-Public A boys
Non-Public A girls
South Jersey Group 4
Atlantic City
Cherokee
Cherry Hill East
Clearview
Eastern
Egg Harbor Twp.
Kingsway
Lenape
Millville
Rancocas Valley
Shawnee
Vineland
Washington Twp.
Williamstown
South Jersey Group 1
Schalick
Audubon
Buena
Clayton
Gateway
Glassboro
Gloucester City
Haddon Heights
Haddon Twp.
Lindenwold
Maple Shade
Overbrook
Paulsboro
Penns Grove
Pennsville
Pitman
Salem
Wildwood
Woodbury
Woodstown
Non-Public South A
Bishop Eustace
Camden Catholic
Paul VI
St. Augustine

For the order of events, info on the North Jersey sectionals and much more info, click here.