From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Twenty-nine years after Holy Cross graduate Vince Labosky won the Penn Relays javelin, another Holy Cross grad has duplicated his feat.

Chris Mirabelli, a junior at Rutgers, threw a personal-best 251-6 and won by 17 inches over Michael Shuey of Penn State. Mirabelli and Shuey both uncorked their big throw on their final attempt of the meet.

He also extended his own school record and moved into the No. 41 spot on the 2017 world list. Only Riley Doleful at 252-4 3/4 ranks among him Against U.S. throwers.

Mirabelli’s previous PR was 250-0, set two weeks ago at the Metropolitan Championships in Piscataway.

Mirabelli now ranks third in NCAA Division 1 this year, trailing only Ioannis Kyriazis Ioannis of Greece (world-leading 288-9) of Texas A&M and Matti Mortimore of North Dakota State and England (254-2).

Labosky won the 1988 and 1990 Penn Relays javelin while at Kansas. Mirabelli, a Lumberton native, was second last year. His younger brother, Nick, was second in the high school javelin on Saturday.

 

 

Deptford’s Khion Smith, MarQuel Davis, Jaythan Vereen and Tariq Bundy teamed up to run 41.89 in their 400-meter relay heat Saturday at the Penn Relays at Franklin Field.

The time was 13th-fastest of 311 schools entered in the Small School 400-meter relay at Penn.

The performance broke the Gloucester County record of 42.12, set by last year’s Deptford team at the state Group 3 meet.

Deptford came back to run 42.07 in the Small School Championship race later Saturday.

Here’s an updated look at the all-time state list, with South Jersey schools bold-faced:

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 … 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
41.6h … Montclair, 1984
41.6h … Montclair, 1972
41.89 … Deptford, 2017
41.91 … Irvington, 2005
41.7h … Camden, 1996
41.7h … Edgewood, 2001
41.98 … Plainfield, 2000

Egg Harbor just missed its eight-year-old school record and ran the fastest 1,600-meter relay by a South Jersey school this year Saturday morning with a 3:17.96 on Day 3 of the Penn Relays at Franklin Field.

Amir Brock was credited with a 46.81 leadoff leg for EHT!

Egg Harbor does not run in the South Jersey 4-by-4 and got into a class race with Calabar of Kingston, Jamaica, which won the race in 3:11.95.

After Brock’s leadoff, Hunter Barbieri split 49.0, Michael Nielson 51.99 and Shaquille Boyd 50.17.

The Eagles’ only faster time is a 3:17.79 to win the 2009 state Group 4 title.

In an earlier race, East Orange, led by Cory Polle’s 47.39 split, ran 3:13.92, the only faster time by a New Jersey school this year.

Egg’s time is 14th-fastest among 507 schools that raced in the 1,600-meter relay at Penn Saturday. Eight of the 13 faster times were produced by schools from Jamaica or Trinidad.

EHT’s time is No. 4 in Atlantic County history, behind Absegami’s 3:15.77 in 2008, Oakcrest’s 3:16.61 in 2011 and Pleasantville’s 3:17.57 in 1996.

 

Jessica Woodard, a junior at Oklahoma, returned home to the Delaware Valley and won the women’s championship shot put at the Penn Relays Thursday with a throw of 55-11 on the grass fields outside Franklin Field.

Woodard, a graduate of Cherokee High School, won by more than 2 1/2 feet over Alyssa Robinson of Penn State.

Woodard’s 55-11 is her best this spring. She threw 57-6 3/4 indoors and 58-7 3/4 last spring when she placed third at NCAAs.

This is the first time Woodard has thrown the shot at Penn. She was third in the discus in 2015 as an Oklahoma freshman and third in the discus in 2013 as a Cherokee senior.

Her 55-11 Woodard’s No. 11 in NCAA Division 1 this year.

Woodard will participate in the championship discus event at 11:30 a.m. Friday.

The Winslow girls pulled off a sick double at the Penn Relays Thursday, running 47.15 to win their heat in the 400-meter relay and then coming back to run 3:51.84 to win the South Jersey Large School 1,600-Meter Relay.

Winslow advanced to the Large School Championship race in the 400-meter relay at 2:27 p.m. Friday and also the Tri-State Championship race at 1:45 p.m. Saturday. In the 1,600-meter relay, they advanced to the Philadelphia Area Championship race at 5:15 p.m. Saturday.

Let’s start with the 400-meter relay.

Tionna Tobias, Flora Ahiarakwe, Iyianna Williams and Shakira Dancy ran for Winslow, which won its race by nearly 2 1/2 seconds.

Winslow’s time was 14th-fastest overall, fifth-fastest in all the Large-School races and fastest of all New Jersey schools, a full second faster than Rancocas Valley’s 48.18. Of the 13 faster schools, eight are from Jamaica, one from the Bahamas, one from Virginia, one from Florida, one from Maryland and one from Pennsylvania.

The time is fourth-fastest in South Jersey history and No. 15 in state history and less than a 10th of a second off the school record of 47.06 set three years ago. The last South Jersey school other than Winslow to run faster was Eastern with Olympic gold medalist English Gardner back in 2003.

Here is the all-time state list, with South Jersey performances in bold:

45.50 … Montclair, 1998
45.89 … Columbia, 2010
46.08 … Trenton, 1984
46.42 … Franklin Twp., 2003
46.84 … Piscataway, 2014
46.87 … Eastern, 2003
46.89 … Franklin Twp., 2001
46.90 … Paramus Catholic, 2010
46.96 … Columbia, 2009
47.02 … Columbia, 2005
47.06 … Winslow Twp., 2014
47.09 … Shabazz, 1986
47.12 … Columbia, 2012
46.9h … Willingboro, 1980
47.15 … Winslow Twp., 2017
47.18 … Winslow Twp., 2013
47.22 … Trenton, 2002
47.27 … Trenton, 1983

In the 1,600-meter relay, Williams, Ahiarakwe, Janeya Hammond and Dancy ran 3:51.84, fastest winning time in the South Jersey Large-School race in 11 years — since Woodrow Wilson ran 3:50.81 in 2006.

Winslow has won the last two South Jersey 4-by-4 races at Penn and four of the last seven.

The 3:51.84 is No. 2 in New Jersey this year, behind only Union Catholic, with Olympian Sydney McLaughlin, who ran 3:39.35 Thursday and qualified for the Championship of America with the No. 2 time overall (behind a 3:37.70 by Hydel of St. Catherine, Jamaica). Union Catholic’s time is No. 2 in state history. McLoughlin split 50.78 on the anchor leg!

Here’s a look at all the winning times since the South Jersey girls 4-by-400 races were added in 1994:

2017 … Winslow Twp., 3:51.84
2016 … Winslow Twp., 3:55.97
2015 … Lenape, 3:59.53
2014 … Lenape, 3:58.42
2013 … Cherokee, 3:54.98
2012 … Winslow, 3:54.53
2011 … Winslow, 3:57.63
2010 … Seneca, 3:56.90
2009 … Seneca, 4:02.63
2008 … Camden, 3:53.88
2007 … Washington Twp., 3:56.69
2006 … Woodrow Wilson, 3:50.81
2005 … Woodrow Wilson, 3:56.77
2004 … Winslow Twp., 3:54.61
2003 … Willingboro, 3:47.30
2002 … Willingboro, 3:51.45
2001 … Woodrow Wilson, 3:51.80
2000 … Willingboro, 3:53.15
1999 … Willingboro, 3:48.80
1998 … Willingboro, 3:53.55
1997 … Willingboro, 3:55.82
1996 … Willingboro, 4:00.45
1995 … Camden, 3:46.94
1994 … Camden, 3:50.45

The Seneca girls on Thursday ran the fastest 3,200-meter relay by a South Jersey school this year, shattering the school record and just missing advancing to Friday’s  Championship of America race at the Penn Relays.

Grayce Heinemann, Carley Tool, Kayla Martin and Sydny Warner ran 9:16.57, fastest in Seneca history indoors or out and No. 10 in South Jersey history indoors or out.

The Golden Eagles placed fourth in the first of two Small-School races at historic Franklin Field. The top 12 teams from the four Small-School and Large-School races advanced to the Friday afternoon Championship of America race. The 12th-fastest time Thursday was 9:12.68. So Seneca fell less than four seconds short. Their time was 16th-fastest overall out of the four races.

Seneca’s time is No. 2 in New Jersey this year, behind only Ridge, which won the second Large-School race is 9:06.60 and qualified for the Championship of America.

Seneca’s previous school record was 9:23.53 to win last year’s state Group 3 meet.

Heinemann led off with a 2:19.2 split. followed by Tool in 2;22.9, Martin in 2:16.2 and Warner in 2:18.5.

Here’s a look at the all-time South Jersey performance list, including times recorded both indoors and out.

9:04.66 … Lenape, 2013 [in]
9:05.62 … Lenape, 2012 [out]
9:05.83 … Lenape, 2008 [out]
9:06.30 … Haddonfield, 2008 [out]
9:09.71 … Lenape, 2012 [in]
9:10.32 … Haddonfield, 2000 [out]
9:11.94 … Lenape, 2008 [in]
9:15.61 … Ocean City, 2014 [out]
9:15.92 … Haddonfield, 2015 [out]
9:16.57 … Seneca, 2017 [out]
9:16.79 … Haddonfield, 1999 [out]
9:18.71 … Lenape, 2011 [out]
9:18.94 … Lenape, 2006 [out]
9:19.15 … Wilson, 2002 [out]
9:19.35 … Wilson, 2002 [in]

Rancocas Valley junior Nick Mirabelli continued his climb up the all-time New Jersey javelin list with his 206-8 win at the 45th annual Woodbury Relays Saturday.

In cold, rainy conditions, Mirabelli added more than feet to his previous PR of 202-4 from the College of New Jersey Invitational a week earlier in Ewing. He’s the only 200-footer in New Jersey this year.

Mirabelli’s 206-8 is No. 11 in state history with the new javelin implement (which went into use in 2002) and No. 4 in South Jersey history behind only NCAA champ Curtis Thompson of Florence, older brother Chris Mirabelli of Holy Cross and current Holy Spirit senior Cade Antonucci, who placed second Saturday with a throw of 198-0 – his best so far this spring.

The only longer throw in Woodbury history with the current javelin is the 209-10 that Nick’s older brother Chris threw to set the meet record in 2014. The next-best throw since 2002 is a 190-4 winner by another R.V. thrower, Robert Marks, last year.

With the old javelin, there were a ton of big throws at Woodbury, including Gil Winters’ meet-record 219-3 in 1990, a 211-3 by Steve Kiessling of Holy Cross in 1989 and a 209-4 by Oakcrest’s Cornelius Cruz in 1994.

Winter’s coach at Willingboro was Mark Mirabelli, Nick’s father.

Here is the updated all-time state list:

224-10 … Curtis Thompson [Florence], 2014
224- 1 … Kaleb Zuidema [Midland Park], 2010
217- 9 … Dean Sullivan [Delbarton], 2011
216- 6 … Chris Mirabelli [Holy Cross], 2014
209-11 … Stephen Burk [Parsippany], 2012
209- 5 … Kevin Steimle [Mahwah], 2009
209- 0 … Josh Suttmeier [North Hunterdon], 2010
208-11 … Kevin Seery [Hanover Park], 2011
207- 7 … Seth Zuidema [Midland Park], 2014
206-10 … Cade Antonucci [Holy Spirit], 2016
206- 8 … Nick Mirabelli [Rancocas Valley], 2017
206- 1 … Mike Brazil [North Arlington], 2014
205-11 … Robert Scales [Middletown South], 2002
204- 3 … Marion Easley [Somerville], 2005
203- 7 … James Malizia [St. Joe’s-Montvale], 2002
203- 6 … Stephen Benigno [Cherry Hill East], 2014
202-10 … Chandler Balter [Livingston], 2014
202- 9 … Brian Florek [Old Bridge], 2007
202- 6 … Jim Tully [Christian Brothers Academy], 2010
202- 0 … Steven Pierce [Ridgewood], 2006
201- 5 … Zachary Torrell [Lacey Twp.], 2011
201- 4 … Will Gonzalez [Cedar Grove], 2010
201- 0 … Sean Biehn [Burlington City], 2006
200- 3 … Cody Unger [Jefferson Twp.], 2008

Even with Nick’s big PR, the Mirabelli brothers still trail the Zuidema brothers of Midland Park in the sibling category, although they are closing fast. Kaleb Zuidema threw 224-1 in 2010 and Seth Zuidema threw 207-7 in 2014 for a family total of 431-8.

Chris and Nick so far have combined to throw 423-2, but Nick has the rest of this season and all of next year to add 8 feet, 7 inches to his PR and seize the family record from the Zuidemas. Nick would need to throw 215-3 for the Mirabellis to take over the New Jersey sibling lead.

It took the fastest time in the state this year for Deptford to edge Pennsauken in one of the best races of the day Saturday at the 45th annual Woodbury Relays.

Deptford ran a state-leading 42.36 to edge Pennsauken’s 42.67 in the Group 3 400-meter relay. They were the top two times of the meet and now stand as the top two teams in South Jersey this year. They rank No. 1 and No. 4 in the state for 2017.

Sophomore Tyriq Bundy led off for Deptford, followed by senior Mar-Quel Davis, sophomore Khion Smith and senior Jaythan Vereen.

Pennsauken used sophomore Nahzir Russell and seniors Jaylen Robinson, Donovan Hines and Martin Booker.

Deptford and Pennsauken both run faster last year. Deptford ran 42.12 at states last year, setting a Gloucester County record. Pennsauken has a 41.85 to its credit from last year’s Meet of Champions.

But in April going into Penn?

Those times are hot.

We put together a list of the fastest 4-by-1 times in Woodbury history, and it’s quite a list! We used the standard .24 conversion for hand times from back in the pre-FAT days.

As you can see, Deptford’s 42.36 Saturday is seventh-fastest at Woodbury since 1990.

2001: Camden, 41.64y [Group 3]
2012: Oakcrest, 41.80 [Group 3]
1996: Camden, 41.94y [Group 4]
2007: Camden, 42.05 [Group 3]
2004: Winslow Twp., 42.07 [Group 4]
2003: Winslow Twp., 42.32 [Group 4]
2017: Deptford, 42.36 [Group 3]
2008: Winslow Twp., 42.44y [Group 4]
2002: Camden, 42.44y [Group 3]
2016: Pennsauken, 42.43 [Group 3]
1997: Camden, 42.44y [Group 4]
1996: Woodrow Wilson, 42.44y [Group 3]
2015: Rancocas Valley, 42.49 [Group 4]
2016: Camden, 42.50 [Group 2]
2009: Camden, 42.54y [Group 2]
2011: Oakcrest, 42.55 [Group 4]
2015: Deptford, 42.56 [Group 2]
2004: Camden, 42.57 [Group 3]
2014: Timber Creek, 42.65 [Group 3]
2017: Pennsauken, 42.67 [Group 3]
1995: Woodrow Wilson, 42.74y [Group 3]
2012: Cherry Hill East, 42.80 [Group 4]
2010: Burlington Twp., 42.84y [Group 3]
2000: Camden, 42.84y [Group 3]
2000: Edgewood, 42.94y [Group 4]
1994: Pleasantville, 42.94y [Group 3]
1990: Willingboro, 42.94y [Group 4]
2005: Deptfod, 42.98 [Group 3]

 

Juniors Flora Ahiarakwe and Shakira Dancy led the Winslow girls to an astonishing sprint relay triple Saturday at the 45th annual Woodbury Relays.

Winslow didn’t win the Group 4 team title at Woodbury — Timber Creek also had a tremendous day and outscored Winslow 58-47 — but Winslow’s sprint triple was ridiculous!

The Eagles ran the No. 1 times in South Jersey this year in the 4-by-100, 4-by-200 and 4-by-400.

Winslow won the 400-meter relay in 47.44, the 800-meter relay in 1:40.30 and the 1,600-meter relay in 3:55.15. The 47.44 broke the meet record of 46.85 set by Winslow in 2004.

Sophomore Tionna Tobias led off the 4-by-1, followed by Ahiarakwe, senior Iyianna Williams and Dancy.

Williams led off the 4-by-200, followed by Ahiarakwe, freshman Janeya Hammond and Dancy.

And in the 4-by-4, the order was Williams, Ahiarakwe, Hammond and Dancy.

How fast did Winslow run?

The 47.44 is No. 6 in South Jersey history and No. 20 in state history. The 1:40.30 is No. 3 in South Jersey history and No. 12 in state history. The 3:55 doesn’t make the all-time lists but for a cold, rainy day in mid-April, it sure augurs well for Penn next weekend.

Let’s get right to the lists!

Here is the all-time South Jersey 400-meter relay list, which shows Winslow holding five of the top eight spots:

46.87 … Eastern 2003
46.9h … Willingboro, 1980
47.06 … Winslow Twp., 2014
47.18 … Winslow Twp., 2013
47.40 … Winslow Twp., 2016
47.44 … Winslow Twp., 2017
47.45 … Willingboro, 1994
47.54 … Winslow Twp., 2003
47.3h … Willingboro, 1981
47.4h … Camden, 1978
47.4h … Camden, 1979
47.75 … Eastern, 2002
47.76 … Winslow Twp., 2005
47.76 … Winslow Twp., 2012
47.82 … Moorestown, 2000
47.85 … Deptford, 2015
47.87 … Winslow Twp., 2011
47.9h … Willingboro, 1995
47.94 … Camden, 1995
48.03 … Penns Grove, 2014
47.8h … Willingboro, 2003
48.07 … Camden, 2006
48.08 … Winslow Twp., 2004
48.08 … Willingboro, 2009
48.12 … Washington Twp., 2001
48.14 … Camden, 1997
48.23 … Woodrow Wilson, 2006
48.23 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2015
48.24 … Camden, 2008
48.25 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2014

And the all-time South Jersey 800-meter relay list:

1:39.21 … Eastern, 2003
1:39.59 … Winslow Twp. 2012
1:40.33 … Winslow Twp., 2017
1:40.62 … Winslow Twp., 2003
1:40.5h … Wilson, 2006
1:40.91 … Winslow Twp., 2004
1:41.10 … Washington Twp., 1999
1:41.20 … Willingboro, 1994
1:41.33 … Camden, 2009
1:41.1h … Camden, 1995
1:41.40 … Winslow Twp., 2005
1:41.2h … Camden, 2006
1:41.54 … Willingboro, 1999
1:41.56 … Highland, 1998
1:41.59 … Eastern, 2002
1:41.7h … Wilson, 2008
1:41.5h … Pleasantville, 1995
1:41.5h … Wilson, 2005
1:41.81 … Willingboro, 1995
1:41.85 … Deptford, 2015
1:41.86 … Willingboro, 2000
1:41.87 … Camden, 2001
1:41.88 … Winslow Twp., 2013

How about this monster triple:

Pennsauken senior Martin Booker Jr. won the 100 in 10.77, the 200 in 21.73 and the 400 in 48.68 Saturday at the Neshaminy Track Classic across the river in Bucks County.

WOW!!!!!

That’s two New Jersey No. 1’s and a N.J. #2 for Booker, who also found time to run a leg on Pennsauken’s 42.81 400-meter relay team.

Booker tied his 100 PR of 10.77, which he originally set when he placed third at last year’s Meet of Champions.

He came within 1-100th of a second of his 200 PR of 21.76, which he ran when he placed second in last year’s Meet of Champions.

And he ran his second-fastest 400, behind only the 48.33 he ran in a hot Liberty Division 400 at the Burlington County Scholastic League championships last spring.

Has any South Jersey sprinter ever run those times in one day? Probably a few guys but I doubt anybody has ever done it this early in the season.

The last New Jersey runner to run that fast in all three events at any point in the same season was Zaire Clemes of Trenton in 2013.

The last South Jersey sprinter to run those three times in the same season was Woodbury’s Shawnee Kersey in 2007. At the Group 1 states at Egg Harbor, Kersey ran 10.76, 21.72 in the 200 and 47.88 in the 400 — but that was over two days.

T.J. Johnson of Egg Harbor Township came very close in 2009, with 10.67 and 21.30 but ran a fraction slower than Booker in the 400 at 48.69.

Booker now ranks No. 1 in New Jersey in the 200 and 400 and No. 2 in the 100 behind Camden County rival Antonio Tarantino of Paul VI, who ran 10.68 last weekend at another Bucks County meet – the Bensalem Invitational.

As for the 42.81, that’s No. 2 in the state this year behind Seton Hall Prep’s 42.75 and No. 1 in South Jersey.

All in all, a pretty good day’s work for Booker Jr.!