From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

And now the girls all-time Easterns performance list!

(incomplete non-winning results 1980-1984, full results 1985-2016)
55-METER DASH
6.5+ … Michelle Glover (Willingboro), 1980
6.84 … Myasia Jacobs (Paramus Catholic), 2011
6.91s … Lynne Layne (New Rochelle), 2006
6.91 … English Gardner (Eastern), 2010
6.92 …….. Gardner, 2008
6.92s ……… Jacobs, 2011
6.93 … Brenesha Thompson (Medger Evers), 2015
6.93s …….. Jacobs, 2010
6.94 … Halle Hazzard (St. Anthony’s, N.Y.), 2016
6.95+ .. Denise Mitchell (Edgewood), 1983
6.97 … Jenna Harris (Franklin), 2003
6.97t … ….. Hazzard, 2016
6.98 … Virgil Hodge (Washington Irving, N.Y.), 2003
6.98s …….. Layne, 2006
6.98s …….. Harris, 2003
6.99 … Dominique Booker (Immaculate Conception), 2008
7.00+ … Angie Johnson (Nashua, N.H.), 1989
7.00 … Amandi Rhett (Moorestown), 2000
7.00 … Torie Robinson (Winslow), 2014

200-METER DASH
23.77 … Whitney Fountain (Chris. Columbus, N.Y.), 2009
23.99s ……..Fountain, 2009
24.00s …….. Sydney McLaughlin (Union Catholic), 2016
24.02 … Darius Symone (New Rochelle, N.Y.), 2014
24.03s …….. Fountain, 2010
24.03s …….. Simone, 2014
24.19 … Tiandra Ponteen (Washington Irving, N.Y.), 2001
24.21 … Dominique Booker (Immaculate Conception), 2008
24.25 … Kyle Plante (Colonie, N.Y.), 2010
24.32 … Quashira McIntosh (Hope, R.I.)
24.34 … Toneisha Friday (Franklin Twp.), 2005
24.34s …….. Booker, 2008
24.37s …….. Plante, 2010
24.38s … Krystal Cantey (Winslow), 2006
24.38s … Raquel Vassell (East Orange), 2006
24.38 … Zoey Russell (Fredrick Douglas), 2008

400-METER DASH
54.40 … Zola Golden (Arlington, N.Y.), 2014
54.87 … Neisha Bernard-Thomas (Tilden, N.Y.), 2000
54.91 … Nijgia Snapp (Oakcrest), 2008
54.98 … Tawana Watkins (Paterson Kennedy), 2002
55.14 … Okechi Ogbuokiri (Willingboro), 2003
55.23 … Dominique Blake (Harry S Truman, N.Y.), 2004
55.25 … Elizabeth Mott (New Rochelle, N.Y.), 2008
55.27 … Paris Peoples (Cardozo, N.Y.), 2016
55.32 … Amber Allen (Passaic County Vo-Tech), 2008
55.42 … Jennifer Edobi (Union), 2014
55.44 Kyle Plante (Colonie, N.Y.), 2009

800-METER RUN
2:09.26 … Janine Davis (Queen of Peace), 2005
2:09.94 … Brittany Sheffey (Bellport, N.Y.), 2005
2:10.61 … Olivia Williams (St. Anthony’s, N.Y.), 2011
2:11.16 … Alaine Tate (Bayside, N.Y.), 2010
2:11.26 … Brianna Welch (North Shore, N.Y.), 2007
2:11.35 … Ellen Dougherty (Riverhead, N.Y.), 2004
2:11.37 … Kristin Reese (Carmel, N.Y.), 2008
2:11.80 … Kameron McIntosh (Suffern, N.Y.), 2013
2:11.85 … Jessica Gelibert (Bay Shore, N.Y.), 2012
2:11.86 … Erica Johnson (Bayview Academy, N.Y.), 2013

ONE-MILE RUN
4:43.1 … Michelle Rowen (Washington Twp.), 1983
4:45.09 … Ceci Hopp (Greenwich, Ct.), 1981
4:50.11 … Maddy Berkson (Classical, R.I.), 2014
4:52.31 … Eileen Ellig (Rutland, Vt.), 1985
4:52.36 … Shola Lynch (Hunter, N.Y.), 1986
4:52.37 … Patty Weigand (Conestoga, N.Y.), 1986
4:52.55 … Nnena Lynch (Hunter, N.Y.), 1987
4:53.36 … Lisa Welch (Peabody, Mass.), 1981
4:54.73 … Erin Donohue (Haddonfield), 2001
4:55.05 ……… Weigand, 1987
4:55.24 …….. N. Lynch, 1989
4:55.87 …….. N. Lynch, 1988
4:55.98 … Hannah Bonaguidi (Delaware Valley), 2016
4:56.86 … Laurie Glynn (Winchester, Mass.), 1981
4:57.56 … Wendy Delan (Bonny Eagle, Maine), 1986

TWO-MILE RUN
10:22.29 … Leslie Welch (Peabody, Mass.), 1981
10:28.20 … Aisling Cuffe (Cornwall, N.Y.), 2010
10:32.73 … Katie McCafferty (Oak Knoll School), 2008
10:34.26 … Christine Crowley (Wellesley, Mass.), 1986
10:35.66 … Anne Letko (North Hunterdon), 1986
10:36.63 … Bella Burda (Arlington, N.Y.), 2014
10:38.0 ….. Cathy Feeney (Wayne Valley), 1990
10:40.01 … Jodie Bilotta (North Hunterdon), 1987
10:40.6 …. Molly Murray (Plymouth Whitemarsh), 1981
10:40.8 …..Patti Mileski (Ridgewood), 1983

60-YARD HURDLES
7.66 … Sydney McLaughlin (Union Catholic), 2015
7.71 … Charmaine Walker (Plainfield), 1997
7.75s …….. McLaughlin, 2015
7.76 … Lindsay Rowe (Benjamin Cardoza, N.Y.), 2007
7.82q … Dawn Bowles (Neptune), 1988
7.87p …….. McLaughlin, 2015
7.88 … Alyssa Sandy (Paul Robeson, N.Y.), 2016
7.89 … Nia Ali (Pleasantville), 2006
7.89 … Ste’cye McNeil (Winslow), 2012
7.89s …….. Sandy, 2016
7.91s … Lindsay Rowe (Benjamin Cardoza, N.Y.), 2007
7.92 … Shenea Dawkins (New Rochelle), 2002
7.93 … Allison Williams (Brentwood, N.Y.), 1989
7.93 … Wendy Vereen (Trenton), 1983

HIGH JUMP
5-11 … Emily Kianka (Hopewell Valley), 2010
5-10 … Deb Vento (Freehold Boro), 2003
5-10 … Lacey Shuman (Maryvale Prep), 2010
5- 9 … Tatiana Smolin (Randolph), 1985
5- 9 … Shauna Byfield (Manhasset, N.Y.), 2000
5- 8 … Tish Edwards (Mater Dei), 1980
5- 8 … Shelley Mitchell (Lakewood), 1988
5- 8 … Tammy Peeples (Weston, Mass.), 1991
5- 8 … Stacy Grant (South Shore, N.Y.), 1995
5- 8 … Kathy Kilar (North Edison), 1996
5- 8 … Michelle June (Meade, Md.), 1997
5- 8 … Jessica Taibe (Hunterdon Central), 2000
5- 8 … Lauren Biscardi (Shoreham Wading, N.Y.)
5- 8 … Carin Knight (New Rochelle, N.Y.)
5- 8 … Lataya Dixon (J.P. Stevens), 2007
5- 8 … Sarah Palmer (Schuylerville), 2010
5- 8 … Kyaira Wright-Harmon (Franklin), 2012
5- 8 … Noel Jancewicz (Robbinsville), 2012
5- 8 … Megan McCloskey (Germantown Academy), 2013
5- 8 … Kate Gulbrandsen (Lawrenceville), 2014

POLE VAULT
13-0 … Danielle O’Reilly (Shawnee), 2004
13-0 … Megan Clark (Jamesville DeWitt, N.Y.), 2011
12-6 … Michelle Rubinitti (Northern Valley), 2016
12-0 … Lindsay Rosales (Washingtonville, N.Y.), 2003
12-0 … Jessica Kloss (Moorestown), 2004
12-0 … Julianne Toto (Middletown South), 2005
12-0 … Stephanie Duffy (Washingtonville, N.Y.), 2007
12-0 … Michelle Quimby (Shenendehowa, N.Y.), 2009
12-0 … Nicole Pompei (Hanover Park), 2009
12-0 … Kayula Polcai (Ridgewood), 2010
12-0 … Chelsea Hartigan (Ramapo), 2010
12-0 … Catherine Shih (Bernards), 2010
12-0 … Kayla Polcai (Ridgewood), 2011
12-0 … Dana Schweiger (Toms River North), 2011
12-0 … Carissa Leonard (Lakeland-Panus, N.Y.), 2011
12-0 … Chelsea Vaughan (Southern Regional), 2012
12-0 … Jenna Calandro (Newtown, N.Y.), 2014
12-0 … Nicole Macco (Matawan), 2014

LONG JUMP
20- 8 … Keturah Orji (Mount Olive), 2014
20- 6 ¼ … Carol Lewis (Willingboro), 1980
19-11 ½ … Nolle Graham (Taft, N.Y.), 1998
19- 8 … Cidae’a Woods (Winslow Twp., N.J.), 2013
19- 7 ¾ … Adja Sacker (Worcester Tech, Mass.), 2016
19- 7 ½ … Keyon Soley (Uniondale, N.Y.), 1998
19- 7 ½ … Lynn Layne (New Rochelle, N.Y.), 2006
19- 5 ½ … Claire Connor (Rahway), 1984
19- 5 ½ … Jennifer Clayton (Suffern, N.Y.), 2009
19- 4 ½ … Chinela Davis (North Rockland, N.Y.), 2001
19- 4 … Celeste Holder (Parsippany), 2006

TRIPLE JUMP
43-11 ½ … Keturah Orji (Mount Olive), 2014
40-11 … Stephanie McIntyre (South Brunswick), 2007
40- 8 ½ … Gabriela Baiter (Elwood-John Glenn, N.Y.), 2007
40- 6 … Carlene Cummings (Englewood), 1998
39-9 ¼ … Kirsten Fields (Mount Vernon, N.Y.), 2005
39-9 … Bryanna Grant (Cranford), 2012
39-7 ¾ … Adefunke Sonaike (Montgomery), 2012
39-7 ¼ … Iana Amsterdam (Essex County Vo-Tech), 2011
39- 6 ¾ … Ebony Young (Hillsborough), 2009
39- 5 … Shenae Dawkins (New Rochelle), 2002

SHOT PUT
54-11 … Alyssa Wilson (Donovan Catholic), 2016
51-  8 … Nickolette Dunbar (Whippany Park), 2016
49-10 … Jessica Molina (Westwood), 2016
48-10 …….. Molina (Westwood), 2015
47- 8 ½ … Danielle Notarfrancesco (Jackson Liberty), 2016
47-4 ¾ … Vanessa Stewart (North Babylon, N.Y.), 2010
46-9 … Jackie Hudgins (Hightstown), 2001
46-6 … Theresa Picciallo (Immaculate Heart), 2011
46- 1 ½ …Amarys Berry (Hackensack), 2016
45-11 ¼ … Nicole Sims (Plainfield), 1991
45-9 … Apresha Hampton (Teaneck), 2011
45-9 … Theresa Picciallo (Immaculate Heart), 2012
45-8 … Melody Johnson (No. Attleboro), 1986
45-7 … DeAnne Hahn (Brick Twp.), 2007
45-5 … Kelly Fazekas (Northern Valley-Demarest), 2003
45-5 … Taryn O’Connor (Hillsborough), 2007

800-METER RELAY

1:38.40 … Paul Robeson, 2016
1:39.27 … Middle College/Medger Evers, N.Y., 2011
1:39.29 … Union Catholic, 2016
1:39.41 … Uniondale, N.Y., 2007
1:39.86 … Paul Robeson, N.Y., 2001
1:39.94 … Hempstead, N.Y., 2007
1:40.22 … Medgar Evers, 2015
1:40.37 … Washington Irving, N.Y., 2001
1:40.51 … Hempstead, N.Y., 2005
1:40.76 … Hope, R.I., 2012
1:40.76 … New Rochelle, N.Y., 2013
1:40.77 … Moorestown, 2000

1,600-METER RELAY
3:46.80 … Columbia, 2013
3:47.03 … Union Catholic, 2015
3:48.7+ … Plainfield, 1980
3:49.07+ … Camden, 1995
3:49.19 … Boys and Girls, 2007
3:49.27 … Willingboro, 2003
3:49.74+ … Plainfield, 1981
3:50.55+ … Snyder, 1981
3:51.30+ … Tilden, N.Y., 1987
3:52.31 … Simon Gratz, Pa., 1998

3,200-METER RELAY
9:05.40 … Columbia, 2014
9:06.94 … Pope John XXIII, 2007
9:11.22+ … Upper Perkiomen, Pa., 1982
9:11.37 … Lenape, 2012
9:11.94 … Lenape, 2008
9:12.67 … Bay Shore, N.Y., 1996
9:13.0+ … Notre Dame, N.Y., 1987
9:13.30 … Southern Regional, 2009
9:13.82 … Freehold Township, 2013
9:13.92 … Boys and Girls, N.Y., 2001

DISTANCE MEDLEY
11:48.61 … Southern Regional, 2009
11:49.59 … Warwick Valley, N.Y., 2008
11:49.62 … Southern Regional, 2007
11:50.86 … Boys and Girls, Brooklyn, N.Y., 2002
11:51.54 … Red Bank Regional, 2002
11:51.28 … Shenendehowa, N.Y., 2009
11:52.9 … Red Bank Regional, 2003
11:53.54+ … Bernards, 1983
11:54.63 … Lenape, 2013
11:55.32 … Red Bank Catholic, 2012

The first time I went to Easterns was the winter of 1987 at Jadwin Gym. It was just a boys meet back then, with a separate, unrelated girls Easterns taking place every winter in Boston. It wasn’t until years later at the Armory that the meets merged into what we now know as the Easterns.

In any case, when I arrived in Princeton that day 29 years ago I quickly bought a meet program, which was jammed full of historical info about the meet and all-time top-10 performance lists for every event. I’ve always loved all-time lists so I made sure to keep that program.

When the meet moved out of Jadwin, the program disappeared, as did the all-time lists. But eventually I found that 1987 program and typed up the performance lists and updated them with all the missing results I could find in Ed Grant’s old spring annuals.

Ed was incredibly generous helping me fill in some blanks with early meets where various non-winning marks weren’t available anywhere.

I’ve been updating the lists ever since, so what appears here is the current Easterns boys top-10 performance list that originated in that 1987 program.

I’ll post the girls list later. That was harder to put together, since I never had a program from the Boston meet and former meet directors and other track statisticians refused to cooperate when I asked for their help putting together an all-time Easterns girls performance list.

But eventually I was able to track down 99 percent of the missing results and came up with a girls list as well.

So here’s the boys list. Some great names on here! I’ll post the girls list tomorrow!

As always, please forward any additions or corrections to me in the comments section!

BOYS
does not include some non-winning results before 1973
boys meet not held in 1973 or 1992
Schools in New Jersey Unless Otherwise Noted
55-METER DASH (hand time)
6.0+ … Mike Kee (Camb. Ridge and Latin, Mass.), 1975
6.1+ … John Chambers (Neptune), 1974
6.1+ … Frank Kelly (Westfield), 1977
6.2+ … Steve Strother (New Rochelle), 1976
6.2+ … Jason Grimes (Overbrook, Pa.), 1977
6.2+ … Carlos Roberts (Franklin Twp.), 1978
6.3+ … Adley Raboy (Maine-Endwell, N.Y.), 1976
6.3+ … Waiters (JFK, N.Y.), 1976
6.3+ … Ray Allen (Long Beach, N.Y.), 1977
6.3+ … Steve Curry (Franklin Twp.), 1977

55-METER DASH (FAT time)
6.29 …. Terrell Wilks (Hames Hillhouse, N.Y.0, 2007
6.31+ … Luis Morales (Oxon Hill, Md.), 1982
6.31+ … Dennis Mitchell (Edgewood), 1983
6.31+ … Reginald Dixon (Plainfield), 2007
6.31+ … Jermaine Brown (Medger Evers, N.Y.), 2009
6.32 …. Maxwell Booker (Essex Catholic), 2001
6.34+ … Darren Walker (Meade, Md.), 1980
6.34+ …… Mitchell, 1984
6.34+ … Barney Borromeo (Nashua, Md.), 1986
6.34 …. Jamar Ervin (Camden), 2001
6.34 …. Miles Shuler Foster (Long Branch), 2011

200-METER DASH (run since 1994)
21.31 … Michael Blake (Mt. Vernon, N.Y.), 2011
21.34 … Adian Sanderson (Ewing), 2004
21.37 … Rai Benjamin (Mount Vernon, N.Y.), 2015
21.37s .. Taylor McLaughlin (Union Catholic), 2015
21.42s ….. Benjamin, 2015
21.50 … Mike Abelard (Ramapo, N.Y.), 2008
21.53 … Darrell Bush (Woodbury), 2012
21.61 … Terrell Wilks (Hillhouse, N.Y.), 2007
21.62 … Todd Dutch (Washington Twp.), 2002
21.63 … Brian Bucknor (St. Benedict’s), 2008
21.67 … Tristan Walker (South Shore, N.Y.), 2005

400-METER DASH (run since 1994)
47.13 … Zyaire Clemes (Trenton), 2014
47.20 … Lance Wigfall (East Orange Campus), 2003
47.30 … Taylor McLaughlin (Union Catholic), 2014
47.31 … Rai Benjamin (Mt. Vernon, N.Y.), 2014
47.45 … Ray Williams (Scotch Plains), 2002
47.54 … Najee Glass (St. Peter’s-Jersey City), 2011
47.69 … Kedar Inico (Campus Magnet, N.Y.), 2001
47.71 … Melville Rogers (Transit Tech, N.Y.), 2002
47.75 … Shaquan Brown (JFK Paterson), 2005
47.78 … Adian Sanderson (Ewing), 2004

800-METER RUN (run since 1994)
1:51.98 … Paul Joyce (Clarkstown South, N.Y.), 2000
1:52.11 … Edward Cheserek (St. Benedict’s, N.J.), 2013
1:52.12 … Gabriel McLaren (Freeport, N.Y.), 2003
1:52.47 … Brian Scotland (St. Benedict’s), 2005
1:52.47 … Sean Tully (Syosset, N.Y.), 2005
1:52.65 … Jason Apwah (Roxbury), 2007
1:52.86 … Greg Gomez (Franklin), 2004
1:52.86 … Ken Sinkovitz (Bergen Catholic), 2003
1:53.22 … James Buser (Mahwah), 2014
1:53.27 … Justin Romaniuk (Suffern, N.Y.), 2000

ONE-MILE RUN
4:11.6 …. Blair Mancini (North Penn, Pa.), 1981
4:11.8 …. Brian Pettinghill (Chevarus, Portland, Maine), 1981
4:12.31 … Robby Andrews (Manalapan), 2009
4:13.2 …. John Tuttle (Alfred-Almond, N.Y.), 1977
4:13.71 … John Trautman (Monroe-Woodbury, N.Y.), 1986
4:13.8 …. Dan Predmore (Fairport, N.Y.), 1976
4:13.8 …. Bill Ledder (Bishop O’Connell, Va.), 1976
4:13.8 …. Tom Camien (Sewanhaka, N.Y.), 1977
4:13.9 …. Jim Tyler (Norwood, N.Y.), 1981
4:14.13  … Chip Marsala (New Dorp, N.Y.), 1983

TWO-MILE RUN
8:54.82 … Edward Cheserek (St. Benedict’s), 2012
9:01.1 …. Alberto Salazar (Wayland, Mass.), 1976
9:02.40 … Edward Cheserek (St. Benedict’s, N.J.), 2011
9:03.65+ .. Brian Dalpiaz (Sayville, N.Y.), 2002
9:03.65+ .. Charles Alexander (St. Christopher, N.Y.), 1982
9:07.85 … Steve Murdock (Shenendehowa, N.Y.), 2007
9:07.87 … Kris Hardt (Whitman, Md.), 1984
9:08.32 … Jim Rosa (West Windsor-Plainsboro, North, N.J.)
9:09.0 …. Steve Ferri (O’Connell, Va.), 1977
9:09.0 …. Chris Hallinan (Bernards), 1976

55-METER HURDLES (hand time)
6.9+ … Renaldo Nehemiah (Scotch Plains), 1977
7.0+ … Kerry Bethel (Bartram, Pa.), 1975
7.0+ … Paul Lankford (Farmingdale, N.Y.), 1975
7.1+ … Paul Snipes (Essex Catholic), 1976
7.2+ … Jim Little (Moorestown), 1976
7.2+ … Dave Bannar (Rancocas Valley), 1976
7.3+ … Dudley Dorival (Ewing), 1993
7.3+ … Gary Ramsey (Neptune), 1976
7.3+ … Tony Smith (Norristown, Pa.), 1977
7.3+ … Mel Pinckney (Trenton), 1977
7.3+ … Gary Boyer (Horseheads, N.Y.), 1978
7.3+ … Greg Smith (Kennedy, N.Y.), 1978
7.3+ … Rodney Wilson (Bartrum, Pa.), 1978
7.3+ … Greg Hines (Walt Whitman, N.Y.), 1993

55-METER HURDLES (FAT time)
7.17+ … Rodney Wilson (Bartrum, Pa.), 1979
7.23 …. Sultan Tucker (Delsea), 1996
7.27+ … Patrick Mann (Gar-Field, Va.), 1984
7.28+ … Calvin Holmes (Denbeigh, Va.), 1984
7.29 …. Anthony Acklin (Triton), 2001
7.29 …. Nate Harley (Pleasantville), 1996
7.29 …. Will Brown (Palmyra), 2006
7.30 …. James Purvis (Brentwood, N.Y.), 1984
7.31 …. Danyne Brown (Camden), 1999
7.32+ … Dwayne Allen (Harrisburg, Pa.), 1980
7.32+ … Stephan Fletcher (Princeton), 1983
7.32+ … Jonathan Dickey (Penns Grove), 1985
7.32+ … Jeff Porter (Franklin), 2003

HIGH JUMP
7-3 … Greg Gonsalves (Falmouth, Mass.), 1981
7-2 ¼ … Milt Goode (Monmouth), 1979
7-2 … Eric Taylor-Perry (Montclair), 1990
7-2 … Mike Morrison (Willingboro), 2003
7-1 ½ … Tim Walker (Rogers, R.I.), 1975
7- 0 … Rudy Reavis (New Rochelle, N.Y.), 1975
7- 0 … Desmond DaCosta (Overbrook, Pa.), 1980
7- 0 … Eldred Williams (Music-Art, N.Y.), 1981
7- 0 … Terrence Ferguson (Cherry Hill West), 1987
7- 0 … Tommy Thompson (St. John Baptist), 1993
7- 0 … Adam Bergo (Westfield), 2008

POLE VAULT
16-6 … Jordan Yamoah (Arlington, N.Y.), 2011
16- 3 ¼ … Adam Sarafian (Ocean Twp.), 2004
15-10 … Bill Hartley (Southern Ocean), 1976
15-6 … Vince Reilly (St. Joseph-Metuchen), 1977
15-6 … Don Heyburn (Cranford), 1980
15-6 … Eric Richard (Bridgewater East), 1981
15-6 … Chris Lockett (Woodbridge, Va.), 1986
15-6 … Gavin McMahon (Fordham Prep, N.Y.), 2003
15-6 … Brian Duggan (Monsignor Farrell, N.Y.), 2005
15-6 … Casey DeCesare (Irvington, N.Y.), 2005
15-6 … Dan Batdorf (West Deptford), 2008
15-6 … Darwin Gibbons (Caravel Academy, Del.), 2009
15-6 … Greg Gallagher (Iona Prep, N.Y.), 2012
15-6 … Craig Hunter (Robbinsville, N.J.), 2013
15-6 … Matt Fay (Iona Prep), 2015
15-6 … Chris Rough (Westhill, Ct.), 2015
15-6 … Derek Dibona (Warwick Valley), 2015
15-6 … Ryan Herrera-Murphy (Iona Prep), 2015

LONG JUMP
26- 0 ¾ … Dion Bentley (Penn Hills, Pa.), 1989
25- 7 ¾ … Marvin Ford (Uniondale, N.Y.), 1993
25- 5 ½ … Carl Lewis (Willingboro), 1979
25- 3 ¾ … Eric Metcalf (O’Connell, Va.), 1985
24-10 ½ … Ron Dickerson (State College, Pa.), 1989
24- 6 ¾ … Gerard Reynolds (Willingboro), 1990
24-2 … Jason Grimes (Overbrook, Pa.), 1977
24- 1 ½ … Boris Goins (Cardozo, Wash., D.C.), 1985
24- 0 ¼ … Isaac Samuels (Kennedy), 1983
24- 0 ¼ … Justice Nance (Blair Academy), 2016

TRIPLE JUMP
51- 6 … Ronel Ford (Shaker, Va.), 2016
49- 9 … Gary Jones (Webster Schroeder, N.Y.), 2006
49-  6 ½ … Craig Halyard (Ridgewood, N.J.), 1989
49-  6 ½ … Eric Bethea (Piscataway, N.J.), 2015
49-  1 ¼ … Erik Clinton (Hope, R.I.), 1993
48-  9 ½ … Sanya Owolabi (Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.), 1977
48-  9 ¼ … Steve Crouse (Colonie, N.Y.), 2008
48-  6 ¾ … Shawn Tittley (Seneca Valley, N.Y.), 1983
48-  6 ½ … Dewey Sanders (Seton Hall Prep), 1986
48-  6 ½ … Antonio Davis (Walt Whitman, N.Y.), 1990
48-  5 ¾ … Robert Howard (Shea, R.I.), 1994

SHOT PUT
71- 3 ¼ … Nick Vena (Morristown), 2011
70- 8 … Braheme Days (Bridgeton), 2012
66-2 … Glenn DiGiorgio (Bayonne), 2002
64-8 … Steve Adams (St. Joseph-Montville), 1970
64-  7 ¾… Dan Krueger (Bayside, Va.), 1978
64-  5 ¼ … Bruce Heide (Dayton), 1975
64-  2 ½ … Jim Gilligan (Toms River East), 1984
64-  1 ½ … Kevin DiGiorgio (Bayonne), 1997
63-  6 ½ …  Aaron Echternacht (Hopewell Valley), 1991
63-  2 ¾… Jordan West (Rahwah), 2016
63-  1 ½  … Uzoma Orji (Matawan), 2002

800-METER RELAY
1:26.90 … Camden, 2004
1:28.05 … Campus Magnet, N.Y., 2001
1:28.18 … Vineland, 2004
1:28.35 … Trenton, 2008
1:28.35 … Union Catholic. 2008
1:28.46 … Lenape, 2000
1:28.77 … Lawrenceville School, N.J., 2011
1:28.77 … Mt. Vernon, N.Y., 2011
1:28.82 … Camden, 2002
1:28.85 … West Orange, 2012

1,600-METER RELAY
3:15.78 … Camden, 2001
3:16.5? … Vineland, 2003
3:17.0? … Trenton, 2003
3:18.90 … Pleasantville, 2007
3:19.0+ … Boys and Girls, N.Y., 1977
3:19.1+ … Asbury Park, 1978
3:19.2+ … Fairmont Heights, Md., 1979
3:19.3_ … Chester, Pa., 1981
3:19.3? … Winslow, 2003
3:19.36 … Seton Hall Prep, 2005
3:19.5+ ..Ben Franklin, Pa., 1976
3:19.51+ … New Rochelle, N.Y., 1984
3:19.61 … Camden, 2002

3,200-METER RELAY
7:45.55 … Pleasantville, N.J., 2013
7:47.00 … Pope John XXIII, 2012
7:47.81 … Morris Catholic, 2009
7:47.84 … Cherokee, 2012
7:48.6+ … Roselle Catholic, 1970
7:49.4+ … Maria Regina, N.Y., 1975
7:49.89 … South Brunswick, 2014
7:50.68 … Warwick Valley, 2012
7:50.86 … Boys and Girls, 2012
7:50.97 … Lawrenceville School, 2009

DISTANCE MEDLEY (run since 1971)
10:07.21 … West Windsor-Plainsboro North, 2009
10:10.23 … Fordham Prep, N.Y., 2016
10:10.60 … Haddonfield, 2010
10:10.70 … St. Benedict’s, 2012
10:11.5+ … T.C. Williams, Va., 1979
10:12.1+ … Archbishop Ryan, Pa., 1976
10:13.0+ … Paramus Catholic, 1977
10:13.60 … West Windsor-Plainsboro South, 2013
10:14.09 … Chaminade, N.Y.
10:14.31 … Haddonfield, 2016

KEY
+ – converted from yards
% – converted from meters
s – mark achieved in semis
q – mark achieved in qualifying round
? – likely timing error

Absegami’s Ford Palmer wasn’t the only South Jersey native to run a PR in the mile at the Boston University Last Chance meet over the weekend.

Haddonfield graduate Greg Pelose, now a freshman at Boston University, was in an earlier section than Palmer, whose 3:54.94 is 21st-fastest in U.S. history indoors. But the result was the same – a personal-best.

Pelose lowered his indoor and overall mile PRs on his home track at B.U., placing fourth in the second of four mile races with a time of 4:10.14.

Pelosi’s previous indoor PR was a 4:12.54 last month at the Terrier Classic. His fastest high school times at Haddonfield were 4:13.40 indoors at New Balance Nationals in New York last March and 4:14.74 outdoors at nationals in Greensboro this past June.

So the 4:10.14 was a nearly 2 1/2-second PR for Pelose, who was third in last year’s indoor Meet of Champions behind the Daly twins, William and Colin, of River Dell.

Pelose ran the 1,000 at the Patriot League championships earlier this month at B.U. and placed third in a personal-best 2:27.64.

 

It took everything Olympian Sydney McLaughlin had to overtake Winslow Township on the final lap and deliver the Meet of Champions 1,600-Meter Relay title to Union Catholic.

McLaughlin split 52.0 and Union Catholic ran a state-leading 3:50.82, second-fastest in meet history, seventh-fastest in the U.S. this year and 11th-fastest in state history.

As for Winslow, the Eagles certainly have plenty to be excited about. Not only does Winslow have three of its four legs back next year while McLaughlin – the 400-meter dash national record holder – graduates. Winslow’s time even in a close defeat is fastest by a South Jersey school in 14 years and No. 10 in the U.S. this year.

With their 3:51.49, the group of senior Iyianna Williams, juniors Flora Ahiarakwe and Shakira Dancy and freshman Janeya Hammond ran the fastest time by a South Jersey 4-by-4 quartet since Willingboro ran 3:45.57 in 2003.

Their time was third-fastest in meet history, so fast enough to win 37 of the 39 4-by-4s ever contested at the Meet of Champions – behind last year’s Union Catholic and this year’s Union Catholic.

The previous fastest non-winning time in Meet of Champions history is Camden’s 3:57.89 in 1995 behind Columbia’s 3:55.73.

Winslow broke its own Camden County record of 3:52.17 that the same four girls set earlier this month at the Millrose Games Trials at the Armory.

The only faster schools in South Jersey indoor history are Willingboro in 2003 and 2002 (3:47.95) and Camden in 1995 (3:49.07).

Here’s the all-time state indoor top-20, which is everybody under 3:53:

3:40.28 … Union Catholic, 2016
3:42.03 … Columbia, 2013
3:45.57 … Willingboro, 2003
3:46.42 … Columbia, 2014
3:47.03 … Union Catholic, 2015
3:47.95 … Willingboro, 2002
3:48.9h … Plainfield, 1980
3:49.07 … Camden, 1995
3:49.50 … East Orange, 2006
3:49.9h … Plainfield, 1981
3:50.82 … Union Catholic, 2017
3:50.8h … Snyder, 1981
3:51.17 … Columbia, 2015
3:51.37 … Columbia, 2010
3:51.49 … Winslow Twp., 2017
3:52.17 … Winslow, 2017
3:52.2h … Columbia, 1982
3:52.37 … Willingboro, 2000
3:52.48 … Columbia, 2011
3:52.55 … Wilson, 2006

And here’s the all-time Meet of Champions performance list, which shows Winslow with the No. 3 performance in meet history. With Rancocas Valley unseating 2009 Jackson’s 3:58.85 as the fastest third-place time ever, this race produced three of the 11-fastest times in meet history.

3:47.27 … Union Catholic, 2016 [1]
3:50.82 … Union Catholic, 2017 [1]
3:51.49 … Winslow Twp., 2017 [2]
3:53.50 … Columbia, 2010 [1]
3:55.08 … Camden, 2009 [1]
3:55.24 … Montclair, 1998 [1]
3:55.69 … Southern, 2009 [1]
3:55.73 … Columbia, 1995 [1]
3:56.72 … Columbia, 1996 [1]
3:56.76 … Southern, 2008 [1]
3:56.92 … Rancocas Valley, 2017 [3]
3:57.35 … Columbia, 2012 [1]
3:57.89 … Camden, 1995 [2]
3:57.94 … Eastern, 2003 [1]
3:57.96 … Washington, 2011 [1]
3:58.00 … Willingboro, 2003 [2]
3:58.33 … Pope John, 2012 [2]
3:58.51 … Millville, 2008 [2]
3:58.85 … Jackson, 2009 [3]
3:58.97 … Camden, 2008 [3]
3:58.98 … Willingboro, 2010 [2]
3:59.03 … East Orange, 2007 [1]
3:59.14 … Columbia, 2009 [4]
3:59.19 … Lenape, 2012 [3]

Absegami High School graduate Ford Palmer lowered his mile PR from 3:55.60 to 3:54.92 Sunday when he placed fourth in an absolutely loaded field assembled in the Terrier Last Chance Meet at Boston University.

Palmer’s previous indoor PR was 3:56.79 on the same track two years ago. His absolute PR was 3:55.60 set outdoors last spring.

What makes Sunday’s performance so remarkable is that he ran a portion of the race with one of his shoes untied.

Palmer lowered his own South Jersey alumni record and moved into the No. 3 spot in New Jersey history.

More importantly, his time is No. 21 in U.S. indoor history. It’s also No. 8 in the world this year and

Edward Cheserek, a University of Oregon senior from St. Benedict’s High in Newark, won the race in 3:52.01, breaking the collegiate mile record of 3:52.44 set by Sydnee Maree when he placed second to Steve Scott at the 1981 Jumbo Elliott Invitational at Villanova and the collegiate indoor mark of 3:52.88 held by Arizona’s Lawi Lalang.

King Chez led an incredible 11 milers under four minutes, including John Gregorek Jr., whose dad was in the field at Villanova 36 years ago when Maree broke the collegiate record.

Here is what I believe to be a complete list of every sub-3:55 indoor miler in U.S. track history. The USATF, the governing body of U.S. track and field, does not have any all-time performance lists on its web site, and there is no all-time indoor performance list maintained anywhere on-line.

I cobbled the list together from a bunch of old annuals and various web sites. Additions are welcome.

3:49.89 … Bernard Lagat, Fayetteville, Ark., Feb. 11, 2005
3:50.63 … Matt Centrowitz, New York, Feb. 20, 2016
3:50.92 … Galen Rupp, Boston, Jan. 26, 2013
3:51.21 … Lopez Lomong, New York, Feb. 16, 2013
3:51.8h … Steve Scott, San Diego, Feb. 15, 1981
3:52.22 … Kyle Merber, 2017, Boston, Feb. 26, 2017
3:52.40 … Sydnee Maree, East Rutherford, Feb. 10, 1985
3:52.47 … Will Leer, New York, Feb. 15, 2014
3:53.13 … Ben Blankenship, Roxbury, Mass., Feb. 7, 2015
3:53.15 … John Gregorek, 2017, Boston, Feb. 26, 2017
3:53.16 … Robby Andrews, New York, Feb. 20, 2016
3:53.23 … Eric Jenkins, New York, Feb. 11, 2017
3:53.6h … Tom Byers, San Diego, Feb. 19, 1982
3:53.87 … Cory Leslie, New York, Feb. 20, 2016
3:54.08 … Russell Brown, Fayetteville, Ark., Feb. 11, 2012
3:54.21 … Seneca Lassiter, Fayetteville, Ark., Feb. 10, 2001
3:54.36 … Patrick Casey, New York, Feb. 14, 2015
3:54.54 … Miles Batty, New York, Feb. 11, 2012
3:54.59 … Garrett Heath, New York, Jan. 25, 2014
3:54.89 … Ryan Hill, New York, Feb. 16, 2013
3:54.92 … Ford Palmer, Boston, Feb. 26, 2017

Palmer now trails only Olympian Marty Liquori and former Manalapan star Robby Andrews on the all-time New Jersey list. Here are the known PRs of every sub-4 miler who went to high school in New Jersey:

All-Time Sub-4 Milers from New Jersey, with the six South Jersey milers in bold:

3:52.2h          Marty Liquori [Cedar Grove], Kingston, Jamaica, May 17, 1975
3:53.16i          Robbie Andrews [Manalapan], New York, Feb. 20, 2016
3:54.92i          Ford Palmer [Absegami], Boston, Feb. 26, 2017
3:56.75i         Steve Slattery [Mount Olive], New York, March 6, 2006
3:56.9h          Ron Spiers [Paramus], Philadelphia, April 30, 1977
3:58.14i         Rob Novak [Bordentown], Boston, Feb. 11, 2012
3:58.02i         Craig Forys [Colts Neck], New York, Feb. 6, 2016
3:58.4h,i        Roger Jones [Ramsey], Boston, Feb. 13, 1982
3:58.61i         Travis Mahoney [Old Bridge], Boston, Feb. 8, 2014
3:58.62i         Jim McKeon [Short Hills], Johnson City, Tenn., Jan. 19, 1985
3:58.62i         Brett Johnson [Ocean City], Seattle, Feb. 9, 2013
3:58.78i         Tim Gorman [Little Silver], Seattle, Feb. 11, 2017
3:58.98i         Rob Napolitano [Brick], Boston, Feb. 12, 2016
3:59.18i         Jeramy Elkaim [Livingston], Seattle, Feb. 23, 2013
3:59.21i         Chris Hatler [Sparta], New York, Feb, 11, 2017
3:59.2h          Cliff Sheehan [Westfield], Philadelphia, April 27, 1985
3:59.35i         John Richardson [Ocean City], Lexington, Ky., Feb. 2, 2008
3:59.43i         Rich Kenah [Montclair], Fayetteville, Feb. 12, 2000
3:59.6h          Jim Crawford [Basking Ridge], Modesto, Calif., May 23, 1970
3:59.85i         Mark Sivieri [Buena Vista Twp.], Boston, Jan. 28, 1994
3:59.91i         Brian Gallagher [Somerdale], Boston, Feb. 14, 1998
3:59.98i         Christian Gonzalez [Franklin Twp.], Boston, Jan. 27, 2012

One last interesting note that only people who have read this far will find interesting: John Gregorek placed third in today’s race in 3:53.15. When Maree ran his collegiate record – the mark that Cheserek broke on Sunday – Gregorek’s dad, also named John, was in the race and placed fifth in 3:57.10.

So both John Gregorek’s were on the track for collegiate record miles 36 years apart!

Camden senior Lenaami Morton not only upset top-seeded Amaya Chadwick of Union Catholic in the 55-meter hurdles Sunday at the Meet of Champions, she ran the fourth-fastest time in the U.S. this year and ninth-fastest time in state history in doing it.

Morton, seeded No. 2 at 8.19 to Chadwick’s 8.14 out of states, also posted the second-fastest qualifying time in Sunday’s trials, with an 8.15 to Chadwick’s 8.13.

But in the final, it was all Morton.

Morton ran a blistering 7.94 at the Bubble in Toms River with Chadwick second in 8.07, just off her PR of 8.00. Three other South Jersey hurdlers placed — sophomore Claudine Smith of Atlantic City [fourth in 8.39], Bishop Eustace senior Sarah Jones [fifth in 8.46] and Timber Creek senior Janiyah Davis-Hines [sixth in 8.61].

Morton’s time was a huge PR. Her previous best was an 8.11 in a South Jersey Track Coaches Association meet last month at the Bubble.

The Camden girls program has won two 1,600-meter relay titles at the Meet of Champions — in 1994 and 2009 — but Morton is the first Camden girl in meet history to win an indoor Meet of Champions individual title.

Her time is No. 1 in the state this year, fourth-fastest in South Jersey history and eighth-fastest in state history.

It’s not a Camden County record, although it is 5-100ths off the county mark of 7.89, set in 2012 by Winslow Township’s Ste’yce McNeil. That could go at Easterns with a clean race on the faster track at the Armory.

Here’s the updated all-time state list, with every girl that’s run 8.10 or faster.

7.60 … Sydney McLaughlin [Union Catholic], 2015
7.71 … Charmaine Walker [Plainfield], 1997
7.81 … Dawn Bowles [Neptune], 1988
7.89 … Ste’yce McNeil [Winslow Twp.], 2012
7.89 … Nia Ali [Pleasantville], 2006
7.92 … Carol Lewis [Willingboro], 1981
7.93 … Wendy Vereen [Trenton], 1984
7.94 … Lenaami Morton [Camden], 2017
7.96 … Porsche Dobson [Kent Place], 2003
7.98 … Nichole Belcher [Woodrow Wilson], 1992
7.99 … Racquel Vassal [East Orange], 2007
7.99 … Patricia Dziekonska [West Windsor-Plainsboro North], 2014
8.00 … Amaya Chadwick [Union Catholic], 2017
8.01 … Samantha Sharper [Woodrow Wilson], 2008
8.0h … Tiffany Ruth [Columbia], 1988
8.11 … Cidae’a Woods [Winslow Twp.], 2014
8.17 … Torie Robinson [Winslow Twp.], 2014
8.18 … Gabrielle Bennett [Winslow Twp.], 2015
8.19 … Brittany Preston [Winslow Twp,], 2016
8.03 … Alethia Jenkins [Pennsauken], 2000
8.03 … Amber Williams [Roxbury], 2001
8.04 … Zonya Cross [Edgewood], 1983
8.04 … Trier Young [Neptune], 2005
8.05 … Sherese Price [Pleasantville], 1998
8.05 … Samantha Jensen [Central Reg.], 2012
8.06 … Jen Whitlock [Montclair], 2002
8.06 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow Twp.], 2006
8.06 … Kayann Richards [Columbia], 2011
8.07 … Ella Scherzer [Randolph], 2016
8.07 … Tia Livingston [Union Catholic], 2016
8.09 … Sonya Sullivan [Manchester Twp.], 2005
8.09 … Kaprice James [Roselle], 2012
8.09 … Danielle Delgado [Franklin], 2012
8.10 … Hope Wright [Columbia], 2001
8.10 … Nichole Hill [Oakcrest], 1997
8.10 … Tramaine Shaw [Piscataway], 2004

Morton’s time also equals No. 2 in meet history and matches the fastest run at the Meet of Champions in 20 years – since Charmaine Walker of Plainfield set the meet record of 7.86 at Jadwin Gym in 1997.

Chadwick’s 8.07 is the fastest non-winning time in Meet of Champions history. The previous-fastest second-place time was an 8.16 by Sonya Sullivan of Manchester Township in 2005 behind Trier Young of Neptune, who won that year in 8.04.

Here’s the all-time Meet of Champions performance list:

7.86-Charmaine Walker [Plainfield], 1997 [1]
7.94-Stey’ce McNeil [Winslow], 2012 [1]
7.94-Lenaami Morton [Camden], 2017 [1]
7.8-Wendy Vereen [Trento]n, 1984 [1]
7.96-Dawn Bowles [Neptune], 1988 [1]
8.04-…..Walker, 1996 [1]
8.04-Trier Young [Neptune], 2005 [1]
7.9-Carol Lewis [Willingboro], 1980 [1]
8.07-Porscha Dobson [Kent Place], 2003 [1]
8.07-Tia Livingston [Union Catholic], 2016 [1]
8.07-Amaya Chadwick [Union Catholic], 2017 [2]
8.09-Walker, 1997 [t]
8.09-Samantha Sharper [Woodrow Wilson], 2008 [1]
8.10-Samantha Jensen [Central Reg.], 2012 [1]
8.11-Carlene Cummings [Englewood], 1998 [1]
8.11-Racquel Vassell [East Orange], 2007 [1]
8.12-Briana Feldhaus [Randolph], 2009 [1]
8.13-Nichole Belcher [Woodrow Wilson], 1992 [1]
8.15-Nia Ali [Pleasantville], 2006 [1]
8.15-…..Vassell, 2007 [t]
8.15-…..Livingston, 2016 [t]
8.16-…..Cummings, 1998 [t]
8.16-Sonya Sullivan [Manchester Twp.], 2005 [2]
8.17-Dashana Ransome [Irvington], 2012 [2]
8.17-Patrycja Dziekonska [West Windsor North], 2012 [2]

Briana Gess had won a Meet of Champions title in cross country and three in outdoor track, but until Sunday she had never won an indoor Meet of Champions.

She put an end to that winning a crazy last-lap battle with North Hunterdon sophomore Elena DiMarcello in the 1,600-meter run at the Bubble.

Gets ran 4:59.04 to DiMarcello’s 4:59.05 to become only the second Haddonfield girl ever to win a Meet of Champions title indoors.

Olympian Erin Donohue won the 3,200 with a since-broken meet-record 10:38.90 in the 3,200 back in 2001 at Jadwin Gym.

Gess has run faster – she was third in last year’s Meet of Champions with a 4:51.60 and has run as fast as 4:51.44 for a full mile indoors and 4:45.97 for 1,600 meters outdoors – but this may have been her guttiest win ever.

Gess led most of the race before DiMarcello – who ran 4:56 last spring – made a move on the last lap and actually took the lead. Gess regained it on the final straightaway and won by the equivalent of about one inch.

Incredibly, Gess is the first South Jersey girl in 14 years to win the Meet of Champions 1,600. Willingboro’s Brittnee Bynoe was the last to do it, running 5:06.53 as a freshman in 2003 at Jadwin.

She’s also the first girl ever from a Camden County school to win the indoor M-of-C 1,600 in the meet’s 39-year history.

Here’s the short list of all indoor Meet of Champions 1,600-meter run winners from South Jersey:

1982 … Michelle Rowen [Washington Twp.], 4:55.7
1983 … Michelle Rowen [Washington Twp.], 4:49.5
1985 … Ruth Lockbaum [Glassboro], 4:56.0
1994 … Liz Moore [Shawnee], 5:09.46
2003 … Brittnee Bynoe [Willingboro], 5:06.53
2017 … Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 4:59.94

When you race Olympian Sydney McLaughlin, you go into the race understanding you’re not going to win unless she false starts or falls down. So you shoot for second place and a personal best, and that’s exactly what Rancocas Valley’s Aliyah Taylor earned herself Sunday.

Taylor ran an indoor personal-best 56.24 and placed second in the 400-meter dash at the Meet of Champions at the Bubble behind McLaughlin’s 53.17, a meet record and the No. 1 time in the U.S. this year

McLaughlin, the national indoor 400 record holder at 51.84, was an Olympian in the intermediate hurdles last year after her junior year at Union Catholic and earlier this winter broke the national scholastic record at 300 meters.

But Taylor proved that she’s the best quarter-miler in New Jersey among mere mortals and also the top underclassman with her 56.24. That lowers her previous indoor PR of 56.32. She’s run as fast as 55.79 outdoors.

Here time is No. 9 in South Jersey history and No. 3 in Burlington County history behind a couple Meet of Champions winners – Okechi Ogbuokiri of Willingboro and Michelle Brown of Seneca.

400-METER DASH
54.24 … Okechi Ogbuokiri [Willingboro], 2003
54.91 … Nijgia Snapp [Oakcrest], 2008
55.16 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow Twp.], 2006
55.19 … Michelle Brown [Seneca], 2008
55.4h … English Gardner [Eastern], 2008
55.6h … Denise Mitchell [Edgewood], 1984
55.83 … Kiara Lester [Deptford], 2016
56.21 … Dana Burnett [Williamstown], 1997
56.24 … Aliyah Taylor [Rancocas Valley], 2017
56.34 … Katrina Sye [Buena], 1997
56.44 … Avionne Sloan [Camden], 2006
56.62 … Ste’yce McNeil [Winslow Twp.], 2012
56.65 … Britney Kott [Millville], 2009
56.76 … Simone Thomas [Willingboro], 2003
56.85 … Emily Duffey [Lenape], 2912
56.88 … Marcene Jack [Mainland Reg.], 2004
56.90 … Nadia Davy [Bridgeton], 1999

Here’s the all-time indoor Meet of Champions 400-meter dash performance list, with Taylor in the No. 10 position with the fourth-fastest second-place time ever

53.17-Sydney McLaughlin [Union Catholic], 2017 [1]
53.34-…..McLaughlin, 2016 [1]
55.19-Nijgia Snapp [Oakcrest], 2008 [1]
55.45-Mikele Barber [Montclair], 1998 [1]
55.74-…..Snapp, 2009 (1)
55.74-Amber Allen [Passaic Tech], 2008 [2]
55.7h-Denise Mitchell [Edgewood], 1984 [1]
55.83-Kiara Lester [Deptford], 2016 [2]
55.88-Michelle Brown [Seneca], 2009 [2]
55.95-…..Allen, 2009 [3]
55.96-…..Brown, 2010 (1)
56.08-Kristen Mahon [Notre Dame], 2006 [1]
56.07-Emily Carrollo [Pope John], 2008 [3]
56.24-Aliyah Taylor [Rancocas Valley], 2017 [2]
56.29-English Gardner [Eastern] 2007 [1]
56.31-Olivia Baker [Columbia] 2012 [1]
56.38-Michelle Samuels [Red Bank] 1990 [1]
56.40-…..Brown, 2008 [4]
56.41-…..Baker, 2011 (1)
56.3h-Giselle Harris [Shabazz], 1985 [1]
56.4h-Stephanie Saleem [Neptune], 1985 [2]
56.60-…..Allen, 2010 (2)
56.64-Natalie English [Cranford], 2010 [3]
56.70-Stey’ce McNeil [Winslow], 2011 [2]
56.74-Symone O’Connor [Franklin], 2007 [2]
56.80-Drexel Long [Monmouth], 1990 [2]

Taylor came back to win the 200-meter dash in a meet-record 24.94, leading a 1-2-3 South Jersey finish with Delsea’s Cecelia Gerstenbacher second in 25.16 and Northern Burlington’s Kayla Jackson third in 25.71.

Taylor’s 200 time was 1-100th off her PR of 24.93, set last month at the Ocean Breeze facility in Staten Island.

 

 

Jalen Jones was New Jersey’s 26th-fastest half-miler going into the Meet of Champions.

Now he’s a Meet of Champs medalist.

Jones, a Burlington Township junior, made a stunning breakthrough Saturday, shaving nearly three seconds off his 800-meter time and placing fifth in the 49th annual Meet of Champions at the Bubble.

Jones ran 1:56.46 and was the No. 2 South Jersey finisher and the No. 2 underclassman, finishing just 2-100ths of a second behind Clifton junior Kevin Heredia. Who in turn finished just 1-100th of a second behind Egg Harbor Township senior Eric Barnes, who was third in 1:56.43 (in a different race).

Old Bridge’s Rey Rivera won the race in 1:52.18, fourth-fastest time in meet history (and fastest ever by a non-South Jersey runner).

But Jones was the biggest surprise of the race and maybe one of the biggest surprises of the meet.

Jones ran 2:00.62 last spring as a sophomore and dipped under two minutes this winter with a 1:59.32 for fifth at states.

That’s fast but only earned him a No. 15 seed in the Meet of Champions and ranked 26th in the state going into Saturday.

So Jones was relegated to the second of three sections, but Heredia was also in the race and the two ran fast enough to bump all but three of the finishers in the fast section.

Jones is Burlington Township’s first medalist at the indoor Meet of Champions in at least 20 years. His time is No. 8 on the all-time Burlington County indoor performance list.

As far as I can tell, Burlington Township’s previous school record in the 800 was 1:57.75, set by Eriq Morris at the 2009 Burlington County Open at Maple Shade. Morris was second to Ryan Garvin.

Morris went on to win sectionals but placed 11th at states and didn’t make it to Meet of Champions.

Burlington Township’s most accomplished half-miler is Shaun Davis, who  won the 1996 state Group 1 title outdoors with a 1:59.77. Davis was a three-time BCSL Freedom Division champ in the 800 and a two-time high jump winner.

That 1996 Burlington Township team, led by Davis, Louis Smith, Charles Richardson, Keith Johnson, Eric Bennett, Kevin Koveleski and George Sills, won the state Group 1 team title.

Here is the updated Burlington County indoor 800-meter run list, with all half-milers who have broken 1:58:

1:54.80 … Marvin Lewis [Willingboro], 2001
1:55.14 … Zach McBride [Lenape], 2001
1:55.19 … Isaiah Curbeo [Rancocas Valley], 2016
1:55.84 … Matt Poskus [Cinnaminson], 2007
1:56.02 … Dave Sitzer [Cherokee], 2000
1:56.2h … Roger Lawyer [Willingboro], 1988
1:56.37 … Ian Waterhouse [Rancocas Valley], 2005
1:56.46 … Jalen Jones [Burlington Twp.], 2017
1:56.52 … Rob Novak [Bordentown], 2005
1:56.69 … Sean Watson [Willingboro], 1996
1:56.71 … Wayne Riley [Willingboro], 1997
1:57.41 … Ahmad Rutherford [Willingboro], 2003
1:57.51 … Ross Staudt [Cherokee], 2012
1:57.60 … Tom Long [Cinnaminson], 2016
1:57.5h … Greg Honsby [Rancocas Valley], 1974
1:57.81 … Drew Viscidy [Cherokee], 2012
1:57.82 … Tyler Somers [Cherokee], 2011

A total of 2-100ths of a second separated sophomore Luke Colehower of Haddonfield from senior Amir Brock of Egg Harbor Township at the finish line of the 400-meter dash Saturday at the 49th annual Meet of Champions at the Bubble.

Colehower ran 49.17 and Brock was an eyelash back at 49.19.

That’s the difference of about six inches.

Colehower became Haddonfield’s first Meet of Champions winner since Jonathan Vitez won the 3,200 in 2010. The only other Haddonfield boys to win M-of-C titles are Jim Smith in the 3,000 in 1980 and Chris Platt in the 1,600 in 2003.

He’s also only the second South Jersey 400 winner at the indoor Meet of Champions in the last 16 years, joining Woodbury’s Darrell Bush in 2012.

Before that, South Jersey dominated the 400, winning the event 11 times during the 18-year span from 1990 through 2001, with Willingboro, Lenape, Edgewood and Bridgeton runners responsible for 10 of those 11 titles.

Here’s a list of all the South Jersey Meet of Champions winners in the indoor 400:

1981 – Kevin Overton [West Deptford] 50.1
1984 – Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood] 49.3
1985 – Brian Bennett [Edgewood] 49.5
1990 – William Mobley [Eastern] 49.80
1991 – Lamont Smith [Willingboro] 48.68
1992 – Curt McIntire [Bridgeton] 50.02
1994 – Royce Reed [Bridgeton] 50.06
1995 – Royce Reed [Bridgeton] 49.92
1998 – Rob Gary [Lenape] 49.53
1999 – Nick Brown [Bridgeton] 49.76
2000 – Mohamed Kanu [Lenape] 50.18
2001 – Marvin Lewis. Willingboro] 5013
2012 – Darrell Bush [Woodbury] 49.11
2017 – Luke Colehower [Haddonfield] 49.17

For Brock, the 49.19 is an indoor personal-best. He had run 49.31 at sectionals. He’s gone as fast as 48.49 outdoors.

The 49.19 also lowers his own Atlantic County indoor record and is the fourth-fastest non-winning time in meet history.

Colehower and Brock moved into the No. 14 and 15 spots on the all-time indoor Meet of Champions 400-meter dash performance list.

Here’s the updated list, with finish place listed.

48.26 – Zyaire Clemes [Trenton], 2013 [1]
48.33 – Taylor McLaughlin [Union Catholic], 2015 [1]
48.48 – Najee Glass [St. Peter’s Prep], 2011 [1]
48.50 – Lance Wigfall [East Orange], 2003 [1]
48.58 – Chinedu Amonu [Ewing], 2013 [2]
48.66 – Lamont Smith [Willingboro], 1991 [1]
48.77 – Nasir Haines [Freehold Twp.], 2015 [2]
48.92 – Charles Cox [Monmouth], 2007 [1]
49.04 – Leonard Robbins [East Brunswick], 2011 [2]
48.9h – Tony Valentine [Plainfield], 1983 [t]
49.0h – Dave Law [Snyder], 1973 [1]
49.11 – Darrell Bush [Woodbury], 2012 [1]
49.16 – Bryant McCombs [Old Bridge], 2006 [1]
49.17 – Luke Colehower [Haddonfield], 2017 [1]
49.19 – Amir Brock [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2017 [2]
49.29 – Devon Artis [Shabazz], 2011 [3]
49.31 – Alex Reber [Cherry Hill East], 2011 [2]
49.31 – Clayton Gravesande [Franklin], 2010 [1]
49.32 – Dave Fields [Monmouth], 1989 [1]
49.33 – Andrew Burt [Lacey], 2009 [1]

Pennsauken’s Martin Booker (5th in 50.31) and Rancocas Valley’s Brian Merman (8th in 50.52) also placed in the 400 Saturday.

Booker came back to win the 200, with Colehower second. More on that race coming soon!

Saturday’s 1-2 South Jersey finish was the first in the 400 since that 2012 race, with Bush and Cherry Hill East’s Alex Reber going 1-2.

Finally, here’s the updated all-time South Jersey indoor list, with Colehower’s PR 48.75 from earlier this year and Brock moving into the No. 16 spot.

48.27 … Jade Smith [Camden], 2002
48.36 … Mohammad Kanu [Lenape], 2000
48.50 … Alex Reber [Cherry Hill East], 2013
48.55 … Royce Reed [Bridgeton], 1995
48.64 … Keith Griffith [Florence], 2010
48.68 … Lamont Smith [Willingboro], 1991
48.75 … Luke Colehower [Haddonfield], 2017
48.7h … Curt Mcintyre [Bridgeton], 1992
48.7h … John Morris [Camden], 2001
48.91 … Marlin Gross [Bridgeton], 2001
48.91 … Rob Gary [Lenape], 1998
49.03 … Ian Moore [Lenape], 2001
49.05 … William Mobley [Eastern], 1990
49.11 … Darrell Bush [Woodbury], 2012
49.0h … Eric Chekemian [Washington Twp.], 2001
49.19 … Amir Brock [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2017
49.1h … Antonio Abney [Willingboro], 2007
49.24 … Duke Mack [Pleasantville], 2007
49.26 … Tim Carey [Washington Twp,], 2010