From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

In her first high school race – and the first high school meet ever held at the Ott Center – Winslow freshman Jasmine Jackson broke the South Jersey freshman class hurdles record Saturday morning in the South Jersey Track Coaches Association #2 meet.

Jackson won the 55-meter high hurdles in 8.42, breaking the South Jersey freshman record of 8.46 set by Millville’s Leah Ellis at 2019 Group 4 sectionals at the Bubble. Tonya Lee ran a hand-timed 8.4

The South Jersey Track Coaches Association #2 meet was the second meet and first high school meet at the brand-new $69 million Ott Center at the University of Pennsylvania.

Jackson won the 100-meter hurdles over the summer in the 14-year-old age group at the AAU Junior Olympics in Greensboro, N.C., with a 13.72. She also ran 24.45 and 58.48 as an 8th-grader.

Pennsauken junior Sianni Wynn was 2nd in the hurdles out of a difference heat. Wynn, the national runner-up at 100 meters last spring at West Philly Nationals across the Amtrak tracks at Franklin Field, ran 8.52, lowering her PR from 8.75 at the Bubble last winter in her only previous indoor hurdles race.

Pretty good early high jump battle at Toms River, with Highland’s Jayden DeLeon and Rahway’s Rolando Simpson both clearing 6-8 in the South Jersey Track Coaches Association #1 meet at the Bubble.

DeLeon matched the No. 4 performance ever by a Camden County vaulter indoors.

Unfortunately, the official results don’t show field event series, so we can’t tell you how DeLeon had the edge over Simpson. Note to whoever does the results for these Bubble meets: Field event series. Post them.

In any case, DeLeon smashed his indoor PR of 6-4, which he set last December at one of the SJTCA meets, also at the Bubble. He did clear 6-8 outdoors when he won the South Jersey Group 3 meet at Somerset.

DeLeon is the first South Jersey jumper to clear 6-8 indoors since Willingboro’s Nate Robinson when he placed 2nd at the 2020 Meet of Champions at Ocean Breeze, and he’s the first from Camden County since Larry Russell Jr. of Timber Creek back in 2014, when he won the state Group 4 title at the Bubble.

Simpson cleared 6-10 last spring at North 2 Group 3 sectionals at Warren Hills and he went on to win the Meet of Champions at Pennsauken with a 6-8. His previous indoor PR was 6-4 from last year’s MoC at Ocean Breeze.

Here’s at look at the all-time South Jersey indoor performance list:

7-4 1/4 … Mike Morrison [Willingboro], 2003
7-0 … Terry Ferguson [Cherry Hill West], 1987
6-11 … Mike Pascuzzo [Lenape], 1980
6-10 ¾ … Paul Klemic [Mainland Reg.], 1999
6-10 … Damon Julian [Edgewood], 1984
6-10 … Raffael Craig [Millville], 1999
6-10 … Josh Butler [Delsea], 2006
6-10 … Devin Bradham [Williamstown], 2015
6-10 … Ameer Banks [Delsea], 2015
6-9 … Andrew Athias [Cherry Hill East], 2011
6-8 ¼ … Mike Murawski [Holy Cross], 2003
6-8 … Barry Anderson [Rancocas Valley], 1977
6-8 … Chris Walsh [Shawnee], 1983
6-8 … Derek King [Cumberland Reg.], 1983
6-8 … Scott Harrison [Willingboro], 1984
6-8 … Kerry Vivett [Edgewood], 1985
6-8 … Ed Malone [Gloucester], 1986
6-8 … Jim Bowles [Rancocas Valley], 1986
6-8 … J.C. Slocum [Bordentown], 1989, 1990
6-8 … Jamal Sanders [Bridgeton], 1994
6-8 … Desmond Powell [Oakcrest], 1994
6-8 … Ryan O’Connell [Mainland Reg.], 1994
6-8 … Victor Mallory [Penns Grove], 1995
6-8 … Ernesto Colon [Pleasantville], 1995
6-8 … Jamal Ames [Vineland], 2004
6-8 … Uchenna Njoku [Cherry Hill East], 2009
6-8 … Ed Kramer [Cherokee], 2010
6-8 … Jeffrey-Jon Tucker [Eastern], 2013
6-8 … Larry Russell [Timber Creek], 2014
6-8 … Tariq Adams [Pleasantville], 2015
6-8 … Nate Robertson [Willingboro], 2020
6-8 … Jayden DeLeon [Highland], 2024

I really messed that up!

I posted a list of every New Jersey runner that’s raced at Foot Locker Nationals since the inception of the meet as the Kinney Nationals in 1979. I somehow posted the wrong list and tonight I finally had a chance to fix it!

So here – I think – is the accurate list!

The only South Jersey runner racing Saturday morning at Balboa Park in San Diego is Northern Burlington senior Liliah Gordon, who’s making her second appearance at Foot Locker Nationals. The only other New Jersey runner is Allison Lee of West Windsor-Plainsboro North.

The girls race is scheduled for 12:15 p.m. EST, with the boys race following at 1 p.m.

BOYS
1979
Jim Smith [Haddonfield], 5th [15:27]
Jerry Andrews [DNF, 1979]
1980
Cliff Sheehan [Westfield], 14th [15:36]
1981
Carlos Hanze [Central Reg.], 16th [15:11.3]
Tom Fischer [Manalapan], 24th [15:36.6]
1982
John Carlotti [Bernards], 32nd [16:29.8]
1983
Brad Hudson [North Hunterdon], 7th [15:12.2]
Jim Herdman [Hunterdon Central], 27th [16:02.5]
1984
Bill Babcock [North Hunterdon], 5th [15:19]
Andy Martin [North Hunterdon], 19th [15:45.0]
1985
Ron Faith [Paul VI], 22nd [15:22.6]
Kevin Pumphrey [Highland], 23rd [15:22.8]
1986
Carlos Martins [Newark East Side], 10th [15:17.7]
Jason DiJoseph [Paul VI], 18th [15:28.2]
1987
John Coyle [CBA], 15th [15:29.3]
Jason DiJoseph [Paul VI], 21st [15:44.0]
Eric Lorenz [Holy Cross], 25th [15:57.6]
1988
Jason DiJoseph [Paul VI], 2nd [15:10.1]
Mike Mykytok [Bound Brook], 3rd [15:12.7]
John Coyle [CBA], 5th [15:15.7]
1989
None
1990
Bryan Spoonire [Asbury Park], 25th [16:05.2]
1991
Brendan Heffernan [North Hunterdon], 10th [15:36]
Rob Reeder [Northern Highlands], 25th [16:05.5]
1992
Brendan Heffernan [North Hunterdon], 1st [15:13.4]
Bob Keino [Ridgewood], 4th [15:25.7]
1993
Bob Keino [Ridgewood], 5th [15:09.6]
1994
None
1995
None
1996
Steve Slattery [Mount Olive], 9th [15:49.1]
Adam Daniels [Seton Hall Prep], 24th [16:17.7]
Matt Elmuccio [Westfield], 31st [16:51.2]
1997
Steve Slattery [Mount Olive], 4th [15:46.5]
Murad Campbell [Overbrook], 9th [15:52.0]
Ian Hahn [Mancheseter Twp.], 17th [16:10.0]
1998
Jon Fasulo [Hunterdon Central], 10th [15:47.4]
Nate Miller [Highland], 23rd [16:21.3]
1999
None
2000
None
2001
Marc Pelerin [Cherokee], 25th [15:57.31]
2002
None
2003
Jon Anderson [Cinnaminson], 29th [16:07]
2004
Bobby Papazian [Gill St. Bernard], 28th [16:13]
2005
Jeff Perrella [Westfield], 26th [15:45]
2006
Craig Forys [Colts Neck], 2nd [15:24]
Brandon Jarrett [St. Benedict’s], 12th [15:36]]
2007
Brandon Jarrett [St. Benedict’s], 6th [15:16]
Brian Leung [West Windsor-Plainsboro South], 15:41]
2008
George Galasso [Holmdel], 27th [16:01]
Tyler Udland [Millburn], 34th [16:18]
Brett Johnson [Ocean City], 40th [18:41]
2009
Dave Oster [Verona], 15th [15:42]
Tyler Udland [Millburn], 16th [15:43]
2010
Matt McDonald [North Hunterdon], 23rd [15:40]
Patrick Rono [Lyndhurst], 24th [15:42]
Morgan Pearson [Delbarton], 27th [15:48]
2011
Edward Cheserek [St. Benedict’s], 1st [14:52]
Timothy Ball [Piscataway], 16th [15:33]
Blake Udland [Millburn], 40th [16:54]
2012
Edward Cheserek [St. Benedict’s Academy], 1st [14:59]
Shawn Wilson [Cherokee], 23rd [15:45]
Kyle Kroon [Toms River South], 28th [15:56]
2013
Liam Mullett [Pingry School], 15th [15:36]
Louis Corgliano [Hammonton], 24th [15:50]
Scott Meehan [Pope John XXIII], 36th [16:13]
2014
Luke Petela [Haddon Twp.], 34th [16:22]
Shawn Hutchison [Bishop Eustace], 39th [16:38]
2015
Joshua Clark [Highland], 26th [15:46.5]
Joe Dragon [High Point], 30th 15:55.5]
Matt Grossman [Millburn], 35th [16:06.8]
2016
Matt Grossman [Millburn], 26th [15:41.1]
Elliott Gindi [Ocean Twp.], 31st [15:46.7]
2017
Devin Hart [Point Pleasant], 10th [15:45.9]
Fahd Nasser [McNair Academic], 18th [15:57.8]
Damien Dilcher [Brick Twp.], 25th [16:10.9]
2018
Jack Stanley [Mendham], 7th [15:30.1]
Devin Hart [Point Pleasant Borough], 24th [16:06.3]
Liam Murphy [Allentown], 33rd [16:20.3]
2019
Kevin Antczak [Mainland Regional], 8th [15:25.0]
Jack Jennings [West Morris Mendham], 9th [15:29.4]
Liam Murphy [Allentown], 25th [15:53.6]
2020
Not held
2021
Shane Brosnan [Union Catholic], 7th [15:27.9]
Marco Langon [Bridgewater-Raritan], 9th [15:28.1]
2022
None
2023
Peyton Shute [Woodbury], 32nd [16:03.9]
2024
None

GIRLS
1979
Ann Gladue [Bayley Ellard], 3rd [17:51]
1980
None
1981
Janet Smith [J.P. Stevens], 5th [17:11.7]
Theresa Gschwind [Summit], 12th [17:31.3]
Meg Waldron [Bernards], 22nd [18:20.2]
1982
Michelle Rowan [Washington Twp.], 2nd [17:02.3]
Janet Smith [J.P. Stevens], 5th [17:13.6]
1983
Janet Smith [J.P. Stevens], 1st [16:43.7]
Missy Duchini [Wayne Valley], 12th [17:57.6]
Stacy Ann Bilotta [North Hunterdon], 24th [18:32.6]
1984
Jen Van Horn [Wayne Valley], 28th [18:53]
1985
Jodi Bilotta [North Hunterdon], 10th [17:25.5]
Anne Marie Letko [North Hunterdon], 19th [18:01.3]
1986
Jodi Bilotta [North Hunterdon], 17th [18:06.8]
Anne Marie Letko [North Hunterdon], 18th [18:07.2]
1987
Christi Constantin [Kittatinny Reg.], 5th [17:34.9]
Jodi Bilotta [North Hunterdon], 22nd [18:27.7]
1988
Christi Constantin [Kittatinny Reg.], 3rd [17:18.4]
Kristen Hall [West Morris Central], 26th [18:44.5]
Catherine Feeney [Wayne Valley], 32nd [20:40.1]
1989
Monal Chokshi [Bridgewater-Raritan], 24th [19:01.6]
1990
Monal Chokshi [Bridgewater-Raritan], 10th [18:08.0]
1991
Monal Chokshi [Bridgewater-Raritan], 24th [19:00.8]
1992
None
1993
None
1994
None
1995
Autumn Fogg [Hunterdon Central], 12th [18:04.6]
1996
Dana Satir [Ramsey], 31st [20:28.0]
1997
None
1998
Cate Guiney [Middletown South], 7th [18:10.00]
Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], 17th [18:36.91]
Cheryl Bauer [Morris Hills], 32nd [22:05.47]
1999
None
2000
None
2001
Lindsay Van Alstine [Hawthorne Christian], 27th [18:16.79
2002
Katy Trotter [Red Bank Regional], 2nd [17:43.9]
2003
Jen Clausen [Jackson], 21st [18:27]
Brittany Sedberry [Ocean City], 30th [19:23]
2004
Brittany Sedberry [Ocean City], 37th [19:45]
2005
Danielle Tauro [Southern Regional], 6th [17:41]
Briana Jackucewicz [Colts Neck], 37th [18:46]
2006
Ashley Higginson [Colts Neck], 22nd [18:40]
2007
Chelsea Ley [Kingsway], 18th [18:04]
Katie McCafferty [Oak Knoll], 28th [18:36]
2008
Chelsea Ley [Kingsway], 8th [17:49]
Laura Vigilante [West Morris Mendham], 16th [18:14]
Melanie Thompson [Voorhees], 17th [18:18]
Katie Kellner [West Windsor-Plainsboro], 27th [18:34]
2009
Chelsea Ley [Kingsway], 7th [17:37]
Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], 18th [18:05]
2010
Megan Venables [Highland Regional], 5th [17:35]
Megan Lacy [Cherokee], 24th [18:17]
Caroline Kellner [West Windsor-Plainsboro South], 37th [18:39]
2011
Holly Bischof [Bishop Eustace], 28th [18:18]
Caroline Kellner [West Windsor-Plainsboro South], 36th [18:33]
2012
Megan Curham [Villa Walsh Academy], 14th [17:56]
Marisa Ruskan [Bridgewater-Raritan], 18th [18:04]
Mackenzie Barry [West Morris Mendham], 27th [18:21]
2013
Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 13th [17:52]
2014
Eve Glassergreen [North Hunterdon], 34th [19:07]
2015
Alyssa Aldridge [Mainland Reg,], 23rd [18:20.5]
Briana Gess [Haddonfield], 29th [18:25.5]
2016
Alyssa Aldridge [Mainland Reg.], 13th [17:55.2]
2017
Abby Loveys [Randolph], 33rd [18:59.7]
2018
Abby Loveys [Randolph], 11th [17:48.4]
Nicole Vanasse [Pingry], 32nd [18:54.5]
2019
Nicole Vanasse [Pingry], 27th [18:20.5]
2020
None
2021
Angelina Perez [Lakeland], 2nd [17:19.7]
Lilly Shapiro [Colts Neck], 19th [17:58.0]
2022
Emma Zawatski [Freehold Twp.], 23rd [18:11.4]
Olivia Murray [Pingry], 31st [18:36.1]
2023
Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], 33rd [18:49.8]

Rancocas Valley graduate Ian Moore ran the 2nd-fastest 600 in Monmouth history Friday at the Wagner Shootout at Ocean Breeze.

Moore ran 1:20.99 for 600 meters and placed 2nd, 2-100ths of a second behind Alexson Songor of Holy Family.

His time is No. 2 on the all-time Monmouth list behind former NCAA All-America Dylan Capwell, who ran 1:18.80 at the 2017 Wagner Shootout at Ocean Breeze.

Moore’s previous 600 PR was a 1:21.46 at the 2022 Wagner Shootout. Moore has also run 1:50.52 for 800 meters and 2:24.86 for 1,000 meters.

Egg Harbor Township graduate Ahmad Brock ran a 60-meter dash PR Friday afternoon and just missed the Monmouth school record.

Brock won the 60 at the Wagner Shootout at Ocean Breeze in 6.76. His previous PR was 6.80 this past February in the qualifying rounds of the CAA Championships at the Armory.

Brock finished 8-100ths of a second ahead of 2nd-place Goba Dan-Princewill of Howard in the 60, which was run as an 18-race final by time.

Monmouth’s school record is 6.71, set by Brian Sosoo at the 2016 Metro Atlantic Indoor Conference Championships, also at the Armory. Sosoo was a graduate of Reservoir High School in Fulton, Md.

Brock’s 6.76 is No. 2 in school history, and he’s also No. 6 in Monmouth history in the triple jump indoors with a 47-10 at a meet this past January at Ocean Breeze and also in the long jump with a 23-9 at the CAA meet this past indoor season at the Armory.

Outdoors, he’s No. 2 in the 100 (10.50), No. 4 in the long jump (24-7) and No. 5 in the triple jump (48-3 ½).

Brock is scheduled to long jump later Friday, but he’s not entered in the triple jump.

Millville graduate Kaitlyn Dermen popped the best indoor pole vault ever by a New Jersey woman in her 2024-25 season opener.

Dermen, a two-time NCAA Division 3 All-America at Stockton, cleared 14-1 at the Fastrack Season Opener at Ocean Breeze, equalling her 2nd-best vault ever and setting an indoor PR.

Dermen’s previous indoor PR was 13-9 ¾ this past January at the Virginia Tech Invitational at Rector Fieldhouse in Blacksburg, Va. That stood as the New Jersey indoor alumni record until this past weekend.

Outdoors, Dermen has a PR of 14-4 from the Vault Factory Independence Day Pole Vault Meet in Basking Ridge on July 6. That’s the overall New Jersey alumni best.

The only other 14-footers New Jersey has produced are Stephanie Maugham of Shawnee, who cleared 14-0 ¾ in Fresno in 2002 (and is still competing at the Masters level), and Notre Dame’s Hayley Horvath,who cleared 14-0 in Harrisonburg, Va., in May 2021.

Ocean City graduate Elaina Styer, broke the Stockton school record in the pentathlon in her first meet for the Ospreys.

Styer, competing at Fast Time Before Finals at Lehigh’s Rauch Fieldhouse, scored 3,383 points, breaking the school record of 3,369 points set by Eastern graduate Lisa Chatman at the 2006 ECAC Championships at Ursinus College in Collegeville.

Styer, a sophomore, had the top marks in the 60-meter hurdles [9.43] and 800 [2:25.38] and the 2nd-best marks in the high jump [5-2 ½], shot put [31-11 ½] and long jump [16-7].

All her marks are PRs other than the 800. She ran slightly faster [2:25.03] in a pentathlon in Ithaca this past February as a Cornell freshman.

Senior Kayla Robinson of Widener won the event by just 68 points with a score of 3,451 points.

Styer’s previous pentathlon best was a 3,150 this past March at the ECAC Championships in Boston. She placed 2nd.

Styer hadn’t competed in any meet since April 6, when she ran the hurdles and high jumped at the Penn Invitational at Franklin Field. That was her last meet for Cornell.

Through the first weekend of indoor track, Styer ranks 5th in NCAA Division 3, just behind Widener’s Robinson.

Haddonfield graduate Rachel Bonnet was Styer’s teammate at Cornell last year and placed 5th at Heps in the seven-event outdoor heptathlon with a score of 4,611.

Janeya Hammond, a senior at Charlotte from Winslow Township, ran a hurdles PR Saturday in her season opener.

Hammond won the 60-meter highs at the JDL Early Bird Invitational at JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem in 8.59.

Her previous PR was 8.68 in the trials of the Conference USA Championships in Feb. 2023 in Birmingham, Ala. She nearly beat her PR in the trials Saturday, advancing with an 8.73.

Hammond’s time is No. 9 in Charlotte history but only 5-100ths of a second outside the No. 5 spot.

Hammong ranks 4th in school history in the 400-meter intermediaters at 1:00.35 from this past April at the Charlotte Invitational

Deptford’s Marcus Hood opened his senior season with an indoor pole vault PR and the No. 5 mark in Gloucester County history.

Hood cleared 14-1 at the Ridge Winter Invitational Monday at Ocean Breeze. His previous indoor PR was 13-0, which he cleared three times last year. Hood PR’d at 15-3 outdoors when he won the state Group 3 title last spring at Delsea. That’s No. 4 in South Jersey history.

On Monday, Hood cleared 12-0 and 12-6 on his first attempts and had the meet won at 12-6. He passed 13-0, cleared 13-6 on his 3rd attempt and 14-1 on his 2nd. He finished the day by taking three shots at 14-6.

Senior teammate Tiburcio Torres tied for 2nd with a 12-0 clearance. His previous indoor PR was 11-0 and his lifetime best was 11-6 last spring at sectionals.

16-0 … Marco Morales [Delsea], 2020
15-6 … Dan Batdorf [West Deptford], 2008
15-6 … Nico Morales [Delsea], 2019
15-1 … Dylan Altland [Kinsgway], 2014
15-0 ¼ … Devon Purves [Haddonfield], 2006
15-0 … Mark Murphy [Haddonfield], 1985
15-0 … Mike Davis [Haddonfield], 2004
15-0 … Mike Rivard [Haddonfield], 2009
14-11 ¼ … Tom Jeffers [Triton], 2011
14-7 … Brian Banks [Eastern], 2011
14-6 ¼ … Brandon Kurtz [Absegami], 1991
14-6 … Mike Maira [Seneca],
14-6 … Michael Oberg [Ocean City],
14-6 … Jarrod Brovero [Delsea], 2016
14-6 … Kyle Loveland [Moorestown], 2016
14-1 … Joshua Cohen [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2019
14-1 … Marcus Hood [Deptford], 2025
14-0 … Chris Matteo [Bishop Eustace], 1984
14-0 … Mike Yurcho [Shawnee], 1999
14-0 … David Murname [West Deptford], 2000
14-0 … Jason Yurchak [Delsea], 2004

Timber Creek senior Ryan Jennings got her season off to an early start with a hot sprint double in Boston over the weekend.

Jennings won the 60-meter dash in 7.57 and the 200 in 24.45 at the Early Bird Invite at the TRACK. Since the New Jersey high school season doesn’t officially begin until Friday, she competed for a club team.

The 24.45 is an indoor PR for Jennings, who ran 24.47 last year at Ocean Breeze. Her time is No. 6 in South Jersey indoor history, behind Sianni Wynn [24.00 last year], Timber Creek’s Naylah Jones [24.15 last year], Winslow’s Krystal Cantey [24.38 in 2006], Winslow’s Shakira Dancy [24.39 in 2017] and Wilson’s Dennisha Page [21.42 in 2019].

She’s run slightly faster in the 60 – a 7.53 at Boston Nationals in March on the same track. That’s No. 6 in state history and tied for No. 2 in South Jersey history behind former Timber Creek teammate Naylah Jones, who ran 7.47 in the same race. Winslow’s Torie Robinson also ran 7.53 at 2014 Armory Nationals.