From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Ajani Dwyer, a Penn State freshman from Washington Township, ran the 4th-fastest 200 in NCAA Division 1 Saturday at the Ott Center.

Ott won the 200 at the Penn 10 Elite in 20.65, the fastest time ever recorded indoors by a South Jersey native. The previous fastest was a 20.73 by Edgewood graduate and Olympic gold medalist Dennis Mitchell competing for Florida at the 1988 NCAA Championships in Oklahoma City.

It’s the 2nd-fastest indoor time on record by a New Jersey native, behind only a 20.30 by Olympian Cheickna Traore, who graduated from Innovation High School in Jersey City and competed for Snyder High, also of Jersey City. He began his college career at Ramapo and shattered every Division 3 sprinting record, then did a grad season at Penn State, where he ran 20.30 indoors and won multiple NCAA Division 1 titles.

Including outdoor times, Dwyer’s 20.65 is 9th-fastest in New Jersey history and fastest in 15 years by a South Jersey sprinter, since Deptford’s Bruce Owens from Rutgers ran 20.64 at NCAA East Region Prelims in Greensboro, N.C.

This was Dwyer’s first collegiate 200. His indoor 200 PR was 21.25 from Ocean Breeze this past February. He ran 20.86 at Group 4 Sectionals at Pennsauken last spring, but that was without a wind guage. He never ran a wind-legal 200 outdoors last spring.

Dwyer’s time is No. 3 in Penn State history behind Traore and Terrance Laird of Coatesville, who ran 20.56 at the 2018 Big Ten Championships in Geneva, Ohio. He went on to run 19.81 with legal wind for LSU in the spring of 2021, which is No. 18 in U.S. history, and was an Olympic Trials finalist in the 200.

Dwyer ran unpressed, winning by four meters over senior teammate Damoy Allen, who ran 21.02.

Ahead of Dwyer on the 2025 NCAA list are Kentucky junior Carl Makarawu [20.55 in Lubbock, Texas, last weekend], Auburn senior Makanakaishe Charamba [20.55 in Clemson, S.C., this weekend] and USC junior Max Thomas [20.60 in Lubbock this weekend].

Dwyer on Saturday also ran 6.58 in the 60 prelims and 6.57 in the final, just 2-100ths off his PR of 6.55 from last month, which is also No. 4 in NCAA Division 1.

Vineland senior Georgina Chalow smashed the Cumberland County indoor 1,600 record at the South Jersey Elite with a 5:07.54.

Chalow won a fast race at the Ott Center in West Philly, with four girls running 5:12 or faster and five others under 5:20.

Chalow was out in 2:33.83 and back in 2:33.71, closing in 36.451 for her final lap. She broke the county mark of 5:16.91 set by Millville’s Raelynne Miller at 2019 Group 4 sectionals at the Bubble.

Surprisingly, legendary Vineland middle-distance runner Krista Ferrera never ran an indoor 1,600, opting for the 400-800 double. Cumberland County outdoor record holder Lindsay Bertulis ran 5:04.00 at the 2009 Meet of Champions in South Plainfield but never ran a hot 1,600 or mile indoors.

Chalow ran 5:09.76 last spring at Group 4 sectionals at Pennsauken. Her previous indoor PR was 5:19.50 last month at the Bubble.

Paul VI junior Macy Huber ran a lifetime-best 5:10.07 for 2nd and Mainland junior Emma Preissman was 3rd with a lifetime-best 5:10.29. Cherokee junior Madeline Meder ran 5:12.36, Haddonfield soph Devon Gervasi also had an indoor-outdoor PR with 5:17.05, Cherokee senior Megan Niglio ran 5:17.67, Williamstown junior Sophia Aldridge ran an indoor-outdoor PR at 5:18.19, Ocean City senior Chloe Care ran an indoor PR 5:18.22 and Ocean City freshman Riley Tolson PR’d at 5:19.61, just ahead of Cherokee freshman Erin Healy, 10th in a PR 5:20.83.

The times are No. 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 in South Jersey this year. Chalow’s time is No. 11 in New Jersey this year. Tolson and Healy’s times are No. 2 and 3 among freshmen.

In his second meet in the last year, St. Augustine’s Sincere Rhea, now a senior at Texas Tech, ran a hurdles PR Friday on his home track at the Sports Performance Center in Lubbock, Texas.

Rhea, a national scholastic hurdles champion at St. Augustine and a native of Maurice River Township, Cumberland County, ran 7.72 in the trials of the Red Raider Invite. He ran 7.74 in the final.

His 7.72 breaks his PR of 7.73, which he ran as a University of Miami junior in January 2020, at the Red Raider Open, ironically on the same track.

His time equals 9th-fastest ever by a New Jersey hurdler and 3rd-fastest by a South Jersey hurdler.

World No. 2 Johnny Brackens of USC won the race in 7.56. DeVontae Ford of Texas Tech was 2nd in 7.66. Rhea’s time is No. 31 among U.S. men so far this year.

Rhea began his college career at Penn State and ran 7.76, No. 2 in school history behind Guy Rose of Wayne Hills, who ran 7.69 in 2001. He ran that 7.73 at Miami, No. 3 in school history behind Trenton’s Devin Hill [7.55] and Artie Burns [7.68]. He didn’t race last spring.

I can’t tell you where his 7.72 ranks in Texas Tech history because their top-10 list is a top-10 performances list, not a top-10 performers list, so there are just three hurdlers on it.That’s stupid. Anyway, here’s a look at the al-tiume New Jersey 60-meter hurdles list:

7.46 … Jeff Porter [Franklin Twp.], Feb. 1, 2014, Mondeville, France
7.50 … Renaldo Nehemiah [Scotch Plains-Fanwood], March 10, 1989, Madrid, Spain
7.50 … Anwar Moore [Camden], Feb. 24, 2008, Boston
7.52 … Jack Pierce [Woodbury], Feb. 25, 1995, Fairfax, Va.
7.55 … Devon Hill [Trenton], March 10, 2012, Nampa, Idaho
7.66 … Cory Poole [East Orange], Feb. 14, 2020, Clemson, S.C.
7.69 … Guy Rose [Wayne Hills], Feb. 24, 2001, State College, Pa.
7.71 … Chris Serrao [East Brunswick], Jan. 11, 2025, Philadelphia
7.72 … Isaac Williams [Willingboro], Jan. 9, 2015, Houston
7.72 … Jamir Brown [Riverside], Dec. 6, 2024, Staten Island
7.72 … Sincere Rhea [St. Augustine], Jan. 25, 2025, Lubbock, Texas
7.73 … Todd Matthews [Notre Dame], Feb. 17, 2001, Blacksburg, Va.

Huge 3,000 PR Friday for Haddonfield graduate Helene Usher, a sophomore at La Salle.

In just her second college 3,000, Usher ran 9:41.58 at the Dr. Sander Scorcher at the Armory, trimming nearly 18 seconds off her PR. She ran 9:59.04 at Penn Select 10 at Ocean Breeze a year ago this month.

Usher’s time is No. 5 in the Atlantic 10 so far this year and it’s No. 14 on the all-time South Jersey alumni list and 4th-fastest among Haddonfield graduates, behind Olympians Marielle Hall [8:48.72 in Portland, Ore., in 2020] and Erin Donohue [8:55.07 in Lapinlahti, Finland, in 2011] and Greta Feldman [9:40.34 in Newport News, Va., in 2016].

Usher came through 800 meters in 2:35.57, 1,000 meters in 3:14.57, 1,600 in 5:12.09, 2,000 in 6:31.35 and 2,400 in 7:47.33. She negative split 4:52.23 for her first 1,500 and 4:49.36 for her second 1,500.

Cherry Hill East’s Alexis Tepper from UMBC has also been under 10 minutes this season with a 9:56.83 in State College this weekend.

With senior Stone Caraccio from Kingsway leading off and grad student Ian Moore from Rancocas Valley on the 800 leg, Monmouth, Monmouth ran the 2nd-fastest distance medley in NCAA Division 1 this year on Friday afternoon.

Caraccio ran the 1,200 leg and Moore the 800, and Monmouth ran 9:53.14, placing 2nd to Wisconsin, which ran a D-1-leading 9:52.88 at the Dr. Sander Scorcher at the Armory in New York. Monmouth’s time is 4th-fastest in school history.

Caraccio led off with a 3:05.21 and sophomore Will Freeman from Manchester High split 48.2 for the 200, setting up Moore, who split 1:51.78. Senior Declan McDonnell from the Tatnall School in Wilmington, Del., anchored in 4:07.34.

The previous top NCAA Division 1 time this indoor season was Ohio State’s 9:55.98 earlier this month in Lexington, Ky.

Caraccio and Moore ran on Monmouth’s school-record 9:37.38 at Boston University in February of 2023. Monmouth had a 9:46.80 with Absegami’s Ford Palmer anchoring in Boston in 2013 and a 9:52.25 with Caraccio and Moore in Boston last February.

Salem senior Anthony Parker broke the Salem County indoor long jump record Wednesday in the South Jersey Elite meet at the Ott Center in West Philly.

Parker leaped 22-0 ½ on his 2nd of three attempts, breaking the mark of 21-11 that Schalick’s Kason Barrett jumped at 2017 Easterns at the Armory.

Parker, also an outstanding hurdler, hasn’t done a ton of long jumping. He jumped a few times outdoors as a sophomore with a best of 19-7 at the Bridgeton Relays. He didn’t jump at all that indoor season and only once last spring, going 20-8 ¼ at the Salem County Championships and taking 2nd to Schalick freshman David Stewart, who jumped 21-4 ½. His indoor and overall PR before Wednesday was 20-10 ¾ from a meet earlier this month, also at the Ott Center.

On Wednesday, he opened with a PR 21-5 ¼ and then hit 22-0 ½ on his 2nd jump. He finished with a 20-11 ¼, so he had the three-best jumps of his life back-to-back-to-back.

Parker’s 22-0 ½ is No. 11 in the state so far this year and No. 1 in South Jersey, just ahead of Sterling senior Bright John, who jumped 21-11 ¾ earlier this month at Ocean Breeze.

As for Stewart, he hasn’t long jumped yet this indoor season, but he did run a PR 50.30 for 3rd place in the 400 Wednesday, which makes him the top sophomore quarter-miler in New Jersey and Salem County’s fastest 400 runner since Norman Morris of Penns Grove ran 49.72 to win the 400 at the 2015 state Group 1 meet at the Bubble.

Here are all the 21-foot indoor jumpers I found from Salem County (outdoor county record is Salem’s Torrence Sorrell with his 23-2 ¼ when he won the 1988 Meet of Champions).
22-0 ½ … Anthony Parker [Salem], 2025
21-11 … Kason Barrett [Schalick], 2017
21-7 ¼ … Julian Norman [Woodstown], 2017
21-7 … Jason Knight [Salem], 1991
21-5 … Blaine Bartlett [Penns Grove], 1999
21-4 ½ … Clifton Green [Schalick], 1992
21-4 ½ … Bobby Arnold [Salem], 2020

And my best attempt at an all-time South Jersey indoor 22-foot list:
25-5 ½ … Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 1979
24-6 ¼ … Gerard Reynolds [Willingboro], 1990
24-2 ½ … Isaac Samuels [Kennedy], 1983
24-0 ¾ … Mike Morrison [Willingboro], 2003
24-0 ½ … William Spearmon [Wilson], 1996
23-11 ½ … Kerry Vivett [Edgewood], 1985
22-10 ¾ … Nick Brown [Bridgeton], 1999
23-10 ….. Matt Rose [Bordentown], 1985
23-9 …… Syteek Farrington [Camden], 2009
23-7 ¾ … Anthony Averett [Woodbury], 2012
23-5 ½ … Floyd Whitaker [Highland Reg.], 2020
23-4 ½ … Maurice Hunter [Woodbury], 1983
23-4 ….. Andrew Athias [Cherry Hill East], 2011
23-3 ¾ … Jamar Byrd [Vineland], 2005
23-3 … Chace Pearson [Timber Creek], 2022
23-2 ½ … Rich Winstead [Egg Harbor Twp.], 1988
23-1 ….. Mikhail Micheaux [Eastern], 2014
23-0 ….. Derek King [Cumberland Reg.], 1984
22-11 ½ … Chris Gillis [Pennsauken], 2001
22-11 ½ … Antwan Dickerson [Pennsauken], 2013
22-11 … Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 1984
22-10 ¾ … Will Mobley [Eastern], 1990
22-9 ¼ … Khalim Barge [Camden], 1999
22-9 ¼ … Shai Mumford [West Deptford], 2013
22-9 … John Meekins [Cinnaminson], 1987
22-8 ½ … Chris Steliga [Cherokee], 2008
22-7 ¾ … Hede Dewberry [Willingboro], 1981
22-7 ½ … Rece Englehardt [Moorestown], 2024
22-7 ¼ … Keon Grady [Delsea], 2017
22-7 … Jermaine Jackson [Wilson], 1991
22-7 … Darin Washington [Winslow Twp.], 2008
22-6 ½ … Carl Smith [Camden], 2005
22-6 ½ … Iverson Clement [Rancocas Valley], 2017
22-5 ¾ … Khaliel Burnett [Delsea], 2018
22-5 … Sherron Bullock [Camden], 2003
22-3 ¾ … Larry Russell Jr. [Timber Creek], 2015
22-3 ½ … Damon Johnson [Vineland], 1994
22-3 ½ … Ahmad Fogg [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2022
22-3 ¼ … Khaliq Price [Winslow Twp.], 2003
22-3 … Maurice Young [Camden], 1999
22-2 ¾ … William Murray [Mainland Reg.], 2023
22-2 ¼ … Marquis Allen [Oakcrest], 2001
22-2 ¼ … Dominique Irons [Haddon Heights], 2012
22-2 … Sean Mayers [Cherokee], 2002
22-2 … Adwon Parker [West Deptford], 2006
22-1 ¾ … Tahmir Clark [Rancocas Valley], 2020
22-1 … Ryan Givens [Ocean City], 2014
22-0 ½ … Connor Wright [Hammonton], 2022
22-0 ½ … Anthony Parker [Salem], 2025
22-0 … Marcus Brown [Bridgeton], 2001
22-0 … Damir Lomax [Delsea], 2020

Haddonfield junior Riley Austin led five half-milers under 2:20 Wednesday at the Ott Center, with Austin, Moorestown freshman Hope Edwards, Paul VI sophomore Grace Gutowski, Ocean City sophomore Carly Godfrey and Northern Burlington senior Liliah Gordon all running 2:19.15 or faster.

Austin won the race in 2:17.24, No. 2 in South Jersey this year, Edwards was 2nd in 2:17.92 in her 2nd high school race, Gutowski ran 2:18.18 for 3rd, Godfrey crossed the line in 2:18.60 and Gordon – coming off her 2nd-place finish at the USATF Under-20 Cross Country Championships in Lubbock, Texas – dipped down from 5K to 800 meters and ran 2:19.15 for 5th.

The times are No. 2 through No. 6 in South Jersey this year. Natalie Dumas of Eastern ran 2:11.42 at Ocean Breeze earlier this month.

Austin ran slightly faster – 2:16.87 – at last year’s state Group 2 Championships at the Bubble. She does not run outdoor track, so that 2:16.87 is her overall PR.

Edwards broke Moorestown’s indoor school record of 2:21.56 set by Allison Tetreault at the 2008 state Group 3 meet at the Bubble. Becky Wells ran 2:14.3 outdoors when she placed 2nd to Hackensack’s Jasmin Jones at the 1987 Meet of Champions at South Plainfield.

She also broke the Burlington County freshman class record of 2:18.61 set at the 2020 Meet of Champions at Ocean Breeze by Cherokee’s Kelsey Niglio. Her time is fastest by a South Jersey freshman since Washington Township’s Kami Joi Hickson ran 2:14.99 at the 2017 state Group 4 meet at the Bubble.

Gutowski broke her indoor PR of 2:26.97 from the Parochial A Championships last March at the Bubble. She’s run 2:17.85 outdoors.

Godfrey also recorded an indoor 800 PR after running 2:23.02 this past March in Boston. She’s run slightly faster outdoors – she has a 2:18.50 at Group 3 states this past June at Delsea.

Gordon’s 2:19.15 is an indoor PR because it’s the first indoor 800 she’s ever run. She ran 2:17.65 in her only outdoor 800 last year. Her time is also a school record.

Woodbury senior Marquis Taylor ran away from a fast field to win the 55-meter dash Wednesday in the South Jersey Elite meet at the Ott Center in West Philly.

Taylor lowered his PR from 6.43 to 6.41, tied for 11th-fastest in South Jersey history and 4th-fastest on the all-time Gloucester County list. He’s only 3-100ths of a second outside the all-time South Jersey top 10.

Taylor had been tied for the school record with his 6.43 from last year’s Meet of Champions at Ocean Breeze. Woodbury’s Anthony Averett ran 6.43 at the 2013 Meet of Champs at the Bubble.

His time is 3rd-fastest in New Jersey this year, behind East Orange’s Jordaine Johnson and West Orange’s Terrance Mahomes, who ran 6.38 and 6.40 at the Millrose Games Trials earlier this month at the Armory.

The race produced three of the four-fastest times in South Jersey this year, and seven boys ran 6.64 or faster.

Senior M.J. Lincoln broke his own Lenape school record, taking 2nd place in 6.51, with St. Augustine senior Julian Onesti 3rd in 6.52 after a PR and school-record 6.51 in the trials. He broke the school record of 6.52 set by national scholastic hurdles champ Sincere Rhea at the 2019 Meet of Champions.

Sterling senior Bright John placed 4th in 6.57, Washington Township senior John Santos 5th in 6.62, Burlington Township junior Solomon Wesley PR’d at 6.63 for 6th, Ranccoas Valley senior David Smith ran 6.64 for 7th and Washington Township senior Jack Schuck 8th in 6.69.

Taylor also won the 200 in 21.89, with Paul VI senior Austin Bailey 2nd in 21.97 and Wesley 3rd out of an unseeded heat with a PR 21.97 (21.967 for Bailey, 21.970 for Wesley).

All-Time South Jersey 55-Meter Dash List
6.18 … Ajani Dwyer [Washington Twp.], 2024
6.22 … Malachi James [Burlington City], 2024
6.26 … Damiere Byrd [Timber Creek], 2011
6.30 … Jamar Ervin [Camden], 2001
6.31 … Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 1984
6.34 … A.J. Bunton [West Deptford], 2006
6.36 … Kenny Reynolds [Willingboro], 1986
6.36 … Malachi James [Burlington City], 2024
6.37 … Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 1979
6.38 … James Brown [Glassboro], 2009
6.41 … Chris Church [Millville], 2007
6.41 … Marquis Taylor [Woodbury], 2025
6.42 … Thomas Walls [Wilson], 2006
6.42 … Dominique Irons [Haddon Heights], 2013
6.42 … Samuel Thomas [Northern Burlington], 2023
6.43 … George McKey [Willingboro], 1982
6.43 … Anthony Averett [Woodbury], 2013
6.44 … Thomas Hampton [Clayton], 2019
6.44 … Yashahya Brown [Washington Twp.], 2024
6.44 … Brysheen Ferguson [Glassboro], 2024
6.45 … Paul Wheeler [Kennedy], 1983
6.45 … Miekel House [Rancocas Valley], 2020
6.45 … Sherron Bullock [Camden], 2004
6.45 … Rob McGriff [Camden], 2006
6.45 … Antonio Tarantino [Paul VI], 2018

Natalie Dumas ran the fastest 400 by a South Jersey girl in 22 years and just missed the South Jersey record Wednesday night at the Ott Center in West Philly.

Dumas, an Eastern junior, ran 54.45 unpressed, the fastest indoor time by a South Jersey girl since Willingboro’s Okechi Ogbuokiri ran 54.24 to win the 400 at the 2003 National Scholastic Championships at the Armory.

Her time is 6th-fastest in state history.

Dumas broke the Camden County record of 55.16 set by Winslow Township’s Krystal Cantey at the 2006 Hispanic Games at the Armory.

Dumas, who also PR’d with a 24.41 in the 200, won the Meet of Champions last spring at Pennsauken with a 53.16, 7th-fastest in state history and 2nd-fastest in South Jersey history as part of a MoC triple. She went on to win the intermediates at West Philly Nationals at Franklin Field, across the Northeast Corridor railroad tracks from the Ott Center.

Dumas has also run 2:11.42 this winter, so she has crazy range from 200 to 800 meters but also ran as fast as 18:49.86 for 5K from Group 4 cross country sectionals at DREAM Park in Logan Township in November.

Dumas’s 54.45 is No. 3 nationally, behind Bayleigh Minor of Ford Bend Christian Academy in Sugar Land, Texas, who ran 53.61 at the Carl Lewis Invite last week in Houston, and Elise Cooper of McDonough School in Owings Mills, Md., who ran 54.01 at the Armory earlier this month.

Also under 60 seconds were Paul VI junior Claire Magee [58.89], Hammonton sophomore Corinne Egan [PR 59.00], Clayton senior Leila Ortiz [59.13], Pemberton junior Olivia Serrano [59.21], Timber Creek sophomore Taylor Gaines [59.28] and Absegami senior Jaidah Garrett [59.74]. Egan, Serrano and Garrett raced in the 4th section, with Dumas, Magee, Ortiz and Gaines in the 5th.

All-Time New Jersey Indoor 400 List
51.61 … Sydney McLaughlin [Union Catholic], 2017
52.55 … Athing Mu [Trenton], 2018
53.49 … Olivia Baker [Columbia], 2014
53.73 … Julia Jackson [Scotch Plains-Fanwood], 2022
54.24 … Okechi Ogbuokiri [Willingboro], 2003
54.45 … Natalie Dumas [Eastern], 2025
54.64 … Mikele Barber [Montclair], 1998
54.70 … Janine Davis [Queen of Peace], 2003
54.91 … Nijgia Snapp [Oakcrest], 2008
54.98 … Tawana Watkins [Paterson Kennedy], 2002
55.16 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow Twp.], 2006
55.19 … Michelle Brown [Seneca], 2010
55.19 … Brooke’lyn Drakeford [Piscataway], 2023
55.21 … Aliyah Taylor [Rancocas Valley], 2017
55.32 … Amber Allen [Passaic Vo Tech], 2009
55.34 … Symone O’Connor [Franklin Twp.], 2006
55.36 … Taylor Aska [Union Catholic], 2024
55.42 … Jennifer Edobi [Union], 2014
55.49 … Kristen Mahon [Notre Dame], 2006
55.49 … Victoria Vanriele [Governor Livingston], 2019
55.51 … Sianni Wynn [Pennsauken], 2024
55.53 … Rhia Randolph [Union Catholic], 2024
55.4h … English Gardner [Eastern], 2008
55.59 … Tiffany Grant [Ocean Twp.], 2006
55.65 … Gina Certo [Academy of Holy Angels], 2024
55.6h … Denise Mitchell [Edgewood], 1984
55.6h … Emily Carrollo [Pope John], 2008
55.75 … Emilie Cowan [Columbia], 2014
55.79 … Kaira Brown [Kent Place], 2019
55.83 … Kiara Lester [Deptford], 2016
55.91 … Ajee Wilson [Neptune], 2011
55.94 … Sam Anderson [Matawan], 2014
55.95 … Natalie Englese [Cranford], 2010

All-Time South Jersey Indoor 400-Meter Dash List
54.24 … Okechi Ogbuokiri [Willingboro], 2003
54.45 … Natalie Dumas [Eastern], 2025
54.91 … Nijgia Snapp [Oakcrest], 2008
55.16 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow Twp.], 2006
55.19 … Michelle Brown [Seneca], 2008
55.21 … Aliyah Taylor [Rancocas Valley], 2017
55.51 … Sianni Wynn [Pennsauken], 2023
55.4h … English Gardner [Eastern], 2008
55.6h … Denise Mitchell [Edgewood], 1984
55.83 … Kiara Lester [Deptford], 2016
56.19 … Nylah Perry [Winslow], 2020
56.21 … Dana Burnett [Williamstown], 1997
56.34 … Katrina Sye [Buena], 1997
56.44 … Avionne Sloan [Camden], 2006
56.44 … Dahlia Beasley [Washington Twp.], 2024
56.56 … Ryan Jennings [Timber Creek], 2025
56.59 … Jasmine Jackson [Winslow Twp.], 2025
56.62 … Ste’yce McNeil [Winslow Twp.], 2012
56.65 … Britney Kott [Millville], 2009
56.72 … Natalie Dumas [Eastern], 2024
56.76 … Simone Thomas [Willingboro], 2003
56.78 … Ajae Alvarez-Tyler [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2018
56.85 … Emily Duffey [Lenape], 2012
56.85 … Nylah Perry [Winslow], 2020
56.88 … Marcene Jack [Mainland Reg.], 2004
56.90 … Nadia Davy [Bridgeton], 1999
56.98 … Jade Pope [Pennsauken], 2020

Mainland Regional senior Josiah Williams, Bridgeton senior Zamir Chance and Moorestown senior Ezra Williams-Thomas hooked up Wednesday in the deepest South Jersey indoor triple jump competition ever held, with all three surpassing 45 feet and all three and all three moving into the all-time South Jersey top-15.

The South Jersey Elite meet at the Ott Center in West Philly was the place to be Wednesday for triple jump enthusiasts, as Williams broke the Atlantic County record, Chance broke the Cumberland County record and Williams-Thomas tied the Burlington County record.

Wow! What a competition!

Williams won with a 45-8 and broke his own Atlantic County record of 44-9 ¾ that he set three weekls ago, also at the Ott Center. Chance, in his first indoor triple jump ever, placed 2nd with a 45-4 and broke the Cumberland County record of 44-3 held by Millville’s Ebenezer Edzii at the 2020 Marine Corps Holiday Classic at the Armory. And Williams-Thomas jumped 45-3 ½, tying the Burlington County record set by Rancocas Valley’s Zakiyy Williams at the 2015 Varsity Classic, also at the Armory.

Williams’ previous indoor PR was that 44-9 ¾ and he’s gone 45-4 ¾ outdoors. Chance’s outdoor PR is a 43-7 ½, so this was his best jump ever indoors or outdoors. And Williams-Thomas has an outdoor PR of 45-3 ½.

Their jumps are No. 5, 7 and 9 this year in New Jersey and No. 13, 14 and 15 in South Jersey history. Williams and Williams-Thomas are No. 2 in Group 3, and Chance is No. 2 in Group 1.

Making the competition even more impressive is that each competitor only got three jumps, presumably because of time constraints at the Ott.

Williams opened with a 43-9 ½ before surpassing 45 feet twice – his 45-0 ½ on his 2nd jump actually broke the Atlantic County record, which he then broke again with the 45-8 on his 3rd attempt.

Chance had jumps of 44-9 ½ and 45-4 with a foul in between, and Williams-Thomas had a solid series with 44-4, 44-5 ½ and 45-3 ½.

All-Time South Jersey Indoor Triple Jump List
49- 1 …..… Khaliel Burnett [Delsea], 2018
48- 9 …..… Dominique Irons [Haddon Heights], 2013
48- 8 ½ … Tristan Wilson [Delsea], 2014
48- 1 ¼ … Wayne Walls [Camden], 2009
47- 3 …..… Rhodeni Spence [Woodrow Wilson], 2007
46-11 ¾ … Jaden Johnson [Timber Creek], 2022
46-10 ¾ … Floyd Whitaker [Highland], 2020
46-6 ½ … Cartrell Moore [Glassboro], 2024
46- 5 …….. Orion Joyner [Kingsway], 2019
46- 3 ½ … Keon Grady [Delsea], 2018
45-11 … Jashad Kersey [Eastern], 2023
45-10 …..… Kevin Kevelier [Collingswood], 2020
45-8 … Josiah Williams [Mainland Reg.], 2025
45-4 … Zamir Chance [Bridgeton], 2025
45- 3 ½ … Zakiyy Williams [Rancocas Valley], 2015
45-3 ½ … Ezra Williams-Thomas [Moorestown], 2025
45- 0 …….. Earnest Daniel [Kingsway], 2017
45-0 … Hercules Stewart [Ocean City], 2024