Armstead, Jackson bring home individual gold at Group track championships
UPDATED June 12 to reflect Meet of Champions seeding
By Riverview Sports News
SOMERSET – Penns Grove senior Janier Armstead and Salem sophomore DaviYonn Jackson brought state titles back to Salem County Saturday with gold medal-winning performances at the NJSIAA Group I track and field championship at Franklin High School.
Armstead won the Group I boys shot put with a winning throw of 55 feet, 1 inch. Jackson won the boys triple jump at 45 feet, 9 inches.
For Armstead, a football signee to Sacred Heart, the shot put title was a long time coming, a satisfying finish to a career-long pursuit.
He finished seventh in the event 2021 and was fifth last year. His winning throw this year would have won it each of those two years.
‘I wanted to have a shot put state championship under my belt since my sophomore year so it was three years of trying before I could get one and that’s what makes this one so special to me,’ he told Riverview Sports News. ‘I wanted to make sure that going into my last state championship meet I left it all out there and left no room for regret.’
Besides getting to put his name in the record book for all time, he also was driven by the hopes his journey might serve as an inspiration to others.
‘My motivation to do well was to set an example to all the younger kids in my school so that they can see that when they have a goal that is a bit difficult to achieve in life they can do it if they just put the work in and believe in themselves,’ he said.
Armstead also finished second in the discus (163-3), so he qualifies for Wednesday’s Meet of Champions here in both events. The top two finishers in each event and the next best 18 regardless of classification qualify. He’s seeded sixth in the shot, seventh in the discus.
Teammate Elijah Hendricks also scored twice in the meet, finishing sixth in the 100 (11.13) and third in the 200 (22.27). Hendricks also ran a leg on the Red Devils’ fourth-place 4×400 relay team. He’s seeded 23rd in the MOC 200.
Jackson is seeded fifth in the MOC triple jump. His teammate Cameron Smith was third in the shot put (47-3.25) and fifth in long jump (21-1.75). He’s seeded 27th in the MOC long jump.
Penns Grove finished fifth as a team with 29 points. Salem was tenth.
Schalick’s Jordan Hadfield scored twice in the girls distance events. She was fifth in the 1600 (5:19.20) and fourth in the 3200 (11:17.17). She’s seeded 28th in the MOC 3200.
Woodbury’s boys and Hasbrouck Heights’ girls won team titles.
NJSIAA GROUP I TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP
SALEM COUNTY SCORERS
BOYS
100: 6. Elijah Hendricks, Penns Grove 11.13
200: 3. Elijah Hendricks, Penns Grove 22.27
800: 3. Cole Lucas, Woodstown 2:00.80
4×400: 4. Penns Grove 3:30.39
Long jump: 5. Cameron Smith, Salem 21-1.75
Triple jump: 1. DaviYonn Jackson, Salem 45-9
Shot put: 1. Janier Armstead, Penns Grove 55-1; 3. Cameron Smith, Salem 47-3.25
Discus: 2. Janier Armstead, Penns Grove 163-3
GIRLS
1600: 5. Jordan Hadfield, Schalick 5:19.20
3200: 4. Jordan Hadfield, Schalick 11:17.17
100 Hurdles: 5. Karima Davenport-White, Salem 15.94; 6. Brooke Watt, Schlaick 16.11
4×100: 3. Salem 50.17; 5. Schalick 51.27
4×400: 3. Schalick 4:09.04; 6. Woodstown 4:10.35
4×800: 5. Woodstown 10:13.15
Pole vault: T-4. Salem’s Anna Buzby, Salem; Angie Chomo, Schalick 8-0
Discus: 3. Grace O’Neill, Schalick 106-3
TEAM SCORES
Boys: 1. Woodbury 71; 5. Penns Grove 29; 10. Salem 18; 23. Woodstown 6
Girls: 1. Hasbrouck Heights 77.40; 9. Schalick 22.40; 18. Salem 9.40; 23. Woodstown 7
MEET OF CHAMPIONS QUALIFIERS
GIRLS
3200: 28. Jordan Hadfield, Schalick
BOYS
200: 23. Elijah Hendricks, Penns Grove
Long jump: 27. Cameron Smith, Salem
Triple jump: 5. DaviYonn Jackson, Salem
Dis:cus: 7. Janier Armstead, Penns Grove
Shot put: 6. Janier Armstead, Penns Grove
Riverview Sports News 