Another record run

Woodstown’s Crawford wins again at Ott Center, runs fastest indoor 800 in state this season; Penns Grove’s Garlic wins triple jump

By Riverview Sports News

PHILADELPHIA – From the moment Josh Crawford first stepped into the Ott Center and helped establish a building record in the 4×800 relay he knew this was going to be one of his favorite places to run.

The Woodstown senior returned to the building Saturday for his first 800 of the season and put up another record performance. He smashed his own Salem County indoor record in the event with the fastest time in the state (and fifth in the country) this season and 15th-fastest indoor in South Jersey history.

He got around the Penn campus track in 1:54.98. It was three seconds faster than the Salem County indoor record he set last March. He won the boys 400 here last week.

“It’s definitely my favorite track, for sure,” Crawford said. “Part of it is definitely the fact that it’s a banked track, but also because my first couple races there I ran pretty solid times. Ever since that I took running there as my good luck charm.”

The Sacred Heart signee led race runner-up Teddy Foster at each split, but admitted he could hear the Haverford, Pa., runner at his back the entire way. He pulled away in the final lap to win by six meters. Woodstown teammate Karson Chew was third (2:00.54).

His time is the fastest by any Group 1 runner since Pleasantville’s Jacob Clark ran 1:51.52 and twin brother Isaac ran 1:51.72 in 2013. He broke his own Salem County indoor record of 1:57.66 that he set at the Meet of Champions at Ocean Breeze.

“I honestly had no idea how good it was,” he said. “Considering it’s the start of the season I had no idea what I was going to run, but considering right before it I ran the 55 and it wasn’t one of my best times, so it was kind of like a mental reset.

“I’m happy with the fact I didn’t let the 55 discourage me and I was able to go into the 800 and run the time that I ran today.”

Crawford wasn’t the only Salem County athlete to win an event at the meet. Penns Grove’s Bryan Garlic won the boys triple jump with a jump of 43 feet, 4.5 inches,.

Woodstown’s Jacob Marino was sixth in the boys 1600 (4:38.60) and fifth in the 3200 (10:17.25), His sister Abby was sixth in the girls 1600 (5:33.30) and the fourth fastest girl in the mixed 3200 (12:13.65). Aiden Taulane was sixth in the boys shot put (42-9), while Sara Lodge was sixth in the girls shot (29-8).

Penns Grove’s Nazeer Nocho-Paynter was third in the boys 400 (51.80). Raymond Brown (44-4.25) and JaKai Ingram (43-4.25) were third and fifth, respectively, in the shot put.