Woodstown 4×800 relay finishes seventh at Millrose Games, runs sub-8:00, were first and fourth at various stages of the race
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
NEW YORK — It wasn’t quite the placing they were shooting for, but you’ll get no argument from Woodstown’s boys 4×800 relay team over the time they posted.
The Wolverines turned in Salem County’s best indoor time ever in the event and finished seventh in the 13-team Peter Diamond 4×800 at the 118th Millrose Games in The Armory in Washington Heights this afternoon.
Running under the banner of Woodstown TC, the team of Karson Chew, Jacob Marino, David Farrell and Josh Crawford ran a 7:55.62. They had hoped to finish fifth. Union Catholic won the race in 7:37.96, a facility and meet record and a second and a half off the national high school record.
“None of us were upset, none at all,” Crawford said. “We’re all happy for one another. Each one of us did our jobs, ran great legs. We dropped five seconds from our school record. A 7:55 is nothing to fret over. We’re all really happy with it.”
“Honestly, it couldn’t get better than that for us,” added Chew. “It just showed how well we can stick with the bigger competition and those big, huge school teams that are just bringing powerhouses every year.
“The target was fifth or better, but the fact we ran 7:55 I think that kind of counteracts it, like, OK we got seventh, but we ran a pretty damned good time.”
The Wolverines led the race three times in the first 600 meters of Chew’s opening leg and were second behind IMG Elite after he pulled in at 1:56.42, his fastest relay split ever. Marino ran 2:01.39 in the second leg, but they were in sixth at the exchange and were eighth after Farrell’s leg (2:03.40).
“I ended up opening a little flow,” Chew said. “I got out in front, which is definitely what needed to happen; I needed to solidify the position up front for a little bit to be able to hold my position.
“I knew going into it I had the ability to beat every single person on that track, given the day, given the time. I went into it knowing I was just as nervous as everybody else on that track and I was just as adrenaline high as everybody else on that track. I took the lead like I wanted to and tried to hold it the best I could until IMG took over towards the end.”
Crawford ran a 1:54.42 anchor leg and got all the way back to fourth with 200 meters to go, then his body started to rebel down the stretch and he began losing track position. His split was a half-second faster than his open 800 indoor PR, run in the Dr. Sander Scorcher here last week.
“My coach going into this told me that sometimes I have to take risks and this is the stage to take those type of risks,” Crawford said. “Taking the baton I saw I was in eighth, but I knew I could get up to fourth or whatever it was, but I just think I did it a little bit too quick.
“I ran 25 my first lap, 27 my second lap and for a 400 split that’s a 52; that’s what the pros are running. I got a little ahead of myself and tried to run what the pros were running just so I could catch up to that (lead) group of kids, which ended up nipping me in the butt the last 50 meters.
“I got ahead until the back straightaway and the lactic acid just built up. I was ahead and then I just started dropping places. I just locked up. It’s really only like a hundred-meter improvement that I’ve got to do and when I find that endurance that I need I think I’ll definitely be able to run some great times.”
| PETER DIAMOND 4X800 | FINAL |
| Union Catholic (NJ) | 7:37.96 |
| IMG Elite (FL) | 7:38.47 |
| St. John’s College (DC) | 7:48.43 |
| McCallie (TN) | 7:52.95 |
| Hickory Hawks (VA) | 7:54.00 |
| Haverford Twp. (PA) | 7:54.35 |
| WOODSTOWN (NJ) | 7:55.62 |
| State College (PA) | 7:59.37 |
| East Side Prep (MD) | 8:00.49 |
| North Hunterdon (NJ) | 8:02.95 |
| Northport (NY) | 8:03.80 |
| Manhasset (NY) | 8:03.80 |
| Bronx Science (NY) | 8:12.64 |
TCC Showcase
TOMS RIVER — Here are the athletes who scored points during Saturday’s rescheduled Tri-County/Olympic Showcase at The Bubble.
BOYS
Team scores: Williamstown 57, SCHALICK 37, Timber Creek 35, Highland 33, Glassboro 28, PENNS GROVE 25, Cumberland 24, Kingsway 22, SALEM 21, Clearview 16, WOODSTOWN 5, Deptford 4, Wildwood 2, PENNSVILLE 1.
(Salem County scorers)
55 Dash: 4. Jelani Beverly, Salem 6.72; 5. David Stewart, Schalick 6.73; 6. Kylee Goodson, Penns Grove 6.79
400: 1. Kylee Goodson, Penns Grove 51.14; 4. Tommy White, Penns Grove 53.76
800: 4. Steve Chomo, Schalick 2:06.53
1600: 6. Tortsen Duva, Woodstown 4:59.21
55 Hurdles: 4. Timothy Gregory, Salem 8.39; 6. Gradin Buzby, Salem 8.71
4×400: 1. Schalick (Jacob Carter, Steve Chomo, David Stewart, Salvatore Longo) 3:39.93; 4. Woodstown (Maximus Csaezar, Michael Turner, Ben Lippincott, Anthony Costello) 3:43.42
Long jump: 4. Jerry Seals, Salem 20-1.5; 5. Ahmad Tucker, Salem 19-10
Pole vault: 1. Salvatore Longo, Schalick 11-6; 2. Gradin Buzby, Salem 11-0; 6. Josh Weiner, Schalick 9-0
Shot put: 1. Ethan McLean, Schalick 44-4.5; 2. JaKai Ingram, Penns Grove 42-4.5; 5. Raymond Brown, Penns Grove 40-11; 6. Connor Wariwanchik, Pennsville 40-5
GIRLS
Team scores: Kingsway 94, Glassboro 56, Williamstown 47, Clearview 25, WOODSTOWN 18, Cumberland 15, Deptford 12, Highland 11, SALEM 10, SCHALICK 10, PENNS GROVE 9, Pitman 2.
(Salem County scorers)
55 Dash: 5. Dynastie Tucker, Salem 7.72
400: 4. Brooke Valentine, Schalick 1:05.23
1600: 3. Abby Marino, Woodstown 5:35.33
Mixed 3200: 2. Abby Marino, Woodstown 12:17.84
55 Hurdles: 6. Josephine Federanko, Woodstown 10.61
4×400: 3. Schalick (Sarah Torpey, Brooke Valentine, Emma Wilbur, Helen Lillia) 4:42.79
High jump: 1. Kami Casiano, Woodstown 5-2
Long jump: 3. Ramiyah Jones, Salem 16-0.5; 4. Dynastie Tucker, Salem 15-2.5; 5. Arianna Dowe, Penns Grove, 15-0.75
Shot put: 4. Zoey Ceasar, Penns Grove, 30-2.5; 5. Sara Lodge, Woodstown 29-10.75
Riverview Sports News 