Salem’s Parker, Woodstown’s Crawford, Pennsville’s Morris all win state track titles, Parker on last jump of the day, Crawford at the tape, Morris in tiebreaker

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

SOMERSET – Talk about cutting it close.

Salem senior Anthony Parker has known the disappointment of being a No. 1 seed and not being able to get the job done too many times. It looked like it was going to happen to him again in Friday’s Group I state meet at Franklin High School here, but on his last jump of the night, literally the last jump of the event, he reached back and delivered a gold-medal winning effort.

Parker, the No. 1 seed in the Group I boys long jump, won the event with a last-chance leap of 22-feet, 5-inches, passing the two jumpers who left him in danger of not even qualifying for the Meet of Champions on their final jumps.

“It feels great,” Parker said. “All the other times I’ve been seeded first for states throughout my four years and my track career I’ve never won state. This is the first time. It feels great. I’m blessed.”

Actually, all three Salem County Group I state champions Friday took their wins down to the wire. In addition to Parker winning on his final jump, Woodstown’s Josh Crawford held off Metuchen’s Eric Schleif at the wire to win the boys 800 and Pennsville’s Megan Morris won a tiebreaker over New Providence’s Ilana Kornacki to take the girls pole vault for the second year in a row.

Crawford ran a 1:53.44 and beat Schleif by 16-hundreths of a second. Teammate Cole Lucas was third.

Morris and Kornacki both cleared 10-6 and missed at 11-0, but Morris won the gold when Kornacki missed her first jump way back at 9-0.

Parker, who is still undecided on where he’ll run in college next year, has been seeded No. 1 in his specialties entering the state meet at least four times in his Salem career.

The first time was last year in the outdoor 110 hurdles and he didn’t make it to the finals. In this year’s indoor championships he was listed first in the 55 hurdles and finished second. He’s also seeded No. 1 in the 110 hurdles here Saturday, but a right hamstring injury that affects his ability to pull over the hurdle (but not the long jump) will keep him from competing.

“It feels great (to finally deliver),” he said. “When I’m seeded first and I’ve got that mindset I’m first, I’m going to go win it and then I don’t, I get down on myself. I’m pretty hard on myself. All the coaches were telling me the whole meet to get out of my head and go jump, go have fun, remember why you came here and why you’re doing it.”

It still wasn’t easy. Glassboro freshman Alex Adeleye bumped Parker’s 21-9 from the lead with a 21-11 on his final jump. After waiting all day to compete, Parker had just one more attempt to get it back. He rose about the pressure and the noise and nailed it.

“This is his first moment where he definitely rose as the favorite, kind of just controlled it almost 90 percent of the time where in most cases he’s had to work his way up,” Rams coach David Hunt said. “It’s hard to perform when everyone expects you to win. When people don’t have that pressure on them it’s like they’re playing with house money. Everyone was coming after him. So to be able to hold that spot, to win it as the favorite for him was a big step. That is the first time he’s been able to do it.”

“It’s a lot of pressure, but, honestly, I think it’s better for me that way,” Parker said. “When I jumped my PR, 23-9, it was also my last jump. I think I jump better under pressure.”

Pennsville’s Morris successfully defended the pole vault title she won last year but conceded it was harder the second time around.

For starters, there was the stress of meeting the expectations she had for herself. And the field was so close any of the top five could have won it. It was so stressful she almost didn’t watch Kornacki’s last attempt at 11 feet that would have determined the champion.

As it was, Morris won because Kornacki had missed her first attempt at 9 feet, a height Morris passed to start at 9-6.

“All three of my jumps were pretty clean, but that 11 I’m just missing it,” she said. “This was honestly one of my stronger days. I wouldn’t say it’s my best, I think the Salem County Meet was my best, but this is probably top two.

“Leading up to it I thought I was going to be really nervous at the actual meet because I was nervous these two weeks leading up to it, and then when I got there all the nerves kind of went away.”

Truth be told, through all the stress and intense competition she did have a little extra incentive to repeat.

“My brother made a bet with me that if I won again he’d get us all Texas Roadhouse,” she said. “Right when I won I went to him and said I guess you owe me Texas Roadhouse.” 

The top two finishers in each event are guaranteed a spot in next week’s Meet of Champions at Pennsauken, although several Salem County athletes are in contention for wildcard spots to complete the field.

Pennsville’s Connor Ayars finished fourth in the boys javelin, but his 172-10 is expected to earn a wildcard spot.

Schalick’s 4×100 relay team along with Cougars David Stewart (400 hurdles) and Jordan Hadfield (girls 3200) and Woodstown’s Lucas (800) all finished third and will be contenders for wildcards.

NJSIAA GROUP I CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Franklin H.S., Somerset
(Event winners and Salem County scorers)
(Top 2 qualify for Meet of Champions, top 6 score meet points)

BOYS
TEAM SCORES (Top 10): Glassboro 31.5, Camden 30, Hasbrouck Heights 24, Woodstown 16, Kinnelon 12, Manville 12, Schalick 12, Clayton 12, Dayton 10, Boonton 10, Metuchen 10, Salem 10, Palmyra 10. 
4×100 Relay: 1. Camden 42.50; 3. Schalick (Reggie Allen, Michael Eberl, Zaeshawn Mills, David Stewart) 42.82
800: 1. Josh Crawford, Woodstown 1:53.44; 3. Cole Lucas, Woodstown 1:55.01
400 Hurdles: 1. Alexander Osayemi, Clayton 52.79; 3. David Stewart, Schalick 55:04; 6. Bryan Garlic, Penns Grove 56.45
100: 1. Jaiden Steele, Camden 10.86
3200: 1. Matthew Ware, Dayton 9:32.39
Shot Put: 1. Oscar Solis, Hasbrouck Heights 52-10.25
Javelin: 1. Walter Hedblom-Green, Boonton 178-5; 4. Connor Ayars, Pennsville 172-10
Long Jump: 1. Anthony Parker, Salem 22-5
High Jump: 1. Jaleel Latimore, Palmyra 6-6

GIRLS
TEAM SCORES (Top 10): Metuchen 24, Glassboro 18, Hasbrouck Heights 15, Clayton 15, Hawthorne 14, Haddon Twp. 12, Woodbury 11, Verona 11, Riverside 10, Audubon 10, Burlington City 10, Pennsville 10
4×100 Relay: 1. Woodbury 49.33
800: 1. Gwendolyn Neale, Verona 2:10.93
400 Hurdles: 1. Gina Minichiello, Hasbrouck Heights 1:04.56
100: 1. Sydney Greenidge, Riverside 12.31
3200: 1. Kaitlyn Connors, Metuchen 10:52.42; 3. Jordan Hadfield, Schalick 10:59.56
Discus: 1. Sunny Moore, Glassboro 142-6
Triple Jump: 1. Nyima Burley, Burlington City 35-9
Pole Vault: 1. Megan Morris, Pennsville 10-6

Despite having his routine thrown out of whack, Pennsville’s Ayars wins boys javelin; among 12 Salem County sectional champions, 64 state qualifiers

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSAUKEN – Imagine spending all day mentally preparing for the only event you’re competing in at the biggest meet of the year so far, getting to the site and fine-tuning your game face only to have the event pulled out from under you.

And then having to go through it all again the next morning. And still having it within yourself to produce a gold-medal result.

That’s what Pennsville’s Connor Ayars faced this weekend as he competed in – and won – the boys javelin in the South Jersey Group I track and field sectionals at Pennsauken High School.

Ayars had been gearing up all day Friday for his event, but wet weather and field conditions, combined with the time it took to complete an 88-man field in the Group 4 javelin prompted officials to call it a night shortly before the Pennsville senior’s flight was scheduled to throw.

He had to come back Saturday morning and although the throw wasn’t quite up to his usual standards, he still won the event with a throw of 161 feet, 1 inch – some 12 feet shorter of his best throw ever, but still six feet better than his closest competitor.

“I was a little upset because I was ready to throw, there was still some daylight left, but …,” he said. “It definitely was disappointing because I get out of school early, I go up there, I’m waiting five plus hours to throw and I don’t get to throw after I’ve been stretching, prepping myself, doing my technique work with Cole (Campbell) and then five minutes before I’m about to throw they say they’re going to postpone it.

“I’m pretty bummed out because I’ve been working all week to be ready to throw Friday and not expecting to throw today, and it ended up being a disappointing throw today as well. It was a total kill.”

On Friday Ayars was “as loose as I’ve ever been” and was expecting to post something in the high 170s at or better than the school record. His best-ever throw is 173-2, this year at the Woodbury Relays.

His winning throw Saturday came on his fifth attempt. He followed it with a 159-11, which still was better than the runner-up’s best.

“I wouldn’t say it was really off, it just wasn’t what I was expecting to throw,” he said. “It is a disappointing throw for me, but I got first place so I can’t put myself down for that.”

Now he has two weeks to bring it back. After a disappointing showing in the state meet last year Ayars plans to change what he does to get ready.

“I’ve just got to be more locked in this season,” he said. “It’s my last outing if I don’t do well. I’m going to have to push myself to take these two weeks and really focus on what I need to get better at.”

Ayars won one of eight boys and four girls sectional champions from Salem County and 64 total qualifiers to the state championship meet from the county.

Among the boys champions crowned Saturday were Ayars, Schalick’s Ethan McLean (discus) and David Stewart (triple jump); Salem’s Anthony Parker (long jump); and Woodstown’s 4×400 and 4×800 relay teams.

Josh Crawford, looking every bit in like the Atlanta Braves’ Flash who gives random fans a big head start and then runs them down in his between innings promo on the warning track, took the baton in sixth place and made up some 60 meters on the final leg to edge Camden in the 4×400 relay. He ran a 47.095 final leg. He won the 800 on Friday.

“With every race I run, whether it is a relay or an open it is never about me. It’s about me doing my part for the team and my coach,” Crawford said. “They did their part. it was my turn to do mine. I didn’t even think. I was calm and knew what I had to do.

“I loved the celebration with my team at the end. Opposing runners came up to me. I do the same to them. We have respect for each other. Most importantly, I know that every stride I take is partly hard work and discipline, but is mostly the strength from God and some good genes.”

Among the girls champions crowned Saturday were Schalick’s Jordan Hadfield (1600); Woodstown’s Kami Casiano (high jump); and Pennsville’s Megan Morris (pole vault). Hadfield’s win the 1600 gave her a double after winning the 3200 the day before.

Woodstown and Schalick finished 2-3 behind champion Glassboro in the boys team standings. Schalick was third in the girls teams standings, just two points behind runnerup Haddon Twp. Woodstown was sixth.

Stewart and Hadfield were second in their respective Group I MVP standings. Hadfield was second in girls Group I track scoring and Crawford was second in boys Group I track scoring.

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I 
TRACK SECTIONALS

BOYS
TEAM SCORES: Glassboro 135, Woodstown 66.5, Schalick 57, Camden 44, Haddon Twp. 33, Audubon 33, Clayton 32, Palmyra 28, Woodbury 23, Gateway 22, Penns Grove 19, Pennsville 14, Maple Shade 12, Buena 11, Burlington City 10, Salem 10, Paulsboro 8.5
EVENTS (winners and Salem County state qualifiers)
100: 1. Xavier Sabb, Glassboro 10.69; 6. Colin McGlinn, Pennsville 11.07
200: 1. Alexander Osayemi, Clayton 21.67; 4. David Stewart, Schalick 22.18; 6. Zaeshawn Mills, Schalick 22.52
400: 1. Alexander Osayemi, Clayton 46.91; 2. Josh Crawford, Woodstown 49.01
800: 1. Josh Crawford, Woodstown 1:53.59; 2. Cole Lucas, Woodstown 1:54.87; 5. Karson Chew, Woodstown 1:59.92
1600: Ty Blackman, Glassboro 4:27.73; 3. Cole Lucas, Woodstown 4:34.08
3200: 1. Ty Blackman, Glassboro 9:47.48; 3. Jacob Marino, Woodstown 10:00.32
4×100 Relay: 1. Schalick (Reggie Allen, Michael Eberl, Zaeshawn Mills, David Stewart) 42.34 (Group I sectional record)
4×400 Relay: 1. Woodstown (Karson Chew, Kyle Reitz, Anthony Costello, Josh Crawford) 3:26.84; 5. Penns Grove (Kylee Goodson, Sebastian Hernandez, Bryan Garlic, Knowledge Young) 3:28.42
4×800 Relay: 1. Woodstown (Karson Chew, David Farrell, Pacey Hutton, Jacob Marino) 8:20.34; 6. Penns Grove (Messiah Allah, Connor Duggan, Bryan Garlic, Robert Sanchez-Gomez) 8:43.15
100 Hurdles: 1. Andres Santiago, Haddon Twp. 14.92
400 Hurdles: 1. Alexander Osayemi, Clayton 53.14; 2. David Stewart, Schalick 54.22; 5. Bryan Garlic, Penns Grove 56.09
Discus: 1. Ethan McLean, Schalick 139-6; 4. Aidan Taulane, Woodstown 131-4; 5. Jackson McFarland, Pennsville 130-8
High Jump: 1. Jaleel Latimore, Palmyra 6-4; T-6. Elijah Caesar, Woodstown 5-10
Javelin: 1. Connor Ayars, Pennsville 161-1; 3. Nyzier Wynder, Schalick 147-11; 5. Lorenzo Dignee, Woodstown 140-5; 6. Cole Campbell, Pennsville 140-3
Long Jump: 1. Anthony Parker, Salem 23-2; 5. Will Roy, Penns Grove 20-5
Pole Vault: 1. Jacob George, Haddon Twp. 14-0; 4. Salvatore Longo, Schalick 12-0
Shot Put: 1. Sam Adams, Palmyra 46-3; 2. Raymond Brown, Penns Grove, 46-1; 4, Sheldon Goldsborogh, Schalick 45-7.5
Triple Jump: 1. David Stewart, Schalick 45-4.25; 4. Bryan Garlic, Penns Grove 42-9; 6. Zaeshawn Mills, Schalick 41-9.5

GIRLS
TEAM SCORES: Clayton 86, Haddon Twp. 74, Schalick 72, Audubon 65.5, Woodbury 55, Woodstown 45, Maple Shade 42, Glassboro 28, Riverside 18, Burlington City 18, Pennsville 12, Buena 10, Salem 9, Camden 8, Wildwood 6, Paulsboro 4, Pitman 4, Gateway 1.5.
EVENTS (winners and Salem County state qualifiers)
100: 1, Miyana Johnson, Clayton 12.40; 6. Raniyah Parsons-Smith, Salem 12.99
200: 1. Leila Ortiz, Clayton 25.24; 6. Gia Martellacci, Schalick 26.44
400: 1. Leila Ortiz, Clayton 56.39; 5. Gia Marellacci, Schalick 1:00.04
800: 1. Riley Fayer, Audubon 2:17.09; 2. Jordan Hadfield, Schalick 2:18.67; 4. Lilian Norman, Woodstown 2:22.57
1600: 1. Jordan Hadfield, Schalick 5:04.83; 5. Lilian Norman, Woodstown 5:30.23
3200: 1. Jordan Hadfield, Schalick 11:16.14; 2. Anabel Schaal, Woodstown 12:24.42; 3. Abby Marino, Woodstown 12:27.02; 5. Samantha Sterner, Woodstown 12:34.84
4×100 Relay: 1. Woodbury 49.70; 2. Schalick (Jaelynn Jarmon, Phoebe Alward, Caileigh Schalick, Gia Martellacci) 50.87; 6. Salem (Angelina Fothergill, MaKayla Smith, Raniyah Parsons-Smith, Kashira Patterson) 52.63
4×400 Relay: 1. Haddon Twp. 4:06.29; 5. Schalick (Brooke Valentine, Sophia Harris, Jordan Hadfield, Gia Martellacci) 4:14.06; 6. Pennsville (Taylor Bass, Molly Gratz, Ariana Charles, Megan Morris) 4:16.64
4×800 Relay: 1. Audubon 9:55.24; 2. Woodstown (Abby Marino, Samantha Sterner, Sarah Seiden, Lilian Norman) 10:04.31; Schalick (Caylen Taylor, Sarah Torpey, Helen Lilli, Allyson Green) 10:48.66
100 Hurdles: 1. Ciani Floyd, Maple Shade 15.93
400 Hurdles: 1. Emily Madden, Buena 1:07.74; 4. Audrey Boggs, Salem 1:09.88; 6. Sarah Seiden, Woodstown 1:10.77
Discus: 1. Sunny Moore, Glassboro 137-1; 6. Sebrina Bradford, Schalick 106-10
High Jump: 1. Kami Casiano, Woodstown 5-2; 4. Navaeh Robinson, Schalick 4-10
Javelin: 1. Rainelle Blocker, Clayton 114-7, 3. Allyson Green, Schalick 105-1, 5. Navaeh Robinson 97-7
Long Jump: 1. Denirah Jones, Woodbury 17-4.5; 3. Phoebe Alward, Schalick 16-6; 4. Emma Perry, Woodstown 16-0
Pole Vault: 1. Megan Morris, Pennsville 10-6; 5. Gabriella Simonini, Schalick 8-0
Shot Put: 1. Antonia Federici, Woodbury 38-4; 5. Ava Rodgers, Salem 32-9; 6. Tatiyonna Crawford, Pennsville 32-8.75
Triple Jump: 1. Nyima Burley, Burlington City 35-9; 4. Jaelynn Jarmon, Schalick 34-7.25; 6. MaKayla Smith, Salem 33-5.

Woodstown’s Crawford sets sectional record in winning SJ Group I boys 800, Schalick’s Hadfield wins 3200

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSAUKEN – It really didn’t seem like a good day to run, but Woodstown junior Josh Crawford fought through the challenges and ran one of the best times in county history in his specialty Friday while setting a South Jersey Group I sectional record.

Crawford won the South Jersey Group I boys 800 in a personal best 1:53.59 that broke a 28-year-old hand-timed meet record set by Paulsboro’s Fred Sharpe. It was the second-fastest 800 in Salem County history, behind only the 1:52.97 Penns Grove’s Jaymes Dennison ran in 2013

Truth be told, Crawford wasn’t even sure they would have a meet as he sat in the middle of the school day. The skies were dark and the students were sheltering in place from the storm that was raging outside.

The skies eventually cleared and Crawford made his way to Pennsauken High. Once he got there he found the track dry, but the field turf was wet and spongy making it difficult to warm up.

“As soon as I got to the meet I was a little out of it mindset wise, but as soon as I saw the track I knew it was time to get my game face on it,” Crawford said. “That was me and my friends putting our best time down even though the circumstances were kind of iffy.”

He credited the pace of the race and the push from the field for helping raise the standard.

Woodstown teammates Cole Lucas and Karson Chew finished second and fifth, respectively, in the race. Lucas ran a 1:54.87 – the third fastest time in meet and Salem County history – and Chew ran a 1:59.92.

“It was mostly just me trusting my coach,” Crawford said. “He told me how I should run it along with my teammates. He told us to go 54 first lap and then we heard him throughout the entire race cheering for us and that really encouraged me.

“Plus having my teammates on my back the entire race. I know what they’re like and I know they have the ability to push me and that’s exactly what they did today. They pushed me. I wouldn’t have been able to reach that time if they weren’t on top of me the entire race.”

Crawford wasn’t the only Salem County athlete to win an event on the first day of sectionals. Schalick’s Jordan Hadfield won the girls 3200 in 11:16.14. She finished second in the girls 800.

All told, the county advanced 25 athletes and relays (11 boys, 14 girls) to the state meet. The sectionals continue Saturday.

With seven of the 18 events scored in each gender, Schalick leads the girls team race with 31 points, but is only three points ahead of Clayton. Woodstown and Schalick are second and third in the boys race behind Glassboro.

Here are Friday’s finals from the South Jersey Group I track sectionals; includes event winners and Salem County scorers/state qualifiers

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I 
TRACK SECTIONALS

BOYS
TEAM SCORES (7 events scored): Glassboro 55, Woodstown 26.5, Schalick 22, Palmyra 20, Camden 17, Clayton 12, Gateway 10, Burlington City 10, Penns Grove 10, Audubon 9, Woodbury 8, Maple Shade 6, Paulsboro 4.5, Haddon Twp. 4, Buena 2, Pennsville 1

100: 1. Xavier Sabb, Glassboro 10.69; 6. Colin McGlinn, Pennsville 11.07
400 Hurdles: 1. Alexander Osayemi, Clayton 53.14; 2. David Stewart, Schalick 54.22; 5. Bryan Garlic, Penns Grove 56.09
800: 1. Josh Crawford, Woodstown 1:53.59; 2. Cole Lucas, Woodstown 1:54.87; 5. Karson Chew, Woodstown 1:59.92
3200: 1. Ty Blackman, Glassboro 9:47.48; 3. Jacob Marino, Woodstown 10:00.32
4×100 Relay: 1. Schalick 42.34
High Jump: 1. Jaleel Latimore, Palmyra 6-4; T-6. Elijah Caesar, Woodstown 5-10
Shot Put: 1. Sam Adams, Palmyra 46-3; 2. Raymond Brown, Penns Grove, 46-1; 4, Sheldon Goldsborogh, Schalick 45-7.5

GIRLS
TEAM SCORES (7 events scored): Schalick 31, Clayton 28, Woodbury 22, Audubon 22, Haddon Twp. 21, Woodstown 21, Glassboro 19, Maple Shade 14, Riverside 10, Burlington City 10, Buena 10, Salem 7, Camden 2

100: 1, Miyana Johnson, Clayton 12.40; 6. Raniyah Parsons-Smith, Salem 12.99
400 Hurdles: 1. Emily Madden, Buena 1:07.74; 4. Audrey Boggs, Salem 1:09.88; 6. Sarah Seiden, Woodstown 1:10.77
800: 1. Riley Fayer, Audubon 2:17.09; 2. Jordan Hadfield, Schalick 2:18.67; 4. Lilian Norman, Woodstown 2:22.57
3200: 1. Jordan Hadfield, Schalick 11:16.14; 2. Anabel Schaal, Woodstown 12:24.42; 3. Abby Marino, Woodstown 12:27.02; 5. Samantha Sterner, Woodstown 12:34.84
4×100 Relay: 1. Woodbury 49.70; 2. Schalick 50.87; 6. Salem 52.63
Discus: 1. Sunny Moore, Glassboro 137-1; 6. Sebrina Bradford, Schalick 106-10
Triple Jump: 1. Nyima Burley, Burlington City 35-9; 4. Jaelynn Jarmon, Schalick 34-7.25; 6. MaKayla Smith, Salem 33-5.