Schalick’s Stewart scores fourth win in this year’s South Jersey Group I track meet; county athletes win 4 more titles, grab 30 more state qualifying spots

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

MEDFORD – Schalick’s David Stewart completed a four-event sweep, two winning throwers surpassed personal benchmarks in big ways and overall Salem County athletes had another field day on the final day of the South Jersey Group I sectional track meet Saturday.

Salem County athletes won four more individual titles and secured 30 more spots in the state meet on a gorgeous day at Lenape High School. That brought their collective haul for the weekend to 11 sectional titles and 60 spots in the state meet. To break it down further, nine of the 18 boys events were won by Salem County athletes.

“Their performances to me, it was one of the best performances at sectionals in Salem County history,” Woodstown coach Tom Mason said, and he’s been coaching track and cross country in the county 46 years. “And you’ve got to understand track and field in Salem County has historically had the most state champions and state championship teams. I was very, very proud of Salem County.”

Stewart won his fourth event of the meet when he took the boys open 400 in a PR of 48.64 seconds, leading a 1-2-3-4 Salem County finish across the line. He won the triple jump Wednesday on the last jump of the event and the 400 hurdles and long jump Friday. He was the only athlete at Lenape – boy or girl, Group 1 or Group 4 – to win four individual events and edged out Eastern’s Natalie Dumas for overall high-point scorer.

“I had three gold medals so today it was really like I might as well go for the fourth and then I ended up getting the fourth, so it just felt really good,” Stewart said. “There was definitely pressure because going into the 400 I wasn’t seeded first, so I was running out of Lane 2. I was definitely a little nervous, but once I got in the blocks, all the adrenaline took over and it was just like another race and I ran it.”

Actually, running out of Lane 2 helped him because he could see the competition. The plan was to quickly close the stagger and take the lead, making the competition run harder on the backstretch to keep up and then kick it into another gear in the final 100 to pull away. That’s exactly what happened and he won the race by more than a full second.

“That was a great run for him,” Schalick coach James Turner said. “It was exciting for him to finally go ahead and get four sectional championships and move on to the state in two weeks and he’s excited about it.”

The plan is for him to run all four events at the state meet, where another four-way sweep is possible as he’ll be seeded first in the hurdles, 400 and triple jump.

“The thing I’m most impressed with is I can’t ever remember a time David had a negative attitude or was worried or had doubt,” Turner said. “He’s always very positive, he’s very determined and every day he goes out there and he’s competing, he just always has this very positive attitude about him (that) he’s going to do good, he’s going to be great, and that’s the one thing I don’t think I’ve ever had an athlete to have.

“He was always thinking positive and was confident in what he could do. Even today with his hamstring. He’s not injured he’s just sore. He was like I’ve got this, I’m good. He’s always confident. He’s always positive.”

Among the day’s other winners, Woodstown’s Aidan Taulane completed a double when he put the shot put title with the discus crown he won Friday, Schalick’s Gary Simonini won the javelin and Salem sprinter Raniyah Parsons-Smith won the girls 200.

The two winning throwers had been chasing specific benchmarks all year and both cleared them in the finals of their event with room to spare.

Simonini has been chasing 170 feet all year. The junior got there Saturday, winning the event with a school-record throw of 176 feet, 8 inches, clearing the old record, set by Pat McCann in 2019, by a foot. The winning throw, on his final attempt with the new “gold standard” implement he started gaming at the Salem County Meet, was actually the second time he crossed the threshold on the day. He threw it 171-6 on his first attempt in the finals.

“My goal since freshman year was always to break the school record,” he said. “Today, I had some good warmups. I came into the finals seeded first. My first throw in the finals I hit 171, my first time in the 170s. By the time I got to my third throw – I was the last to throw so I knew I won – so I just had a smile on my face, went out there and had fun.

“I had some back issues during the week and today was like one of my first full throw days of the week and it ended up being a great day. I’m just happy I could do it for my school. Schalick just has done so many great things for me. I’ve had a great high school experience. Just to be able to get the name of Schalick out there like one of the top track schools, like a force in Group 1, that’s probably my favorite part about today.”

He also had something else more personal motivating him. He missed making it to the state meet last year by one spot – 3.5 feet – when he threw it 136-9 that feels like a warmup toss these days.

“That was like 40 feet ago,” he said. “It really helped me throughout the summer with just my drive. I’ve been working for this since my freshman year. I’ve always wanted to break that record.”

That wasn’t just a story for Saturday. It truly has been an career-long pursuit.

“When he was a freshman I remember he laid out a four-year gameplan for himself,” Turner said. “I said I threw this much this year, by the end of next year I’m throwing 150. By the end of my junior year I’m going to be throwing a 170. By the time I’m a senior I’m going to be out there close to 200.

“I talked to him today afterwards and was like do you remember what you told me when you were a freshman about what you laid out and how you were going to progress over the years. He was like yeah I remember. Just laying it out for himself as a freshman and so far hitting all those goals is just exciting to watch. He’s so dedicated and determined to do exactly what he says he’s going to do, to see him win the sectional title and not just win the sectional title but break the school record as a junior that was so exciting to watch. It was such a beautiful throw.”

Taulane, meanwhile, has been creeping up on 50 feet in the shot put the past couple meets. The Rowan signee didn’t just clear it on this day, he left it in the rear view mirror. He finally broke through on the first time on his second throw of the prelims (50-2.5) and then turned it loose in the finals, throwing it 53-3 to win the event by 3 ½ feet. It was the 13th best throw in the state this season.

“Hitting 53 today was kind of crazy,” he said. “I still really don’t know how to feel; I feel good about it. It definitely was my best technical throw ever. Getting over the barrier (the first time) really helped to show me that there was more in the tank, how much more I could hit.”

Glassboro won the boys team title, Audubon won the girls crown. Woodstown made a push on the final day and edged Schalick for third in the boys standings; Penns Grove finished fifth. Salem and Schalick were fourth and fifth, respectively, in the girls standings.

The Woodstown boys entered the day in fourth place, 42 points out of first and 16 behind second-place Schalick, but they more than doubled their points production on the last day to pass the Cougars and finish 11 points out of second place.

“The young men, especially on the track, what warriors these kids were,” Mason said. “What Aidan did goes without saying, and we got a second place in the high jump from Eli Ceasar, but on the track what warriors these kids were. Karson takes a tumble (in the 4×100 Friday), he comes in with band-aids all over and gets second today in the 400. I was very proud of the kids today. They gave everything they had, battled, now let’s heal up and move on to states.”

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I SECTIONALS
Saturday Results Only
Event winners, Salem County state qualifiers (top six)

BOYS
Team scores: Glassboro 120, Camden 84, WOODSTOWN 73, SCHALICK 69, PENNS GROVE 47, Haddon Twp. 43, Woodbury 25, SALEM 24, Maple Shade 17, Clayton 12, Gateway 11, Burlington City 9, Audubon 8, Buena 8, PENNSVILLE 5, Palmyra 2, Paulsboro 1
400: 1. David Stewart, Schalick 48.64; 2. Karson Chew, Woodstown 49.70; 3. Kylee Goodson, Penns Grove 49.81; 4. Josh Crawford, Woodstown 49.84
4×800: 1. Woodbury 8:09.42; 3. Woodstown (Marino, Farrell, Hutton, Turner) 8:24.10; 6. Salem (Buzby, Gilbert, Pozo, Conrath) 8:45.81
110 Hurdles: 1. Jaleel Dickerson-Dempsey, Camden 14.69; 2. Bryan Garlic, Penns Grove 15.05; 4. Timothy Gregory, Salem 15.54
200: 1. Christian Braxton, Camden 22.22; 4. Kylee Goodson, Penns Grove 22.90; 6. Timothy Gregory, Salem 23.18
1600: 1. Joseph Saicic, Glassboro 4:27.87
4×400: 1. Camden 3:23.15; 2. Penns Grove (Garlic, White, Goodson, Colon) 3:23.42; 3. Woodstown (Chew, Costello, Crawford, Turner) 3:25.99
Shot Put: 1. Aidan Taulane, Woodstown 53-5; 4. Connor Wariwanchik, Pennsville 48-9.25; 5. JaKai Ingram, Penns Grove 48-7.25; 6. Ethan McLean, Schalick 46-11.5
Javelin: 1. Gary Simonini, Schalick 176-8
High Jump: 1. Moses Robles, Glassboro 6-2; T-2. Tommy White, Penns Grove 6-0; T-2. Elijah Caesar, Woodstown 6-0; 5. Donovan Weathers, Salem 6-0

GIRLS
Team scores: Audubon 153, Glassboro 1-3, Haddon Twp. 79, SALEM 43, SCHALICK 30, Maple Shade 28, Buena 25, WOODSTOWN 20, Burlington City 17, Paulsboro 10, Woodbury 10, Clayton 8, PENNS GROVE 8, Pitman 8, Camden 6, PENNSVILLE 5, Palmyra 3, Gateway 2
400: 1. Reagan Maher, Haddon Twp. 59.57; 3. Dynastie Tucker, Salem 1:00.91
4×800: 1. Audubon 10:18.53; 4. Woodstown (Porch, Dussault, Dubler, Marino) 10:57.42; 6. Schalick (Wilbur, Taylor, Parvin, Lillia) 11:06.87
100 Hurdles: 1. Ciani Floyd, Maple Shade 15.48
200: 1. Raniyah Parsons-Smith, Salem 26.37; 5. Dynastie Tucker, Salem 26.93
1600: 1. Riley Fayer, Audubon 4:58.97
4×400: 1. Haddon Twp. 4:05.50; 3. Salem (Massengill, Tucker, Williams, Jackson) 4:17.73; 4. Schalick (Parvin, Jarmon, Valentine, Taylor) 4:20.84
Discus: 1. Sunny Moore, Glassboro 151-05; 5. Tatiyonna Crawford, Pennsville 106-0; 6. Sebrina Bradford, Schalick 104-1
Long Jump: 1. Erika Townsend, Glassboro 17-6.25; 2. Ramiyah Jones, Salem 17-1; 5. Arianna Dowe, Penns Grove 15-10
Pole Vault: 1. Morganna Makuszewski, Audubon 9-0; 6. Juliette Angelus, Woodstown 6-6

FRIDAY’S RESULTS
(Event winners, Salem County state qualifiers)
BOYS
Team scores: Glassboro 74, Schalick 48, Camden 34, Woodstown 32, Haddon Twp. 16, Salem 16, Penns Grove 12, Gateway 10, Burlington City 9, Clayton 8, Buena 6, Maple Shade 5, Woodbury 4, Palmyra 2, Audubon 2, Pennsville 1
4×100: 1. Camden 42.32; 5. Salem (Bergen, Beverly, Stevenson, Clayton) 43.98
800: 1. Josh Crawford, Woodstown 1:54.31; 3. Karson Chew, Woodstown 1:57.94
400 Hurdles: 1. David Stewart, Schalick 55.33; 4. Grady Buzby, Salem 59.09
100: 1. Jaiden Steele, Camden 10.74; 4. Kylee Goodson, Penns Grove 11.14
3200: 1. Jaeden Wesley, Glassboro 9:34.67; 5. Jacob Marino, Woodstown 9:52.70
Discus: 1. Aidan Taulane, Woodstown 159-2; 2. Ethan McLean, Schalick 151-9
Long Jump: 1. David Stewart, Schalick 22-8.5; 2. Will Roy, Penns Grove 22-0.25; 4. Donovan Weathers, Salem 21-0.25; 6. Danny Knight, Pennsville 20-9
Pole Vault: 1. Salvatore Longo, Schalick 13-0
Triple Jump (Wednesday): 1. David Stewart, Schalick 48-7.25; 3. Jerry Seals, Salem, 43-9.5 4. Andrew White, Woodstown 43-0
GIRLS:
Team scores: Audubon 75, Glassboro 57, Haddon Twp. 29, Schalick 24, Woodstown 15, Salem 11, Burlington City 10, Buena 10, Clayton 8, Maple Shade 8, Woodbury 8, Camden 6, Penns Grove 6, Paulsboro 4, Pennsville 3, Palmyra 3, Gateway 2 
4×100: 1. Glassboro 49.72
800: 1. Riley Fayer, Audubon 2:16.66
400 Hurdles: 1. Emily Madden, Buena 1:07.13; 5. Brooke Valentine, Schalick 1:11.62; 6. Lia Covely, Woodstown 1:11.90
100: 1. Kayla James, Glassboro 12.68; 4. Anyzha Williams, Salem 13.01
3200: 2. Riley Fayer, Audubon 11:21.91; 3. Abby Marino, Woodstown 11:36.00.
Shot Put: 1. Sunny Moore, Glassboro 44-4.5; 4. Zoey Ceasar, Penns Grove 35-10
Javelin: 1. Navaeh Robinson, Schalick 118-3; 2. Sebrina Bradford, Schalick 105-0; 6. Kaliyah Taylor, Salem 87-11
High Jump: 1. Julianna Lazton, Audubon 5-2; 2. Kami Casiano, Woodstown 5-2; T-4. Kallie Morrison, Pennsville 4-10
Triple Jump (Wednesday): 1. Nyima Burley, Burlington City 37-8.5; 3. Ramiyah Jones, Salem 35-6; 4. Jaelynn Jarmon, Schalick 35-0; 5. Arianna Dowe, Penns Grove 34-1

Schalick’s Longo wins boys sectional pole vault title in first competition of season, Stewart wins two more events; Salem County produces 7 champions, 30 state qualifiers through first full day of SJ Group I sectional meet

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

MEDFORD – Sal Longo spent his entire senior outdoor track season rehabbing a hamstring injury he sustained at the indoor Meet of Champions and didn’t compete once for Schalick during the spring. He made his long-awaited season debut Friday and what does he do – just become a sectional champion.

Just a week clear of being cleared to compete and with only four days of practice to prep him, Longo won the South Jersey Group I boys pole vault title with a vault of 13 feet.

“I was so stressful,” he said. “I didn’t know if I was going to make the opening height, to be honest. It’s been two months since I’ve done any competition, so clearing that opening bar was really a big weight off my back.

“I’m very proud of myself. I didn’t really think I would get first place at my first meet of the season let alone sectional. Honestly, it’s just a big stress reliever knowing that I’m back to how I was in winter track.”

Longo was one of five Salem County athletes to win an event in Friday’s first full day of sectional competition at Lenape High School.

Teammate David Stewart added two more titles to his collection, winning the long jump (22-8.5) and 400 hurdles (55.33); he won the triple jump Wednesday. Woodstown’s Josh Crawford won the 800 (1:54.31) in a 1-3 finish with teammate Karson Chew and teammate Aidan Taulane won the discus (159-2). Schalick’s Navaeh Robinson won the girls javelin (118-3) in s 1-2 finish with teammate Sebrina Bradford.

Salem County athletes picked up 30 qualifying spots to the state meet – 17 in boys, 13 in girls. The remaining spots are up for grabs Saturday.

Schalick is currently second behind Glassboro in the boys team standings and fourth in the girls race. Woodstown is fourth in the boys standings, and fifth in girls.

Longo sustained a Grade 3 strain in his left hamstring on March 8 and had been out of competition ever since. While his teammates were outside chasing PRs, he stayed inside anxiously waiting. He resisted the temptation to go out for fear of aggravating what had been healing. He passed on the Salem County Championships knowing all along the sectionals were the target date for his return.

He entered the competition Friday night at 11 feet and cleared the bar on his third attempt. He went through 11-6 and 12-feet and eventually he and Haddon Twp.’s Bobby McIlvaine were the last two standing as the bar went to 12-6.

Longo made it on his second attempt and McIlvaine went through on his third. Longo cleared 13 feet on his final attempt and had the gold after McIlvaine missed on his third try.

Longo made a bid for the Schalick school record, but missed all three attempts at 13-3.

“Sal’s a competitor and has been working hard for this moment for four years; he deserves every bit of this title,” Schalick coach James Turner said. “I really wasn’t sure what he was going to be capable of doing. Because of the injury he wasn’t even allowed to practice, or at least practice at our facility, until he was cleared, which happened this week. His dad told me yesterday he jumped 12-6 so I knew he was going to be able to do that.”

“I was really excited for him,” Stewart said. “He got injured right before Meet of Champs and that was really discouraging, so for him to just work past that and put the hard work in and see him win this is a really good feeling.”

Stewart had a stressful time of it as well. He was dealing with a leg issue left over from Wednesday’s triple jump competition, but he persevered.

He barely made it into the long jump finals with a jump of 20-3.25, then on his first jump in the final he went 21-8 to take the lead, which was matched by Glassboro rival Moses Robles. He fouled on his second attempt, then won the event by soaring 22-8 on his final attempt. He won the triple jump Wednesday on the final jump of the competition.

“I had to deal with some hamstring problems so today I was mainly just trying to focus on advancing to the next round, but I ended up winning the event,” he said. “I didn’t jump that good in the prelims, I barely made it through. I was mad, like why am I jumping bad? Turner texted me that I made it through to the finals, so I went over there and was stretching. I felt loose and then I just popped a great third jump which led to the 22-8.”

The leg problem that bothered him Friday isn’t expected to impact what he has left. He still intends to run the open 400 Saturday in a bid for four sectional golds.

“I’m still going to go out there and give it everything I got,” he said. “I’m going to run.”

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I MEET
(Event winners, Salem County state qualifiers (top six))

BOYS
Team scores: Glassboro 74, Schalick 48, Camden 34, Woodstown 32, Haddon Twp. 16, Salem 16, Penns Grove 12, Gateway 10, Burlington City 9, Clayton 8, Buena 6, Maple Shade 5, Woodbury 4, Palmyra 2, Audubon 2, Pennsville 1
4×100: 1. Camden 42.32; 5. Salem (Bergen, Beverly, Stevenson, Clayton) 43.98
800: 1. Josh Crawford, Woodstown 1:54.31; 3. Karson Chew, Woodstown 1:57.94
400 Hurdles: 1. David Stewart, Schalick 55.33; 4. Grady Buzby, Salem 59.09
100: 1. Jaiden Steele, Camden 10.74; 4. Kylee Goodson, Penns Grove 11.14
3200: 1. Jaeden Wesley, Glassboro 9:34.67; 5. Jacob Marino, Woodstown 9:52.70
Discus: 1. Aidan Taulane, Woodstown 159-2; 2. Ethan McLean, Schalick 151-9
Long Jump: 1. David Stewart, Schalick 22-8.5; 2. Will Roy, Penns Grove 22-0.25; 4. Donovan Weathers, Salem 21-0.25; 6. Danny Knight, Pennsville 20-9
Pole Vault: 1. Salvatore Longo, Schalick 13-0
Triple Jump (Wednesday): 1. David Stewart, Schalick 48-7.25; 3. Jerry Seals, Salem, 43-9.5 4. Andrew White, Woodstown 43-0

GIRLS:
Team scores: Audubon 75, Glassboro 57, Haddon Twp. 29, Schalick 24, Woodstown 15, Salem 11, Burlington City 10, Buena 10, Clayton 8, Maple Shade 8, Woodbury 8, Camden 6, Penns Grove 6, Paulsboro 4, Pennsville 3, Palmyra 3, Gateway 2
4×100: 1. Glassboro 49.72
800: 1. Riley Fayer, Audubon 2:16.66
400 Hurdles: 1. Emily Madden, Buena 1:07.13; 5. Brooke Valentine, Schalick 1:11.62; 6. Lia Covely, Woodstown 1:11.90
100: 1. Kayla James, Glassboro 12.68; 4. Anyzha Williams, Salem 13.01
3200: 2. Riley Fayer, Audubon 11:21.91; 3. Abby Marino, Woodstown 11:36.00.
Shot Put: 1. Sunny Moore, Glassboro 44-4.5; 4. Zoey Ceasar, Penns Grove 35-10
Javelin: 1. Navaeh Robinson, Schalick 118-3; 2. Sebrina Bradford, Schalick 105-0; 6. Kaliyah Taylor, Salem 87-11
High Jump: 1. Julianna Lazton, Audubon 5-2; 2. Kami Casiano, Woodstown 5-2; T-4. Kallie Morrison, Pennsville 4-10
Triple Jump (Wednesday): 1. Nyima Burley, Burlington City 37-8.5; 3. Ramiyah Jones, Salem 35-6; 4. Jaelynn Jarmon, Schalick 35-0; 5. Arianna Dowe, Penns Grove 34-1

Top photo: Schalick’s Sal Longo clears the bar to win the South Jersey Group I sectional pole vault title in his first competition of the spring. (Submitted photo)