Cherokee was the site of red hot running this past weekend as Naylah Jones of Timber Creek and Shaelan McNally of Paul VI led a flurry of electrifying performances as the outdoor season has started to really heat up.
At Cherokee's Night of the 3,200's on Friday, McNally ran a huge PR of 10:18.93 in the 3,200 on Friday, which is No. 16 in NJ history. That's a PR drop of nearly 30 seconds!!! McNally ran 10:48.90 as a junior last spring when she placed second at the State Non-Public A Championships. In case you are wondering, the state 3,200 record is 9:53.29, set in 2022 by Angelina Perez of Lakeland at the 2022 State Group 2 Championships at Franklin High.
Then on Saturday at the Fast Times at Cherokee' High meet, Jones, led 1-2 finish for Timber Creek by burning a 11.64, which is tied for the 9th fastest all-conditions 100-meter dash time in NJ history. There was no wind gauge. Timber Creek junior Ryan Jennings finished second in 11.93. The times by Jones and Jennings are the top two times in the state so far this season.
.png)
The 11.64 by Jones lowered her PR from 11.73, which she ran last June to finish first at the Meet of Champions at Franklin High, and it places her tied for No. 9 in NJ history with the legendary Olivia Baker of Columbia, who ran a wind-aided 11.64 (+3.0) when she finished first at the 2014 State Group 4 Championships. In case you are wondering, the state 100m dash record is the wind-legal 11.44 (+.08) by Myasia Jacobs of Paramus Catholic, which she ran as a sophomore when she placed second at the 2010 New Balance National National Championships.