GREENSBORO, N.C. – Saturday night there was one thing left for New Jersey, the distance medley. West Windsor-Plainsboro North (WWPN) had one thing on their mind, to break a 26 year old record set back in 1983 at the Penn Relays when Willingboro and Bernards both crossed the line in 10:00.9. Since that record was set Colts Neck in 2007 has gotten the closest running 10:04.15. This year’s distance medley at the Nike Outdoor Nationals had the teams to make it the fastest race in history. Nine teams in distance medley history have gone under the 10:00 barrier. Never before have there been more than 2 in the same year, let along the same heat. This year it was possible and maybe likely that 6 teams could drop under. Those 6 teams included Plainsboro North. The only question was who would go the lowest?
The leadoff duties for WWPN were given to Tyler Corkedale who split 3:05.33 and handed off to sophomore Sean Reed. Reed took the stick and got around his one lap faster than any other 400m leg in the race splitting 48.07 and handing off to Ryan Sleeper in 3rd. Sleeper took the stick for his 800m leg and just took off, clocking 1:53.33 keeping WWPN in the hunt. The anchor leg was up to Jim Rosa and he needed a 4:13 or better to crack 10:00. At this point the race was down to 6 teams who had lengthened their lead from the rest of the field by a considerable margin. Coming up to the bell lap Rosa was still charging. Down the home stretch they come and Rosa crosses the line splitting 4:11.65 and a total time of 9:58.60. They had done it!!!! The first team EVER in NJ to go under 10:00 for a distance medley and good enough for 3rd place. 1st place went to The Woodlands (a legendary team out of TX) who clocked 9:55.17 on the legs of their 4:08.89 anchor leg and 2nd went to Kroy TC (York, IL) a long time powerhouse as well who crossed the line in 9:57.22. Just behind WWPN was Danbury HS who crossed the line in 9:59.42 making this heat the fastest high school distance medley race EVER. The 5th and 6th place finishers, North Spokane, WA and Western Albemarle, VA clocked 10:00.06 and 10:00.17 respectively just missing the barrier.
Other NJ highlights from the weekend include: Chelsea Ley (Kingsway) taking 3rd place in the 5000m on Thursday night clocking 17:07.92 a PR for her. Hammer TC (Southern Regional) was one very BIG highlight Friday night. They ran in the seeded heat of the 4x800m. Coming in they are the defending indoor 4x800m relay champions and to no surprise they won again. On the heels of their star anchor Jill Smith who clocked a 2:04 and an overall time of 8:52.80 to lead her team to another national title and another state record. Nicole Pompei (Hanover Park) jumped a PR in the pole vault clearing 12-7.25 good enough for third place. In the girls triple jump, Ebony Young (Hillsborough) on her first jump of the day cranked out a 40-3.25 leap, good enough for 4th and a PR. To cap Friday nite off, after Southern Regional won their side of the 4x800m relay, it was Morris Hills’ turn. Liam Tansey on the anchor leg had some ground to make up getting the stick 10 yards behind the leader. That is just what he did splitting 1:51.55 to give Morris Hills a 7:42.30 and a national title.
Saturday had quite a few fireworks for the Garden State. It started early in the morning with a stellar 4xmile performance from Don Bosco for clocked a 17:47.29 on the heels of their anchor Rob Molke who split 4:22.96. Cougar Nation Roadrunners (Columbia HS) had themselves a heck of a day placing 2nd in the 800m medley clocking 1:43.33 and a new state record, 4th in the finals of the 4x100m running 46.96 and a NJ #1 and then ending the day with a 6th place finish in the 4x400m running 3:49.01. Victoria Imbesi heaved the javelin 143-4 taking 4th place and a spot on the podium. In a rematch of 400m studs, Clayton Parros (Seton Hall Prep) was pitted against Tavaris Tate (Starkville, MS) once again. The two have already met twice and Tate won both by the slimmest of margins. The last time they met (at the Great Southwest) Parros broke won the most sought after NJ records, the 400m. Parros crossed the line in 45.71 making this 3rd matchup that much more intriguing. The heat had to play a factor in this race as both athletes were well slower than what they had run just a week earlier. Tate edged out Parros again running 46.17 to 46.34. 
Next on the track was the 800m where Robby Andrews was slated to rematch Mac Fleet (CA) who raced each other a week ago in Oregon over a Mile. Fleet won that matchup 4:02.90 to 4:03.49. But this time it was at Andrews’ so-called better event. The race went out slow 55-56 seconds for 400m and it seemed like it played right into Andrews’ hands. But with 150m to go he still hadn’t passed the field. Curtis Beach (NM) was still in the lead. But Andrews pushed forward and prevailed in the end running 1:50.05 to claim another national title.