Kyle Rakitis of Kingsway and Nicole Clifford of Cherokee came up with stunning performances to lead their teams to titles, the Willingboro boys won their seventh straight title, and the Haddon Township girls captured their first championship when the NJSIAA Sectional Championships kicked off on Friday night at the Bennett Center in Toms River.
In the boys Group 4 competition, Rakitis, the Meet of Champions winner in the 1,600 last spring, won the 800 in 1:59.23, the 1,600 in 4:28.83, and the 3,200 in 9:38.74 to spark Kingsway to its fifth sectional title, 70-45, over runner-up Southern. Kingsway, which also won the 4x400 in 3:30.25, won its previous four sectional titles in Group 3 in 2009, '13, '14, and '15.
The Cherokee girls rolled to its first sectional title ever in Group 4 behind Clifford's four gold medals!
The University of Oklahoma-bound Clifford led a remarkable distance assault by Cherokee by winning the 800 in 2:18.87, the 1,600 in a SJ meet record 4:58.69, and the 3,200 in 11:15.18. Clifford, who broke the SJ record for all Groups combined of 4:59.30, which was set in 2017 by Niamh Hayes of Howell, also anchored the winning 4x400 relay that clocked an NJ No. 4 time of 4:01.96.
Cherokee, which rang up 84 points to defeat runner-by 24 points, piled up 43 of its 84 points in the 800 (11 points), 1,600 (16 points), and 3,200 (16 points).
Cherokee also picked up 11 points in the pole vault as senior Jillian Strauss placed second with a 9-0, and senior Isabella Kadar cleared 8-0 to tie for fourth.
GROUP 1
The Willingboro boys, which captured the State Group 1 relay title last month, made it seven sectional titles in a row behind seniors Miles Allen and Anaias Hughes.
Willingboro, which outscored runner-up Audubon, 104-61.5, has now captured nine sectional championships overall.
Allen won the 400m in 51.90 and the 55m dash in 6.60, both PR's, and ran a leg on the victorious 4x400 relay team (3:35.09). Hughes cleared 5-8 to win the high jump, and he ran a PR of 7.79 to win the 55 hurdles.
Willingboro also received first-place finishes from Jackson Murry in the pole vault (10-6), and C.J. Johnson in the shot put (53-10.25).
In the girls Group 1 team competition, Haddon Township defeated runner-up Audubon, 54-41.5, for its first title ever.
Lex won the 1,600 in 5:28.76 and finished first in the 3,200 in a PR of 12:41.23. Santomauro won the 55 dash in 7.49, and Marshall placed second in the 400 with a PR of 1:03.80 and second in the 55 hurdles with a PR of 9.20. Haddon Township also picked up six points in the 4x400 by placing third in 4:28.54.