RECAP: South Groups 1 & 4 Sectionals

Jun 06, 2022

There were some fantastic races, remarkable individual performances, and a historic team battle at the South Jersey, Groups 1-4 Championships at Buena.

Let's take a look at some of the biggest highlights.

BOYS GROUP 4

Team Champion: Egg Harbor ran away with its first title since 2019 and its fifth overall with a 125-80 victory over runner-up Kingsway.

Stars of the meet:

Let's start off with all the studs from Egg Harbor.

Senior Malachi Wesley, and juniors and Ahmad Fogg and DJ Germann were the catalysts for the Eagles.

Wesley dropped three PR's, including a stunning meet record 13.93 to win the 110 hurdles, which is NJ No. 2 this season. He also finished third in the 200 (22.26), third in the 400 hurdles (56.05), and ran on the winning 4x400.

Fogg swept the horizontal jumps with marks of 22-0.75 in the LJ, and 43-7.75 in the TJ.

Germann finished second in the 100 dash (10.73), second in the 200 (21.74), was the runner-up in the LJ (21-5.75), and ran a leg on the 4x400.

Senior Evan Corcoran of Kingsway blasted a red hot sprint double. He won the 100 in a meet record and huge PR of 10.55, which is tied for the fastest time in the state this season, and ran a PR and NJ No. 12 time of 21.74 to capture the 200.

BOYS GROUP 1

Team Champion: This was the best team competition in the entire state on Sectional Saturday, and one of the best in state history as Audubon, Salem, and Glassboro locked horns in a classic three-way battle. When the dust settled, Audubon and Salem each scored 96 points to share the title, and Glassboro was third with 94 points. That's right-three teams were separated by just three points!!!! Simply amazing!

It was the second title ever for Audubon, which won its only other championship in Group 2 in 1974. For Salem, this was its first title since 1991 and its third overall.

Stars of the meet: There were lots of great performances in this one.

For Salem, junior Amare Smith won the 100 in 10.98, was second in the 200 in 22.54, and ran on the winning 4z100 (43.76). Senior Jayden Wright won the shot put with a 52-2.75, and junior Emmanuel Lane finished first in the long jump (20-10), was fourth in the 200, and placed sixth in the 100.

Scott Hubbard scored 26 points for Audubon by winning the 800 with a PR of 1:57.57, placing second in the 1,600 with a PR of 4:19.32, and he also finished second in the 3,200 in 9:47.66. Audubon also picked up wins from senior Connor Bilotta in the 400 hurdles (57.25), and from its 4x800 and 4x400 relay teams.

For Glassboro, senior Dallas Hohney won the 200 (22.50) and the 400 (50.27), placed third in the high jump, Glassbor's other victory came in the triple jump from sophomore Clifton Moore, who also finished sixth in the long jump.

Sophomore distance star Peyton Shute of Woodbury took down the meet record in the 1,600 with his time of 4:19.16, and also won the 3,200 in 9:29.73.

GIRLS GROUP 4

Team Champion: Rancocas Valley repeated a champion and captured its third title in the past four years ever with a 97.50-81.50 victory over runner-up Cherokee.

Stars of the meet:

Senior Anabella Chin led the charge for Rancocas Valley, winning the 100 hurdles in a PR of 14.52, placing second in the 400 hurdles, and running on the victorious 4x100 relay. Also for RV, senior Sanai Jenkins, and junior Kasey White came up big.

Jenkins won the 400 hurdles with a PR of 1:02.40, placed fifth in the HH, and ran on the first-place 4x400, and White was second in the 200 in 25.49, third in the 400 in 57.29, and ran on the winning 4x400.

Cherokee's Nicole Clifford pulled off a remarkable distance triple. The University of Oklahoma-bound star won the 800 in 2:12.87, the 1,600 in 4:58.23, and the 3,200 in 10:54.92. She also ran a leg on the fourth-place 4x400 relay to account for 38 of Cherokee's points.

Millville junior Leah Howard launched a PR of 138-6 to win the javelin and move up to NJ No. 2 in the event. Only defending Meet of Champions winner Niki Woods of Demarest (148-11) has thrown further this season.

GIRLS GROUP 1

Team Champion: The Sharpe triplets sparked Clayton to its second straight title, 129-93 over runner-up Haddon Township.

Stars of the meet:

Arianna, Amirah, and Ariel Sharpe stole the show in this meet as the triplets rang up a combined 90 points for the Clippers! You read that right-90 points!!! And they smashed multiple meet records, and ran some of the fastest times in the state this season in the sprints.

Arianna was the biggest winner, collecting four gold medals and rack ng up 40 points. She won the 100 with a NJ No. 4 time of 12.03, the 200 with a NJ No. 1 time of 24.25, the 400 with a NJ No. 2 and an overall SJ sectional record time of 53.49, and she ran on the winning 4x400 (3:56.73). The former South Jersey Sectional record (All Groups combined) was 54.00 set in 1999 by Nadia Davy of Bridgeton.

Amirah won the 400 hurdles in 1:01.66, placed second in the 200 in 24.35, which equals Arianna for the top time in the state, placed second in the 400 in a NJ No. 3 53.60 (also under the former overall SJ sectional record), and ran on the victorious 4x400.

Ariel third in both the 200 (25.84) and the 400 (57.27), placed second in the 400 hurdles in 1:06.1, and finished fourth in the 800 (2:24.94).

Sophomore Alanna Woolfolk also had a big meet for Clayton, winning the high jump at 5-6, and placing third in the long jump (15-6).

Wildwood freshman Macie McCracken was a double winner, crossing the line first in the 1,600 (5:33.45) and the 3,200 (11:33.49).

There were some fantastic races, remarkable individual performances, and a historic team battle at the South Jersey, Groups 1-4 Championships at Buena.

Let's take a look at some of the biggest highlights.