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With two weeks between the State Group Championships and the Meet of Champions, a few NJ athletes torched the track by producing some of the greatest performances in state history and several other stars stayed sharp at Saturday's Ocean Breeze Elite Invitational on Staten Island.
RED HOT TIMES
James, a senior at Burlington City, nearly broke the state record in the boys 60-meter dash with his winning time of 6.71. That's No. 3 in state history and is No. 2 in the nation this season. The 6.71 by James is just behind the state record of 6.70 run by both Damiere Byrd of Timber Creek in 2011 and the late Mario Heslop of Franklin in 2019.
Cox, a junior at Union Catholic, won the girls 60 hurdles in a meet and facility record 8.29, No. 2 in state history and No. 2 in the nation this season. The only NJ athlete to go faster than Cox is legendary Olympian Sydney McLaughlin, who ran 8.17 when she won the New Balance National title as a sophomore at Union Catholic in 2015. Cox's 8.29 places her just behind the national leader, junior Aleesa Samuel of Somerset Academy in Florida (8.26). Cox is also US No. 3 in the 55 hurdles (7.82). Samuel is the national leader at 7.75.
Lilley, a junior at Rumson, ran 63.98 for the final 400 to smash through the 2:10 barrier for the first time ever with a sensational win in the four-lapper. Lilley stopped the clock at 2:09.36! That's NJ No. 1 and US No. 2 this season, a meet record and it places Lilley No. 8 on NJ's all-time indoor list!! Olivia Cieslak, a junior at Haverford in Pa,. is the only high school girl in the country who has run faster than Lilley this season. Cieslak ran 2:08.32 at Ocean Breeze earlier this month.
In case you are wondering, the state indoor high school record in the 800 is 2:03.98, set in 2019 by Athing Mu of Trenton, the Olympic gold medalist in the 800 in 2021 and the World Outdoor Champion in 2022.
MORE BIG NJ HIGHLIGHTS
The Union Catholic boys blasted a 7:54.58 to win in the 4x800, which is NJ No. 3 and US No. 9 this winter. UC's splits were 1:57.44 for Keandre Kelly, 1:57.66 for Sean Wilson, 2:00.02 for Quintin Clemons, and 1:59.47 for Jimmy Wischusen.
Delsea ripped a NJ No. 4 time and school record of 1:29.33 to win the boys 4x200 with Rancocas Valley second in 1:30.83.
Junior Liliah Gordon of Northern Burlington won the girls mile in 4:57.47.
The Eastern girls, with Natalie Dumas splitting 2:16.51 on the anchor, won the 4x800 with a NJ No. 6 time and school record of 9:34.14.
Senior Josh Huisman of St. Rose won the boys shot put with a 62-3.25 and Delsea junior Jonathan Harris was second with a 59-5.75.
Ryan Trocolar of Pequannock ran a PR and NJ No. 3 time of 49.16 to finish third in the boys 400 and Avery Atexide of Union Catholic was fourth in a NJ No. 6 49.26.
Noah Cooper of Union Catholic finished second in the long jump with a 22-3.25.
Oratory senior Tommy Hunt ran an indoor PR and NJ No. 7 time of 1:54.85.
The Lawrenceville girls ran a NJ No. 5 1:43.20 to place third in the 4x200.
Senior Alex Patelski of Metuchen ran 9:27.56 to place fourth in the 2-mile to smash a 52-year-old school record.
Marcus McCoy of Union Catholic ran 8.17 to place third in the boys 60 hurdles.
