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Here we go!
Unfortunately, there will be some big stars missing from the meet once again because of the scheduling of this meet. I am tired of having to write that. And there is a bit of uncertainty about who will run what, as usual. But we have been doing lots of digging and have a very good idea as to who will square off.
We will get into all that and more as we get you all caught up and pumped up with some New Jersey track and field facts and figures as we take a look at some of the top storylines to keep an eye on.
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SUB 10.35??
Senior Malachi James of Burlington City, who has won 4 M of C sprint titles in his career, has been chasing the state wind legal record in the 100-meter dash all season. This will be his last chance, and he said he's confident he will finally get under the 10.35 wind legal record of 10.35 that Jamar Ervin ran at the 2000 Meet of Champions.
James, who ran a 10.18, the fastest all conditions time in state history (no wind gauge), at the South Jersey, Group 1 Championships at Pennsauken, has run a wind-legal 10.40 (1.3) this season, which is No. 3 in state history.
There's no doubt that James can get under 10.35 if he executes his race the way he's capable of. Unfortunately, the great showdown we had all about waiting for won't happen though. Ajani Dwyer of Washington (10.21) and Cole Cramer of Southern (10.22) won't be there to challenge James. Dwyer has decided not to run for his team anymore this season, and Cramer is out in Seattle racing at the Brooks PR Invitational.
But James has proven he can run fast regardless of who is lined up in the lanes next to him.
James, who missed this meet last year with a severe hamstring injury, won the 100 and 200 at the 2022 Meet of Champions and the 55 and 200 dashes at the Indoor M of C this past March. He's a huge favorite to reclaim both his sprint titles.
How low will he go?
I'm saying James gets under 10.35!!! BO0M!
HURDLING INTO HISTORY
Another athlete with an eye on the record book is Yashahya Brown of Washington, who said he's ready to rip a sub 13.40 in the 110 hurdles!!
Brown, who equaled the All Groups meet record with a NJ No 3 all-time 13.43 when he won the Group 4 title last Saturday, wants to not only take down the meet record of 13.42 set last year by Nate Rayan of Scotch Plains-Fanwood, but he is also seeking to go under the 13.40 that Rayan ran to win the U20 National Championship last June.
Rayan's 13.40 is the fastest auto time ever run by a NJ high school hurdler. But let's not forget that the state record is held by another Scotch Plains-Fanwood star, former World Record holder Renaldo 'Skeets" Nehemiah. Nehemiah ran a 12.9 hand time (converts to a 13.14 auto time) at the 1977.
Brown has been steadily dropping his time each week, so if he gets a great start and runs a clean, his sub 13:40 will happen!!
In case you're wondering the national auto time record is 13.08, set by Wayne Davis of Southeast High in Raleigh, N.C. when he finished first at the 2009 Pan American Junior Championships.
HOW MANY MORE WILL SHE WYNN
Sianni Wynn of Pennsauken has won five individual Meet of Champions titles in her career. She's just a sophomore!!!
Wynn, who won the 400 last year and repeated in the 55 and 200 indoors, is a virtual lock for No. 6 in the 400, if she's runs that race. She said she will definitely run on the 4x100 and will run two open races as she chooses between the 100, 200, and 400. Will she pull off the triple??
In the 400, Wynn is in a league of her own after her 53.45 to win the Group 4 one-lapper, which places her No. 8 all-time in NJ history and the third fastest sophomore in state history. Wynn, who won for golds at the Group 3 meet, also finished first in the 100 (11.52), the 200 (23.79), and anchored the winning 4x100.
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THE J&J EXPRESS
With Timber Creek's Naylah Jones and Ryan Jennings, and Wynn, leading the charge, sparks will be flying in the girls 100 and 200 dashes.
The meet record in the 100 of 11.47 (Myasia Jacobs of Paramus Catholic in 2011), has no chance of surviving and the state record of 11.17 could also go down. Let's pray for no wind!!
Jones, the defending 100 champ, burned a 11.23 to win the State Group 3 100, the second fastest time in state history, and Jennings ripped an 11.33 at the South Jersey Sectional Championship, No. 3 in state history. And Wynn isn't far behind with her 11.39 at the SJ Group 4 meet.
The only NJ high school girl to run faster than Jones and Jennings is the legendary Wendy Vereen of Trenton, who ran a blazing 11.17 at the National Sports Festival in Colorado Springs on July 3, 1983. Vereen was still in high school at the time as she didn't begin her senior year until September of 1983.
The meet record could also fall in the 200, where Jones is also the favorite with her state-leading 23.29. Wynn (23.76) and Jennings (23.86) aren't far behind. The meet record is 23.24 by Vereen in 1983.
LOOK OUT PARROS
Ever since Clayton Parros of Seton Hall Prep ran a state record 45.71 in the 400 at the 2009 Great Southwest Classic at the University of New Mexico, the closest anyone has come to it was in 2013 when Zyaire Clemes of Trenton dropped a 46.28 to place third at New Balance Nationals.
Jaden Marchan of Leonia is the latest star quarter-miler who has the ability and the drive to a make a run at Parros's record.
The Georgetown-bound Marchan ran 46.35 at the North Jersey, Section 1 Championships, which moved him up to No. 4 in NJ history and within striking distance of Parros. He also ran 46.53 to win the State Group 2 Championships.
SHUE FOR 2
Junior Benji Shue of Bergen Catholic, so close to winning at his first two Meet of Champions, is favored to win both the shot put and discus.
At the Non-Public A Championships, Shue unloaded another big PR of 69-2, No. 3 in state history, to win the shot and finished first in the discus with a 201-5. His discus PR is 204-10, No. 5 in NJ history.
She will have plenty of competition, especially in the shot where Josh Huisman of St. Rose will defend his title. Huisman has won the last 3 M of C titles in the shot (2 indoors and one outdoors) and owns a PR of 67-7 from indoors.
The state records in the shot and discus are 75-10.25 by Nick Vena of Morristown at the 2011 Meet of Champions, and 218-4 by Sam Mattis of East Brunswick at the 2012 GMC Relays.
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BOMBS AWAY
There will also be lots of eyes on the circle in the girls competition when two of the state's best ever, Layla Giordano of Old Tappan and Jessica Oji of Livingston, square off for the first time this season in the shot put and discus.
Giordano, the defending champ in the discus and the 2023 national champ in the event, is No. 2 in state history in the discus with a 172-0. So the meet record of 168-1 by Alyssa Wilson of Donovan Catholic (168-1 in 2017) could get shattered. Wilson holds the state record of 182-0.
In the shot, Giordano has thrown 50-0, No. 4 in state history, but she's the underdog because Oji, a junior, checks in with a season best of 51-10, No. 3 in state history. This is just the second time in NJ history that there are two 50-foot throwers in the same season.
Whatever you do, don't miss these epic showdowns in the ring!
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RED HOT 1600
There have only been 4 runners in NJ high school history to run under 4:05 in the 1,600 or the mile.
Peyton Shute of Woodbury and Luke Pash of Ridgewood are capable of changing that as they clash in what could be a race for the ages.
Shute, a senior who has run 4:08.28 for the mile this season, said he wants to run under 4:05. And if you've ever seen him run, you know he will push the pace to make sure his splits are on pace to hit his goal. Pash, a junior, used a wicked kick when he dropped a 4:09.00 to win the Group 4 1,600. And he looked like he had a lot more in him.
Shute and Pash are both fit and ready to rip, so if they come through the 800 in 2:02 or so, look out!!! They could both go under the meet record of 4:07.31 set by Chris Marco of Toms River South in 2012, and maybe get that sub 4:05!!! It just might happen.
CRAZY EIGHT
The absence of the four fastest half milers in the state has made the girls 800 one of the biggest toss-up races of the meet.
Clemmie Lilley of Rumson, the state leader at 2:06.67, is running at the Brooks PR Invitational on Wednesday, and the Union Catholic trio of Paige Sheppard (2:07.11), Peyton Hollis (2:09.13) and Jimmiea King (2:09.77) are all focusing on the New Balance Nationals in Philadelphia, which runs Thursday through Sunday at Franklin Field. Sheppard won the 1,600 at the indoor M of C in March.
So, who will win the two-lapper??
That's a great question.
It looks like it will be a great showdown between sophomore Reese Reynolds-Malone of Rumson, freshman Reagan Moore of oak Knoll (2:11.28) and senior Olivia Nickelsen of Toms River North (2:11.40), Mainland junior Sofia Day, the Group 3 champ who has a PR of 2:12.05 from indoors, junior Izzy Rodriguez of Rumson (2:11.90), and sophomore Cali Buxbaum of Wall (2:11.97).
DRIVE FOR 5
Senior Emma Zawatski of Freehold Township and Alanna Woolfolk of Clayton will both be seeking to win a fifth Meet of Champions title in their remarkable careers.
The University of Colorado-bound Zawatski, who won the last two XC M of C titles and won the 1,600 indoors and outdoors in 2023, is favored to recapture the title she lost last year when she was second to Julia Scrudato of Montgomery, who also returns.
Woolfolk, who is headed to Rutgers, has won two indoor and two outdoor Meet of Champions titles in the high jump. She won indoors in 2022 and '24, and outdoors in 2021 and 2023.
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MORE STARS MISSING
As noted earlier, the scheduling of the Meet of Champions has once again conflicted with several national meets this week, causing many athletes to choose between the M of C, the Brooks PR Invitational (Wednesday), New Balance Nationals (Thursday-Sunday), and the U20 National Championships (Wednesday and Thursday).
Joe Barrett of CBA, Avery Keith of Westfield, and Taylor Cox of Union Catholic are three more of the big stars that will be missing. Barrett, who ran a state record 8:43.26 for 3,200 at Arcadia, is running the 2-mile at the Brooks Invit. on Wednesday. Keith will be competing on relays with his team and running the mile at NBN, and Cox, who owns a NJ No. 4 all-time 13.50 in the 100 hurdles, is competing at the U20 Championships.
But the boys 3,200 should still be a great one with senior Jimmy Wischusen of Union Catholic leading the way. Wischusen, the indoor M of C 3,200 winner in 2023, has a 2-mile PR of 8:56.41.
There are several other runners in contention.
SWEET 16
There's never been two pole vaulters clear 16-0 at the same M of C, but there is a strong possibility that it happens for the first time when junior Cade Zeolla of West Morris and senior Ryan Merlino of Oakcrest clash in a what has all the makings of a classic battle over the bar.
Last week, Zeolla won the Group 2 pole vault title by clearing 16-0, and Merlino also made 16-0 to win the Group 3 championship.
There's also a chance Zeolla and Merlino could push each other to challenge the meet record of 16-4.75 set in 20221 by Brian McSweeney of East Brunswick.
DEFENDING CHAMPS
There are a total of 10 athletes (one boys and nine girls) who return after winning last year.
The boys is Josh Huisman of St. Rose (shot put). The girls are Alanna Woolfolk of Clayton (high jump), Julia Scrudato of Montgomery (1,600), Layla Giordano of Old Tappan (discus), Naylah Jones of Timber Creek (100), Sianni Wynn of Pennsauken (400), Saniyah Evans of Rahway (long jump), Aaliyah Murphy of Morristown (400 hurdles), Sophia Curtis of Ocean City (triple jump), and Abby Dennis of Old Tappan (100 hurdles).
But there's some uncertainty about which events some defending champions will compete in.
Curtis, the state leader in the TJ, may opt for the 400 hurdles instead or do both. She is ranked No. 3 in the state in the 400 hurdles with a 59.80.
Dennis may try the hurdle double. She is the state leader in the 400 hurdles at 59.72 and is the top seed in the 100 hurdles with a 13.96.
Here we go!
Unfortunately, there will be some big stars missing from the meet once again because of the scheduling of this meet. I am tired of having to write that. And there is a bit of uncertainty about who will run what, as usual. But we have been doing lots of digging and have a very good idea as to who will square off.