Several New Jersey stars and relay teams burned up the track at the 117th Millrose Games on Saturday at the Nike Track and Field Center at the Armory in New York.
Jordaine Johnson of East Orange Campus smashed a state record, the Union Catholic girls picked up two runner-up finishes, including a NJ No. 2 all-time performance in the 4x400, and Toms River North just missed breaking the state record in the boys 4x400.
Johnson placed second in the boys 300 in 33.01 to break the NJ record of 33.26 set in 2018 by the late Mario Heslop of Franklin.
Both 4x400 Invitational races produced the second fastest times in NJ history.
In the boys 4x400 Invitational race, Toms River North finished second in a U.S. No. 7 all-time 3:14.91, just missing the NJ record of 3:14.53 set in 2023 when Seton Hall Prep won the New Balance National title. The all senior quartet for TRN, who placed second to IMG Academy's 3:14.39, was Mordecai Ford (49.94), Camryn Thomas (48.22), Taysaun Wilson (49.27) and Mamadi Diawara (47.50).
Winslow was fourth in the boys 4x400 in 3:16.59, just off its NJ No. 8 all-time 3:16.45 it ran two weeks ago.
In the girls 4x400 Invitational, Union Catholic finished second in a US No. 9 all-time 3:41.19, less than a second off the NJ record of 3:40.28 that UC ran to win the 2016 New Balance National Championship. That 2016 squad was anchored by the legendary Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. The race was won by Bullis in 3:39.16. Winslow ran a very strong fourth in 3:47.13, just off its NJ No. 5 all-time 3:46.87 it ran two weeks ago.
UC's splits on Saturday were 54.96 for senior Taylor Aska , 55.84 for sophomore Sydney Chadwick 54.44 for sophomore Paige Sheppard, and 55.96 for sophomore Abriyah Thompson. Sheppard's anchor carry came about 2 hours and 45 minutes after she split 2:10 and change on the 4x800 anchor
In that girls 4x800 Invitational, UC was second in 8:58.48, No. 4 in NJ history and No. 14 in U.S. history. IMG Academy won in 8:55.47. Junior Jimmiea King (2:17), sophomore Sophia Thompson (2:11), sophomore Kayla Devine (2:17) and Sheppard (2:10) ran for UC.
Two-time national champion Taylor Cox of Union Catholic, the NJ record holder and US high school leader this season in the 60 hurdles, competed against the pros in the women's 60 hurdles and finished fifth in 8.21. The University of Georgia-bound Cox owns a PR of 8.10.
In the boys 4x800 Invitational, Union Catholic finished fourth in 7:54.29 and Bernards was fifth in 7:54.56, the two fastest time by NJ squads this season and are No. 5 and No. 6 on the U.S. national list this season.
The Camden boys ran 1:29.82 to place fourth in the 4x200, and the UC girls ran a NJ No. 2 time of 41.30 to place fourth in the 4x200.
In the boys mile, senior Luke Pash of Ridgewood ran a NJ No. 11 all-time 4:10.49 and senior Alex Pelov of Montville was eighth in 4:10.76, No. 13 in NJ history. Blair Bartlett , a sophomore at Lawrenceville, ran a NJ No. 7 all-time 4:48.36 to place sixth in the girls mile.
Sennir Sofia Swindell of Lawrenceville ran a NJ No. 4 time of 38.08 to place fifth in the girls 300 and junior Natalie Dumas of Eastern was sixth in 38.19, No. 5 in NJ history.
NJ swept the Suburban Division races with Shabazz winning the boys race in 3:20.15 and Willingboro placing first in the girls race in 3:55.04.
