Holy smokes!!!
Did you see what happened at the Track Night NYC Meet under the lights on Friday at Icahn Stadium on Randalls Island?
Some of the fastest times in New Jersey history were run!!! That's what happened!!!
We have to start out with the red hot girls 800!!!
Paige Sheppard of Union Catholic and Clemmie Lilley of Rumson ran two of the six fastest times in NJ history!!!
Sheppard finished second in 2:03.84, which is No. 4 in NJ history and a new state sophomore record! The Stanford-bound Lilley was fourth in a NJ No. 6 all-time 2:04.79! Two more NJ girls went under 2:10-junior Reese Malone of Rumson was sixth in 2:06.69 and sophomore Reagan Moore of Oak Knoll went 2:08.05 to place 8th! Emry Ross of won the race in 2:02.30.
With her 2:03.84, Sheppard broke the NJ sophomore record of 2:04.18 set by the legendary Ajee' Wilson of Neptune in 2010. Wilson is a 2-time Olympian, the World Indoor Champ in 800 in 2022, and she holds the American Indoor Record in the 800!!!!
In the boys 800, Howell senior Michael Card, a runner who just doesn't get talked about enough for being a big star, dropped a huge PR of 1:51.77 to place fifth. That's the fifth fastest time in Monmouth County history!!!
Another runner who moved into the top 10 all-time in Monmouth County history was junior Luke Hnatt of CBA, who came up with a big PR, running 4:11.03 to finish fifth in the mile, which is No. 6 in county history. Jay Adimala of Colts Neck was eighth in 4:14.57 and Wyatt Falkowski was ninth in 4:15.42.
Another state sophomore record nearly fell in the girls mile when Sophia Thompson NJ of Union Catholic placed third n 4:43.39! That's No. 2 all-time for a sophomore in NJ history behind state record holder Danielle Tauro of Southern, who ran 4:43.07 as a sophomore in 2005. Tauro ran a state record 4:39.25 to finish first at the 2007 Nike National Championships.
UC now has the second and third fastest sophomores in NJ history in the mile, Thompson and Sheppard. Sheppard is No. 3 all-time for a sophomore in the mile with a converted 4:43.61.
