A flurry of records, multiple historic performances, shocking upsets, stunning victories, and some spills and thrills made Sunday's 58th NJSIAA Indoor Meet of Champions one of the greatest we have ever seen.
This meet should really be put in a track and field time capsule because of the amount of jaw-dropping and mind-blowing performances that were produced by arguably the deepest collection of stars that have ever come through New Jersey.
There's so much to get into in what was a meet for the ages!!!
We have to start out with the girls, most notably the record smashing races by Sianni Wynn, Paige Sheppard, and Jasmine Jackson.
WYNN-INGEST ATHLETE IN STATE HISTORY
Sianni Wynn, the senior speedster from Pennsauken, added to her legacy as one of the state's all-time greatest track and field athletes by winning the 55-meter dash in 7.81 and the 200 in 21.19 to raise her career total to a state record 13 Meet of Champions titles, indoors and outdoors combined!!
The University of Florida-bound Wynn came into the meet tied for the state record with the legendary Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of Union Catholic and Olivia Baker of Columbia, who each won 11 Meet of Champions titles.
The electrifying Wynn has now won a state record 8 indoor Meet of Champions titles (4 in a row in both the 55 and 200) and five outdoors. She is also undefeated at both the indoor and outdoor Meet of Champions, winning all 13 races she's run!!!
Wynn, the state record holder in the 55m (6.73), 60m (7.29), and 200m indoors (23.17) and the New Balance National champ in the 100m last June, said it's an honor to break a record that was held by McLaughlin-Levrone and Baker.
"Sydney McLaughlin-Leverone and Olivia Baker are two of the very best athletes in state history,'' said Wynn. "I always looked up to them when I was younger and hoped to one day be as good as they were, so to break a record that they held means a lot to me. I'm so grateful and honored to have this record.''
Wynn said she still has unfinished business to take care of before she graduates this spring.
"I want to get the state outdoor records in the 100 and 200,'' said Wynn. "That's my biggest goal now. I really feel like I need to get one or both of those. That's the only thing missing. Then I will feel like I have done everything possible in my high school career.''
SHEPPARD RUNS FASTEST 1600M RACE IN U.S. HISTORY
There was never a doubt about who would win the girls' 1600m. The only real question was just how low the great Paige Sheppard would go!!!!
Sheppard answered that question in breathtaking fashion as the remarkable junior at Union Catholic threw down the fastest high school girls' time in U.S. history in a 1600m race!!! Sheppard stopped the clock at 4:35.71!!! And right behind her was her teammate Sophia Thompson, second in 4:37.60. That places Thompson, also a junior, No. 4 all-time in U.S. history for a 1600m race!!
That's right, a pair of teammates went sub 4:38!!!
The Sheppard-Thompson 1-2 punch is the most dynamic distance duo in NJ history!!!
The time by Sheppard, who became just the second girl to ever win 3 straight 1600m titles at this meet, broke the record for the fastest 1600m race in U.S high school history of 4:36.23, which Jane Hedengren of Timpview in Utah ran in February of 2025. Sheppard's 4:35.71 converts to 4:37.31 for the mile, which places her No. 9 on the all-time U.S. high school list for the mile/converted list.
Sheppard and Thompson are now 1-2 all-time in NJ history in a 1600m race, and their times were well under the meet record of 4:45.38 that Sheppard ran last year.
Next up for Sheppard and Thompson is the DMR at the New Balance Nationals in Boston, where they will be aiming for the national record of 11:17.50.
UC CRUSHES THE 4X400
Sheppard wasn't done after the 1600m.
She came back later to run a leg on Union Catholic's 4x400m squad that dropped a bomb as the Vikings threw down a 3:41.91!!!! That's No. 2 in NJ history, crushes the meet record and the facility record, is No. 10 in U.S. history, and is the fastest time in the nation this season.
Winslow was second in 3:45.50, No. 6 all-time in NJ history and No. 2 in meet history.
Junior Abriyah Thompson led off for UC with a 56.7 carry. Freshman Abbey Robisky followed with a blazing 54.3 leg. Sheppard then ripped a 55.9, and junior Sydney Chadwick finished it off by splitting 55.7 on the anchor leg.
The 3:41.91 by UC shredded the meet record of 3:45.70 that UC ran last year, and is second in state history behind the 3:40.28 that Union Catholic ran to finish first at the 2016 New Balance Nationals when Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone anchored.
JACKSON OWNS THE HURDLES
Jasmin Jackson didn't just come for the win; she came to put on a show.
The sophomore star at Winslow delivered in sizzling fashion with the greatest 55 hurdle race in meet history, freezing the numbers on the clock at 7.63 to smash the meet record of 7.73 that was set by the great Taylor Cox of Union Catholic in 2024.
Jackson's 7.63 is No. 3 in NJ history, No. 3 in the nation this season, and the third fastest time ever run by a high school sophomore!!!
Jackson, who came into the meet with a PR of 7.90, said she felt she was ready to make a big drop.
"After the trials (where Jackson ran 7.87), I felt I could go even faster,'' said Jackson, second in the 100 hurdles at the Meet of Champions last June. "And everything came together perfectly in the final. Last year, I didn't make the finals here, so I came here with something to prove to myself.''
Jackson said the state record of 7.53 set by Cox last year is on her mind.
"That record is one of my biggest goals, and I feel I'm going to get it by next year,'' said Jackson.
SEVEN HITS A DAILY DOUBLE
Seven Garcia of Hackensack was one of the biggest stars of the meet and the only boy to win two gold medals.
The University of Southern California-bound star lit up the track when he won the 400m with an NJ No. 1 time of 47.49. and then came back to drop a 47.35 to bring the Comets across the line first in the 4x400m in 3:16.95. Bergen Catholic, the state leader with a 3:16.68, was second in 3:17.43.
In the 400m, Garcia was 4th at the bell, but blasted a 24.72 final 200 to rally for the win. Manalapan senior Crue Brown was second in a NJ No. 2 47.67.
In the 4x400m, Hackensack's splits were 50.61 for Devin DeCambre, 48.28 for Dustin DeCambre, 50.73 for Jayden Desouza, and then Garcia blasted his 47.35 to rally the Comets past BC in a fantastic Bergen County baton battle.
SUPER SOPH
There was no way that Jevon Ledgister was leaving without a win.
So after the sophomore sprint star from St. Peter's Prep was upset in the 55m dash when he finished third, he used that to fuel his fire when he returned to the track to run the 200.
Ledgister responded by running one of the fastest one-lap races in NJ history, stopping the clock at 21.10 to smash the meet record and move up to No. 5 in NJ history and No. 9 nationally this season.
"I wasn't leaving without getting something, so after the 55 (third in 6.32), I told myself that there was no way I was losing the 200,'' said Ledgister, who won the 100 dash at the Meet of Champions last June. "I was determined to run my best race ever.''
MCCOY PULLS OFF BIGGEST SHOCK OF THE MEET
The biggest surprise of the day came in the boys 1600m, where Elijah McCoy of Union Catholic finished first out of the first section, something that very rarely happens.
The senior at Union Catholic won his heat with a personal best of 4:15.79 and then watched the seeded heat go out very slowly as Brody Watt of Bernards hit the 800m in 2:12 and change. Watt picked up the pace, but couldn't beat McCoy's time, winning the seeded heat in 4:16.18 to get second overall behind McCoy, who was understandably stunned that he won.
"Yeah, I'm very surprised that I just won,'' said McCoy. "I never expected that to happen. It's pretty incredible. I've been working really hard, so to win this means a lot to me.''
NORTH BRUNSWICK AND UC HIT TRIFECTA
Two of the biggest stories of the meet were produced by the North Brunswick and Union Catholic boys, who each crowned 3 individual champs.
North Brunswick made a huge statement when Jamell Wilmote (55 dash), Michel Perry (55 hurdles), and Aniyh Hall (high jump) all scored upset victories. Wilmote left a lot of smoke on the track when he broke the Middlesex County record by running 6.30 to edge Daniel Tobia of Hillsborough (6.30). Race favorite Jevon Ledgister of St. Peter's Prep was third (6.32).
Perry also broke the Middlesex County record and avenged his loss at the Easterns when he won the 55 hurdles in 7.25. At the Eastern States Championships last Tuesday, Essien Plummer of Neptune won in 7.19, and Perry was third. But this time, Perry had a much stronger finish and defeated Plummer, who was second in 7.29.
In the high jump, Hall was the only one to make 6-6 to secure the victory.
"We got a bunch of dawgs on this team here at North Brunswick," said Wilmote. "We came here to show everyone what we could do, and we aren't surprised by what we did. We knew we had this in us!''
The Union Catholic boys also picked up three individual victories. In addition to McCoy's stunning win in the 1600m, Keandre Kelly led a 1-2-4 finish in the 800m, and Jalele Williams won the long jump.
Kelly, who won the 800m at the outdoor Meet of Champions last June, won a great battle with his teammate, Ciaran Brosnan, 1:52.58 to 1:52.92. Quintin Clemons was fourth for UC in 1:55.11.
Williams, a junior, gave UC its third win by soaring an indoor PR on his first attempt that stood up as the winning mark.
CRAZY 8
There's no doubt about which race provided the most drama and heartache.
Reese Reynolds Malone spilled everything she had in her tank in an effort for the ages when the senior at Rumson crushed the first two laps of the 800m, hitting the 400m in 59.41 to open a 10-meter lead on Natalie Dumas of Eastern, the state outdoor record holder in the 800m and New Balance National champ in the 800m last June.
Reynolds Malone opened her lead to more than 4 seconds at 600, which she hit in 1:31.50. Meanwhile, Dumas, who won the 400m about 35 minutes earlier, stepped off the track with what she called dead legs just before she completed her third lap.
It looked like Reynolds Malone was headed for her first Meet of Champions title, but about 10 meters before the finish line, misfortune struck as Reynolds Malone's legs gave out and she crashed to the track.
Junior Reagan Moore of Oak Knoll came storming past the fallen Reynolds Malone to cross the line first in 2:08.17 to capture her second straight title. Stella Blanchard of Wilberforce finished second in 2:08.54.
Reynolds Malone, showing a lot of grit and heart, somehow managed to get back on her feet and willed herself across the line to finish third in 2:10.04 before collapsing to the track again. Several people came rushing to her aid, including Dumas and Sheppard, who showed a lot of compassion for Reynolds Malone.
Moore said she felt awful seeing Reynolds Malone struggle at the end of the race.
"You never want to see that happen to anyone,.' said Moore, who has now won three Meet of Champions 800m titles (one outdoors as a freshman and the last 2 indoors). "It's not the way I wanted to win and it's just heartbreaking to see something like that happen. Reese ran such a strong and gutsy race. I give her a lot of credit for taking it out the way she did. I will reach out to her as soon as I can to see how she's doing.''
Natalie Dumas, who won her second straight 400m in 54.14 to raise her career Meet of Champions victory total to 7, said she just didn't have much left as she had hoped after the 400m.
"My legs just weren't there for the 800m,'' said Dumas. "I figured I'd at least give it a try, but my legs had nothing. I had a hamstring issue earlier this season, so I didn't want to risk having that pop up again, so I felt the best thing to do was to just step off the track and get myself ready for the next meet.''
Dumas said she will be running the 800m and leading off a New Jersey All-Star DMR at the Nike National Championships next week at the NY Armory.
GOING THE DISTANCE
The boys' and girls' 3200m races produced some of the fastest times in state history.
In the boys race, senior Luke Hnatt led a 1-3-4 finish by Christian Brothers Academy, crossing first with a PR of 8:53.83, which is No. 3 in NJ history!! Hnatt, who went wire-to-wire, ran 4:24.45 over the final 1600m.
The victory was especially sweet for Hnatt, who was second in the 3,200 at the Meet of Champions indoors and outdoors last year.
"I really wanted to get this one after being second twice last year,'' said Hnatt, who won the XC M of C title this past November. "I felt if I ran my best race I could finally get a title on the track, and it all came together for me.''
Marcus Valenzuela of Chatham was second in a Morris County record and NJ No. 7 all-time 8:56.14. Gavin Schmitt was third for CBA in 9:03.03 and Ryan Collins of CBA was fourth in 9:07.74. Eight runners went under 9:18!
In the girls 3200m, which saw 10 girls break 10:40, Allison Lee, a senior at West Windsor-Plainsboro North, executed the best race of her life when the UPenn-bound star stopped the clock at 10:07.34, the third fastest time in NJ indoor history, to win her first Meet of Champions title.
Lee, second in the 3200m at the outdoor Meet of Champions last June, went out super fast, going through 1600m in 4:59.84!!! She was able to keep pushing and expand her lead on the way to a 10-second victory. Cayleigh Kaiser of Union Catholic was second in 10:17.21, which places her No. 7 in NJ history.
More Meet of Champions Highlights
Leeya Joseph, a senior at Winslow, exploded for a meet record 19-1.50 on her final attempt to score an upset win in the girls long jump. Joseph edged defending champion Morgan Holley of Union Catholic, second at 19-1, and Seannah Parsons of Randolph, third at 19-0.
Parsons came back after that third-place finish in the long jump to dominate the triple jump, hitting a winning mark of 40-3.
Egypt Bolan of Lindenwold won her second straight girls' high jump title by clearing 5-8. Bolan hasn't lost a high jump competition to a U.S. athlete in two years. Last spring, she was the top American at the Penn Relays, won the Meet of Champions, and finished first at New Balance Nationals when she cleared 5-10.75. And this season she's undefeated.
Hannah Nuhfer of Delsea, who had been sick all week and wasn't 100 percent, still found a way to dig down and do what she had to do to win the girls' shot put with a throw of 44-9.75. The Penn State-bound Nuhfer, who said nothing was going to stop her from getting in the circle, won the discus last June at the Meet of Champions and at the New Balance National Championships.
Olivia Silber, a senior at Hunterdon Central, was an upset winner in the girls' pole vault by clearing 12-0. State leader Jenna Monaco, who has made 13-0.50 this season, was second at 11-6.
Junior Evan Yuzon made history by becoming the first Meet of Champions winner ever from Glen Rock when he unloaded a huge PR bomb of 60-9.25 to win the boys' shot put.
Junior Brendan Alef of Demarest, who came in as the favorite in the triple jump, came through in the clutch when he went 47-7.25 to win his first Meet of Champions title.
Senior Mason Henry of Deptford, the state leader all season in the boys pole vault, became the first champ ever from his school when he cleared 15-0 to win that event.
In the 4x800m relays, the Ridge boys, with 4 new runners in their lineup this season, won their second straight title in 7:57.98, and the Ramapo girls leveled up to run 9:22.91 to get the win.