Photo Credit: The Declaration Staff
Coaches are not to enter the running area, or the field event areas, during the meet, and they are not permitted to communicate with their contestants in these areas. This rule will be enforced and may result in the disqualification of the contestant. 2. A “coaches box” will be established near the finish line if possible.
Group 3 Girls
April 25, 2023
This meet featured another title that wasn’t decided until the final event, and an impressive showing from freshman phenom Sianni Wynn.
Timber Creek, which trailed Ocean City 26-23.5 heading into the relay, got the win it needed when Chloe Jones, Adiat Olaogun Dickson, Billie Frazier, and Naylah Jones combined for a time of 4:03.18. They own the state-leading time in the 4×400( 3:53.82).
Their 10 points for winning the relay gave them a first-place total( 33.5). Pennsauken, Middletown South, Ocean City tied for second with 26. It’s the second state indoor championship for Timber Creek, which last won in 2017.
Timber Creek’s other points came from Guerlande Pierre, second in the shot put with a PR(36-6.75). They also received points from Naylah Jones was second in the 55 dash( 7.19), and Chloe Jones was third in the 400(58.21).
Wynn showed up big, winning the 400( 57.26) and the 55 dash( 7.09), just off her state-leading 7.06 that she has run twice this season. Wynn’s times were both the fastest run in all the Group Championships meets combined.
Wynn’s PR’s( 7.06 and 56.98) make her the second fastest freshman in state history in the 55 dash and the 400. Only Olympic gold medalist English Gardner(7.04 to finish first at the 2007 Eastern States Championships), and Samantha Anderson( 55.94 to place third at the 2014 Easterns), have run faster as freshmen. Gardner won gold as a member of the 4×100 relay team at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
Wynn is the fastest freshman in the 400 indoors in the state since World 400 hurdles record holder Sydney McLaughlin of Union Catholic( 56.15 to place third at the 2014 Meet of Champions).
Paige Boyce missed most of the outdoor season and most of this past XC season with an injury. She made a comeback and used a strong finish to win the 1,600( 5:04.50).
Sophomore Sofia Day broke her own Atlantic County record, winning the 800( 2:15.59). This is the fastest time in all the Group meets combined.
One of the biggest winners of the entire weekend was sophomore Delana Einreinhofer. She pulled off a shocking victory in the 3,200( 10:53.78, a 20 second PR).
Einreinhofer also ran a big PR( 5:04.70) to place second in the 1,600 earlier in the meet. She later finished just ahead of Lillie Widmer( second in 10:54.31), and Liliah Gordon was third( 10:59.21).
Nyjae Shipley became the first girl from Rahway to win a state indoor title in 18 years when she ran 8.35 to capture the 55 hurdle title. The last Rahway girl to win a state indoor title was LaShonda Carter(won the Group 2 55 and 200 in 2005).