Some all-time greats in N.J. track and field history competed this century, including several state record holders and national champions. Flip through this slideshow to see how NJ.com ranks the top 35 boys since 2000. The list and rankings are based strictly on high school accomplishments are in countdown style starting with No. 35 and ending with No. 1. Pictured here is Clayton Parros of Seton Hall Prep, the state 400 record holder. (Ed Murray | The Star-Ledger)
Frances Micklow | The Star-Ledger
35. Craig Hunter, Robbinsville, 2013
Hunter, a 3-time Meet of Champions pole vault winner (twice indoors, once outdoors) cleared 16-0 or better in the pole vault multiple times in his career, including 16-6 at the 2013 Mercer County Championships, which is tied for No. 2 in state history. Hunter now competes at UConn.
Tony Kurdzuk | The Star-Ledger
34. Ishmael Muhammad, Oakcrest, 2014
Muhammad ran the 2nd fastest time in state history in the 800 when he broke the meet record at the 2014 Meet of Champions with a winning time of 1:48.52. Only Olympian John Marshall of Plainfield has run faster (1:48.44 in 1980) in N.J. high school history. Muhammad competes at Villanova.
Chris Faytok | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
33-Fabian Santiago, Oakcrest, 2012
Santiago won 3 gold medals at the 2012 Meet of Champions, the 100, 200, and he anchored the winning 4x100. He had personal best times of 21.00 in the 200, No. 2 in state history, and 10.54 in the 100.
Chris Faytok | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
32-Kaleb Zuidema, Midland Park, 2011
Zuidema won 2 Meet of Champions titles in the javelin, captured the 2011 New Balance National javelin title, and threw a then state record 224-1 in 2010. Zuidema went on to star at South Carolina.
Chris Faytok | NJ Advance Media
31. Damiere Byrd, Timber Creek, 2011
Byrd ran 10.36 in the 100, No. 2 in state history, won the 100 at the 2011 Meet of Champions, ran a state record 6.26 for meters en route to winning the 60 dash at the 2011 New Balance National title. and has personal bests of 21.80 in the 200, 47.88 in the 400, and 23-5 1/2 in the long jump. Byrd went on to play football at South Carolina.
Chris Faytok | NJ Advance Media
30. Dominique Irons, Haddon Heights, 2013
Irons of broke the state record in the triple jump by gong 50-6 3/4 at the 2013 state Group 1 Championships. Irons also won the TJ at the 2013 M of C (48-10), was 2nd in the 100 at the 2013 M of C, and won the 55 dash at the 2013 indoor M of C. Irons is now at Plains College in Texas.
Andy Mills | NJ Advance Media
29. Patrick Rono, Lyndhurst, 2011
Rono became just the 2nd boy in state history to win the 800 and 1,600 at the same Meet of Champions when he ran 4:10.01 and 1:50.10 to win those races at the 2011 Meet of Champions. Rono went on to star at Arkansas.
Chris Faytok | NJ Advance Media
28. Justin Gaymon, Phillipsburg, 2005
In 2005, Gaymon became the first boy to win both the 400 hurdles and 110 hurdles at the same Meet of Champions, and finished his career with times of 50.84 in the 400 H, No. 3 in state history, and 14.09 in the 110 hurdles. Gaymon was a 2-time bronze medalist in the 400 hurdles at the NCAA Championships, and placed 4th in the 400 hurdles at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials.
Faytok, Chris | NJ Advance Media
27. Devon Bond, Trenton, 2007
Bond set a then state record in the triple jump when he went 50-0 1/4 at the 2007 state Group 4 meet, won the triple jump and high jump at the 2007 Meet of Champions, won the high jump at the 2007 Penn Relays, the 2006 outdoor M of C, the 2007 indoor M of C, and cleared 7-0 at the 2007 state indoor Group 4 Relays. He starred at Texas.
TYSON TRISH | For The Star-Ledger
26. John Richardson, Ocean City, 2003
Richardson became the first boy in state history to win the 1,600 and 800 at the same Meet of Champions. At the 2003, Meet of Champions, Richardson won the 1,600 in a then meet record 4:09.20, and the 800 in 1:51.62. He also won the mile at the 2003 Penn Relays in 4:11.80. His high school 800 PR is 1:50.67. Richardson transferred from Villanova to Kentucky where he ran a sub 4 minute mile.
TYSON TRISH | For The Star-Ledger
25. Anthony Miles, Winslow, 2003
Miles won long jump at the Meet of Champions in 2002 and '03 and at the 2003 Adidas National Championships, had a LL PR of 24-11 1/4, and ran on 3 national championship relays at the 2013 Adidas Nationals-the 4x100 (state record 40.92), the 4x200 (state record 1:24.69), and the 4x400 (NJ #2 all-time 3:10.47). Miles also ran 10.58 in the 100.
Andy Mills | NJ Advance Media
24. Jermaine Collier, Trenton, 2012
Collier won 3 gold medals at the 2012 Meet of Champions by capturing the 110 hurdles in 13.67, No. 7 in state history, the 400 hurdles for the 2nd straight year and anchoring the winning 4x400. He had a 400 hurdles PR of 52.21 and 21.76 for 200. Collier now stars at South Carolina.
CHRISTOPHER BARTH | For The Star-Ledger
23. Ray Williams, Scotch Plains, 2002
Williams won 2 Meet of Champions titles outdoors in the 400, including a then meet record 46.55 in 2002. Williams ran a high school PR of 46.34, No. 4 in state history, when he placed 2nd at the 2002 New Balance National Championships. He also ran 21.38 in the 200. Williams went to play football at Purdue.
Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
22. Curtis Thompson, Florence, 2014
On his final attempt at the 2014 Meet of Champions, Thompson broke the state record in the javelin with a throw of 224-10, and he also struck gold in the javelin at the 2014 U.S. Junior National Championships. Thompson placed 3rd in the javelin for Mississippi State at the NCAA Championships last year.
Adya Beasley | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
21. Jabrill Peppers, Paramus Catholic, 2014
Peppers won the 100 and 200 at the Meet of Champions in both 2013 and '14, and ran personal bests of 21.13 in the 200, No. 4 in state history, and 10.51 in the 100, No. 10 in state history. Peppers is now one of the top defensive backs in the country at Michigan.
Chris Faytok | NJ Advance Media
20. Ben Malone, Pascack Valley, 2013
Malone won the 2012 New Balance National Indoor 800 title in 1:49.94, No. 2 in U.S. high school history, placed 2nd in the 2013 Penn Relays mile in 4:05.59, No. 4 in state history, won 2 Meet of Champions titles (indoors in the 1,600/outdoors in the 800), and ran 2:23.56 for 1,000, No. 2 in U.S. history. Malone now competes at Villanova
CHRIS FAYTOK | The Star-Ledger
19. Adam Sarafian, Ocean Township, 2004
Sarafian cleared a still-standing state record 17-4 1/2 at the 2004 Shore Conference Championships, shattering the former state record of 16-6 that was set in 1980 by Bill Lange of Bridgewater East. Sarafian was an All-American at Georgia.
JOE EPSTEIN | The Star-Ledger
18. Dwight Ruff, Camden, 2001
Ruff ran 50.37 to win the 400 hurdles at the 2001 U.S. Junior Nationals, which stood as the state record for 14 years, and split 46.4 to help Camden win the 4x400 in a still-standing state record 3:09.91 at the 2001 Adidas Nationals Championships. Ruff also ran 13.74 in the 110 hurdles, No. 7 in state history.
Andy Mills | NJ Advance Media
17. Braheme Days Jr., Bridgeton, 2013
Days Jr. won 2 indoor national titles and 2 Penn Relays titles in the shot put, won the 2013 Meet of Champions discus title with a personal best 199-6, finished first in the shot at the 2013 New Balance Outdoor Nationals, and has a PR of 70-8 in the shot, No. 2 in state history. He went to compete at UCLA.
RICH SCHULTZ | For The Star-Ledger
16. Paul Klemic, Mainland, 2000
Klemic broke the state record in the high jump when he cleared 7-4 1/2 to win the Nike National title in 2000
John O'Boyle | The Star-Ledger
15. Shaquan Brown, Paterson Kennedy, 2005
Brown ran 1:17.9 in the 600 in 2005, the national record for 6 years, won the 200 at the 2005 outdoor Meet of Champions in 21.23, No. 7 in state history, ran 46.88 in the 400, and 51.66 in the 400 hurdles.
Andy Mills | NJ Advance Media
14. Jim Rosa, West Windsor-Plainsboro North, 2011
Rosa won the 3,200 at the 2009 outdoor Meet of Champions, and placed first in the 1,600 at the 2010 M of C in a then meet record 4:07.89. He finished his career with personal bests of 4:07.20 for the mile and 8:51.46 for 2 miles. Rosa has had an All-American career at Stanford.
Andy Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
13. Zyaire Clemes, Trenton, 2014
Clemes won 2 outdoor 400 Meet of Champions titles, ran 46.28 in the 400, No. 3 in state history, 10.43 in the 100, No. 5 in state history, 21.29 in the 200, No. 8 in state history, and he owns the state record in the 300 (33.50). Clemes is now at USC after transferring from Florida State.
Andy Mills | The Star-Ledger
12. Najee Glass, St. Peter's Prep, 2012
Glass set the state indoor 400 record when he won the 2012 New Balance National title in 46.57, ran a then meet record 46.43 when he won his 2nd straight outdoor Meet of Champion 400 title in 2011, ran a US #2 all-time 1:02.16 in the 500, and ran a PR of 21.60 in the 200. An injured hamstring forced Glass to miss the 2012 Meet of Champions, where he would have been a virtual lock to become the first by to ever win 3 outdoor M of C 400 titles. Glass is currently one of the top ranked 400 runners in the country at Florida.
MIA SONG | The Star-Ledger
11. Mike Morrison, Willingboro, 2003
Morrison, who won 2 straight Meet of Champions outdoor titles in the high jump, cleared a state indoor record to win the 2003 Nike National indoor high jump championship. Only Paul Klemic of Mainland (7-4 1/2 in outdoors in 2000) has jumper higher in NJ history. Morristown also placed 2nd in the long jump twice at the M of C, went 24-5 in the long jump, and ran 52.71 in the 400 hurdles. Morrison starred at the University of Florida.
Murray, Noah K. | The Star-Ledger
10. Sam Mattis, East Brunswick, 2012
Mattis won 3 straight Meet of Champions titles in the discus, captured 2 national discus titles, and unloaded a state record 218-4 at the 2012 Greater Middlesex Conference Relays. Mattis, now a senior at UPenn, won the NCAA discus title last June.
ARISTIDE ECONOMOPOULOS | NJ Advance Media
9. Reuben McCoy, Winslow, 2004
In 2004, McCoy won the 400 hurdles in 51.39, the 400 in 47.42, and the 200 in 21.51 to become the only boy to win 3 individual events at the same outdoor Meet of Champions.
McCoy is one of 5 boys in state history to win 4 events at the same state Group meet. He won the 400 hurdles, 400, HH and 200 at the '04 Group 3 meet. He also anchored Winslow to victory in the 4x400 at the Penn Relays. His PR's were 21.14 in the 200, 14.05 in the 110 HH, 46.77 in the 400, and 51.39 in the 400 IH. McCoy was an All-American at Auburn.
William Perlman | The Star-Ledger
8. Clayton Parros, Seton Hall Prep 2009
Parros won the 200 and 400 at the 2009 Meet of Champions, set the state 400 record of 45.71 in '09, and ran a 200 PR of 21.31, tied for No. 12 in state history. Parros had an All-American career at North Carolina.
Chris Faytok | NJ Advance Media
7. Joe Rosa, West Windsor-Plainsboro North, 2011
Rosa ran a state record time of 8:44. in the 2-mile when he won that race at the 2011 New Balance National Championships. Rosa also ran 4:07.66 for the mile, and a NJ #2 14:13.68. Rosa was on state record pace in the 3,200 at the 2011 M of C when the race was stopped with a lap to go because of lightning. That's Rosa reacting in this photo to the race being halted. Rosa has had an All-American career at Stanford.
Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media
6. Taylor McLaughlin, Union Catholic, 2015
McLaughlin finished his remarkable career with 9 Meet of Champions titles (6 on relays), was a member of 8 national championship relay teams (4 indoor and 4 outdoors), ran a state record 50.20 in the 400 hurdles, and had high school PR's of 13.94 in the 100 HH, 46.80 in the 400, and 21.37 in the 200. McLaughlin won the Big Ten 400 hurdles as freshman at Michigan this season.
NOAH K. MURRAY | The Star-Ledger
5. Danny Johnson, Rahway, 2001
At the 2001 Meet of Champions, Johnson (in the red and black) ran a state record 20.93 to win the 200, and won the 100 in a wind-aided 10.30, the fastest time ever recored by a N.J. high school sprinter. Johnson also won the 200 at the 2000 M of C in a wind-aided 21.03, and won the 200 and was second in the 100 at the 2001 Adidas National Championships. Johnson went on to star at Seton Hall.
John Munson | NJ Advance Media
4. Glenn DiGiorgio, Bayonne, 2002
DiGiorgio is tied for the boys state track and field record for the most Meet of Champions titles with 9 (6 outdoors and 3 indoors), and is the only boy to ever win 3 M of C titles in a row outdoors in both the shot put and discus. DiGiorgio won the 2002 national discus title on his final throw with a PR of 213-4, No. 3 in state history, won multiple national shot put titles, and and is No. 6 in state history in the shot put (68-0 1/4).
NOAH K. MURRAY | The Star-Ledger
3. Robby Andrews, Manalapan, 2009
Andrews won the 800 at the 2009 Meet of Champions in 1:48.66, No. 3 in NJ history, won the '09 Millrose Mile, captured the 800 at the '09 New Balance Indoor Championship in a national record of 1:49.21, set the national record in the 1,000 (2:22.28), won the 800 at the '09 New Balance Outdoor Nationals, and ran a 4:03.49 mile, No. 3 in NJ history. Andrews was a 2-time NCAA champion at Virginia and is a 2-time member of the U.S. World Championship team (1,500).
Tony Kurdzuk | The Star-Ledger
2. Craig Forys, Colts Neck, 2007
Forys racked up 7 Meet of Champions titles on the track (4 outdoors and 3 indoors), won the 2007 national 2-mile indoor title over Matt Centrowitz, and ran personal bests of 8:44.53 for 2 miles in 2007, a state record at the time, and 4:08.86 for the mile.
At the 2007 outdoor Meet of Champions, Forys pulled off arguably the best distance double in meet history by winning the 1,600 in 4:09.59, and the 3,200 in a then meet record 8:52.58. Forys was an All-American at Michigan and is now one of the nation's top steeplechasers.
Before Vena arrived at Morristown in 2008, no one in state history had thrown the shot put 70 feet. Vena surpassed 70 a national high school record 96 times. Vena won all 8 Meet of Champions shot put titles (4 titles indoors and 4 outdoors), won 4 New Balance National indoor titles, 4 Penn Relays titles, and set the state indoor (71-9 1/2) and outdoor (75-10 1/4) records. Vena won 1 M of C discus title to give him a boys state record tying 9 M of C titles. He attended Virginia for 1 year before transferring to Georgia where he was an All-American.
Others considered- Corey Crawford, Indian Hills (pictured), Liam Tansey, Morris Hills, Brett Johnson, Ocean City, Zamir Thomas, Snyder, Bryant McCombs, Old Bridge, Lance Wigfall, East Orange, Jeramy Elkaim, Livingston, Chris Phipps, Lodi, Miles Shuler, Long Branch, Chris Mirabelli, Holy Spirit, Anthony Averett, Woodbury, Yemi Ayeni, South Brunswick, Andrew Ghizzone, Union Catholic , Mohamed Khadraoui, Paterson Kennedy, Todd Dutch, Washington, Tiquan Underwood, Notre Dame, Michael Ray Garvin, Don Bosco, Rob Novak, Bordentown, Mike Carmody, Gov. Livingston , Adian Sanderson, Ewing, Bobby Smith, Hopatcong, Myles Hartsfield, Sayreville, Eric Bethea, Piscataway, Jamar Ervin, Camden
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