Often times the best recipe for winning a team title at the State Group Championship meet is to have a superstar who can come through in the clutch and pile up points, and to get some key points from a strong supporting cast.
That’s exactly what Scotch Plains-Fanwood did to to earn its first girls state title ever on Saturday at Franklin High School.
In her final high school race on NJ soil, Julia Jackson, one of the greatest quarter milers in state history, put on a spectacular show to go out in style and lead the Raiders to its biggest victory ever!
After winning the 100 on Friday in 12.00, Jackson smashed the All Groups 400 meet record by running 53.61, placed second in the 200 with a personal best and NJ No. 2 24.29, and then capped off her memorable performance by splitting 53.26 on the anchor leg to bring Scotch Plains-Fanwood across the line first in the 4×400 in 3:49.33 to clinch the first ever state title for the Raiders.
SPF was trailing Cherokee, 40-38, heading into the meet-concluding 4×400, but the Raiders picked up 10 points for winning the relay while Cherokee placed fourth to give SPF a 48-44 victory.
With her 53.61, the Duke-bound Jackson broke the All-Groups meet record of 53.69 set in 2014 by the legendary Olivia Baker of Columbia.
All of the 48 points for Scotch Plains-Fanwood came from six athletes.
In addition to Jackson’s amazing quad, senior Grace Kennedy placed fifth in both the 400 hurdles (1:03.54) and the 400 (57.28), and split 57.71 leading off the 4×400. Junior Jenai Berry placed fourth in the 800 in 2:13.43, and split 56.21 on the 4×400. Senior Ashley DeFrancesco earned a sixth place in the long jump with a 17-1, and Keira Kelly ran a 1:02.11 on the 4×400.
