Back from college circuit, Camden's Marshall ready to put cap on high-school track

Camden senior Matt Marshall lugged more than just a briefcase while on the college circuit this spring.

Flown from university to university, Marshall was given the campus tour, a spiel on why this or that school was the right fit for him, and praise – lots and lots of praise.

Such is the life of a highly-touted wide receiver. But while recruiters vied for his signature, a heavy conscience tugged at Marshall, one of the state's top hurdlers.

"I wanted to be there. I wanted to be there with my teammates. I wanted to be the one to put it out there," Marshall said. "But for me, I knew I was helping my future, which is a blessing that I have the opportunity.

"Still, the selfish part of me wasn't where it was supposed to be. I wasn't thinking about me."

After missing major meets and months of practice, Marshall regained form at the right time, winning the South Jersey Group 3 title in the 110 hurdles in 14.43 Saturday. He traveled far before returning in the basics.

From early March to early May, Marshall followed up on offers from the University of Arkansas, the University of Iowa and the University of North Carolina, living in and out of hotels while missing big meets – including a possible fourth appearance at the Penn Relays – and precious practice time on the track.

As a hurdler, Marshall soon found that training, while traveling, was challenging.
Unable to practice with college teams, Marshall did so individually, using hotel hallways as staightaways and walks to lecture halls and cafeterias as training grounds. Look ma, no hurdles.

"I was trying to do straddle jumps as if I was going over the hurdle," the University of Arkansas-bound student said. "Even though a hurdle wasn't there, I was imaging as if there was."

Enough of those workouts and Marshall's most sought touchdown involved a plane touching down on a nearby runway.

Between college visits Marshall competed at the Woodbury Relays – his only major meet – and at a few dual meets. Any illusions of being the same athlete who won the 55 hurdles at the Indoor State Group 3 Championship this winter were dismissed then, when sophomore teammate Syteek Farrington and lesser competitors beat him in the 110 hurdles, his premiere event. He was sluggish, running high 15s and losing his form by the seventh hurdle.

"Guys that used to fear him wouldn't fear him," coach Greg Foster said.
"I couldn't be mad at them," Marshall said. "I was always taught there're always guys doing something when you're not. And what they were doing, I wasn't doing."

While he could have hung it up when he arrived home for good in May and coasted on his two-sport, full-ride scholarship to Arkansas, Marshall insisted on persisting for his team and himself.

"He would work extra hard in the practice, come back the next week, and get beaten by guys he had no problem beating before, but he never got frustrated," Foster said. "It showed me a lot about his character."

An epiphany – and his Aunt Becky – woke Marshall up on a free Saturday, both telling him "you better start running."

He took his household hurdle, sat it on his driveway and practiced jumping over it and jump rope for two furious hours, an old training regimen that shaped him into the athlete he was – and came to be.

"I had to build the hunger back," he said.

Marshall spent the next two weeks at another gear. That's why he expected to speed to a season-best time Saturday.

"I honestly was training for that kind of performance," he said. "The great thing with that is there's a lot of room for improvement."

Marshall feels capable of breaking his personal-best 14.28 and hopes to dip down to 13.8 at the State Group 3 Championship Saturday at South Plainsfield. He will be joined on the line by Farrington, who placed third in 14.61.

Marshall won't race in ruby red slippers. After all, now that he's home, he has no need for them.

"It feels good to be back," Marshall said, "Home with my teammates and family."

Decade best
Along with tossing a personal-best 156-7 in the discus Saturday, Washington Township senior Kwabena Keene threw a personal-best 59-3 in the shot put, becoming South Jersey's best shot putter since Paulsboro's 1998 alum Jon Kalnas.
While Kalnas' high-school best of 64-4.25 may be out of reach, there is no state thrower closer to 60 feet than Keene.
"I really want to break it," said the University of North Carolina-bound senior this season. "I'm so close."
Keene is the top seed in the Group 4 meet today and if he doesn't reach the mark then, will get another chance at the Meet of Champions Wednesday provided he places in today's top six.